Gordo Club (Mike Gordon)

[JFMusic]

Edwin, that was a great read! I definitely thought it was interesting, and I'd love to hear more - specifically how you ended up programming patches for him

Pete, I thought the videos were excellent. It was cool to see him break down some of the thought process and equipment behind the sounds we've been hearing him make for years. I also have the videos from Trey going through his rig - I think Brian would really dig those two...

[enjoi1018]

Edwin and Bip, thanks for taking the time to type this stuff out for us. There quite a few excerpts from above that aren't remotely related to me personally, but rather ideas I'll hold onto for some time to come.
Sometimes I get discouraged. I tell myself to put down the bass and buy a few ties that I'll need down the road so I can get on a phone and not dream of playing MSG. Little inspirations and stories like such null those bum thoughts. I know that every time I pick up the bass, I improve. I try to convince myself otherwise depending on my happiness with how I played, but reality and time tell me otherwise.

That's why I play. And I want to play more to share what I can do, how it makes me feel, and spread it as I can. It keeps me sane.

Thanks to everyone for taking time for each other! That seems to be the resounding note around these parts, and especially this thread. Mike (and the community) have clearly done more to numbers of us than sell us a record.

Cheers!

[twhitedc]

Ed, thanks for your contributions. that was awesome.

Now, how about a big Whoa! for that NYE run? I had the privilege of being on the floor for 12/30, and I think that just a little bit of my face may have become permanently melted to the floor. Damn!

The setbreak gear-down was unreal, I was literally shooshing people at the party I was attending.

Since were sharing personal stories... This one is a little more recent and does not involve Mike. So, I'm a Chiropractor, and have been lucky enough to find my way into the Live Nation roladex. So in addition to tuning up the local crews in NJ, when an artist wants to get adjusted, I'm one of the people who gets called. So in 2011, on night one of PNC in NJ I was very much enjoying myself in the venue's basement taking care of the local guys. When Trey pops in asking if I was adjusting, and if he could have one! Needless to say I obliged, and had a great night. The only person I've been that excited to work with was Stephen Stills which was in some ways a very humbling experience.

Lets hope for some phresh tunes real soon!

[sleepy_monkey]

Edwin, great share. You seem like a real cool guy. I haven't gigged in a few years but your story allowed me to relive the days when I played all the time. I can relate to being surrounded by artists, musicians, kindred folks, great friends, friendly strangers, etc. I miss those times, but the phamily vibe in your post just brings it all full circle. Thanks again.

[sleepy_monkey]

List updated....let me know if I left anyone out.

Members:
1. Sleepy_Monkey (Phresident)
2. enjoi1018
3. brillo
4. Dick Tree
5. NightTripper
6. boris
7. AlvarHanso
8. phishaholik
9. TigerInATrance
10. Floridabwoy
11. MakiSupaStar
12. cschenk78
13. Chadwickw
14. twhitedc
15. Bigslapper
16. Sgt Baker
17. MarTONEbass
18. phulcrum
19. Mound of Sound
20. tlaubs
21. Bassman316
22. gpd
23. BeastBassPlaya
24. deadphish
25. speak2planets
26. hobbes1

[dvlmusic]

OK, it's time for me to not only subscribe to this one but share my stories as well.

I have been a phan since 1993, and my first show was Amherst in April of '94. I have always loved Mike's playing, and played a bunch of covers in my college band (Punch You In The Eye, Bathtub Gin, Wilson, Chalkdust Torture, Down With Disease, Sample In A Jar and Prince Caspian to name a few). We had 2 guitars and no keyboard so it was difficult to say the least.

About that time I started getting "lessons" with Victor Wooten and that inspired me to seek out MG. I ended up writing him 3 or 4 letters with some pretty heavy duty questions over the course of as many years (Phish's mail had about a 6 month turnaround) and he was kind enough to thoughtfully answer them all. One of the best things he ever told me was "Think of something that no one has done before and practice that A LOT." I like that one...

I got to meet him a few times here and there - an after party in Worcester, outside a restaurant in SF. I purchased a Meatball from Lovetone directly entirely because of Mike (and I still have it - best filter ever), as well as a Boss OC-2 (I loved the octave and meatball YEM jams). I was unsure about the Boss SYB-3 until I heard that Mike had one, so of course that's what I bought.

My favorite era were the 1997-1998 tours when they got back from listening to all that funk in Europe and Mike moved to the Modulus. All the sudden he was MUCH more present in the mix and he drove the band like never before.

I saw the entire Island Tour and night 2 I was 5th row-ish (general admission on the floor) right in front of Mike. My all-time favorite set was the final set from Lemonwheel. I don't think I've experienced musical ecstasy like that before or since. That 2001 is still in my top 5 all-time Phish jams.

Wow... I think that's it for now. Mike has made not only an indelible impression on my playing but also on my life. I can never thank him enough for the free "lessons" and all these years of inspiration.

[sleepy_monkey]

Awesome man. Welcome. I always wondered if he was on TB. The next time he is in Bham I thought about trying to contact him to see if he would play my Modulus.

[dvlmusic]

You should reach out to him - you never know.

I forgot to add - back in the late 90's I transcribed a bunch of early Phish bass lines as TAB and posted them to a burgeoning internet, and I still see them floating around now. I find it pretty funny that crummy TABs I did 15 years ago are still making the rounds. I just did a quick search and found this:

http://strangedesign.org/chords/bass...a/bass_yem.htm

15 years later and still going strong!

