SIMPLE is a fantastic Phish Tribute out of Philadelphia. The quartet encompasses
many of the elements that made Phish the best rock band of the 90s. Simple plays
a wide spectrum of the Phish repertoire. A set of music can include every combination
of rock, classical fugues, blues, funk, jazz, bluegrass and reggae . Merge these
together with Simple's live improvisational jams and the result is fantastic.
Simple began in 2000 with a vision to gather some of the Philadelphia area's
most talented musicians who were also Phish aphishionados. This proved a difficult
(and not so simple) feat to accomplish; but soon, the project was born and Simple
began supporting for local talents. Simple quickly became the headliners at
many bars and clubs. The band's skillful Phish styling and exceptional stage
presence kept fans coming back for more.
In 2001, there were some personnel changes made in the band. The new line-up
was infectious. Fans began arriving to shows earlier and staying until the last
note was played. Simple's mix of musical talent also created a wide fan base
which included fans with no familiarity with Phish. In a recent interview with
Simple's keyboardist, Chaz Muller stated "A couple of times people from
the audience came to me after a gig totally psyched and beaming about the performance.
I would later realize in the conversation, that these people didn't even know
we were [Simple was] a Phish cover band because they had never heard Phish before."
Charles continues, "I guess a good time is a good time".
At the height of their popularity, Simple went on hiatus in 2003 allowing the
band members to pursue other interests; both personal and musical. A college
degree, a few bands, a beautiful baby girl and one wedding later, Simple reunited
in 2005 at a Halloween music festival. Simple (as enthusiastic and eager as
their fans in the audience) hit the stage with the seasonally appropriate "Ghostbusters"
then promptly segued right into a monster two and half hour set of quintessential
Phish favorites.
The members of Simple decided to start playing out on a regular basis in September
2006. It did not take long to get the project to get back up and running in
the greater Philadelphia area. There was a personnel change in December 2006
that brought in a fantastic new guitarist and drummer to the line-up. Simple
is now at their best in terms of talent and professionalism with the willingness
and desire to recreate the live Phish sound for all to enjoy.
