The Siket Disc
Encyclopedia
The Siket Disc is a 1999/2000 release from the American
band Phish
. (It was released in 1999 through the Phish
web site and mailordering system, but did not reach stores until November 7, 2000, from Elektra Records
.)
The Siket Disc emerged from material developed during the Bearsville Studio sessions for Phish's 1998 album The Story of the Ghost
. Not exactly outtakes or unfinished songs, The Siket Discs compositions are actually select excerpts from the long-form improvisation
of the "Ghost Sessions". The Phish keyboard player Page McConnell
edited and mastered the selections into this compilation, named for engineer John Siket.
The material on The Siket Disc is defined by an almost ambient
, post-rock
sound that is distinct from the band's major studio albums. The album is almost completely instrumental, but contains a few instances of vocalization. "Quadrophonic Toppling", for instance, includes a triggered sample of bass guitarist Mike Gordon
repeating the song's title.
Only the compositions "My Left Toe" and "What's the Use?" have been notably incorporated into the band's live shows on a somewhat regular basis. (However, "Quadrophonic Toppling" and "The Happy Whip and Dung Song" have each made at least one live appearance).
Gordon has indicated that The Siket Disc became a fixture in the band's late night tour bus music rotation in the early 2000s, saying that "It fit the vibe perfectly ... It's one of the only instances I can remember when we regularly played our own music."
In February 2009, this album was made available as a download in FLAC
and MP3
formats at LivePhish.com.
with
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
. (It was released in 1999 through the Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
web site and mailordering system, but did not reach stores until November 7, 2000, from Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
.)
The Siket Disc emerged from material developed during the Bearsville Studio sessions for Phish's 1998 album The Story of the Ghost
The Story of the Ghost
The Story of the Ghost is the seventh official studio album by the American rock band Phish. It was released by Elektra Records on October 27, 1998.Much of the album originated during large-scale improvisation sessions...
. Not exactly outtakes or unfinished songs, The Siket Discs compositions are actually select excerpts from the long-form improvisation
Improvisation
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
of the "Ghost Sessions". The Phish keyboard player Page McConnell
Page McConnell
Page Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as a songwriter and keyboardist with the American rock band Phish....
edited and mastered the selections into this compilation, named for engineer John Siket.
The material on The Siket Disc is defined by an almost ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
, post-rock
Post-rock
Post-rock is a subgenre of rock music characterized by the influence and use of instruments commonly associated with rock, but using rhythms and "guitars as facilitators of timbre and textures" not traditionally found in rock...
sound that is distinct from the band's major studio albums. The album is almost completely instrumental, but contains a few instances of vocalization. "Quadrophonic Toppling", for instance, includes a triggered sample of bass guitarist Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
repeating the song's title.
Only the compositions "My Left Toe" and "What's the Use?" have been notably incorporated into the band's live shows on a somewhat regular basis. (However, "Quadrophonic Toppling" and "The Happy Whip and Dung Song" have each made at least one live appearance).
Gordon has indicated that The Siket Disc became a fixture in the band's late night tour bus music rotation in the early 2000s, saying that "It fit the vibe perfectly ... It's one of the only instances I can remember when we regularly played our own music."
In February 2009, this album was made available as a download in FLAC
FLAC
FLAC is a codec which allows digital audio to be losslessly compressed such that file size is reduced without any information being lost...
and MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
formats at LivePhish.com.
Track listing
- "My Left Toe" (AnastasioTrey AnastasioTrey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
) - 4:46 - "The Name is Slick" (Anastasio) - 3:58
- "What's the Use?" (Anastasio) - 11:20
- "Fish Bass" (FishmanJon FishmanJon Fishman is an American drummer best known for his work with the band Phish. He is credited with co-writing 19 Phish originals, 8 of them as a solo credit....
) - 1:11 - "Quadrophonic Toppling" (GordonMike GordonMike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
) - 1:57 - "The Happy Whip and Dung Song" (Anastasio) - 5:30
- "Insects" (Anastasio) - 3:12
- "Title Track" (McConnellPage McConnellPage Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as a songwriter and keyboardist with the American rock band Phish....
) - 1:00 - "Albert" (Anastasio) - 2:18
Personnel
PhishPhish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
- Trey AnastasioTrey AnastasioTrey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
- guitars - Page McConnellPage McConnellPage Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as a songwriter and keyboardist with the American rock band Phish....
- keyboards - Mike GordonMike GordonMike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
- bass guitar - Jon FishmanJon FishmanJon Fishman is an American drummer best known for his work with the band Phish. He is credited with co-writing 19 Phish originals, 8 of them as a solo credit....
- drums
with
- John Siket - engineer