Jon Fishman Partially Credits Bernie Sanders With Phish Formation

As reported, Phish drummer Jon Fishman was among those appearing yesterday at a rally at The State Theater in Portland, Maine in support of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Fishman not only performed at the event, he also was given the opportunity to introduce Sanders before he spoke to the crowd.

Sanders called Phish “one of the great bands in this country” after the drummer introduced him. Fish explained that during the the group’s formative years in Burlington, Vermont — with Sanders seated as mayor — a support from the local government for creativity and the arts helped foster the band’s development.

“In the very beginning of our band, we grew up in the environment that Bernie Sanders was largely responsible for: a very vibrant, healthy community,” Fishman told the crowd. “And he supported the arts tremendously, and we as a band — it could be said that we may not have existed had we not grown up in place where the arts scene was so vibrant that we were able to play five, six nights a week, up and down main street, at a whole number of venues.”

Watch Fish introduce Bernie at yesterday’s rally below: