Mt. Rushmore: Bathtub Gin

Summary

Helping Friendly Podcast Episode Summary: Mt. Rushmore: Bathtub Gin

Release Date: March 3, 2025 Host/Author: Osiris Media

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Introduction to the Mount Rushmore Series

In this episode of the Helping Friendly Podcast (HFPod), hosts RJ, Brian Brinkman, and Megan embark on an exciting new series titled "Mount Rushmore". This series aims to identify and celebrate the four most defining versions of iconic Phish songs, starting with "Bathtub Gin". The concept draws inspiration from the grandeur of the presidential Mount Rushmore, seeking to honor the preeminent renditions that have left an indelible mark on the band's history and their fans.

RJ introduces the series with enthusiasm:

[00:48] RJ: "We are all winners because we're starting a new series and there are no losers in the series. It's called Mount Rushmore."

Overview of Bathtub Gin

Megan provides a comprehensive background on "Bathtub Gin", highlighting its historical significance and evolution over the years:

[22:54] Megan: "The music is by Trey, but the lyrics are by his friend Susannah Goodman, and the opening piano echoes Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. This song is on Lawn Boy, debuting live on May 26th, 1989."

She emphasizes the song's versatility and its role as a staple in Phish's repertoire, having been performed 315 times and featured on the jam chart 103 times.

Selecting the Mount Rushmore Versions

The core of the episode revolves around selecting the top four versions of "Bathtub Gin" that will comprise its Mount Rushmore. Brian meticulously curates his choices, considering factors like the song's impact, the band's evolution, and fan reception.

Version 1: August 13, 1993 – The Marat Gin

Brian nominates the August 13, 1993, version, dubbing it "Marat Gin", as the most formative Phish jam of all time. He lauds its foundational role in shaping the band's jamming style:

[36:04] Brian: "This is what I believe is the most formative fish jam of all time. It showcases everything that Bath Gin could be and remains foundational in Phish history."

Megan concurs, praising its playful and energetic execution:

[39:16] Megan: "It's such a fun jam. The way it weaves in and out with melody is so careening and fun. The segues into Yamar are perfect."

RJ adds his perspective, acknowledging the version's significance despite some reservations about its originality:

[40:32] RJ: "This has to be there because no matter what, without this version of Bathtub Gin, where is Phish?"

Version 2: August 17, 1997 – The Wenchen

Next, Brian selects the August 17, 1997, rendition, known as "Wenchen", praising its emotional depth and melodic perfection:

[45:40] Brian: "This is Fish channeling Beethoven. It's romantic and epic, with the greatest riffing I've ever heard in their catalog."

Megan echoes his admiration for its optimistic and romantic vibe:

[50:45] Megan: "It's one of the most optimistic, hopeful, romantic pieces the band has ever played. The piano work is jaw-dropping."

RJ highlights its enduring impact and intricate construction:

[49:04] Brian: "This version can cure diseases. It has that joyful and blissy impact that brightens anyone's day."

Version 3: September 29, 1997 – Riverport Gin

Brian introduces the September 29, 1997, version from Nassau Coliseum, "Riverport Gin", as a pinnacle of funk grooves and melodic exploration:

[61:17] Brian: "This is where the impact of the Talking Heads is best heard in Phish. The relentless funk and groove make it one of my favorite jams."

Megan describes it as hypnotic and tight, praising its dynamic flow:

[64:54] Megan: "It's so hypnotic and has the sickest funk grooves. It's completely mesmerizing."

RJ acknowledges its adventurous nature and memorable riffs:

[75:28] RJ: "Brian, this version is an unbelievable adventure every time. The descending chord riff before the groove is burned into my brain."

Version 4: February 28, 2003 – Nassau Coliseum Gin

The final selection is the February 28, 2003, performance from Nassau Coliseum, often hailed as a "Bathtub Gin" pinnacle:

[67:35] Brian: "This version combines type two jamming, infectious grooves, and a holy vibe, making it one of the greatest Phish shows ever."

Megan emphasizes its fluidity and dynamic interplay between instruments:

[74:19] Megan: "This version has incredible fluidity and dynamic interplay, making it phenomenal."

RJ underscores the mark this version leaves on listeners:

[75:41] Brian: "This gin is like a romantic crescendo that leaves listeners in awe."

Listener Interaction and Feedback

The podcast incorporates listener voicemails and feedback, fostering an interactive community. Tim from Rhode Island commends the quality of the Reprise shows and requests setlists be read at the beginning of reviews for ease of information access:

[05:23] Brian: "To my listener Tim, we appreciate your request and will consider reading the set list at the start of our reviews to aid listeners on the go."

Additionally, fans contributed their own Mount Rushmore selections via the podcast’s website, with Riverport Gin tying for the most votes, followed by Magna Ball and others. Brian addresses fan preferences, acknowledging the diversity in opinions while defending his selections.

Announcements and Future Episodes

Towards the episode's conclusion, the hosts announce the next topic in the Mount Rushmore series: "Harry Hood", promising an in-depth exploration of its most iconic performances. They encourage listeners to visit their website to vote on future episodes and engage with the ongoing series.

Brian expresses his excitement for the new series:

[92:33] Brian: "This is our most fun series ever. We're diving deep into Phish's greatest jams, and 'Bathtub Gin' is just the beginning."

Conclusion

The episode masterfully blends in-depth analysis with vibrant discussions, enriched by listener interactions and thoughtful debates among the hosts. By establishing the Mount Rushmore series, HFPod not only honors Phish's musical legacy but also actively engages its community in celebrating the band's most defining moments.

Notable Quotes:

• [22:54] Megan: "This song has been played 315 times and was on the jam chart 103 times—a third of the time, which is pretty crazy."
• [36:04] Brian: "This is what I believe is the most formative fish jam of all time."
• [45:40] Brian: "This is Fish channeling Beethoven. It's romantic and epic."
• [61:17] Brian: "This is where the impact of the Talking Heads is best heard in Phish."
• [67:35] Brian: "This version combines type two jamming, infectious grooves, and a holy vibe."

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For more detailed analyses and to participate in voting for future Mount Rushmore episodes, visit osirispod.com/Rushmore.

Transcript

[RJ]

Hi, I'm Dusty, the co founder of cashortrade.org the world's only social ticketing platform where fans have come together to buy, sell and trade tickets at face value free from the scalping brokers of the resale market and the leaders of the face value movement. I want to thank you all for joining us and working together to disrupt the ticketing industry. So I'd love to tell you a little bit about Cash or trade. It's a fair ticketing platform where fans have come to make a post whether they're looking to buy, sell or trade a ticket. The second they list it will send an alert to anyone who is looking. They can click on the alert, hop into a conversation and commit to buy. Once they commit, the money will be held in escrow by cash or trade. We'll securely transfer the funds and we will validate the ticket. You can transfer, then leave a review. It's a lot like Airbnb for tickets, so embrace the face and see you at Cash or Trade.

[Brian Brinkman]

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[Megan]

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[Brian Brinkman]

So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Megan]

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[Brian Brinkman]

Osiris okay, now I'm ready.

[RJ]

We are the the message of the day today is that we are all winners because we're starting a new series and there are no losers in the series. It's called Mount Rushmore. We have our first episod. Megan and Brian, you're winners. You're always winners to me.

[Megan]

Thanks rj. You're a winner to me too. You too, Brian. You're a winner too.

[Brian Brinkman]

I think the winners of the songs that we are selecting. You guys are good people. I enjoy podcasting with you, but it's the songs that we're selecting.

[RJ]

Yeah, true. It's true.

[Megan]

All winners today.

[RJ]

Okay, so a couple things. The first thing we have to do is talk just briefly about the bunch of Reprise shows that are coming up. Because I. I always do and I'm not going to stop now. We have shows this Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Four shows in a row Thursday in Worcester, Massachusetts. I'm going to that. It's going to be great. They're recreating the Wipeout show. So, you know, that's like something that, you know, if you like fish and you're in the area, you might want to come to that Friday night at Saratoga Springs. I'll also be there. So if you happen to be there, come say hi. 71094 from Spec. That's the show. On Saturday, we have Brooklyn Bowl 1230 97. This is. This is the real deal, guys. We're getting.

[Megan]

Oh, my God. Can we just talk about how excited I am to hear 1230 97? Like, come on. Everybody in the area needs to be at the show or I'm not going to be your friend anymore. So there you go.

[Brian Brinkman]

I just hope you guys have the guy, like, in the fifth row center on the video, who is the only person on the floor at MSG on 123097 who realizes that Sneak and Sally and is like, hands fully up in the air, jumping like yes, in the air. That dude on the video gives me chills every time I watch it. Wherever you are, if you. You would know who you are if you're that guy. You were the only one who recognized it on 1230 97. They need a replica of that guy at the start of the show. That's all I'm gonna say.

[Megan]

Maybe I should wear the same outfit I wore on 1230 97. I should wear something similar, but I don't have enough face glitter or twisty little clips to put my hair in. And I don't have enough, like, crop tops and wide leg pants with, like, a belt loop chain on it that tucks into my back pocket. That was my look.

[Brian Brinkman]

1997 ruled. Yeah, man.

[Megan]

I was my girl, my raver era.

[Brian Brinkman]

Every girl looked like they were off the set of Clueless. I loved it. I don't want to spoil anything, but will you have a Tom Marshall replacement to sing Hannibal Lecter?

[Megan]

Well, he's gonna be there.

[Brian Brinkman]

I don't want to spoil it.

[RJ]

Spoiler alert. If you enjoyed that part of the show, you will be able to enjoy it again in some fashion, is what I'll say.

[Megan]

Oh, my God, that's gonna be so sick.

[RJ]

Sunday night at Dharma Bums in New Hope, Pa. Our friend Steve Vickner, the vic, who you know, Brian, he. He set us up with this show. So we're playing at Dharma Bums in New Hope, and they're playing 121199 from the Spectrum.

[Megan]

Sick.

