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This Has All Been Wonderful: A Travel Monologue from Summer 1994, the Year Phish Became Phish
1994 was part of an era before cell phones and ubiquitous Internet. Trying to escape the oppressive New Mexico heat, David “ZZYZX” Steinberg spent that summer driving around the country seeing a band. Phish was at a turning point in their career, still playing clubs and small theatres, but about to break into mainstream popularity. From Las Cruces to Vancouver, Canada, back to New Mexico and across the nation to Trenton, New Jersey, David saw twenty-six Phish concerts that summer.
Bringing the wry sense of humor and random digressions that have made his daily “Phish Stats” Facebook updates a favorite of veteran fans and newbies alike, this book details the journey he took in the summer of ‘94. Between pointing out the best rest stop locations and explaining how to accidentally infuriate the band that he loves, ZZYZX brings the richness of tour to life.
If you’ve ever wondered why someone would pack up their car with nothing but a tour calendar and a few cases of soda to sell, come along for the ride. There’s always room for one more.
Bringing the wry sense of humor and random digressions that have made his daily “Phish Stats” Facebook updates a favorite of veteran fans and newbies alike, this book details the journey he took in the summer of ‘94. Between pointing out the best rest stop locations and explaining how to accidentally infuriate the band that he loves, ZZYZX brings the richness of tour to life.
If you’ve ever wondered why someone would pack up their car with nothing but a tour calendar and a few cases of soda to sell, come along for the ride. There’s always room for one more.
- GenresMusicNonfiction
147 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 18, 2014
16 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 9, 2015
David Steinberg aka ZZYZX aka The Timer recounts his experiences touring with Phish in 1994 as they evolve from a small-time club band to the arena-filling powerhouse we know and love today. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone with just a passing interest in Phish or music history - there is full-on nerddom happening here. Chapters are broken up by specific shows on the run, and Steinberg intersperses stats, song descriptions and personal stories throughout. It can read a bit slow, but there is some great trivia, a few intriguing stories about the band back when they were still accessible beyond the rail and David's unique perspective having seen 300+ shows since '89. As a phan, it's fun to relate to his dedication (obsession), and I couldn't help but immediately listen to some of the recommended tracks.
July 20, 2019
Having just caught the band's run at Alpine Valley, including a Sunday show that is being discussed among the best outings of 3.0 (perhaps of all time), I figured now was the perfect time to read a book about Phish. I was correct. And having been on my list for a while now, David Steinberg's coverage of the Summer '94 tour got the nod.
This is one of those books that I think everyone could get at least a little something out of, but there is a definite hierarchy of recommendation here. That would be.. anyone > lovers of music > lovers of jam music > lovers of Phish. The order of ascension is obvious I think. I could recommend this to anyone because it's a fun little journey into the experience of someone who hops on tour with a band and the shenanigans they get up to. I could recommend it further to anyone who really loves music, as the enjoyment you find will be amplified; especially if you are a fan of jam music. And finally, and most obviously, I can recommend it most wholeheartedly to Phish fans. Especially nerdy Phish fans who have their nose in the stats (which I always tend to do shortly after seeing them).
I suppose I should give a short little run down for those completely unfamiliar. Jam is a genre that was popularized by the Grateful Dead and further accelerated by Phish, beginning in 1987 (and continuing today, albeit after one hiatus and one break-up/reunion; what band isn't without their hiccups?). It sets itself apart from your average concert by way of extended improvisational sections (jams) that lend a newness and sense of creation to the concerts that keep fans coming back time and time again. Sometimes multiple shows in a row (even if you hear a song twice in a row, chances are it won't be played the same way). And for the truly dedicated, even entire tours in a row, as Steinberg did in 1994 when he followed Phish's Summer tour for 26 shows. This may seem like madness to some. To others (like myself), a dream. Even if you can't imagine embarking on such a journey yourself, there is something to be said for the romantic flair of road life; setting out with no clear sense of how you'd make the trip work, not much money to your name, living only for the freedom of the music, getting by selling sodas post-show in the parking lot. When you let the music take control and truly dive deep into the experience, you open yourself up to all that the experience has to offer. The good and the bad. The mystic and the terrible. The monotony and the mishaps.
Especially fun, at least for me, is getting a glimpse at what all of this was like in a pre-Internet era (or rather, just on the cusp of the Internet). This is a big focus of Steinberg's throughout the book (seeing as how he is still at it, and knows exactly what the modern scene is like) and proves entertaining for someone like me who has only known the post-Internet world of concert-going. No doubt, the convenience of the modern-era can't be ignored. Nor the benefits. Sitting on my porch listening to every Phish set Steinberg describes at the touch of a button, as he describes it, cannot be overstated as a positive experience. But one does long for the simplicity of the before. One thing is sure though. Keeping detailed setlist notes may have been replaced with instant post-show updates online, or even live streams of the concert. Tape trading may have turned into file sharing. Maps may be obsolete. You may not spend all day looking for a venue because your information was bogus, or have to think of some elaborate scheme to come up with a ticket because when you finally got to the box office (can't just buy one online) the show was sold out. Those things may be a relic of the past, but one things remains. That thing that we all crave. That we all love. The music! That force of creation that brings us all running back time and time again. As much as things may change, you can count on that to stay the same.
This is one of those books that I think everyone could get at least a little something out of, but there is a definite hierarchy of recommendation here. That would be.. anyone > lovers of music > lovers of jam music > lovers of Phish. The order of ascension is obvious I think. I could recommend this to anyone because it's a fun little journey into the experience of someone who hops on tour with a band and the shenanigans they get up to. I could recommend it further to anyone who really loves music, as the enjoyment you find will be amplified; especially if you are a fan of jam music. And finally, and most obviously, I can recommend it most wholeheartedly to Phish fans. Especially nerdy Phish fans who have their nose in the stats (which I always tend to do shortly after seeing them).
