Tom Marshall (singer)
Encyclopedia
Tom Marshall is a lyricist
, keyboardist
and singer/songwriter best known for his association with Trey Anastasio
and the rock band Phish
. He has been the primary external lyricist for Phish
during their career (1983–2004, 2009–present), with songwriting credits for more than 95 originals - more than Mike Gordon
(22), Jon Fishman
(18), Page McConnell
(11), and "Phish
" in the generic (41) combined. His relationship to Phish is similar to the one between the Grateful Dead
and poet Robert Hunter
.
Marshall attended Princeton Day School
in New Jersey
with Anastasio. The duo began writing songs together as early as the eighth grade (the reggae tune "Makisupa Policeman" is often regarded as the duo's first collaboration and the very first Phish
original song). Other early collaborations include Bivouac Jaun
, a project recorded by Marshall, Anastasio, and their friend Marc Daubert
(who occasionally played percussion with Phish in 1984 and wrote the lyrics to their classic "The Curtain"). Many of the pieces recorded on Bivouac Jaun appeared on the very first Phish album. Marshall also was instrumental in influencing The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday
, a Phish concept album and song cycle about the mystical land of Gamehendge
written by Anastasio and used as his senior thesis at Goddard College
in 1987.
Marshall, Anastasio, and friends would meet at "the rhombus," a giant piece of art located in a park in New Jersey
, and embark on lengthy songwriting sessions. Many characters and locations mentioned in early Phish
songs reference these songwriting sessions. In one instance, Marshall wrote the original lyrics to the Gamehendge song "McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters" and nailed them to Anastasio's front door. By 1985, Anastasio and Marshall had parted ways as Anastasio became more involved with Phish at the University of Vermont
. While "the rhombus" has played a crucial role in influencing the songwriting capacity of the duo, it is no longer located in this Princeton field.
Years later in 1989, Marshall apparently heard Phish's Junta
album and thought to himself, "these guys really need lyrics." Marshall and Anastasio reunited and began a long songwriting partnership that resulted in over 100 songs over the next fifteen years. Anastasio's 2005 solo album Shine
marks the first time since the pre-Junta years that he has not worked with Marshall.
As of Spring of 2008, Anastasio and Marshall are once again engaging in collaborative writing sessions in Anastasio's studio in upstate New York.
In addition to working closely with Anastasio, Marshall fronts his own band, Amfibian
, currently on hiatus.
In the fall of 2010, Marshall collaborated with CT jam band The McLovins
to co-write "Cohesive," recorded with Marshall and Anthony Krizan (of Spin Doctors fame) at Krizan's Sonic Boom studios. In mid-November 2010, Marshall joined his longtime friend Trey Anastasio on stage at the historic Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall Princeton University bringing them back to their roots.
Tom has a wife named Lea-Lea, a daughter named Anna and a son named Brodie.
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
and singer/songwriter best known for his association with Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio
Trey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
and the rock band Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
. He has been the primary external lyricist for Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
during their career (1983–2004, 2009–present), with songwriting credits for more than 95 originals - more than Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon
Mike Gordon is a bass guitar player and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish. Gordon is also an accomplished banjo player, and is proficient at piano, guitar, harmonica and percussion...
(22), Jon Fishman
Jon Fishman
Jon Fishman is an American drummer best known for his work with the band Phish. He is credited with co-writing 19 Phish originals, 8 of them as a solo credit....
(18), Page McConnell
Page McConnell
Page Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as a songwriter and keyboardist with the American rock band Phish....
(11), and "Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
" in the generic (41) combined. His relationship to Phish is similar to the one between the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
and poet Robert Hunter
Robert Hunter (lyricist)
Robert C. Hunter is an American lyricist, singer-songwriter, translator, and poet, best known for his association with Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead.-Biography:He was born Robert Burns in San Luis Obispo, California...
.
Marshall attended Princeton Day School
Princeton Day School
Princeton Day School is a private coeducational day school located in Princeton Township, New Jersey, serving students in grades pre kindergarten - 12. The largest division is the Upper School , with an enrollment of approximately 400...
in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
with Anastasio. The duo began writing songs together as early as the eighth grade (the reggae tune "Makisupa Policeman" is often regarded as the duo's first collaboration and the very first Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
original song). Other early collaborations include Bivouac Jaun
Bivouac Jaun
Bivouac Jaun is a project recorded in the Autumn of 1983 featuring Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, Phish lyricist Tom Marshall, and one-time Phish percussionist Marc Daubert. It also features appearances from Dave Abrahams, drummer Pete Cottone, and guitarist Roger Holloway...
, a project recorded by Marshall, Anastasio, and their friend Marc Daubert
Marc Daubert
Marc Daubert was the percussionist for the rock band Phish for a brief time in their early history, joining the band in September 1984 and leaving the band in February 1985....
