Mike Gordon Talks Phish Tour Habits With Guster’s Ryan Miller

Phish bassist Mike Gordon was among the guests on the latest installment of Islands In The Quaranstream hosted by Guster‘s Ryan Miller and his wife, Angela Arsenault. The livestream has a discussion-based format and Mike spoke about his Phish tour habits and more.

Mike Gordon chatted with Miller and Arsenault for approximately 25 minutes. He started by explaining his experience with his own Thursday night livestreams on Instagram. Mike said he’s experimenting with the format and went from giving bass lessons to bringing aboard guests such as his band mates, guitarist Scott Murawski and keyboardist Robert Walter. Gordon also revealed photographer Danny Clinch will be his guest this Thursday.

Miller then asked a question submitted by a viewer about how Mike changes up what he eats while under quarantine. Gordon revealed he’s not much of a “culinary person” and shouted out Phish’s Dinner & A Movie livestream replay series. Mike went on to discuss some things Phish does on tour that they’ve learned from other bands that have been together for a long time. “After 37 years all we try to do is have some distance, but then we get some closeness and it’s nice when we do,” Gordon said. For instance, the band members stay on different floors at hotels and generally eat separately. He explained the band stopped going to catering and has their own chef and Mike typically takes his meal to his tour bus to eat.

The next topic hit upon was how the musicians transitioned from life on tour to being stuck at home. Gordon likes being able to have dinner with his family each night. “This is kind of old school, even my family growing up was scattered, but when I was really young we always had dinners together,” Mike said of his family dinners. “To come back to that is really special, we’re getting to know each other in a whole new way.” Additionally, Gordon said he and his daughter, Tessa, learn a new song each night.

One of the final questions asked by Ryan to Mike was whether he listens to Phish shows. “Yeah, for years I didn’t and I didn’t listen to my own shows for all kinds of different reasons but what’s been great recently is I’ve gone a little bit in the opposite direction,” Gordon said. He noted that he’ll usually listen to shows from recent tours in the car and will prep a LivePhish playlist featuring the highlights that he not only shares with fans but shares with his band mates.

Watch Tuesday’s Islands In The Quaranstream, which also featured an appearance from Fenway Park organist Josh Kantor, below: