THE DISCO BISCUITS: HOME AGAIN

Niceness I've loved these guys for years now! can't wait for all the upcoming shows! See you there
DreadDave (original)

best band ever imo. hasty remarks, i'm aware, but these guys changed everything. the future is so, incredibly bright. disco biscuits 4 life 4 me

The original rock band gone techno, these guys arent legends yet but they will be... I love Bisco...

bisco is nasty the only way to put i saw allen at the borgota and just knew it was soemthing specail for the kids. these guys continue to reach new peaks and musicans and continue to grow.bisco 4 life is for sure

cant wait till the 420 run, its about time they break out sammys floes and onamae wa.

Been my favorite band for four years, but I haven't gotten to see them since October 2002. Can't wait until the Atlanta-Athens 3 night run. I can definitely see them exploding in 2006, but I think it'll take a year to reestablish themselves. Are they the band to fill the Phish void? No, they're too different for that, which is great. They are THE band to propel the jam scene forward and open up the door for more trance-infused jam bands.

When is the west coast going to get some BISCO? How about a Particle - BISCO transfusion tour?

I love the Biscuits for their musicianship, dynamics and segues. I am thrilled that they will be touring again. It will be easier on the body if more of their shows end, rather than commence, at 2am. Best of luck to Sammy!

great article

Great read!

"We have been the Saturday night party band. I also want to be the Sunday early afternoon philosophical band."

You already are for me!!
8/16/03 day set Trancemission- amazing.

Most original band (def. my fav.) in the scene IMO, summer fests beware!

Loose the ego guys

i really like these guy's music, and i am half way through listening to the new year's run - pretty good.

BUT, you would think after so many years of performing the vocals would get better. to me, that is the only thing keeping them back from being one of my favorites (and a lot of other people too, i have found). oh well, at least keep the mind bending instrumentation going!!!

i can only say one thing: with the disco biscuits on the scene(once again) this summer is gonna be fun!

I've seen the whole transformation. From sonar lounge 2 NYE run and everything in between(Camp Bisco!)and they are definatly gettin nastier every time i see them. Pissed I'm not in Florida but NC shows right around the block. gONNA BE all types of nastyness. And Its gonna be nice gettin new material and a new cd.

What is a rock band without some ego? If you don't believe you are the best band in the world, why should we? 2006 is the year of the huge Bisco Reprise. Bring it!

I've heard this "best band in the world" nonsense before in an issue of Relix and I just don't know if it adds up. I've gotten down to their music at quite a few shows and loved it, but these "best band in the world" declarations are a bit off. I'll just let STS9 ease into that role.

Best Band in the World? Let's not forget that all Pink Floyd members are still in this world!

"Lose the ego.."

Listen to 10-28-99 or 9-1-01 and you will see why this band has an ego, simply, no one can touch them when they are on, they make any other band in this genre look outdated and sickly, jambands outside philly copy their style i.e. moe., lets hope they can get back to where they were....
I've heard this "best band in the world" nonsense before in an issue of Relix and I just don't know if it adds up. I've gotten down to their music at quite a few shows and loved it, but these "best band in the world" declarations are a bit off. I'll just let STS9 ease into that role."

Just one problem, their "guitarist" is repetitive and boring, don't know how he has been over the last year but I remember him not being able to play over cord changes unless its composed, he would just keep playin the same god damn riff... STS9 is the biscuits w/out direction and balls! Take your heady crystals and stop posting retarded pre-teen california hippie wanna be gibberish!!

best band ever

it's good to see these guys back. hopefully they either learn how to sing or stop singing completely, then maybe, just maybe they'll get to play the THEATER at MSG. they really do have this ego B.S in high gear though, there manager was talking about how by next summer they will be doing TWO nights at red rocks. i guess it's good to have goals, but in college they teach us to make sure those goals are somewhat attainable.

Best band in the world? Worst vocals in the universe!

Great article in Bisco. If Benji doesn't write, all the bisco articles are by people who do not understand teh biscuits. You did a great job and behalf of old school hardcore bisco fans THANKS! ANd to all you kiddies look out because it is on now.

great article, cant wait for the run down south itl be a nasty trip with lots of fun. Bisco has nowhere to go but up
Bisco 4 life
A-Ron

legend in your own mind!! average at best

What a great and informative story! I must admit to being a new fan, but the biscuits are at the top of my list when it comes to favorite bands and I see them moving to bigger and better things. Especially after this new disc comes out... be prepared!

"average at best" apparently you have never experienced a Biscuits show. On their WORST night these guys are average. Go to archive.org and stream ANY show these guys have played this year and you will see they are anything but average. This is definately the year of the Biscuits! STS9 in the same sentence with the Biscuits? You must be outta your mind!

Great article cant wait for the midwest runs & Summer Camp.

leave it to the guy with the name "morphdusseldorf" to actually, ballsily talk trash about Hunter Brown's guitar playing when the king of repetitiveness John Gutwillig is so obviously his absolute fave. I thought we had all been over this before. Now I love the biscuits, and i've been villified for trashing barber before, but please understand I respect the man's musicianship and songwriting. THe man flubs all his own lines, lyrical and otherwise. There is no commitment to precision with Gutwillig's guitar or his vocals, it is the weak link in the biscuits sound, now that the drumming has been upped a million notches. some will say, "the biscuits are supposed to sound like that" Like what? LIke they don't practice and don't care about putting on a good show? Listen to what you're talking about man, Hunter Brown is a John Zorn worshiper, while gutwillig just repeats cheesy phish lines over and over and over and over. but then I guess we'll be talking about this over and over and over and over. Maybe if there was less repetitiveness and more commitment to excellence the band would be able to get past crappy little philly clubs for 7/8 of the year.

2 Shows Don't validate and ego......putting these guys on pedestals before they have proven anything is sure enough the path to failure......build up the hype a bit more so all the new heads can be dissappointed....

Bring the Biscuits West, for God's Sake. Bring the Bisco WEST. I moved out here 3 years ago and they still haven't played in the Northwest. I repeat bring it west! I think it would do these wookie kids a lot of good to have the shit scared out of 'em and Bisco can do the job. STS9 is a lot of things, but I ain't never heard someone call them nasty, and rightfully so. They're like the Disney version of the Biscuits, in my book. Yup, I've seen 9 a bunch of times and everytime I go see them, I know I'm really just trying to fill the gap that Bisco left in my musical heart when I moved West and they flaked out and forgot to tour the country for 3 years. 9 is OK. They hit every safe note they play. They play their laptops exceptionally well. They stay between the lines and deserve recognition for their very accurate and many times inspired playing. They record well. Their shows can be fun. I have a good time despite the weird christian cultish vibe I get from the scene they attract. Only real problem I have? My face remains completely intact everytime I see 9. There is very low risk going on...

Bisco, on the other hand, on their good nights, (I submit the NYE run '02 as one of many many examples), has melted me into as much a pool of goo as any other band I've ever seen. Remember that feeling you got before a phish show where you had no clue what they were gonna play but you knew that there was every bit of potential for them to either absolutely destroy you in a life changing way, or play the lamest setlist ever and still find a way to flub it? 9 ain't got that shit for me, but the Bisciuts do. The Biscuits screw up more, for sure (NYE '03 in NYC was horrible!), absolutely, but its high risk, high return, folks. They toe the line every night, sometimes for the better, sometimes not. Me, personally, I'd rather go to a show with more potential for face meltage and take the flops in stride than go to a show where I know whats gonna happen. And the vocals...Hey man, I hear you. The vocals can suck. For that reason, yeah I'll admit they'll never apporach the Dead or even Phish when it comes to vocals. But dude, have you listened to them play? The music, baby. It'll melt ya.

And "dedhed", when have the Biscuits played a "crappy little Philly club" recently? Define crappy little Philly Club for me, would you? The Electric Factory? The Tower? Surely you're joking.

Anyway, enough from me. I say Go big or don't go.

See you all at High Sierra for "the worst vocals in the universe". And hopefully for two nights at Red Rocks next summer.

My 2 cents.

Bring Bisco WEST!

Do these guys really have a strong following or do people just check them out when they happen to be in their town? I mean, honestly, it seems like theyre just really good at promoting themselves. I mean every article i read on jambase has this dude "marc brownsteins" opinion pop up out of no where as if he were someone important. I dont know, maybe its just me, but the disco biscuits might as well be called "half ass umphreys biscuit". HA HAHAHA oh man, thats funny...

screw all the vocals crap....you ever have your face melted by vocals, i dont think so. STS9 is fine but you wont get worked over till your been to a biscuits show!

The Biscuts should have folded when they could, as their music is weak, "Mindless Dribble" (song says it all). They following is shady as anybody's, kids doing mad drugs, wearing sideways hats, slinging death, strapped with weapons, and treating their ladies like dog-poo. Get with it, "yo"!?!?!

Chris,

Good job buddy. You work always amazes me and I'm glad we've grown together. I learned a lot about the Biscuits with the story, and I'm guessing that was your intention, so bravo. I wish people wouldn't chime in about whether they like or dislike the band just to have their 'internet voices' heard and just focus on whether the story did its job. I've always wondered why readers feel the need to perjoratively write about a band they dislike, just for the sake of lambasting them... Regardless, good work again mate and I'm looking forward to meeting up again.

-Shain

i love BISCO.. when i think of them i get an instant euphoric feeling that overtakes my body. my goal in life is to marry Jon. ***Bisco is love and love is all you need***... i live in central new york and i drive down to NYC and philly and NJ just to see them for a few hours. i'm so proud of this band..
continue bringing that "east coast flava"

i've never really "gotten it" with these guys. even saw them once and couldn't get into it...seemed kinda silly. can anyone drop a couple shows from the archive that can stand as a proxy for the "definitive biscuits experience" so i and others can try to understand what it's all about?

Radiohead vocals easily can melt my face you may also want to check out a band called pink floyd

These guys are fantastic musicians but their vocals are a slight turn off everytime i hear them. Their live shows make up for that though. see you in nashville.

Great article...keep more Bisco articles coming...They have a chance to become really something special by keeping it going on the road. Yes, more west coast please, but thank you for electrifying Denver last month,( requested the hall pass day the show was announced)!!!!

The music makes me feel special every day when I walk to and from work via the bus station w/my head phones on. There is something about Bisco that I appreciate and that's the effort put forth in their shows. They don't ever let up and go strong the whole way. Thank yo very much for your music!!!

This past run moved me in ways the Biscuits have not in years.

SETBREAK IS OVER

Great article

just got back from FLA...bisco is back big time. new drummer is off the chain and definatly new life. haven't played this good in a few years. fri night at club was clean and nasty, nasty. sat night festy gig was pure joy! either you don't get it, or never given it a real chance. go get some bisco.

damn..i almost forgot the conspiritor w/ some of brothers past..nasty nasty drum and bass/trance...did fearless, just mind blowing, nothing will suprise whats in store.

This article made me nervous. All of this talk about MSG, I would hate to see the biscuits move to venues of that size. I love the exclusivity of the bisco club (scene). Getting any more attention from the scene at large would just cramp our style.

2006 is the hotness

Florida was awesome. Allen has found his place and things are taking off in a great way. Bring that shit out west boys.

Band that was supposed to change the jam world my ass, "Don't stop till we get to MSG", bunch of bullshit, Th biscuits jams aren't darker or grittier than most other jam bands, not to mention they are repetitive and musically simple.

People seem to forget that just because a band hasnt hooked you or grabbed your attention doesnt mean that the band is, "repetative and musically simple", "just good at promoting themselves", "the worst vocals in the universe", "half ass umphreys biscuit" or that "gutwillig just repeats cheesy phish lines over and over and over"

All of these comments are abosolutely ignorant, one sided and have no base from anything other than your own personal opinion. If this band sucked they wouldnt have press coverage or people going to their shows consistantly, and yes this band has a following and Marc Brownstein is someone important to alot of people he's the f*cking bassist(and my favorite member) of the Disco Biscuits.

"putting these guys on pedestals before they have proven anything is sure enough the path to failure"

They HAVE proven themselves. They're still here, they're not going anywhere and all this article is saying is that they're moving in an upward direction and anyone who is a fan of the Biscuits and has been listening to their shows as of late would agree. Newcomers might not get into it right away but who would expect them to? Thats not to say that the band has lost all power to captivate new listeners.

No one is asking you to bow down in reverence to the Biscuits if you dont feel like it, but when one presents ones biased opinion as fact it makes one sound ignorant judgemental.

This is a band that people love to bash and im sick of it, its childish. People need to stop looking for the perfect band and start listening to music...

All who yonder are not lost!

anyone that takes a persons post on a message board as "fact" should have their internet rights revoked.

obviously they are all opinions (and opinions are by definition biased, so a "biased opinion" is redundant), and many people have many opinions of this band.

mine is they are very good, but very poor vocals.

and yes, i have had my face/mind melted by vocals. i don't need it from music, but it is nice.

the biscuits vocals make my spine feel like someone scratched a chalk board, and it is sometimes hard to shake that feeling and have the instruments commence melting.

'Ey there, Slick. My comments are far from one-sided. as for ignorant, well think what you may. I like the Disco Biscuits, but The Disco Biscuits started out as a damn phish cover band. sure they played some talking heads and a few of their early originals, but this band evolved from early phish culture. Adding the entire "electronica" element (I tread lightly with the word techno) made a lot of those lines and inspired lines become in a sense repetitive. I was at the time of the writing comparing John Gutwillig's stylings to those of a primarily jazz-based band, STS9. Electronic Rock and jazz-fusion, 2 completely different styles and basically comparing apples and oranges. Watch the name-calling, son.

Love 'em or hate 'em, bisco has remained tru to themselves through it all. My first experience was TLA in Philly Dec 31, 1999...WOW! Hooked for good. They have been challenging each other, the scene, and the fans for a long time...I'll take a Biscuit show anyday!

The Disco Bisciuts are moving on up and you negative comentators know it. Its alright, you guys can sit in the corner and skulk while us Bisco fans get musically sessioned into pure euphoric rapture.

I wasnt talking about reading an opinion and understanding it as fact i was talking about present an opinion as fact. Yes opinions are inherently biased but that doesnt mean they should be presented as fact.I didnt call anyone names in my post. Whether or not this band "evolved from early phish culture" or not has nothing to do with their originality. Biscuits are a far cry from sounding like phish. Im not trying to stir stuff up i just dont understand the need for blatent negativity...

Oh and this probably wont be posted but... dedhead scroll down and read your post where you're bashing on Gutwillig and tell me its not one sided...

ok ive never heard them but i cant wait. seein there shows coming up in a month and im excited. Sts9 and bisco are both great bands.

my first biscuits show is coming up here in Birmingham, AL.

calvin you were right about the trancefusion 2 album.

my life is forever changed =]

bisco bring it!

wow, great comments. good to see lively debate. funniest part of the article was the reference to "the University of Pennsylvania party scene" ... good times over there in the ivy league ghetto! thanks for the original nughuffer, Browndad.

Dude Don't even read anything below this. Its all crap and hate. Go see The Disco Biscuits if they are near you. Or do what I'm gonna do and travel around the country and watch them. But Bottom line Biscuits are nasty.

all crap and hate. hmm. what i see is a free exchange of ideas, something america is all about. I'm glad that somebody like me who enjoys both sts9 and the biscuits can get online and have a rational discussion with people like you, biscuitbum, who have such a narrow opinion of music. and lucid, what I said cannot be one-sided because the person making the statement appreciates and likes both bands he was discussing, but i'm also objective enough to understand that HUNTER BROWN IS A BETTER GUITAR PLAYER THAN JOHN GUTWILLIG, regardless of style or personal opinion

Great Discussion. I have to admit, at my first Biscuits show(Trocadero-98), I couldn't stand them. After a short time of listening to their live shows, and by my next show, they had really grown on me and had quickly become ONE of my favorite bands. Since then(98), I cant even beleive how tight they have gotten and how sick the jams are now. Yeah, the vocals can be weak sometimes, but sometimes their really strong too,(ie,42,Spacebird) One would be hard pressed to dispute that the jams aren't insane, especially after seeing the Biscuits live.

As far as comparing bands, whats the point? I dig them all for different reasons. Biscuits, New Deal, STS9, Lotus, Pnuma Trio, Signal Path, B/R, et al. They all have something a little different, but still all groove hard. I wouldn't judge any of these guys against each other any more than I would compare them to MMW, Phish or even Miles Davis. These are all different groups that can stand on their own.
When judging music, take the Duke Ellington quote(I know many other people have said this, but he was the earliest person that I know of):
"There are only two types of music. Good Music and Bad Music."
As I know from first hand experience, its better not to be too hasty when passing judgement, but if you are going to, try not to step one someone else's taste. People are very passionate about music, especially in the jam scene, and feathers have a tendency to get ruffled. Be Good Family.

Bisco is straight just don't really think they have the talent and dedication to do all that they're high and mighty minds think right now.
Im sure some sector 9 fans have heard big egos performed by them now... maybe that ties into some of this somehow

The new release is a very good repesentation of what the boys can bring. My hommie just got back from VT and bought TWAFTF, i'm really diggin' it! It comes out tomorrow for everyone's listening pleasure.WAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great to have these guys back in full swing. Pioneers of their sound - always a high time. They'll tear it up right at High Sierra this year, what a sick sick festival. These guys will no doubt highlight my trip, couldn't be more stoked. Come to Quincy and check this festival out, with Disco in the lineup, and the other tight acts and general atmosphere of the place, it's all set up to be one of the best weekends of the summer. Swing by the vegas theme camp and throw some dice. See you there.

Love the Bisco sound. It is unique and high energy. I do have a problem with their vocals (only glaring weakness IMO). However, I would much rather hear them attempt to sing than not sing at all. It creates a better atmosphere with the fans. Gutwillig is the shit, and one of the best in the scene when he is on. Can't wait to see these guys in B'ham, its seems like its been about 10 years since they last came around.

The day someone steals all the microphones within 100 miles of anywhere the disco biscuits play will be the day i get off at a bisco show

Anyone who hasnt been to a Bisco show SHOULD NOT POST there opinions on this band. Truly one cannot not go to even an average biscuits show and than try to compare the experience to STS9! Just like our parents used to drop acid and go to dead shows, our generation will be remembered as taking exctacy and going to Bisco shows. 2006 is just the begining for this band folks. They will be bigger than Phish.