(who occasionally played percussion with Phish in 1984 and wrote the lyrics to their classic "The Curtain"). Many of the pieces recorded on Bivouac Jaun appeared on the very first Phish album. Marshall also was instrumental in influencing The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday
The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday
The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday was written as the senior thesis study by Trey Anastasio, the guitarist and lead vocalist of the American rock band Phish...
, a Phish concept album and song cycle about the mystical land of Gamehendge
Gamehendge
Gamehendge is the fictional setting for a number of songs by the rock band Phish. Most of the songs can be traced back to The Man Who Stepped Into Yesterday , the senior thesis of guitarist and primary vocalist Trey Anastasio, written while he attended Goddard College in 1987...
written by Anastasio and used as his senior thesis at Goddard College
Goddard College
Goddard College is a private, liberal arts college located in Plainfield, Vermont, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Goddard College currently operates on an intensive low-residency model...
in 1987.
Marshall, Anastasio, and friends would meet at "the rhombus," a giant piece of art located in a park in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and embark on lengthy songwriting sessions. Many characters and locations mentioned in early Phish
Phish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
songs reference these songwriting sessions. In one instance, Marshall wrote the original lyrics to the Gamehendge song "McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters" and nailed them to Anastasio's front door. By 1985, Anastasio and Marshall had parted ways as Anastasio became more involved with Phish at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
. While "the rhombus" has played a crucial role in influencing the songwriting capacity of the duo, it is no longer located in this Princeton field.
Years later in 1989, Marshall apparently heard Phish's Junta
Junta (album)
Junta is the first official studio release from the American rock band Phish. The album was independently recorded and released on tape in 1988, and did not appear in stores officially until May 8, 1989. The album was re-released by Elektra Records on October 26, 1992...
album and thought to himself, "these guys really need lyrics." Marshall and Anastasio reunited and began a long songwriting partnership that resulted in over 100 songs over the next fifteen years. Anastasio's 2005 solo album Shine
Shine (Trey Anastasio album)
Shine is Trey Anastasio's fourth solo studio album, and his first release since the breakup of Phish in August 2004. Included in this release is new material written by Anastasio in late 2004 and early 2005. Shine also marks the first release by Anastasio apart from Elektra Records, as Anastasio...
marks the first time since the pre-Junta years that he has not worked with Marshall.
As of Spring of 2008, Anastasio and Marshall are once again engaging in collaborative writing sessions in Anastasio's studio in upstate New York.
In addition to working closely with Anastasio, Marshall fronts his own band, Amfibian
Amfibian
Amfibian is an American musical project led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall.-History:Future members of the band appeared on Marshall's 2000 solo album Amfibian Tales, after which Marshall officially formed Amfibian as a proper band...
, currently on hiatus.
In the fall of 2010, Marshall collaborated with CT jam band The McLovins
The McLovins
The Mclovins are a Connecticut-based jam-rock band who play a mixture of progressive jam with solid funk and jazz undertones. The band cites numerous influences both within and outside the traditional jam-band genre allowing them to bring a fresh aesthetic to their music...
to co-write "Cohesive," recorded with Marshall and Anthony Krizan (of Spin Doctors fame) at Krizan's Sonic Boom studios. In mid-November 2010, Marshall joined his longtime friend Trey Anastasio on stage at the historic Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall Princeton University bringing them back to their roots.
Tom has a wife named Lea-Lea, a daughter named Anna and a son named Brodie.
Discography
- Amfibian TalesAmfibian TalesAmfibian Tales is the only solo album released by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall, who also handles lead vocals and keyboards on the album. Officially billed under "Tom Marshall and Co.," the disc includes a number of special guests, including Matt Kohut , Scott Metzger, old friend Pete Cottone...
(August, 2000) - Trampled By Lambs and Pecked by the DoveTrampled by Lambs and Pecked by the DoveTrampled by Lambs and Pecked by the Dove is a collection of raw tracks and song sketches written and recorded by Trey Anastasio and Phish lyricist Tom Marshall in Vermont farmhouses over four weekends in 1997. The collection was released on November 1, 2000 by Elektra Records.The songs were...
(with Trey AnastasioTrey AnastasioTrey Anastasio is an American guitarist, composer, and vocalist most noted for his work with the rock band Phish...
) (November 1, 2000) - From the EtherFrom the EtherFrom the Ether is the debut album from Amfibian, led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall and guitarist Chris Metaxas. Marshall released a solo album in 2000 entitled Amfibian Tales, and later formed an official band based around the songs and other original compositions...
(June, 2004) - Skip the GoodbyesSkip the GoodbyesSkip the Goodbyes is the second album from Amfibian, led by Phish lyricist Tom Marshall and guitarist Anthony Krizan. Marshall and Krizan are the only surviving members from the last album From the Ether Phish leader Trey Anastasio plays lead guitar on the title track.Former Amfibian member Chris...
(July, 2007)