Helping Friendly Podcast – Ep: Tom Hamilton — Live at Relix! (Jan 8, 2026)

Overview

This episode of the Helping Friendly Podcast features hosts Megan and Mike Greenhaus, who recap a recent Phish show at Madison Square Garden before sitting down with musician Tom Hamilton (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Ghost Light, Brothers Past) at Relix Studios. The conversation covers Tom’s forthcoming solo album, musical influences, evolution as a songwriter, and a deep dive into his process, collaboration, and a bit of Phish talk. There's also a retrospective on the influential “goodbye” album by Brothers Past.

Phish Recap: MSG Show Highlights

Classic Setlist, Weather, and Vibes

• [01:36] Mike arrives at MSG just as "Buried Alive" opens the show:

  “Luckily I made it there, then sat on the tarmac for a bit, but got in just as Buried Alive was getting going. So. Perfect timing.” (Mike, 01:59)

• Both hosts agree the first set leaned heavily on early-era Phish classics.

• “Buried Alive” opener feels like a “signpost that it's going to be a good show.” (Mike, 02:30)

• Acoustic “Sleep,” not played since 2019, was a highlight—especially seeing Trey go unplugged.

  • "It was not only a really rare thing to see Trey play acoustic guitar… a nice throwback to another famed Phish run." (Mike, 02:25)

• “Wolfman’s Brother” jam praised for its hypnotic improv:

  • “Settled in this really nice improv… kind of a hint of what's going to come in the second set.” (Megan, 03:49)

Set Two: The Jam Conversation

• Theme from the Bottom → Simple sequence stands out for both hosts:
  • “The sequence that was kind of based around that really expansive Theme from the Bottom that went into Simple, that was the highlight of the show for me.” (Mike, 04:22)
  • "I think it was the longest 'Theme from the Bottom' ever… went to very unexpected places." (Mike, 04:22)
  • “Really hypnotic, super groove based. None of the big, like, flashy type-2 stuff, but really awesome groove-based jamming. They sounded like one organism.” (Megan, 05:01)
  • “If you can get a really good jam on that first night, you’re in for a treat… you want them to kind of stretch their legs a little bit.” (Megan, 06:05)

Notable quotes:

• "Sitting on a tarmac for 45 minutes made it worth it." (Mike, 05:00)
• "If they don't play one good jam, then you're a little worried." (Megan, 06:18)

Personal Takes and Setlist Philosophy

• Megan confesses she’s lukewarm on “Roggae”:
  • "I just don't love it. I think the jam gets really pretty, but I don't love the lyrics… kind of feels a little corny to me." (Megan, 06:36)
• Mike counters:
  • "I like that song for a lot of reasons… showcases them as all lead vocalists… there's so many lights that, like, the lyrics that touch on that felt very of the moment." (Mike, 06:45)

Anticipation for Next Shows

• Hosts speculate if Trey’s acoustic guitar appearance might continue.
• “Whenever they have these longer runs, anything… that feels like the shows are unified… those are always really good building blocks to what ultimately will culminate with New Year’s Eve.” (Mike, 08:17)

A Look Back and Forward

• Discussion of prior MSG shows, notably the legendary 12/29/24 (39-minute “Ruby Waves,” epic “Ghost,” etc).
• “1229's been hotter than 1230 the last few years… I'm interested to see this year who wins out. But we're all winners here at Phish, always, of course.” (Megan, 09:27)

Tom Hamilton Interview: New Album, Influences, and Process

Album Details and Vinyl Release

• [10:32] Tom joins to discuss his album, dropping January 23rd, with vinyl on Relix Records.
  • “Relix is putting out the vinyl, the lovely Relix. Thank you, Mike.” (Tom, 10:49)

On Physical Media & Nostalgia

• Tom and hosts reminisce on tangible music experiences – vinyl, newspapers, and the tactile nature of art:
  • “I have recently, within the last few months, been buying newspapers again… just because I like doing crossword puzzles.” (Tom, 11:28)
  • “As we get older, we all just crave those things that were artifacts from when we were younger.” (Megan, 11:48)

Album Influences and Creative Palette

• Tom cites Nick Cave, “a lot of crooners,” and the dark, literary band Protomartyr as influences:
  • “[Protomartyr] are like if the Hold Steady were mean people… like an evil Hold Steady with a goatee… the music is very dark and heavy… the lyricist is writing some real, real shit there… it’s literature.” (Tom, 12:55-13:54)
• Tom emphasizes authenticity and sincerity in new rock bands like Geese:
  • “People are starting to say things like, is this the next Nirvana moment? … it’s supposed to be confrontational, make you feel and think… That’s where I always come from when I’m making records.” (Tom, 14:13)

On Production: Collaboration and Perspective

• Producer Alex Farrar (Waxahatchee, Wednesday, MJ Lenderman) assisted with the album, bringing a raw, punk rock ethos:
  • “A very similar vibe, I would say, [as] Steve Albini… really big on trimming the fat… we went in there with a scalpel and reshaped some of the tunes.” (Tom, 17:26)
• Tom notes the importance of outside perspective when recording without a full band, referencing his own tendency to over-edit.