[RJ]

Yeah, we got a show coming up on March 27 at the Pickle Barrel in Killington, and then a bunch of shows in April, which we'll talk about again later. But I gotta. I gotta play a voicemail from a listener about. Well, I'm not even gonna say it. It's called a spoiler. So we're just gonna do this. Is ready? You don't want spoilers?

[Megan]

Yeah. Let's go.

[Brian Brinkman]

Hello, friends, this is Tim from Rhode Island, Longtime listener, first time caller. Just like a couple things here real quick. I was fortunate enough to see the Reprise band last night, and those guys are the real deal, man. To break out the mandolins and upright base for I'm Blue, I'm Lonesome. Like, it was incredible. They nail it. And if you get a chance to see Reprise, come to your town.

[RJ]

Don't miss out.

[Brian Brinkman]

And I have one quick request for you guys. When you're reviewing a show, could you please just read the set list at.

[RJ]

The beginning of your review?

[Brian Brinkman]

I'm usually listening in the car, and I can't take a quick glance at the phone to see what the set.

[RJ]

List of the show is.

[Brian Brinkman]

And. Yeah, just that. Keep up the great work, guys.

[Megan]

See you in Summer tour. I feel like, Brian, you would appreciate that. I think you like. You like to do that. I think that's a really good note that we got.

[Brian Brinkman]

I really appreciate that note. I would love to do that. That would be my job going forward. I'm here for it. I just want to make sure that it's not wasting RJB's time. So as long as RJ, we're asking right now, RJ, do you approve of that slight digression where I will leave a full set list of the show because I'm into it? I think our caller is absolutely on point. This would help our listeners.

[RJ]

It depends on the context. I mean, you know, if we say.

[Megan]

Like this, so we're doing like a bunch of shows.

[RJ]

If Brian's like this, this antelope reminds me of the 71694 version. Then we have to read the entire set list from 7:16.

[Megan]

No, no, no, no, no. Just the show we're reviewing.

[Brian Brinkman]

All right, now, now, now you're being ridiculous. All right? That is not at all what this caller is asking for. He's saying if we were talking about a specific show, like a run like Mexico 2019, we probably should have done. Going from night one to night two to night three was just give a quick rundown of the set.

[RJ]

Fair, Fair.

[Brian Brinkman]

Tim, I believe that's your name. The caller. Smart man. Thank you. For calling and making a great show upgrade request. I appreciate it.

[Megan]

It is good. I think the only reason we sometimes don't do it is that so we don't end up in a position where we're like. And then they played this song and then they played this, so. But I think what he's saying is more like, give me the rundown quickly.

[Brian Brinkman]

Give me an overview.

[Megan]

Give me an overview. Yeah, Yeah, I like that.

[RJ]

All right.

[Brian Brinkman]

I do like Forbin777's idea here of a podcast of Brian reading setlists entirely. I. I would be into that. Like, just put some, like, same, like, some. Some, you know, lush music behind me, you know, and I could just be sitting here and. Hold on. Hold on one second.

[Megan]

So relaxing.

[Brian Brinkman]

Just be. Be sitting here and. And being like Snake and Sally through the alley segue into taste. I'm into this. Oh, my God.

[Megan]

Totally. I am, too. Let's do it.

[RJ]

Okay. Megan, what do you got going on?

[Megan]

Oh, I do have something going on. I just recorded a new episode of A Moment with Meg.

[RJ]

That's cool.

[Megan]

Who is it with? Yeah, it's with Mike Horn from Sea Wind of Battery, One of our favorite musicians here on the pod. Friend of the pod and just overall awesome person. I got to go to his resourceful space in Williamsburg, and it was really cool just to see this place where he has all these instruments and all of his cool stuff. And we got to talk a lot about what inspires him and how he started making ambient music and how he looks for melody in his music, and just some really awesome stuff, and it was really fun, and I hope people check it out. So on my Instagram. It's Also on Osiris YouTube.

[Brian Brinkman]

He has created two of my favorite albums in the last five years, and I highly, highly recommend people check out his music as well as your interview with him. That's incredible.

[Megan]

Yeah, his music's so special.

[RJ]

Good work, Meg. Thanks. Okay, two more things. Number one, I'm going to tell you guys how to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Okay? So you can go to Apple Podcasts. You can do it on a browser or on the app, and then search HF Pod. Okay, everyone with me? So far, all you have to do is go down and click on write a review. Give it, like, give it one sentence. 5 stars. Love these guys. We haven't had a new one in a month or so. I know you guys are listening. I know you like it. I know you like hanging out with here. Please just go ahead and give us a review. That helps us out.

[Brian Brinkman]

Four stars would give it a five star. If Brian won more drafts, you could.

[Megan]

Just say like 5 stars. I love how Meg wins all the drafts. Like something like that is like super easy. Just really quick.

[RJ]

Yeah. Five stars. It's great that you don't read the set list every time you mention a show. Great. Keeps it moving. Okay, sorry. Last thing I want to mention before we get into our new series. So I've started to think about going down to this Viva El Gonzo in Mexico. And I started looking at it and I felt like I should probably, like, we should probably just talk about it on the podcast because everyone knows it's like, you know, three nights of Goose. But this lineup is awesome. And I just want more people to like. I want people to go. Because I'm like now, once I started looking at it, I mean, I'm thinking like, okay, so there's three nights of Goose. We're on drugs. Dawes. Dogs in a pile. Eggy. I mean, that alone for like a three day show is like pretty sweet. I mean, just the war on drugs playing there with Goose is just awesome. So anyway, I'm starting to get excited about this, about this potential trip that I might take. So I just wanted to tell people to check it out because I think it's. It seems pretty awesome to me.

[Megan]

When is it, RJ?

[RJ]

Good question. May 8th.

[Megan]

May. In May?

[RJ]

Yeah, I should have said that. It's a good idea.

[Megan]

That's going to be amazing. Yeah, I'll be jealous.

[Brian Brinkman]

I would really, really like, regardless if you go or not, I would really, really like Adam Grand Shield to hang out with Rick and Peter and be like, you guys ever hear this effect? You guys ever hear this synthesizer? And Rick to continue to expand his pedal board and to continue to explore 80s heartland rock. And I'm guessing he's heard the album Tunnel of Love. But I. I would really like for Rick to be like, hey, maybe instead of us covering some lame movie for Halloween, let's just cover a Tunnel of Love because it's right in our wheelhouse. And I would love for Peter to be like, I need 17 more synthesizers. Because, like, we need to just like expand the space and noise of this sound. Like, there's such a crossover appeal between those two bands that I just want that time shared together to be productive. If you go and have a great time in the sun, I'm happy. I just want whatever happened in February and Goose to not be the end of Goose going forward.

[RJ]

Would Rick have to start wearing a bolo tie. Brian, if he started. Started getting, like, in the 80s Springsteen.

[Brian Brinkman]

I mean, you know, I am totally fine with the crystal he's wearing. I think a bolo tie would look better. I think that was Jeff's thing.

[Megan]

Jeff is a bolo tie guy.

[RJ]

True, true. Oh, true.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

I think Rick needs an upgrade on his shoes first and foremost if he's going to wear bolo ties. You can't really do that with a giant pair of red Chuck Taylor's. There's a lot of opportunity.

[RJ]

Really thought about this.

[Megan]

I mean, I mean, you really have.

[Brian Brinkman]

There's a lot of opportunities.

[Megan]

You could. I think Rick, I'm less into the, like, ripped shirt look that he has. Like, that. I've never really been into that. And he does it a lot. And I know he's kind of into, like, the werewolf thing, but I just think that's a look that I'm. I'm willing for him to move away.

[Brian Brinkman]

From just regardless what Rick looks like. Okay. I'm going to keep going to the shows to look at him, like, listen to the Bruce Springsteen song Tougher than the rest and hear the gated drums and hear the. And think, like, oh, my God, Goose should cover this song. This would be a great cover for Goose.

[RJ]

It would be. Okay, so that's enough of that. All right, so we're starting a new series. First of all, before we start, we just have to talk about how awesome Brian Brinkman is for helping us organize this project. Don't you think, Meg?

[Megan]

Yeah. It was amazing. And you made it easy on me. You made my life so much easier by going through and choosing which versions were the top. I think there's 28 or something of these bathtub gins. And Brian curated them for us and made the list for us and put them in chronological order so we could listen to all of these bathtub gins in order. And I really appreciate it sincerely. It's been exciting and fun and it's made our lives easier, which, you know, is impressive, especially coming after some sour feelings about the draft. You still, like, wanted to help us out, so I think that's awesome.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah. Let's just continue belittling people's feelings about drafts. That's a great way to start a whole new series. Meg. I really appreciate it at the beginning.

[RJ]

That you're all winners. I said everybody's a winner. What else do you need to know?

[Brian Brinkman]

Sour feelings in quotes. My God. You're welcome. Let's talk about this series. We are launching a brand new series. This is our Third series that we have launched since the. What would you call it? The rebrand. The reassessment of HF Pod.

[RJ]

Post Covid reassessment's a little strong, but.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah.

[Megan]

I don't know what you want to say.

[Brian Brinkman]

The Renaissance. The HF Pod Renaissance era. I love it. The Enlightenment era. We did 40 for 40 in 2023. We did top 25 tours last year. This, as we have explained, will be an ongoing series. We don't have an end date in sight. We have a list of songs that we are planning to get through over the next year and change. We'll see how long it goes because we have, we have other series that we want to get to as well, but this one we're going to focus on for a while. The goal of this series is not so much competition, it is definition of what do these fish songs, these great fish songs mean in the larger realm of fish history. And so I think that with that in mind, it's going to be a very interesting episode by episode march through. We are going to. How do I not over complicate this? We are, we, we have come up with a list of what we believe are the defining fish songs. Okay. We are open to adding more fish songs. If as we get to the lit through the list and you say where's this song? Well, we'll, we can examine it. It's a 50 song cut off. There have to be jam charted versions of this song for us to discuss it. But the goal here, we take each of these songs and then we go through both the jam chart as well as live bait releases and we come up with a long list of great versions of these songs which going forward you the voters will be voting based off of that long list. Okay, so no more of like 175 versions of a specific song. You will be voting off of that long list. And then on a rotational basis each episode, one host is tasked with coming up with the Mount Rushmore and defending it and providing reasons for why they're using. Why. Why have they selected those songs? And at the very end of the episode we'll hear from the other co hosts what where their Mount Rushmore differs or aligns and we'll talk about that. It'll be a great conversation, a great discussion and then you, the listener will share some of your Mount Rushmore's. Perhaps there's an outlandish one that we're like, what the hell? You picked those songs? And then we get to talk about it like that really condescendingly in a loving way. But there may be others who have a Mount Rushmore that were like, whoa, I never would have put those four versions together. How cool. What a smart listener you are. So take the risk. Tell us what your four favorite versions of each songs are, and you can play along with us and we can have a ongoing conversation. We want voicemails that come in that defend your Mount Rushmore versions that make fun of our Mount Rushmore versions. None of this is canon. We are not saying that these are the defined four versions you must hear, but to us, as a podcast, this is what we are presenting to the world as the four preeminent versions of the best Fish songs that have ever been written. I get that, right? Rj, Is there anything I missed?

[RJ]

No, that was perfect. I just. I want to say there was a. There was a nice discussion on Blue sky involving some. Some real serious Fish fan royalty, let me tell you. We got. We had Drew weighing in Chop, Charlie Dirksen. People were, you know, I can tell that the series is going to be good because people had some serious takes. But, Brian, when we, as we go into Bathtub Gin and start talking about it, do you have your own. I guess. Do we have an aligned version of what we're. What we're looking for? Because. Are we talking about. I mean, Mount Rushmore is, as we kind of talked about last week in. In as a comparison, sort of like for the most important four presidents. I don't know. Maybe up to that. Up to a certain point. I mean. So I guess what I'm asking is there's. There's a version from 93 that we're going to talk about that I think the band has talked about a lot. And. And that, like, is part of Fish lore. Right? So whether or not I think that that version of Bathtub Jin is great or not, that the consideration is importance to the band and to the. And to the history and to the understanding of the evolution of the song. Is that how you would put it?

[Brian Brinkman]

That is a hundred percent how I put this and how I. How I created my own list is because there are, like, when you get down to four versions, especially songs like Bathtub Gin or no Spoilers, but we'll cover you Enjoy Myself at some point, we'll cover Tweezer at some point, we'll cover Disease at some point. There are certain Fish songs that when they start, regardless what is played, the audience reacts as though it's the best thing that they've ever heard. And that's kind of by design. There are other songs that we have on here that have lesser high quality versions, but are still beloved for various reasons. So I say all that contextually because it is damn near impossible to create a. Like my Mount Rushmore of Bathtub Gin is the same as yours is the same as someone else's. So it's all about that base level of did these versions, in my interpretation, your interpretation, define kind of where the band was at, push the band forward, and really like, signify what this song means overall in Fish history. So there's like a looseness to that criteria. I think that we want that sort of individual interpretation. I think that's where it's going to get really interesting is like, Meg may come with a certain song approach that I don't particularly have, and so her versions may not align entirely with mine. But that's where kind of like the conversation of, like, what. What is important, what. What does define this band as they move forward? We're. We're always in those discussions as it is. This is just another way to frame that around the idea of individual songs that I would say in all cases, when these songs begin, there is a elevated moment in a fish crowd when they're played.

[Megan]

I looked at it a little differently because I thought about the importance historically. Like, I wanted to have a list that was varied and kind of traveled through time. But I also had a hard time not just choosing my favorites, like the ones from those times that I love the most. And so I am kind of wavering on where I'm going to land with my four, because I have seven that I think are phenomenal, like my favorite versions. And it's hard to kind of narrow that down. So I'm just being honest about where I came down with that because there is so much of, you know. Yeah. Like, the earlier ones are so different than the later gens. So, yeah, it's interesting. I'm excited to see what you picked, Brian, and how that landed for you.

[RJ]

Yeah. And I also just want to say, so Brian is going to pick. Is going to be the official selector of Mount Rushmore for Bathtub Gin, which. Which does take a little bit of the pressure off of me and Meg, because I can, you know, say something that's going to make some people angry, but it won't be part of the official record, you know, so.

[Megan]

Exactly.

[RJ]

Brian's got the hard job here. But before we do that, Meg, do you want to tell us about Bathtub Gin for those who maybe have not heard the song or don't know what it is.

[Megan]

Yeah. Well, even if you do know what the song is, I think this is kind of a nice thing to think about. It was fun to look back on. The music is by Trey, but the lyrics are by his friend Susannah Goodman, and the opening piano echoes Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. This album, this song is on Lawn Boy. So the album debut was in 1990, but the live debut was in May 26th of 1989 in Rutland, Vermont, at the Valley Club Cafe. And I think it's really fun to think about the journey this song took. You know, you've got some really important early versions that have. From 1991 with the giant country. Country horns. And then I think it was also a really important part of the shift in August 1993, which was our top tour number five. And then there are some really incredible years for gin. I think 94 was less impactful, but came roaring back in 95. We've got some unbelievable gins from 97 to 2000, and then some 2.0 gins that just blow the roof off of everything and some Great Gins in 3.02. So it kind of runs the gamut of. We've got some really good gins throughout all of Fish's career, and they have been. They've played it 315 times and it's been on the jam chart 103 times. So really good jam chart a third of time played pretty crazy.

[RJ]

So I think that. I think that I said, I don't know, this might have been where this, like, came from, because we were having a conversation about bathtub gin last year at some point about some show, and I can't remember what it was, but I think I've said before that, hey, Jackson, Jackson says, please path explain Gin to me. Meg. This is like, I think I've said on the podcast, this is the perfect gym vehicle. Like, I think it. And I think it is, because I think it, like, in going back to these and Brian, I don't know what you think, but, like, this reinforced to me that it's like this song is the. A perfect way to look at the sound of a tour. Like you look at fall 95, fall 97, summer oh 3, summer 15, for example. Like, and those, they just all reflect exactly where the band was at that, at that time during that tour, which I think is really cool. I wonder if we'll feel the same way about other. Other gem vehicles that we go through for this series.

[Brian Brinkman]

So I think that, yeah, I agree in large part to a Lot of what you said, I think that this is like, this is in the rarest of the rare categories of. There's not a person in the venue that kind of scoffs when they start playing this song. Everyone reacts in the. Like Bathtub Gym starts no matter what. It could open a set. It could be your fourth song of the set. It could be towards it, you know, the. The set closer. It could be somewhere in set two. Wherever it is, everybody is happy. And one of the great things about going through the long list that we had of Bathtub Gins is that a lot of these versions are kind of like scattered throughout the overall show. And so you hear that end of first set energy that everybody has and Bathtub Gym starts and suddenly people are just like losing their minds. Or it opens set to a little bit slower, a little bit like a, you know, kind of gnarly manner and people are ready to go deep, you know. In set two, there's even crazy versions that segue other songs, especially here in the 3.0, 4.0 era late in. In the second set that you would never expect. It's kind of one of those songs that no matter where it drops, everybody is happy, everybody is on board. I think that your point about it being a bellwether is pretty accurate. Overall, I think the one difference, the one. The one knit I would pick is this was one of those. And maybe this does actually agree with what you're saying, but this was one of those songs that in early 3.0, when type 2 jamming was a big challenge for the band in a lot of areas. Bathtub Gin was one of those old reliables that even if it just stayed in the type 1, type 1.5 hose jamming space, it delivered the goods. And so no matter what qualms you had with where the band was at in 09 through 12, you were guaranteed to have a killer 12 to 14 minute bathtub gin delivered kind of on a silver platter at any point during the show.

[RJ]

Yeah, it's one of the moments that I really like kind of got. I mean, I came back in 09 and started going to shows right away. I think I saw like 11 shows that year, which was insane. But there's a moment at meriwether post in 2012, I think maybe even. Maybe 2011, where it was like a. The show was totally fine and I have a picture of it on a canvas in my living room because it's. The lights are really cool. But I just remember like hearing that the jam was so Great. And so very much Type one, but, like, brought this feeling of energy and enthusiasm. It just, like, really, like, it was probably the highlight of the show, you know, which I think is just a funny thing because, you know, these days it takes a lot to. For Bathtub Jim to be the, you know, the star of the show. But I think you're right in that sense because it just always. It always lifts everyone's spirits and no one's ever going to be like, not Bathtub Gin again.

[Brian Brinkman]

Well, and it's an interesting point because, like, if I look through the long list, the latest versions that we have are from 4, 18, 23 and 2. 24, 24 on the long list. And those two versions kind of speak to this evolution the band has gone under in 4.0, where a jam can happen at any point during a show. Both of those are first set Bathtub Gins. Both of those expand on the larger themes of the song. They explore some, you know, different terrain, but then they come back and they peak towards the end. So it almost works as kind of like, and I say this in a complimentary way, like a bloated version of an early 3.0 jam where it's. It's, you know, stretched out over 20 minutes, but still does. Still delivers that same, you know, infectious just groove hose riffing from Trey. Big old peak where the white lights are up and everyone's just like, this is the greatest thing I've ever done in my entire life. That's kind of the purpose of Bathtub Gin. And, you know, to dedicated listener who's here with us, this is pod number two of the day for us. We recorded Library card just earlier. Foreman 777 was hanging with us at Library Card. He's now here from Mount Rushmore. Notes that this is a great way to kick off the series as well. I think that we knew going into this series, the first song is Bathtub Gin. Can I say something, though, contradictory here about Bathtub Gin?

[Megan]

Just.

[Brian Brinkman]

I feel like we need a full.

[Megan]

And I have. I have something I want to say to what you just said.

[RJ]

I'd love. I want to. I want you to contradict yourself.

[Megan]

Yeah, go ahead. Right.

[RJ]

Then go to Megan and she'll contradict me. Like, let's just. Let's just keep it going.

[Brian Brinkman]

Keep it going.

[Megan]

Is that what we do here? Like, we just, like, talk again?

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

One person to the other person. That's. That's the way this works. I think that this is. When you think about Bathtub Gin, especially in its early Stages, especially on Lawn Boy. This is kind of the sound everyone who hates jam bands thinks of. It's this kind of, like, dopey, clumsy slacker groove. Like, I imagine, like, early 90s dudes in, like, a Mad Hatter hat, striped shirts, checkered shorts. Chuck Taylor's. Like, there's, like, that character in every early 90s, like, slacker film where it's just like, that guy's name is, like, Bozo. And, like, he just, like, dances around in, like, weird clothes that don't match together. And, like, that is bathtub gin. Devil sticks. Incredible. Per circus. Totally like this.

[RJ]

Oh, my God.

[Brian Brinkman]

Like, if you play one of those.

[Megan]

Like, floppy hats, you know, like the, like, patchwork sloppy hat.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah, that's exactly what it is. And. And we're saying this with love, but, like, that is the caricature that a lot of people who don't get jam bands think of when they think of jam bands. And it's probably like, the. Okay, I'm not touching that music. Like, get. Get away from me. And I feel like bathtub gin kind of embodies that. And so I would not necessarily recommend using bathtub Gin as your entry song. For a non fish fan to be like, you got to check this band out. Because it's a lot of, like. And then it gets awesome.

[Megan]

Yeah, I think. I mean, that's me. When I was thinking about this song, I was thinking about how it's kind of roots come from a lot of, like, jazz standards, like, American Songbook, Like, Gershwin and Arlen's, like, It's Only a Paper Moon and Cole Porter and Duke Ellington. It has this, like, jazzy American Songbook kind of like Broadway ish feeling to it. And it's narrative and it's kind of silly, and it has that big, you know, it's got the big, like, sing along line to it that everybody sings. Like, I'm not gonna say who this is because it's just such a call out, but I have a friend who is not into fish. And she was telling me that she has the worst memories of this song because the first guy she ever had sex with was, like, in her dorm room, and he was playing this song, and she was like, this song. Like, I have to listen to this song while I was sex for the first time. Like, it's fucking horrible. So, like, I think there's, like. I do. I can't wait to tell her I talked about this in public. Oh, she's gonna be horrified. But I think there is, like, there's something so fishy about this song. And so, like, you can only really like it if you're a Fish fan. So I agree with what you're saying, Brian. And I think what was really cool about listening to it historically, in chronological order, was realizing that at the beginning, like, the jams are, generally speaking, really fluid. Really, like forward moving, really kind of horizontal, propulsive, really sunny, optimistic, like, give Trey that perfect, like, launching pad for hose. Just really kind of, you know, always climbs to this big, massive, triumphant peak. And I think about now where Fish likes to go with their jamming. And it's so different from that. And I think it's so much more vertical and exploratory. And it's really cool when, you know, when Gin goes that way, especially in 2.0, like, watching it stretch out like that is so exciting when you get to that point in the listening. But it really is for most of these jams. They are kind of really forward, moving that same kind of like you're saying, Brian, it's just moving towards one thing. Really sunny, really within the confines of. Of Gin. Even when it stretches out a little bit, they're more type one than not.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Okay, so the way this is going to work is that we are going to talk about the Brian's first two versions, we're going to talk about them in depth, and then we'll take a break and then we're going to come back for the second two versions. And then toward the end, we have a section that I'm calling the Others, which in this case is going to be me and Meg and the listeners, the others.

[Megan]

Ooh. Oh. Before we go, can I say one more thing that I forgot that I was thinking about this song also. It's so narrative and I do think there's a direct line to a song like what's going through your mind from Bathtub Gin? Because it's like a more sophisticated version of Bathtub Gin. It's like this big narrative story that is going to become a huge jam vehicle for the band. And I just. I found that to be like. That's kind of like their updated version of it, like this big. I don't know. That's what I was thinking about.

[RJ]

Very interesting.

[Brian Brinkman]

Tom always talked about Shade being the grown up waste. What's going through your mind is the grown up Bathtub Gin. You heard it here first. I definitely get what you're saying because, like, when you hear Bathtub Gin, you're like inserted into the party.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

You can, like, look around and see what everyone's doing. And I think that you get that from what's going through your mind as well. Just a slightly different substances.

[Megan]

Yeah. And what's going through your mind is like, you know, the, the middle aged, like, fucked up relationship version and bathtub gin is like the, you know, childlike, whimsical version of that.

[RJ]

So. Okay, Brian, are you, are you comfortable? Are you ready? Are you ready to give us your. Your first. Your first. We gotta get this. We gotta get the. The masons ready. You know, people are gonna start, start sizzling away, start scaling the wall.

[Megan]

And Brinkman is so ready. He's so ready.

[Brian Brinkman]

Comfortable, no. Ready, yes. I'll say if, if you wanna, if you take any issue with what I say over the next 40 minutes or so, hit me up on Twitter.

[RJ]

This is just for the first one.

[Brian Brinkman]

No.

[Megan]

Okay. That says he's gonna be done in 40 minutes. Let's see.

[Brian Brinkman]

So do you want me to start?

[Megan]

Let's go. So curious.

[Brian Brinkman]

I'm ready. All right, so version number one that we are going to chisel into the rock in Gamehenge, Western South Dakota. Yeah. In Western Gamehenge. This is what I believe is the most formative fish jam of all time. And I think that this also showcases everything that bathtub gin could be. And it is one of the rare circumstances where one of the best versions, one of the best type 2 versions of a song was one of the first ones, one of the early ones. I think a lot of the big jam vehicles we're going to talk about, they kind of developed over time. They had a couple years of learning. This is none other than the August 13, 1993 version, the Marat Jinn, as it's called. This to me, it is as foundational as you can get with fish jamming. We talked a lot about August 93 last summer or last year, when we were doing our top 25 tours episode that was ranked, I think, number five, mainly because of the foundation setting in fish history. And you hear it across that entire tour, no place better than in the Marat Gin. This enters into the show about three or four songs into the second set. And just when it goes, it goes. And the band briefly returns to Bathtub Gin, but then continues to go out even further. And it really showcases, you know, this kind of yes and jamming that was really popular for the band and was really effective for them in 1993, but it also combines a really incessant groove that will become a huge, huge hallmark of bathtub Gins over the next few years. This is going to be one of those songs that they really lean into as groove becomes more of a centerpiece. But then it also goes to the top of the mountain and it has the, the peak that you're looking for, the release that you're looking for. This. For me, the Kinks, surf rock all come to mind when I listen to this. And it really sounds in the same sort of manner as like, 60s garage rock was so foundational to pun, to grunge, to where we're at with rock music today. You get that same sort of comparison with the Marat Gin to where Fish would go post August 1993. So my submission for our first, Our George Washington, if you will. I'm not going to do that every time, but, you know, our, our founding father of founding fathers, Bathtub gin versions is August 13, 1993. I will leave it to you. Tell me your thoughts about this. I don't know if we're going to get into agree or disagree, but tell me your thoughts about this.

[RJ]

Well, I have some thoughts, but, Meg, why don't you go first?

[Megan]

Yeah. It's such an important jam. I think the way that it weaves in and out throughout with melody, I think it's so careening and fun. It's so playful. It goes totally off the rails. I just love that part when Trey's like, like, oh. And he brings him in on the organ. Like, that's, I love that like, 90s fish vibe when they're just having so much fun. And that point when after Trey's yelling and they're all kind of yelling and then Mike lays down that just, like, super melodic baseline, it's just, and then they have that incredible segue into Yamar. This is an incredible version and really important to have, I think, chiseled on the rock.

[RJ]

I, I, I agree and I don't, I don't disagree with this. I think what I was alluding to earlier, I think this has to be there because, you know, I think it was brought up in, in our kind of social media discussions that, you know, this is, it's been mentioned by the band. You know, it's been like they basically chose this already. So, you know, we can't really argue with them. But I, I think my, my only slight argument at this stage would be that. And this is, this goes for a lot of 93, but it's really just adding jams from other songs onto Bathtub Gin.

[Megan]

Like, yeah, like a week of hug.

[RJ]

And then they're, you know, and, and it's awesome. There's a great peak. The Leo thing is great. The transition into Yamar is perfect. I mean, a lot of these early in the 93 era especially, it was just like you said, Brian, it's more of like a band practice kind of thing, you know, but. But when I listen back to it and listen to all these in order, I'm like, it's, it's not, it's not as impressive to me in that. In that way of listening, because I do think there's still. There's not a lot of original ideas there. It's like, it's. It's kind of bringing things from different parts of their jamming or their. Different parts of their songs into a jam. So that would be my only gripe with this. But, you know, I don't have one.

[Megan]

It's kind of like how we were talking about with top 25 tours in that, like, you know, sometimes tours are on there because of how important they were for the band moving forward. So I think in that frame and lens, this is definitely one of those.

[Brian Brinkman]

Jams that is kind of where my head is at. I think that you're right, RJ and I think it almost works in a similar sense to the Alpine Ruby waves from 2019, which I think in the moment we were all like, oh my God, they played a 38 minute long jam. All these different segments. You listen back now from six years, there are some great moments, but on the whole that feels like an exercise. I think that you get that here. I think that the question I kept coming back to when I was considering this list because the way I did this was I listened through everything and I would kind of pin jams to re listen to and say, okay, this initially feels like a top four version, but I don't want to get ahead of myself and suddenly have eight vers versions. So I had kind of tears to get to the top four and this made it through the first round. And what I kept coming back to is without this version of Bathtub gin, where is fish? And you could make the argument, sure, there's another, there's another version out there. But I think there's a very direct through line from the Marat Gin. The following nights, Antelope, the mic song from 1230, 93, the bomb factory Tweezer, what happened in November. And then the Providence David Bowie, which is the thread I'm trying to draw to fully bring RJ over to my side here. But like there's, there's, there are these like stepping stones that happened between August 93 and the end of 1994, where they were then able to come back in 95 with this full freedom to do whatever they wanted. And I think, think in a lot of ways, I've listened through as we all, as all three of us have, the entirety of 92, the entirety of 93. There are moments, there were hints. There's nothing like when they get to this bathtub gin on August 13th. Before that, like, nothing that really kind of is a demarcation one way or the other of where this band is going to go. And so I think you're right. There are a lot of, like, this song idea and then this song idea, and then we go here, and it's like we're on a roller coaster. It's like, you know, it's, it's kind of silly at times, but without that, what, where are we at? I, I, I don't know. I don't know.