I suppose I should give a short little run down for those completely unfamiliar. Jam is a genre that was popularized by the Grateful Dead and further accelerated by Phish, beginning in 1987 (and continuing today, albeit after one hiatus and one break-up/reunion; what band isn't without their hiccups?). It sets itself apart from your average concert by way of extended improvisational sections (jams) that lend a newness and sense of creation to the concerts that keep fans coming back time and time again. Sometimes multiple shows in a row (even if you hear a song twice in a row, chances are it won't be played the same way). And for the truly dedicated, even entire tours in a row, as Steinberg did in 1994 when he followed Phish's Summer tour for 26 shows. This may seem like madness to some. To others (like myself), a dream. Even if you can't imagine embarking on such a journey yourself, there is something to be said for the romantic flair of road life; setting out with no clear sense of how you'd make the trip work, not much money to your name, living only for the freedom of the music, getting by selling sodas post-show in the parking lot. When you let the music take control and truly dive deep into the experience, you open yourself up to all that the experience has to offer. The good and the bad. The mystic and the terrible. The monotony and the mishaps.
Especially fun, at least for me, is getting a glimpse at what all of this was like in a pre-Internet era (or rather, just on the cusp of the Internet). This is a big focus of Steinberg's throughout the book (seeing as how he is still at it, and knows exactly what the modern scene is like) and proves entertaining for someone like me who has only known the post-Internet world of concert-going. No doubt, the convenience of the modern-era can't be ignored. Nor the benefits. Sitting on my porch listening to every Phish set Steinberg describes at the touch of a button, as he describes it, cannot be overstated as a positive experience. But one does long for the simplicity of the before. One thing is sure though. Keeping detailed setlist notes may have been replaced with instant post-show updates online, or even live streams of the concert. Tape trading may have turned into file sharing. Maps may be obsolete. You may not spend all day looking for a venue because your information was bogus, or have to think of some elaborate scheme to come up with a ticket because when you finally got to the box office (can't just buy one online) the show was sold out. Those things may be a relic of the past, but one things remains. That thing that we all crave. That we all love. The music! That force of creation that brings us all running back time and time again. As much as things may change, you can count on that to stay the same.
November 27, 2023
This was a quick and breezy read, but still packed with lots of great Phish action. As much as I loved the show-by-show notes covering Phish's summer 1994 tour (the same year I was just beginning to become a Phish fan, but before I saw them live myself), the real draw here is when he talks about his journey and challenges going on tour in an era without GPS, cell phones and only the earliest scratchings of a Phish presence on the internet.
February 17, 2024
Easy read that make the reader want to back in time on tour. Or at least listen to the highlights of the shows discussed.
February 6, 2015
Ok - I loved this book, but I'll be straight: it's for a niche audience. Non-fans simply won't get it. Younger fans might be put off by "back-in-the-day" vibe. Finally, the author isn't a natural narrative writer, something I suspect he knows.
But damn, these stories connect personally. Summer '94 was my first tour, a 20 year old noob from Tennessee traveling the Midwest and Northeast for the first time. Steinberg writes with the authentic voice of those swapping stories on the lot. It brought me a flood of great memories from a transformative month of my life.
But damn, these stories connect personally. Summer '94 was my first tour, a 20 year old noob from Tennessee traveling the Midwest and Northeast for the first time. Steinberg writes with the authentic voice of those swapping stories on the lot. It brought me a flood of great memories from a transformative month of my life.
July 16, 2014
A fun, relatively quick read. Evokes well the scene of going to Phish shows in the early to mid '90s, when the band's popularity exploded. I really enjoyed the anecdotal road-story nature of the book, so it never was just a collection of show reviews, as much as the story of the journey from show to show, with the highlights of the concerts themselves sprinkled in. Recommended, especially for fellow long-time Phish fans.
July 20, 2014
I spent way too much time during college on David Steinberg's website. His passion is infectious. I bought the book after hearing him interviewed on hfpod and loved it. It's amazing to me that you used to be able to road trip around the country on a shoestring budget and that there was a band worth seeing almost nightly that charged about $10 per ticket. I wish he'd added some more personal details and anecdotes The lack of pretension was refreshing.
April 30, 2014
Closer to a high-ish 3 than a low-ish 4. ZZYZX is legendary and this is a nice insight into his world in 1994. Hard to tell sometimes if he is joking or if he is oblivious to his tone. I suspect a bit of both at different times.
Much more concrete text than A Tiny Space to Move and Breathe but the musical discussion is super inferior. A book mixing both would be great.
Much more concrete text than A Tiny Space to Move and Breathe but the musical discussion is super inferior. A book mixing both would be great.
May 15, 2014
A fun time capsule about a great time.
May 10, 2014
Not particularly well-written with entirely too many detours to non-Phishy realms. Still, it got me excited about the shows this summer!
July 12, 2014
Love Phish and really wanted to like this book, but the writing is all over the place. It just isn't put together well, jumps all over the place, and frankly just isn't very interesting.
July 9, 2014
Great for Phish nerds. Incomprehensible to most everyone else.
November 9, 2014
what I needed right now.
December 29, 2014
A must read for any Phish fan.
January 29, 2015
entertaining and funny; led me to check out some awesome shows/jams I hadn't heard before. well worth your time.
March 12, 2016
All in all a good read with great insights into tour on the year the Phish exploded. Jealous of those experiences. Wish I had been there. Definitely inspired me to listen to more 94 Phish.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews