Mike Gordon

:See also Mike Gordon (computer scientist).

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Mike Gordon (born June 3, 1965) was the bass player and vocalist for legendary American jamband Phish. He grew up in Sudbury, Massachusetts, where his father was the founder of the convenience store chain Store 24. He is also an accomplished banjo player, and is also proficient at piano, guitar, and percussion.

Related Topics:
June 3, 1965 - Bass - Vocalist - American - Jamband - Phish - Sudbury, Massachusetts - Store 24 - Banjo - Piano - Guitar - Percussion

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He is known for a bizarre sense of humor exemplified in his 1997 book of "short stories", Mike's Corner. Mike also has an interest in film-making (in college he majored in film), releasing the full-length feature film, Outside Out in 2000. He also directed Rising Low, the documentary about the band Gov't Mule and their late bass player, Allen Woody.

Related Topics:
1997 - Mike's Corner - Outside Out - 2000 - Rising Low - Gov't Mule - Allen Woody

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Gordon has worked with several musical projects outside of Phish, including Grappa Boom with Jazz Mandolin Project leader Jamie Masefield and Doug Perkins of Smokin Grass. In addition to a solo career that began in 2003, he has also released a pair of albums with acoustic guitar legend Leo Kottke and toured with the electronic instrumental group The Benevento-Russo Duo.

Related Topics:
Grappa Boom - Jazz Mandolin Project - Jamie Masefield - Doug Perkins - Smokin Grass - Leo Kottke - The Benevento-Russo Duo

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While playing with Phish, Mike had a complex stage setup that included an SWR Goliath III 4x10" cabinet, an SWR Big Bertha 2x15" cabinet, the famous ADA MB-1 preamp (used by Les Claypool among others) and an SWR SM-900 Tube Amplifier. Also present was a Lexicon reverb/delay unit, an effect management box built by Custom Audio Electronics (CAE), a Lovetone Meatball envelope filter, an EBS Octabass octave divider and a Boss SYB-3 synthesizer which has seen extensive usage in the below-mentioned tours with the Benevento-Russo Duo. Mike's pedalboard onstage included an Ibanez Tube Screamer (used in series with the Meatball at the beginning of Down with Disease), two Boss volume pedals, the MC-1 midi controller for the ADA MB-1 preamp and a controller for the CAE effect box. Perhaps most interestingly, Mike's pedalboard also included a bell not unlike those used in the sport of boxing that was configured so that he could ring the bell by stepping on a foot pedal. This bell was often used during the early stages of the Phish song Run Like an Antelope and was specifically mentioned by Mike in between songs during a performance in Atlanta, Georgia on June 24th, 2000.

Related Topics:
Benevento-Russo Duo - Boxing - Run Like an Antelope

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Since 1997, Mike has rarely been seen on stage without one of his trademark Modulus Quantum 5 basses. These basses are notable for their deep tones and "futuristic" sound, largely attributable to a unique construction including a neck that is made entirely of a carbon-graphite compound not dissimilar to a material selected by NASA for use on their Space Shuttles.

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In 2002, he recorded the critically acclaimed Clone album with acoustic guitar master Leo Kottke. The following year, he formed his own solo band, featuring Josh Roseman (trombone/keyboard), Scott Murawski of Max Creek (guitar), Julee Avalone (horns), James Harvey (trombone), Gordon Stone (pedal steel), Jeannie Hill (tap dancer), and Doug Belote (drums). He released his first solo album, Inside In, based loosely on his feature film Outside Out, in late 2003. As of October 2005, he is writing material for his second solo album in his home studio in Vermont.

Related Topics:
2002 - Clone - Leo Kottke - Josh Roseman - Scott Murawski - Max Creek - Julee Avalone - James Harvey - Gordon Stone - Jeannie Hill - Doug Belote - Inside In - Outside Out - 2003 - Vermont

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In 2004, Mike teamed up with the Benevento-Russo Duo for several shows involving the voter registration organization Headcount. The "Trio" played a number of dates throughout late 2004, early 2005, first at moedown 3, then on a mini tour throughout the Northeast in late 2004, and they toured a few dates for Spring/Summer 2005. After their performance at Bonnaroo 2005, Gordon stated that he would not be joining the Duo for any more shows that year.

Related Topics:
Benevento-Russo Duo - Headcount - Bonnaroo

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Gordon's new album with Leo Kottke entitled Sixty Six Steps, was released in stores on August 23, 2005

Related Topics:
Sixty Six Steps - August 23 - 2005

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Nickname: Cactus

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Solo Albums and Side Projects:

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• Clone (with Leo Kottke), 2002
• Inside In, 2003
• Sixty Six Steps (with Leo Kottke), 2005