Involvement of War on Drugs, Kurt Vile & Philadelphia Connections

• Recording with bassist from War on Drugs and drummer Kevin (last name forgotten).
• Flashback to recording Kurt Vile’s first demo in 2001:
  • “Kurt's a brilliant guy. But, yeah… it was very cool to have just, you know, somebody associated with Philadelphia, that far away from home.” (Tom, 19:04)

Songwriting Journey & Creative Process

• After Ghost Light dissolved and his father became ill, Tom opted to approach creativity without fear or forced decisions:
  • “I just didn't want to make any decisions based on fear… figured out what the creativity was gonna lead me to instead of being afraid.” (Tom, 22:14)
• Daily writing sessions with lifelong friend Pete Tramo – eight months of writing, first three mostly false starts:
  • “The first twenty songs you write, you're like, okay, I've already said that… it's just straight up another song that already exists… we have this intimacy where it's such a safe place to be able to just say, oh yeah, that's terrible.” (Tom, 24:42-25:54)
• “Kissing With Our Eyes Closed” became the album’s North Star; everything else built around it:
  • “That was the one we're like, okay, this is our North Star… this is what is going to keep everything else in context.” (Tom, 27:12)

Live Performance & Band Dynamics

• For the first time ever, Tom played a tour with the same setlist each night:
  • “I did a tour where I played the same set… I don’t think I had the perspective to see what you saw.” (Tom, 28:21)
• The band’s core contributors (especially bassist Taylor Shell, keyboardist Tom McKee) recorded most tracks live after Tom and Pete finished writing:
  • “Almost everything on the record was tracked live. Four of us, plus Peter on an extra guitar.” (Tom, 30:01)

Brothers Past “Goodbye” Album – 20th Anniversary Retrospective

• The band wanted the 2005 album “goodbye” to assert their voice as songwriters in a jam scene driven by search for originality:
  • “If you sounded like Phish, you were done… everyone had their own identity… we wanted to make our statement… as songwriters first and foremost.” (Tom, 33:21)
• Recorded with John Altschul, engineer of Phish's "Rift" and “Picture of Nectar”; John remains a key mentor and mixer for Tom to this day.
• Reunion for “goodbye” anniversary was a challenge logistically and emotionally, but ultimately fulfilling:
  • “It was very cool to be able to play those songs again with those guys... Parnell is such a unique, singular bass player.” (Tom, 37:26)
  • “This music was made by young, drug-addled 20-year-olds… there is a lot of very complicated shit going on in the drums that any practical human probably wouldn’t have done.” (Tom, 38:09)
  • On the reunion show: “When we counted off that first song and the place just exploded… it was like watching Nirvana play Smells Like Teen Spirit… it was fucking great.” (Tom, 38:57)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Phish jams:
  "If you can get a really good jam on that first night, you’re in for a treat." – Megan, [06:05]

• On musical honesty:
  "Trying to say something unique unto myself…sincerity in the whole thing." – Tom, [15:21]

• On creative partnership:
  “We have this intimacy where it’s such a safe place to be able to just say, oh yeah, that’s… terrible.” – Tom, [25:54]

• On the Brothers Past reunion:
  “When we counted off that first song and the place just exploded… it was fucking great.” – Tom, [38:57]

Key Segments / Timestamps

• Phish show recap and analysis: [01:31] – [10:22]
• Tom Hamilton joins, album origins and influences: [10:32] – [17:25]
• Recording process & collaboration with producer: [17:25] – [21:18]
• Songwriting and creative philosophy: [21:37] – [27:52]
• Live performances, touring band, inner workings: [27:52] – [31:00]
• Brothers Past 'goodbye' album & reunion: [31:10] – [39:00]

Tone and Atmosphere

• Warm, conversational, fan-driven analysis of Phish and jam bands.
• Tom is candid, self-deprecating, and thoughtful about his creative process.
• Hosts (Megan, Mike) are enthusiastic, slightly irreverent, and well-prepared, balancing deep fan knowledge with friendly banter.
• The interview blends nostalgia, practical insights for musicians, and real talk about creative challenges.

Final Thoughts

This episode seamlessly blends fan-centric Phish show analysis with a deep, personal artist interview. Tom Hamilton’s openness about his artistic journey, balanced with technical and emotional insights, makes the conversation both instructive and inspiring for listeners—whether they're musicians, seasoned jam-band fans, or newcomers to Tom’s work.