Members Trey Anastasio on vocals and guitar, Jon Fishman on drums, guitarist Jeff Holdsworth formed the band in 1983 whilst attending the University of Vermont. Noted for playing mainly Grateful Dead songs, in 1985 Page McConnell joined the band on keyboard and for a show for WRUV Radio Burlington, U.S. In 1986 Holdsworth departed from the group and the remaining line-up has continued to play to the day.
Towards the tail-end of the 1980s Phish released a number of experimental self-titled cassettes before their debut album “Junta” in 1988 and its follow-up “Lawn Boy” in 1989, the latter got a rerelease from independent label Absolute A-Go-Go in 1990. With the collapse of Rough Trade and Absolute A-Go-Go Phish signed with Elektra in 1992, released the full-length “A Picture of Nectar” and embarked on an extensive North American tour.
Due to the rerelease of previous material Phish began to expand on their listenership and procure a devoted following. Phish’s fourth album “Rift” was released in 1993, was followed by “Hoist” their highest selling album to date in 1994, which featured the single “Down with Disease” their first single to receive airplay on MTV and appeared on the TV show “Beavis and Butthead”.
In 1995 Phish released a two-disc live album titled “A Live One” which attempted to encapsulate the band's notoriously impressive live show defined by the laudable improvisation, and which album became Phish’s first album to be certified gold. A year later in 1996 the band released “Billy Breathes” and which has often been dubbed as Phish’s crowning album achievement, with featured track “Free” reaching No. 11 on the Mainstream Rock Chart.
Phish went on to host a two-day festival at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, Florida, U.S. where the band took the stage at 11:35 on December 31, 1999 and played for eight hours through to the new millennium. The band announced a break-up in October 2000 during which time the members pursued many musical projects including Anastasio’s solo work, work on Tenancious D’s first LP, a collaboration with Police drummer on the project Oysterhead and work with Gov’t Mule.
After an appearance on the Simpsons and a huge release of live and previous material, and a surge of popularity and appreciation, Phish returned with a year and a half of touring and the album “Undermind” in 2004. The return was short lived and following the release Phish announced they would once again break-up with a emotional final gig in Coventry, Vermont, U.S.
In 2008 the band won the Jammys Lifetime Achievement Award and released a number of tour dates playing alongside acts of a certain distinguished pedigree including Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Beastie Boys and Nine Inch Nails. On September 8, 2009 Phish released their fourteenth studio album “Joy” followed by a number of tour dates, and in 2012 headlined Bonnaroo Festival with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Radiohead. In 2014 the band released their fifteenth studio album entitled “Fuego”.
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