Phish bassist Mike Gordon confirms there are prospects for some sort of band activity in the future, but he cautions that "there isn't really anything more to say than what's been said, because we don't know yet."
Gordon -- who releases a new solo album, "The Green Sparrow" on Aug. 5 -- is referring to a recent statement by keyboardist Page McConnell that the quartet, which split in 2004, is exploring "the possibility of spending some time together."
Gordon, meanwhile, tells Billboard.com that the four musicians actually have spent some time together in the intervening years, both in the studio (McConnell and guitarist Trey Anastasio play on "The Green Sparrow," while drummer Jon Fishman played on some tracks that did not make the cut) and otherwise.
"We haven't gotten together with instruments, only hung out," says Gordon. "We've had dinner a couple times in the last few years, and ... there's just an overall really nice enthusiasm. There's no hard feelings or anything. And because we don't have a record deal anymore, we don't have a huge operation that needs to be kept going. There's no pressure.
"We all are liking the idea of doing something," he continues. "We've brainstormed some ideas about what we would do -- then change our minds. But there's this sort of feeling something could happen, and we'd all be happy about it. But, again, we don't know any more than that."
Gordon did say that he doubts Phish would reunite on behalf of a political candidate, as the Grateful Dead alumni did early this year for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. "Phish has avoided political things with a couple of exceptions," he explains. "We've done a lot for voter registration. But as a band we've sort of embraced this idea that we're musicians, and it's not necessarily appropriate for us to preach our political feelings when we're musicians."
Gordon added that the Phish members' busy individual schedules still take priority over any reunion possibilities. Gordon himself has his new band on the road for headlining and festival performances that stretch at this pint into early September.
Gordon -- who releases a new solo album, "The Green Sparrow" on Aug. 5 -- is referring to a recent statement by keyboardist Page McConnell that the quartet, which split in 2004, is exploring "the possibility of spending some time together."
Gordon, meanwhile, tells Billboard.com that the four musicians actually have spent some time together in the intervening years, both in the studio (McConnell and guitarist Trey Anastasio play on "The Green Sparrow," while drummer Jon Fishman played on some tracks that did not make the cut) and otherwise.
"We haven't gotten together with instruments, only hung out," says Gordon. "We've had dinner a couple times in the last few years, and ... there's just an overall really nice enthusiasm. There's no hard feelings or anything. And because we don't have a record deal anymore, we don't have a huge operation that needs to be kept going. There's no pressure.
"We all are liking the idea of doing something," he continues. "We've brainstormed some ideas about what we would do -- then change our minds. But there's this sort of feeling something could happen, and we'd all be happy about it. But, again, we don't know any more than that."
Gordon did say that he doubts Phish would reunite on behalf of a political candidate, as the Grateful Dead alumni did early this year for Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. "Phish has avoided political things with a couple of exceptions," he explains. "We've done a lot for voter registration. But as a band we've sort of embraced this idea that we're musicians, and it's not necessarily appropriate for us to preach our political feelings when we're musicians."
Gordon added that the Phish members' busy individual schedules still take priority over any reunion possibilities. Gordon himself has his new band on the road for headlining and festival performances that stretch at this pint into early September.
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