Quotes by Mike Gordon

About Mike Gordon:

Michael Eliot "Mike" Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most recognized as a founding member and bassist for the rock band Phish. In addition to bass, Gordon is an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, and guitar. He is also a filmmaker (Rising Low, Outside Out) and author (Mike's Corner). He has released four solo studio albums.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

I'm not really allowed to talk about the Dead though. I think when we are at our best, we definitely do things that the Dead or no other band could do. We explore things and take things to the extreme.

Mike Gordon

If part of the purpose of making an album is to get some radio play, then you might as well think about that. But that's not really how we picked the songs.

Mike Gordon

There's no way we could play a country song as well as a country band or a Latin song as well as a Latin band. We could never expect to do that. We just keep doing what we do, what we know how to do. We sound like ourselves.

Mike Gordon

I don't really have a favorite bass player. I listen to a lot of bluegrass. But then again, I'm not a typical bluegrass bass player. I was really into the Grateful Dead, and I still am - I don't listen to them too much, but for me they are a big infl...

Mike Gordon

Travelling to different countries is a goal. I wouldn't mind playing huge places if we got an opportunity to, but it's nice to play small places too. Fish was saying yesterday that he doesn't ever want to play stadiums, or maybe he would once, he sai...

Mike Gordon

Elektra has no control over the live show, at least.

Mike Gordon

This is my second bass that Paul built me. There were some changes that were made. Sometimes I think of changes that could be made having to do with both the sound and the feel. It's definitely a beautiful instrument.

Mike Gordon

Last tour my bass rig was breaking down every other night. That was a pain. We would get on stage and Trey would count off the song, and I'd play the first note and nothing would be there. Those guys would just roll their eyes.

Mike Gordon

I want to get an handful of spare basses to use first of all if mine breaks, and second, to learn some things about aspects of basses that I like, so Paul can build those aspects into it.

Mike Gordon

I agree with the rest of the band, that a truly synthesized sound isn't really what I would want to go for.

Mike Gordon

The way that we imitate each others' riffs is something that other bands don't do as much. If we're jamming with a jazz band, or I am jamming with a jazz band, I have to catch myself, the tendency is always to do that.

Mike Gordon

I want to take some jams and really concentrate on hooking up with Page because, since he's the only one not next to me, and his sound is mainly coming from my monitor rather than through the air, it's a little harder for me to hook up with him.

Mike Gordon

I haven't written enough songs to be able to say that I have a system. I've only written a handful.

Mike Gordon

I feel like I want to write some songs and I don't know how to go about doing it. Usually it's the lyrics that are a problem, and I think I am not really cut out to be a lyricist.

Mike Gordon

I'm not really satisfied with anything I have written to date.

Mike Gordon

It's really important for the bass and the drums to somehow blend.

Mike Gordon

I think one thing that helped the sound change, it's a real subtle thing; it's just one switch on my bass, it has three positions, and I usually boost the mid-range frequency, I lowered the frequency that I boost, and that goes out to the sound syste...

Mike Gordon

The worst thing I could be thinking is how could I be a cool bass player.

Mike Gordon

A lot of the great songwriters in history have been collaborators, with a separate lyricist.

Mike Gordon

Lately Fish and I have been hooking up more, which is a good thing because it's just been a struggle for me as a bass player to play with someone who's so creative on the drums, and lately it's been really good, especially during sound checks.

Mike Gordon

Author Bio

  • NameMike Gordon
  • DescriptionAmerican musician
  • BornJune 3, 1965
  • CountryUnited States Of America