[Modulicious]

Please sign me up?
Huge phan since 93, umass 94 was my first show too. They always crushed mullins ctr. Epic rainbow that year i think.

Found a nice umass Gem on youtube, umass ballroom 1990
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELQ8KJYYPeQ&list=PL0qtCaBJguKbUOmLtTT9GQxN pDEJ03HPW[/URL]

I also created a youtube channel with a bunch of dead, phish, jazz, all vids with good quality sound. Its great for apple tv check it out.
[url="http://www.youtube.com/user/reevstar[/URL]

If you dont have apple TV - GET IT! worth it just for music alone!

Later
Reevstar

[Modulicious]

Please sign me up?
Huge phan since 93, umass 94 was my first show too. They always crushed mullins ctr. Epic rainbow that year i think.

Found a nice umass Gem on youtube, umass ballroom 1990
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELQ8K...03HPW&index=23


I also created a youtube channel with a bunch of dead, phish, jazz, all vids with good quality sound. Its great for apple tv check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/user/reevstar

If you dont have apple TV - GET IT! worth it just for music alone!

Later
Reevstar[/quote]

[RedMoses]

Inspiring story Edwin. Some of the guys i played in bands with in College have found some success and i have no doubt they will be huge in 10yrs, my old Sax player has been with a band called "Sister Sparrow and the Dirty birds" for a cpl years now, they recently opened up for Gov't Mule at the Beacon Theater, they have been touring all over the States and have been building a loyal fan base. Always nice to see your buddies play nice venues when they come back to town.

[dvlmusic]

[quote=Modulicious;13667630]Please sign me up?
Huge phan since 93, umass 94 was my first show too. They always crushed mullins ctr. Epic rainbow that year i think.

That's great - I've never found anyone who was not only at that show, but it was their first. I've got mp3s of the show if you want 'em. I had bought all their albums and was a HUGE phan already and I remember flipping out when they opened with Runaway Jim. I always loved the middle bit in that one. They played Axilla II for one of the first times, and I remember Trey was in a cast so Brad Sands did the trampoline part in YEM.

Man, those were the days.

[edwinhurwitz]

[quote=dvlmusic;13668334]

Originally Posted by Modulicious

Please sign me up?
Huge phan since 93, umass 94 was my first show too. They always crushed mullins ctr. Epic rainbow that year i think.

That's great - I've never found anyone who was not only at that show, but it was their first. I've got mp3s of the show if you want 'em. I had bought all their albums and was a HUGE phan already and I remember flipping out when they opened with Runaway Jim. I always loved the middle bit in that one. They played Axilla II for one of the first times, and I remember Trey was in a cast so Brad Sands did the trampoline part in YEM.

Man, those were the days.

I did see them at UMass a couple of times, although I'm not sure exactly when, sometime between 93-95. In fact, the first time I heard about them at all was in '86 or so, when I saw a xeroxed 8x11 poster (and I use that word loosely) for one of their shows at an Amherst club on a phone pole.

I also saw some great shows at UMass when I was a student there in 81-82. Miles Davis, Little Feat, Dizzy Gillespie with Max Roach, King Crimson, Gil Scott-Heron, Rick Danko, Taj Mahal and a ton more. It was a great year for music!

[spacebassed]

After reading all the great stuff that this thread has produced recently, it's inspired me to start something that was conspicuously missing from Talkbass - a Phil Lesh club. Soo... I'm proud to present the Phil Lesh Appreciation Society:
Phil Lesh Appreciation Society: Enter the Philzone...

I hope I'm not stepping on any toes by posting this here, but I know many Mike Gordon fans (and Mike himself) are also big Phil fans, so I figured there'd be some interest.

[JFMusic]

Another interesting note - I was re-watching the 12/29 webcast last night and noticed that Mike busted out his first Q5 (the bolt on from the 1997-2000 era) for Golden Age > Waves > Prince Caspian. He's played the walnut TBX faithfully since he got it, but this past run has seen him switching things up much more, especially during the second sets of each night. Thoughts?

[enjoi1018]

Originally Posted by JFMusic

Another interesting note - I was re-watching the 12/29 webcast last night and noticed that Mike busted out his first Q5 (the bolt on from the 1997-2000 era) for Golden Age > Waves > Prince Caspian. He's played the walnut TBX faithfully since he got it, but this past run has seen him switching things up much more, especially during the second sets of each night. Thoughts?

I was unaware he did! Answers my question about me telling the difference!

[JFMusic]

Originally Posted by enjoi1018

I was unaware he did! Answers my question about me telling the difference!

Yeah, I couldn't hear a difference either. Does anyone know what kind of wood this bass is made out of?

[enjoi1018]

Originally Posted by JFMusic

Yeah, I couldn't hear a difference either. Does anyone know what kind of wood this bass is made out of?

If I had to guess, I'd say alder.

[JFMusic]

Originally Posted by enjoi1018

If I had to guess, I'd say alder.

My mistake - I would assume that the body is definitely alder, but I meant to inquire about the top. It's very dark and has some interesting grain, but with the gloss finish it's tough to tell what it is...

[enjoi1018]

Just a FYI, Phish released the entire band's gear breakdown (in HD) on their Phacebook... it has Page's first video which was apparently nonexistant.

Enjoy!