After a twenty-one show fall tour and their annual Holiday run of four shows in the Northeast, Phish decided to take a short break from touring during the early part of 1998. This left the band members free to explore some side projects as well as to get together to compose new Phish material. Fish

After playing dates in Europe during June (see TMIPH June 1997) and July, Phish began their summer tour in the U.S. at Virginia Beach on July 21st. They had released the album Billy Breathes on Elektra records the previous fall and had begun production on Slip Stitch and Pass (recorded live in Hamburg, Germany on

Phish spent much of early 1997 touring Europe and recording in the studio at Bearsville and elsewhere. The late summer of that year comprised a U.S. tour. After more recording in the fall, Phish spent most of October, 1997 writing music and preparing for their next tour. The single-show live album Slip Stitch and Pass

After touring Europe in February and March supporting Billy Breathes and the European compilation CD Stash, Phish headed back over the pond in June for their third tour abroad in just over a year (see TMIPH February 1997). In anticipation of the band’s upcoming summer tours in the US and overseas, Trey and Tom Marshall

The months following the March 18, 1997 Flynn Theatre benefit show were busy with writing, practicing, the release of the Mike’s Corner book, solo projects and guest appearances. Most of the last week of May and the first week of June, 1997 were spent at the band’s rehearsal space in Vermont learning and developing new

Following a couple weeks of touring in Europe in support of Billy Breathes, Phish wrapped up their stay in Europe with two shows in March. On the 1st, the band performed at Markthalle in Hamburg, Germany. The performance that night yielded the material for Phish’s first single-show live album, Slip Stitch and Pass This was

Phish began their 1997 touring in Europe in support of Billy Breathes, their seventh album on Elektra records, and also to support the European compilation CD entitled Stash. This was their second visit to Europe in under a year and their first as a headline act. Unlike the amphitheatres and arenas to which the band

After a fall tour that reached a peak of epic proportions on Halloween 1996 when Phish performed “Remain in Light” in Atlanta (see TMIPH October 1996), Phish took a day off and resumed touring. Their first performance of the month took place on November 2nd, at Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida. The

After successfully staging The Clifford Ball (North America’s largest concert event of the summer) in August 1996, Phish took September off. On October 15th, their seventh CD, “Billy Breathes” was released on Elektra Records. Unlike the planned release parties that characterize the release of many recordings, “Billy Breathes”‘ release was celebrated by fans in Burlington

Phish worked on Billy Breathes for most of the spring and early summer. While mixing at Bearsville Studios in June, they previewed much of the material from the album at a surprise club gig in Woodstock (see TMIPH June 1996). Billy Breathes was subsequently mastered at Gateway Studios while the band traveled to Europe for

After finishing most of the rough tracks for their album Billy Breathes in early spring (see TMIPH February 1996 and TMIPH April 1996), Phish returned to Bearsville Studios in May to complete the album. By June, most of the songs for Billy Breathes were tracked and ready for overdubbing and mixing. At Bearsville, the band,

When Phish returned from their April 26th performance at New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (see TMIPH April 1996), they had played their only show of the new year, sharing the stage with longtime heroes The Meters. They had also decided not to self-produce their seventh studio album, Billy Breathes. Instead they added Producer, Steve