[RJ]

Yeah, I think that's totally fair. And I think that, like, we talk about that a lot on the show. Right? It's like, you know, is this, is this is everything that important that happened, you know, a necessary precursor to the next thing that happened? I mean, based on how time works. Yes. But, like, you know, would, Would, Would the antelope from the next night be. Be this if this wasn't this? So, you know, I mean, or maybe they find something different. But, I mean, I have no problem with this being on the top four. I think it has to be, but I think we're, like, obligated to.

[Megan]

Yeah. It's not one of the best versions. It's an important version. I mean, it's a great version, but it's, I think, like, I like other versions better than this version. I like four other versions better than this version, but I feel like it's important to have it in it.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah. And that's an interesting. Let me jump to the next one so that I'm not, like, beating around the bush here, but I made a pretty significant decision with the next version and getting from this to the next one.

[Megan]

Significant decisions.

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

Significant decision.

[RJ]

We're here for.

[Brian Brinkman]

And by selecting this one, because these are in chronological order. Okay.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

By selecting this one, I have skipped over 1.

[RJ]

2.

[Brian Brinkman]

Two versions that I would argue are better than the Marat Gin I enjoy more. I will listen to and I will reach for more.

[RJ]

Interesting.

[Brian Brinkman]

But when I was listening through and trying to decide definitive versions, I felt as though the version I'm about to select is kind of the next step up from the Marat Gin and the ones that I enjoyed in between are kind of figuring out the pieces. So I. I skipped over two versions I love, one of which is 12, 5, 95, and the other of which is 11, 7, 96. Those are not on my Mount Rushmore.

[RJ]

Wow.

[Brian Brinkman]

11, 7, 96, I know, is going to take a lot of heat, and I know that a version I have later to select is going to be probably the first one to get, you know, take that off and put this on. But before I get crucified here, I think that what the RUP Gin does is expand upon and build upon a lot of ideas that were introduced in the Mirage and three years prior and doesn't do a ton more. It's really great, it's really long, but if we're being honest, it is a precursor to 1997 funk groove jamming. It's something that happens in 1997 that is unquestionably one of the greatest things. I'm just seeing the chat fill up as I'm trying to not to look at it right now. I'll look at you guys here in a sec. The version from 1997 that I did select, I think is the preeminent example of hoes and of this band connecting around melody and around a very specific theme, and perhaps the greatest version of that in any aspect of their category, of their entire catalog, and that is the Wenchen. August 17, 1997. This is gorgeous, fluid riffing. It builds, builds, builds with emotional perfection. It has that peak. Every single time you hear that peak. You smile. You feel like your blood boiling in the best way possible. You feel tingly. It's the best. It's the absolute best. My musical comparison to this. You guys ready for this? This is about as hyperbolic as I've ever gotten. But you know what? I couldn't. I couldn't move away from this. Are you ready for this, rj? Are you. Are you ready for this?

[RJ]

I mean, I'm ready.

[Brian Brinkman]

I'm sure. This is fish channeling Beethoven. This is, like romantic. This is as melodic. This is as epic. There are a lot of versions like the Went Gin. There are no versions that are the Winchin other than the Wenchen.

[RJ]

You know, I. I did not expect this from Brian. Analytical dark music Brinkman. Honestly, I did not expect this to end up on the. On the top four. I sent you guys my notes.

[Brian Brinkman]

Really. I'm a historian. I know bias, but this is just this.

[RJ]

This version is Trey just riding the wave. He's just riding the wave. And then, yeah, I mean, I sent you guys my notes where I said, until he hits that note. Oh, my God, all caps and like that. Just that galloping riff. I mean, and. And the cool thing about it, and maybe this is where you get the comparison with, like, a classical piece, is there's, like a resolution that you're waiting for, but they. But they wait, you know, and it, like, it. It's not. It's not at the end of the. Whatever. Whatever it is, however many measures it is, they like keep. They keep kind of delaying the. The resolution of it, and that just makes it even more powerful. It's. It's. It's amazing.

[Megan]

Yeah, it's, to me, one of the most optimistic, hopeful, romantic pieces the band has ever played. I think when Paige comes in on the piano, like, nine minutes in, and Trey's playing those, like, optimistic chords, it's just jaw dropping. It's so beautiful. And I love how this is not related to the song, but I thought this was beautiful. On the Live Bait Volume five that it's on afterwards, it kind of has that, like, there's such a come down after the peak, and then they just fade into the Brad Sands announcement. And. And it's so, like, it's fucking awesome. Like, that was such a smart thing to do on the Live Bait. Like, it just has such a. I don't know. I love that every time I hear. I listen to it, I always wait and listen to that too, because it just. It sounds really beautiful. But, yeah, what a. I think this has to be on it. This.

[Brian Brinkman]

This.

[Megan]

This is. It's beautiful.

[Brian Brinkman]

One thing I want to address, Kevin Berry in the comments made a very, I think, accurate comment here, you know, and this kind of aligns with these two versions for me. He said, marat gin is certainly a foundational gin, but it's so schizophrenic. It's anxiety inducing and has no groove. I don't disagree with that. I think that there's a little more groove than he's giving him credit for, but I think it is anxiety inducing. I think that part of why I have these two song, these two versions is I think at its best, gin is kind of anxiety inducing. And there are some great versions that, like, they're so fast, they're so frenetic. The band is so locked in that if you're just wandering into your first fish show, you're like, what that. Like, why are they. How are they playing so fast? What is going on? How are people trying to dance to this type of music? And I think you get this yin and yang between these two where Marat is kind of this side of Jin, where like the second they leave the song, Paige goes to the clav, Fishman increases the pace of the beat, Mike and Trey follow and like Trey's just playing as quickly as possible. And then the Wenchin is this more languid, emotional, you know, romantic. We've, we've thrown that word around, like that feel that you get. It's not very cerebral in the way that some of these other gyms are. It's all about the feeling feel, which.

[Megan]

Is like so great because it's also in summer 97, right, which is just the. It's the funk moment. And one of my favorite gins is just a few weeks earlier. And to know that, like, they're playing these really funky bathtub gins and then they just go off and play this just gorgeous one. It's blissy. So it's so cool to see them messing with form like that in. In a time that's has a very definitive sound.

[Brian Brinkman]

Well, that was another thing for me is when I think about 93, what does the marat gin say about 93 fish? They're willing to try anything. They can push against the grain, even if it doesn't work, they're just willing to try it. But they're silly. They're playful silly. But then in 97, you're absolutely right that, like, what do we think of when we think of Summer 97? It's this very angular, kind of dark, dystopian funk jamming. You almost think of, like the gumbo from Phoenix. And this gin is nothing like any of that. And it, to me makes me think, well, of course we revere 97 because they can play anything. Like, no matter what style they're dedicated to, they can play this went gin literally minutes after closing out one of the weirdest, abnormal down diseases that you could ever imagine. And then minutes before, they're gonna play a stretched out, you know, late night, seedy groove in 2001, and then they're going to kind of reprise the, the, you know, emotional peak of gin in Harry Hood. Like they're tossing between all of these different styles in a way that just defines 97. I don't know if we're going to.

[Megan]

Talk about, like tiny versions like that, but I did just want to say, because it probably won't be mentioned, but the 12 5, 95 really stood out to me when I was listening to it, just because it's so narrative and the fluidity of it really is like, like the earlier versions are just not like that. And it just has that 95 swagger. But I. The transitions in that jam are just amazing.

[Brian Brinkman]

Maggie, you have no idea how much it pained me to eliminate that version.

[Megan]

It's really good. It's really.

[RJ]

You had to do it. Tough choices, guys. These are tough, tough choices, tough times. You know, not everyone can get on Mount Rushmore. It's the whole idea.

[Megan]

No, it's the whole deal.

[RJ]

If you get on Mount Rushmore, the whole mountain would be gone. You just have everyone's face you have to look at, you know, James Garfield as you drive by. All right, Brian.

[Brian Brinkman]

I said I'm tragic figure in American history.

[RJ]

Yeah, definitely. I said on Blue sky the other day during this heated debate that that might be the. The most blissful two minutes in, in all of Fish. I didn't. I didn't think about it before I said it, but then after I said it, I decided that I believed it. Double down. I'm wondering if you have any. If either of you have any brief other contenders for that, that particular award.

[Brian Brinkman]

Well, I have to hold one back because it's not being. It's not being included and I have to include it in context in the next segment. But I will say one of the questions here that we have for ourselves. Are there any versions around these jams that. That kind of hint to where the band was going with this song? And as Meg just astutely pointed out, there's really no similar bathtub gin in 1997 to this. However, if you jump ahead 25 months to September of 1999, there are two versions in particular. And I would even pull in. Well, no, actually I wouldn't. Sorry. There are two versions. Edit that out. There are two versions in particular that really align with what the gin vibe is, one of which is 91299 from Portland and the other is 92299 from Las Cruces. And it's really interesting to me that the went gin was played in this dark, angular, funky 97 summer by the fall of 1999. Based on slow moving evolution, the new gear, the stage realignment, that blissy take us to heaven feel is a part of a lot of the jams. And those two gins really feel in. In a line with. With this bath of gin. But to answer your most important question, no, I think that this is the. Like, this could cure diseases. It is. It is that joyful and blissy. Like, if you listen to this and you're going through, like, a hard breakup or you're just like, really depressed about the condition of the world. Like, just give yourself 15 minutes alone. Put this on, throw some headphones on. You're gonna walk out somewhat happier than you walked into that room. Like, it just has that impact.

