Slip Stitch and Pass is the second official live album by the American rock band Phish. It was released on October 28, 1997, by Elektra Records and has nine tracks from the band's March 1, 1997, show at the Markthalle Hamburg in Hamburg, Germany, which was part of Phish's 1997 European Tour.

Slip Stitch and Pass
Live album by
ReleasedOctober 28, 1997
RecordedMarch 1, 1997
VenueMarkthalle Hamburg (Germany)
Genre
Length72:46
LabelElektra
ProducerBryce Goggin
Phish chronology
Billy Breathes
(1996)
Slip Stitch and Pass
(1997)
The Story of the Ghost
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB[3] / B+ [4]
Rolling Stone[5]
Spin5/10[6]
Uncut[7]
The Village VoiceB+[8]

The album marked the first time that concert staples "Mike's Song" and "Weekapaug Groove" had appeared on an official Phish release, despite both having been part of the band's repertoire since the 1980s. Three of the album's nine songs are cover songs: "Cities" from Talking Heads, "Jesus Just Left Chicago" from ZZ Top and the traditional a cappella standard "Hello My Baby".

In addition, during the final jam segment of "Mike's Song", the band quotes (or 'teases') Pink Floyd's "Careful with That Axe, Eugene" and elements and lyrics from The Doors song "The End". Both "Lawn Boy" and "Weekapaug Groove" subsequently have lyrics from "The End". The close of "Weekapaug Groove" interpolates the end section of the Rolling Stones' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking".

The jam on "Wolfman's Brother" is indicative of the band's foray into funk music, which dominated the group's improvisation over the next several years. The song also includes a tease of the band's own instrumental tune "Dave's Energy Guide."

Renowned graphic artist Storm Thorgerson designed the album cover.[9]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Cities"David ByrneTrey Anastasio5:18
2."Wolfman's Brother"Anastasio13:50
3."Jesus Just Left Chicago"Frank Beard, Billy Gibbons, Dusty HillMcConnell12:58
4."Weigh"GordonGordon5:29
5."Mike's Song"GordonGordon13:52
6."Lawn Boy"
  • Anastasio
  • Marshall
McConnell2:56
7."Weekapaug Groove"
  • Anastasio
  • Fishman
  • Gordon
  • McConnell
  • Anastasio
  • Gordon
  • McConnell
8:20
8."Hello My Baby"
  • Anastasio
  • Fishman
  • Gordon
  • McConnell
1:19
9."Taste"
  • Anastasio
  • Fishman
  • Gordon
  • McConnell
  • Marshall
  • Anastasio
  • Fishman
8:44
Total length:72:46

Set list

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Full set list[10]
Set 1 Cities → The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony, Down with Disease, Weigh, Beauty of My Dreams, Wolfman's Brother → Jesus Just Left Chicago, Reba, Hello My Baby, Possum
Set 2 Carini, Dinner and a Movie → Mike's Song → Lawn Boy → Weekapaug Groove, The Mango Song → Billy Breathes, Theme From the Bottom
Encore Taste, Sweet Adeline
Notes The week-long trend of breaking out songs continued with the show-opening Cities, which was the first since July 5, 1994 (222 shows). Wolfman's included a Dave's Energy Guide tease. Reba did not have the whistling ending. Possum included an All Fall Down signal and a heavy metal-style intro. The jam out of Mike's featured teases and vocal quotes of The End (The Doors), Peace Frog, and Careful with That Axe, Eugene; The End (The Doors) was subsequently quoted in Lawn Boy and Weekapaug. Weekapaug was unfinished and ended in a Can't You Hear Me Knocking jam.

Personnel

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Phish

Trey Anastasio – guitars, lead vocals, a cappella vocals on "Hello My Baby"
Page McConnell – keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Jesus Just Left Chicago" and "Lawn Boy", a cappella vocals on "Hello My Baby"
Mike Gordon – bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Weigh" and "Mike's Song", a cappella vocals on "Hello My Baby"
Jon Fishman – drums, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Taste", a cappella vocals on "Hello My Baby"

Charts

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Chart performance for Slip Stitch and Pass
Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[11] 17

References

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  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Slip, Stitch and Pass". AllMusic. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
  3. ^ Weingarten, Marc (1997-10-31). "Album Review: 'Slip Stitch and Pass'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
  4. ^ Hermes, Will (2000-08-04). "Phish albums". Entertainment Weekly.
  5. ^ Hermes, Will (1997-12-12). "Slip, Stitch and Pass". Rolling Stone.
  6. ^ Kenneally, Tim (January 1998). "Phish: Slip Stitch and Pass". Spin. SPIN Media LLC. pp. 117–8.
  7. ^ Williamson, Nigel (March 1998). "Phish: Slip, Stitch and Pass". Uncut. No. 10. p. 84.
  8. ^ Christgau, Robert (1997-11-04). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice.
  9. ^ "Cover ups: Storm Thorgerson's iconic album artwork – in pictures". The Guardian. 2013-04-18. Retrieved 2017-11-12.
  10. ^ "Mar 01, 1997 Setlist - Phish.net".
  11. ^ "Phish Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
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