June

• Dear Phish:

  What is a "Jah Volunteer"? Trey was wearing one of their shirts on April 2.

  Just wondering, Evan Wolf, New York
  Evan::

  It's someone who volunteers to listen to and write about reggae.
• Dear Phish:

  How did you guys come up with the name Phish for a band name?

  Sincerely, Tracy Arch, Rocky River, OH.
  Dear Tracy::

  Our drummer's name is Fishman. His peers have favored the nickname "Fish" (it's the first part). So if I had to guess, I would think that someone, maybe me, maybe who knows, said 'Let's call the band Phish.' The Ph, of course, was a marketing ploy, that, by the way, has worked. Of course, if you ask Fish himself, he'll say, "we liked the Phhhh sound that an airplane makes during takeoff." But that's a pile of crap.
• Guys:

  Who came up with the official Phish logo? It's nifty and the creator deserves some recognition.

  Adam H., Greenwich, RI.
  Adam::

  Trey doodled it in English class in '83 or '84. Later, I spent a 40 hour workweek redrawing it (this is the truth) without some of the anomalies. The bubbles were O's from an extinct typeface. I took our first poster, cut out an O, put it in a slide projector, and traced the wall with a Rapidograph pen, then smallified the results.
• Dear Phish:

  To the right of Fishman's drum set is a clear plastic shield. What is that for? Is it in case Page gets a little crazy and decides to throw something at Fish?

  Just wondering, Evan Wolf, San Francisco, CA
  Wolf::

  The clam/bubble gum pie was the last thing to end up splattering in Fish's face during a song, and he said 'That's it - I'm getting the shield'. Actually, it's because cymbals can be very loud where I stand, and if he is softer, I can be softer. The Neville Brothers used Plexiglass too.
• Dear Phish:

  In the early days I'm sure you guys had to share hotel rooms on the road. What were the sleeping arrangements? Who shared a room with whom? My bet is Trey and Fish shared a room, and Mike and Page were in the other.

  Always wondering, Evan Wolf, Amarillo, TX
  Evan::

  You lose. Fish and I were roommates because we stayed up until 8 am, with the exception of me, who only stayed up until 4.
• Phish:

  Just curious whether the Doniac Schvice truly reflects your real selves. Sometimes I laugh out loud at the inserts and such. Other times I feel like I should be smoking crack just to understand what the hell you're talking about (please not that I'm not insinuating that any one of you smokes crack).

  Dee, Indiana, PA
  Dee:

  The only time we feel like ourselves is while writing little lies for the Schvice.
• Dear Phish:

  What's the best way to tell a girl, "Hey, I really like you!"?

  Sincerely, Chris Jenkins, Waynesboro, VA
  Chris:

  Give her stationary [how about those clip/clamps for big packets of paper?].