[Megan]

Well, and it's a different. Like, to me, the only thing I think of whenever I think of, like my favorite two minutes of fish is like 12, 30, 19. But it's a diff. That's such a different blissey. That's a spacey, floating bliss. Bliss. This is like more of like a. A building crescendo bliss. So to me, they're just very different. Yeah, but we really need that 9,2299 archivaly released because you lose so much of the clarity and the odds with that. And it's. It's so pretty.

[Brian Brinkman]

Some great comments here from our listener, Edd. More blissful two minutes. I don't know if he's saying that these are more blissful or if just like.

[Megan]

Just like additional.

[Brian Brinkman]

I'm gonna go with additional here. 12, 799 Haley's mid part of the 228.03 tweezer. The big riff in the 12, 16, 99 tweezer. The end of the 7297 stash. I think those are great comps. I think that that's a great, like. If you love this gin, where do you go next? I am. I'm a bit of a simpleton when it comes to this. The first time I heard the Wen gin, someone told me it's the greatest music that has ever been played. And I believe them. And I still still feel that to this day.

[RJ]

Well, I just want to say that the. The only other contender I'd put on this level would be that the peak at the 12.29.94 Bowie, which is. Which is a. Which is a reaching of. Of ecstasy that is. It's hard to top. So that would be my.

[Brian Brinkman]

I think I'd put the 71099 Camden as well. How about that? How do you feel about that?

[RJ]

You know, Great, great, great.

[Brian Brinkman]

Meg's like, it's blissful. Until they go into Rogue and then I just can't. And I'm like, meg, I'm sorry you don't like Rogue, but we're not talking about Rogue today.

[RJ]

We're not.

[Megan]

I don't. I don't like it. But we're not talking about it.

[RJ]

We're not talking about it.

[Megan]

It's definitely not going to go on. There's just.

[RJ]

It is. It is. That's what we're going to pivot to right after we take this commercial break.

[Megan]

I hope not.

[RJ]

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[Megan]

This is exciting.

[Brian Brinkman]

All right, so we, we did our first two. We did the Wen. Excuse me. We did the Marachin 8, 1393 and then the Wenchen 8, 1797. In my research for this segment, so much pressure, guys. I realized the best Era for Bathtub Gin is probably mid to late 1995 to mid 2000. It's a five year stretch where you have the majority of the versions that are on our long list. A lot of variety. What we talked about here in terms of angular func groove, bliss hoes, massive developments forward. So I felt it important when building out this list to really highlight the diversity of this peak era. And I think that the Wen gin is the peak of the blissy late 90s ginseng. The ones that they did beyond this were kind of not a footnote, but they were addendums to this version. But what they also did was they explored type 2 terrain during this period in really significant and unique ways. And I think that there is no better version that explores type two jamming, infectious groove and that just holy vibe that you get when Bathtub Gin starts and takes liftoff than the show opening Riverport Gin from 7291998 My two notes about this are one, this much groove should be illegal and that this is where the impact of the Talking Heads is best heard. In Fish, some would argue in the writing of Birds of a Feather, but I would argue in some of the jamming that they did that just feels in line with great, great Talking Head segments. You get that in this gin there is so much funk, there is so much groove. It is, it is relentless and it just keeps like pouring onto you. And the idea that like this was the first song played in a show, which is something they experimented with in Summer 98. There's a great version from one week earlier in Ventura that's kind the Baby Riverport Gym. This just showcases a band that is in full command of the sound that they discovered on Halloween 1996, started incorporating into their sound, revolutionized their sound throughout 1998, played this stunning island tour run in early April and then went on the road at a complete high from a confidence standpoint, fully locked in, zero pressure on themselves, just like ready to take over the world. And they play this version of Bathtub Gin that is one of my favorite jams of all time. And in line with kind of, you know, if, if the Wenchin gives you the where does Bathtub Gin, where can it go? At its peak as a blissful peeking jam. This is kind of the peak of where can bathtub Gin go when you know the. The training wheels are off and it's just ready to explore.

[Megan]

Yeah, this, this chin to me it's. You jump on the back and you just ride this thing along and you watch the Scenery fly by you. It's just completely so hypnotic to me. And this is the sickest funk groove. It's just so tight. I just. This is definitely my shit. This is.

[Brian Brinkman]

This is your ship. This is your.

[Megan]

I know. I love this.

[RJ]

I have this as my, I think number six jam rate top jam of all time. Yeah. The highest ranked bathtub gin that I have on my. On my top jams list. It's just. There's something that's like. It's so. Like you said. I think you said relentless, Brian. I mean, there's something about it that it just. It just. Fishman, first of all, like it just keeps it going forever. But there's about seven minutes in, Trey starts hitting that like arpeggiated riff and it's just like. It just feels like a launching pad. And then Trey is just on top of the jam the entire time. And then eventually they like slow it down, but. But then. But then beyond the funk, there's like a driving jam at the end that kind of equals out the like bliss jam at the beginning with like this funk thing in the middle. And it feels like at like 20 minutes into it, they're hitting full speed again, but in a totally different way. I mean, it's just. It's an unbelievable adventure every time. It's amazing. Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

This is the argument between are jams intentional or do they just happen organically? Because, like this just. This is how they start the show. Like they were just feeling it and they just. And they just went with it. Like how I. I. Like this is just them at the peak of their powers, capable of doing anything.

[RJ]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Megan]

You know, you can. We should tell them, like, you can start a show like this. It's fine. You can still do that. That's. That's cool. Like just do it.

[Brian Brinkman]

Should they have done this on night four of Mondegreen?

[RJ]

Good way to wrap a festival.

[Megan]

Great way to wrap up a festival. Come out and play like a 20 minute bathtub gin that just fucking delivers some sick funk into Iculus, into Icylus. Some kung thrown in there. Whatever you want to do. Yeah.

[RJ]

So. Good God, Brian, you're doing great so far. I'm really just.

[Megan]

I know these are. Is. I have a guess for what the next one is too. And I'm excited to see if I'm right.

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Well, we.

[RJ]

Without further ado, Brian, it's back to you, man. This is you.

[Megan]

You're crushing this.

[Brian Brinkman]

Just gotta appreciate our. Our note taker for each episode. Forbin 77 marks the Monda Shade marked it in the episode. For those who are interested, we will have that in the in the show notes. Okay, so this is where it gets controversial. Sure, you might be able to pick some nits with Marat. I don't think anybody here is picking. It's with Went or Riverport. But where we go after Riverport is interesting because one could argue, and I might even be this one to argue, that there is a version from late 1.0, that it should absolutely be on this list for the speed, the tenacity, the ferocity of Trey's riffing. But it's not. Because when I was compiling this, I felt as though two things. One, that version Homedale2628 2000. An amazing version of Bath of Gin. Un amazing jam. Kevin Shapiro, if you're listening, we need a full box set release of 6282000 to 742000. Insane stuff. I don't know if you've listened to it in 25 years. If you haven't, you should go back and check it out. It's amazing. All six shows are outstanding. That Gin.

[RJ]

Whoo.

[Brian Brinkman]

But when I was listening to that, I was like, you know what? This is a bit too in the Went Gin frame. So this would be akin to having Adams, Madison, Monroe on Mount Rushmore along with Washington and Jefferson, them. So then I started thinking, okay, where do we go from there? And one of the stories that is important about this band and is important about some of the songs that we're going to be discussing throughout this series is that Fish has had a second life. They evolved, they grew, they challenged themselves further past the peak of the early 90s, a crazy concept that a lot of bands have never even attempted. And yet, as I would argue, as important, if not more important than the Successes of the mid-90s when they were young, flourishing, full of piss and vinegar and capable of taking over the world. And so I was like, we need something that states where this band went. And bathtub gin, as we talked about at the top of this, evolved as well. And there are some amazing versions of Bathtub Gin that have happened over the last 25 years. They could almost have their own, like, Mount Rushmore subset to them. You know, this would be akin to Mount Rushmore adding fdr, lbj. It pains me to say this, but probably Ronald Reagan, Obama, you know, these, these, these, these presidents that have had massive impact on America and where America goes and where it, where it has gone to. But maybe controversial because we're so close to Their history. Nobody here really, like, talks about the executive overreach of Abraham Lincoln because we all just accept he did the right thing. He should have. He should have overreached. It was right. Nobody here is really picking nits about Teddy Roosevelt getting us into foreign wars because, hey, it expanded the empire and we were great. And he. None of you guys.

[RJ]

The only one. Who am I the only one who knows where this is going. I think everyone does everyone know where this is going. I love it. I don't want to interrupt, but I. I think this is just. What a setup. Go ahead, Brian. Sorry.

[Brian Brinkman]

Really leaning into the Rushmore framework.

[Megan]

Yeah. If you. If you know Brian Brinkman, he's definitely going to lean into the American history framework for sure.

[Brian Brinkman]

Welcome to the new series. Okay. We figured out a way to combine my favorite things in the world. So with that said, I have selected a version that I expect to get some pushback. Okay. But this is my list. You guys can have your list. I'm not going to be coming at you with pitchforks when you come up with your list for the top song that we're doing next week. You know, it's. It's you. That's your thing. To me, the other side of Bathtub Gin that is not totally told in the 90s versions is the darkness that emerges. Okay? And that darkness is seen in some excellent versions that have happened in the 21st century. Versions like August 7, 2009, a deeply underrated show. 12, 30, 15, where fish channels Wilco's spiders, Kid Smoke. The 22424 bathtub gin that is just like hypnotic, dark, seedy groove. You're just finishing all your drugs before you get on the plane the next morning to fly back to America. But there's one version where all of these things come together in a musical kaleidoscope that I have yet to figure out. What is happening, how they are doing this. And that is the 22803 bathtub gin from Nassau Coliseum. One of the greatest shows that the band has ever played. And why is it one of the greatest shows that the band has ever played? Because they play top five versions of Bathtub Gin. Get back on the train. Tweezer. David Bowie. They bust out a soul shakedown party. They bust out destiny unbound. All these massive things happen. One of those massive things that happens is the bathtub jit and that bathtub gym. It's acidic. Late night psych jazz. We're talking fish channeling 70s Miles Davis. We're talking fish channeling tortoise of all things, we're talking Fish taking the Victor disc, the greatest studio album that ever existed that has not been released or claimed in my draft for reasons that we'll get into later.

[Megan]

Or not.

[Brian Brinkman]

Or not. They channel that all into this gin. And not only that, but this. This version of bathtub gin is surrounded by epic versions. 21403 from LA, 22203 from Cincinnati, 7903 the set closing jazz fusion craziness from line. But my estimation, none of those versions touch the 228. 2003 gen from Nassau. I will pause. I will let you all compose yourselves, get yourselves together, and then let me know what your thoughts are.

[Megan]

I love this version. It's awesome. It's incredible fluidity, super dynamic. It never rests in one spot, but it still has that, like, gin feeling. It's still fluid, even though it's like, kind of like going everywhere, but it just never feels disjointed. I think it's phenomenal. And Paige is so incredible in this jam. He is moving so adaptively from, like, piano to organ and back, and it's just. Yeah, this is a really, really cool jam.

[RJ]

What a show. I mean, you know, another show that maybe has many Mount Rushmore versions, as you alluded to, Brian. We'll see. We'll see in due time. The. The. This is, like, kind of cliche, but the way that this builds is one of those jams that's like, burned into my brain. You know, Trey's like, the descending chord riff that he does before they get into that groove is just like. It's. It's. It's in my. It's in my brain for. For the rest of my life. And that, I think, means that I like it a lot.

[Megan]

Man, this show is hard to turn off.

[RJ]

It really is.

[Megan]

When I put on the gin, I was like, I don't want to stop listening. I'm just gonna keep going. It slowed me down a little bit.

[RJ]

Yeah, I mean, amazing. Simply amazing.

[Brian Brinkman]

I love this version. As I've just spent 20 minutes telling you about. I. You know, like I said, there were. There were versions from later that I was considering. I think it's very important to have a full picture of the band's history. So it does pain me slightly to not have a 3.0, 4.0 version where there are some really high quality versions. This is not to say the last great one. This is more like, you know, FDR looking around and saying, well, we need one more. I'm not putting Jackson. I'm not putting McKinley. I'm definitely not putting Grant. Why don't I put my extended cousin T.R. you know, why don't we put him up there?

[RJ]

Let's put a Rose up there.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Brian Brinkman]

Let's get a Roosevelt up on. Up on the mountain. And so this. That's me, you know, channeling that vibe here.

[RJ]

Well, I. There's been a couple questions in the chat about 222.03 Cincinnati, which is a great, great version. My. I. And I, by the way. I. Well, I can start talking about this in a sec, but we did not. This was.228 is not on my. On mine. But I think when you look at 22214 and 222, to me, they're both just like the. They're. They're build up toward 2:28. So it's hard for me to evaluate them as their own thing when it just. It feels like they're making a progression toward that 228, which I think is the peak. So. So for me, I would like, put 228 above 2222 or 2 14, but.

[Megan]

I would as well.

[RJ]

222 is really good, too.

[Megan]

Yeah, I agree. I would put it above it, too.

[Brian Brinkman]

222 is great. I think one of the. One of the negating aspects for me is that the. The deeply psychedelic segment at the back end. Too much aligns with the bathroom riff. Like that's.

[Megan]

They play the riff version of it. Yeah, yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

And they kind of like spin that out for a couple minutes. So I. I think it's an incredible ve. I considered 7903 because I think it says something similar. I also just felt like, you know, I. I can't get too cute. 7903 is a stunning, stunning version. But, like, when we're talking about Mount Rushmore, like, there just. There has to be some weight to the, you know, kind of larger cultural connection to a version. And I don't really know of a lot of people that talk about 7903. It's. It's a. One of those deeply underrated fish jams that I think more people should listen to, but I think if you're going to Compare that to 228, 220, it just has this, like, power. Maybe it's because the show was played at. Maybe it's the version.

[Megan]

Maybe.

[RJ]

All right, Brian, you have. You have constructed our first Mount Rushmore. Congratulations.

[Megan]

Well done. That's awesome.

[Brian Brinkman]

We're rolling, guys. We have a new series you know.

[RJ]

We have a new series. You know what? I think now is an okay time to announce that if you're listening or watching. If you go to osirispod.com Rushmore you can start voting on the next episode right now. So what's the next episode, rj? Well, someone. Okay, I'll just tell you. It's. We're. It's. We're going to Harry Hood. I mean, straight out. Straight out the cave. We're going.

[Megan]

I'm already there. I'm already listening to. I'm sure Brian listened to it like two months ago, but I'm already in. All day I spent today and in Harryhood, bliss peaks. It was fucking great.

[RJ]

Oh, my God. What a better. Like, is there a better place to be? Not that I know.

[Megan]

It's really nice. Yeah.

[RJ]

And I'm. I'm. I'm constructing it next week. So you guys better hold onto your hats. Cause people are going to be mad at me. Cause that's what happens. Um, okay, Megan, what do you. What did you have on your Mount Rushmore? And I think, I guess at this point we can kind of focus on. On any. Anything you had different. But tell us all your.

[Megan]

Yeah, well, I had a very similar one until the very end. So I had the Marant Gin, the Wenchen, the Riverport Gentleman. And then I have shoreline 7903. I love this jam. And it really. It really stood out to me when I was listening back to it. It's so propulsive, super dancey, funky section. The rhythm section is just on lock. There's like a point that is just hitting so fucking hard. And then like, Fishman comes in on the. On the cowbell. And it's a little bit like, you know, the Will Ferrell skit from snl. Like, it's just like, so hard. It's just like, mm. But I like it. I'm here for that. I. I think it's just. It rocks so hard. And when I was. I was listening to that part and I just. Every time I've listened to it a few times, every time I was just like, fuck, yeah. Like, I love that shit. And then it kind of dissipates and there's just this patience to it. And the effects are so amazing. And they just end the set and, like, walk off while it's still, like, melting. Just like. Yes, yes. So I. That's my fourth version. And I was also a little pained, Brian, to not have, like a full scope. Like, I think not having like a 3.0 4.0 was annoying to me, but none of those jams hit me the way that any of the earlier jams did. Like, they're. I mean, Magna Ball is obviously fucking amazing. Like, you've got, I don't know, the Greek is great. I mean, you have a lot of great jams, but I think those. I really wanted the Shoreline one on there that I won't be into, but I like it.

[RJ]

Yeah, it has that like electro, Electro rock groove. Like, I mean, it's classic. I mean, it's. It's got like the tempo trace tone. I mean, it's pushing really hard on that groove and then that dissolving for a long time. It's cool. It's good gem. I'm going back to that for a while. That's good. Good.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Okay. So I, I had. I guess I had two different ones from Brian. I. I did. I did put the rup gin on there. And you know, this, this is a jam that for me has changed a lot over the years. Like, I, you know, I remember getting the tape because it was like, you know, on one side of the tape it was just bathtub jin and you're like the, you know, like, I mean, you had some of that in summer 95, but you don't see like the bathtub gin taking up a full side of a tape. So I remember like that, you know, and then I feel like over the years I've kind of like soured on it a little bit. But going back to this, I think there's like this. And we talked about this a lot, like Halloween, right? Like they kind of. That kind of is the after Halloween is the beginning of the next era. But. But there's so much interplay and so much communication. And in contrast to some of the 95 versions, it's like, it's crisp and it's clear. And I think it's a result of like the Halloween prep and nailing those really tight songs. Like this, I think represents the next era. And I think there's like this peak that is really fun. And then. And then it kind of like goes into this percussion jam and then gets weird. But I feel like importance wise, this was important to have there because of the, because of the. The kind of shift that I think it marks to. Toward the next era.

[Brian Brinkman]

I think that's a very fair point. I think you're right. Especially on the back end where it just gets into that like, like laconic groove as it goes into Hyu. That's. It's a very unique That's a very new approach that they were taking. Taking.

[RJ]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. You know, maybe it's. Maybe like a year from now I'll feel differently. But I. I felt like I had to be on there and then because I had. Because I don't. I can never get too much bliss. I. I did put 628, 2000 on there.

[Megan]

Yeah. Yeah. So what did you have? What were your four that you had?

[RJ]

Oh, yeah, six. Yeah. Okay, so I did not have eight. 1393. So I have rub went Riverport and this. 628, 2000.

[Megan]

Nice.

[RJ]

This is like. I mean, there's a huge peak. It's super celebratory. It's. You know, there's a great riff in there and that and kind of propels everyone forward. It's huge. It's fun, it's celebratory. And in a. In a tour where, like, you know, things were kind of unbalanced, you know, so I felt like. I think that's just like a huge moment and maybe like. Like this is. You guys are gonna. Someone's gonna tell me I'm wrong, but like one of the last jams of 1.0. Really? One of the last big fun jams of 1.0.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah, it touched. It touches on something that honestly, they wouldn't really return to until early 3.0, which is this attempt from like a 13 to 15 minute type one bliss peak jam. Like, it's a very specific thing. I just want to comment that your new name is RJ because you picked only jams between 96 and 2000. Like you were trying to. You were trying to mark yourself safe from Charlie Dirksen and Chop Hate right now, totally.

[Megan]

You're stealing it.

[RJ]

That's why I did it. That's why I did it.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[RJ]

Yeah.

[Megan]

That moment, though, when Trey Soares and.

[Brian Brinkman]

The crowd or Harry Hoods from fall 94.

[Megan]

Yeah, exactly.

[RJ]

If. Okay, well, that actually. Okay, so let me. Let me share the. Let me share a. Oh, and by the way, if you're looking at [e-mail] Rushmore and you see the Hood list, you are required to pick four versions. Or. And then there's a separate question if you want to add one that's not on the list. And then there's a third question, which is if you want yours read off, put your name in there and we will.

[Megan]

Oh, that's fine.

[RJ]

Before.

[Megan]

Before we move out of Jen. Can I just say one honorable mention for my. One of my favorite Gins of all time. That is not a Mountain Rushmore version, but it's so intoxicating. It's the 7. 2197 Virginia Beach. Because it's just, to me, so, like, indicative of where they were right now, just of where they were at that moment. Excuse me. Like, the way that they just come in and just open up, and it's so, like. It just has so much joy in it, and it's. It's just got those drowned teases, and it's this. Got that hopeful build, and then it has that James Brown funk. And. And when Trey starts talking and he talks for so long, and, you know, whenever Trey talks, it's so special. And he just kind of launches into the. Explains all the new songs, and he's chanting, like, usa, Happy to be back. And there's just such a triumphant feeling to that. And I have such an attendance bias from being there, but it really. It's a moment I'll never forget when I was at the show, and every time I listened to it, it just hit so hard. So had to have a little honorable mention. And I'll. Brian Brinkman. More than four.

[RJ]

You know, Brian, that. Thank you, Meg. I love that version. Paige's piano in that version, I think is, like, the main thing that makes it, like, special. Like, especially once they release the soundboard, it's just. It's so. It's so good. And Mike sounds so different on this tour, and you can like, hear it in that version. You know, he just. It's like a. That's the thing about listening to these in chronological order. You just, like, you go from 96, and then you jump forward, and you're like, wow, Mike sounds so different. Different. Or the tempo in 03 is just, like, so different from. From one point.

[Megan]

93. Yeah, exactly.

[RJ]

Brian. Brian, if you had one honorable mention, that's just a personal pick, what would you add?

[Brian Brinkman]

Just a personal pick. I would probably go with 12, 5, 95. I love that version. 7903. Now you're starting to get into messy territory here, RJ.

[Megan]

It was one.

[Brian Brinkman]

If it were five minutes longer, the 12:30. 15. Jin would absolutely be there. The. The. The segment that sounds like them channeling Wilco's Spiders. Kid Smoke is one of my favorite things that Fish has done in the 3.0 era, and I'm here for it. I don't know, man. I could list, like, six others right now, but th. Those three would be my honorable mention. Glenn Russell has a great idea. The. The honorable mention is E. Equals the Crazy Horse Monument. So. So going. Going forward, everyone will have their Mount Rushmore and then their Crazy Horse.

[Megan]

I love that.

[RJ]

Perfect. If people haven't listened back to a bunch of these. I do think this was mentioned earlier, but the 91299 version, Mike has this melodic playing that he's doing that, like, is just really unique and different. And there. This is. Is this. To me, that's like a really. It's a fun version to go back to.

[Brian Brinkman]

Stunning version. Yeah. Yeah.

[Megan]

So pretty. That's like waves. Yeah.

[RJ]

The. Well, we don't have to get into more. Okay.

[Brian Brinkman]

Do we have fan votes that we can share?

[RJ]

Well, I was starting to. I was starting to read them and then you guys started doing other stuff. So, you know, now I'm just waiting, you know, like, what are we doing? We do the fan versions.

[Brian Brinkman]

I couldn't.

[Megan]

I couldn't be at a. You know, I couldn't do a podcast about bathtub gin and not talk about that version. It just felt wrong. So sorry, I open.

[RJ]

I don't want you to do anything wrong.

[Brian Brinkman]

I love. I love the idea that a podcast is not for talking. Like, this whole thing is for me to just, like, share my opinions with the world.

[RJ]

Okay. For the fans, we had the most. The most votes. Well, actually, first of all, all, thanks everybody, for. For sending them in. For those of you who put things like 8, 21, 1995, or 4, 24, 1986, I don't know, like, if you were just. Just check your answers before you submit them. But. Okay, so we had the first. The most votes was actually. Sorry. So when in Riverport tied for the most votes. Votes. So we got wet. And Riverport going backwards chronologically, Murat is on there. And then you guys wouldn't believe. The fourth most votes from the fans was Magna Ball.

[Megan]

Wow, people. It's attendance bias. People love Magna Ball.

[RJ]

We didn't really talk about it much. I mean, it is a marathon of a. Of a jam. It's. I mean, it's awesome. Like, nothing but. But it. The whole weekend was just incredibly fiery, you know, And I think there's. It's. It's. It's almost like a. It just felt like a marathon to me, listening in order. I'm like, wow, this is just insane. Totally insane.

[Brian Brinkman]

Yeah, I left it off because there's too much adherence to the gin theme. It doesn't break fully free for the timeframe that we're talking about here for the time. How long the jam is. But, yeah, I mean, that was a moment. If you're talking about, like, moments in Fish history and, like, significant, you know, steps forward. I mean, I remember when that. That gin started. It had been a really solid first set up to that point in time. And then the vibes walking around set break after set one of night one at Magna Ball was akin to the best shows I've ever been to. It was up there with the. Your face set one. It was up there with Chula Vista 21. Like, it was. It was. It was the type of feeling that. That people were, especially in 2015, were clamoring for from Fish.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Brian Brinkman]

Melt our faces, walk off the stage, and then whole other set to build off of that energy. I know I've great, great friends who all pushed me to select the Magna Ball gin, and I don't think that they're totally wrong, even though I kind of do.

[Megan]

To me, it's like the glorious, sophisticated, modern era peak. So it's. To me, it was. I. I did think about having it because it's like the way they peak, the Magna Ball gin is different than the way they would peak. Like an early mid-90s gin because it has that sophisticated, like, layering. But, yeah, it's. It's beautiful. It's an effortless journey. It's so great. But, yeah, I get it. And it was. Magna Ball was slightly better than Mondegreen. Ouch, ouch, ouch. Monda Green was great. I know Magna Ball was better, but Monda Green was great. It was just the last day that was not so.

[RJ]

Okay, guys, we are doing Harry Hood next week. I can't believe we're already doing Harry Hood. This is a little. It feels a little fast.

[Megan]

Big guns right out the gate.

[RJ]

Come on, we're not messing around. We're not starting. Starting with, you know, four to six days or something. All right, so, Brian, what are you. What's your. Do you have any takeaways?

[Brian Brinkman]

I think that this is right out the gates, our most fun series that we've ever done. I think that it. You know, you talk about the big guns. Like, I think one of the challenges we found with 40 for 40 was until you get to, like, 93, it's a lot of foundational set, and I think we found that with top 25 tours as well. It was a lot of, like, explaining why we did this. There's obviously that here, but, I mean, I don't want to give away what songs are coming, but, like, we're not letting up. Like, this is all. These are all huge Fish songs, and we're talking about huge versions and we're getting into the weeds about why these versions should stand the test of time. If we are going to make, make a golden record of fish to send out on Voyager 3 that I will personally finance if needed so that aliens can hear the greatest fish. These are the versions that we're putting on that. So I'm, I'm stoked. I've really enjoyed this pro. This, this, this project so far. I've really enjoyed listening. I'm a couple weeks ahead, so Meg, you should probably catch up. But I, I find it as a host who tends to over prepare, I find it accessible from a preparation standpoint. I think that the listener feedback has great. Is great. I think the listeners getting involved, I think having you guys or all, you know, two of us listen to another person and then share their thoughts and we can kind of align or be off track is, is a very cool feature of this. So I'm, I'm here. I'm into this. This is a great idea. Rj, you did an awesome job curating the show and coming up with content for us to take into 2025.

[Megan]

Yeah, this is so awesome. It's so fun.

[RJ]

All right.

[Megan]

And it's so nice not to have to listen to like 85 shows in a week. It's really nice.

[RJ]

It's pretty hard. We do what we can for to bring you all free content. So do it. Give us Apple reviews and tell your friends and you know, send in your thoughts, leave us voicemails, do all the stuff and we'll see you next week. Bye, everybody.

[Megan]

Bye, everyone.

[Brian Brinkman]

Hey, guys.

[Megan]

S.A.

[Brian Brinkman]

Osiris. Hello.

[RJ]

Tom May here, host of Future Friday. I've spent the last 15 years on the road with my band the Menzingers, where I've met all kinds of wild and fascinating people. So I started a podcast on Future Friday. I talked to fellow musicians about the moments that made them their passions outside of music and the curiosities that tie all together. I've also talked to the likes of UFO researchers, magicians, soldiers and documentary filmmakers. And I'm constantly searching for folks that.

[Brian Brinkman]

Can shape and change our view of the world.

[RJ]

You can check out Future Friday wherever you like.

[Brian Brinkman]

This is the story of Whitney Houston.

[Megan]

This is the story of Kurt Cobain.

[Brian Brinkman]

Of George Michael, of Otis Redding, of Amy Wine, of Michael Hutchins, Bob Marley. This is the story of Prince.

[Megan]

It's a new podcast series about how.

[Brian Brinkman]

They died, why they died, and why.

[Megan]

We'Re still talking about them so long after. It's like nothing you've ever heard before.

[Brian Brinkman]

It's storytelling.

[Megan]

But it's more than that.

[Brian Brinkman]

Because rock stars, they tell us how we feel. They change our mood.

[Megan]

They change the clothes we wear, the people we hang out with, the way we remember.

[Brian Brinkman]

Remember things.

[Megan]

It's them who give us those ludicrous moments.

[Brian Brinkman]

The ones where you're jumping around, singing your heart out, feeling understood.

[Megan]

And it's those moments we'll help you remember. The ones you're thinking about right now.

[Brian Brinkman]

That feeling. That feeling is coming soon from Crowd Network.

[Megan]

Just search for Death of a Rock Star on your podcast app and subscribe now.