Back on the Chain

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
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READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro: Dire Wolf, Grateful Dead https://open.spotify.com/track/7rLRoUv0PMTcHz0lOfpnti
Background Music: Phish 6/18/94 Set 2 https://youtu.be/UKnh5eTQplA&t=4392
Outro: Looks Like Rain, Grateful Dead https://open.spotify.com/track/0LvXJBEAkICLyX49mD0Aa8
Bonus Track: Dire Wolf (bluegrass cover), Molly Tuttle https://open.spotify.com/track/7JMZ6bCzD1nENedrV3njJi

In this episode, we welcome our friend Asher for a wide‑ranging, heartfelt, and often hilarious conversation that weaves through Phish, the Grateful Dead, and the culture around jam bands—recorded the day after Bob Weir’s passing. We reminisce on Jerry vs. Bobby, Owsley, LSD lore, MK-Ultra whispers, and how “Heads” by Jesse Jarnow frames the psychedelic marketplace of ideas. We trade ghost-in-the-machine stories about Trey, Hendrix channelings, and the ineffable fractal nature of Phish—right down to New Year’s gags, Kubrick nods, and the perennial art of reading setlist tea leaves. We also dig into the thorny question of race and jam-band culture, why these scenes skew so white, and whether the vibe today still feels countercultural or captured. Along the way we rehash the 2019 “rescue” gag debate, recovery culture’s influence, and how information warfare has replaced the old culture wars—all while staying anchored in our love of the music that still levels us. We close with thoughts on how Phish might honor Bob Weir onstage—recalling past tributes after Jerry and Phil—and speculate on what songs could carry the moment. It’s a candid, spirited memorial to the roots of this scene, a defense of the magic that remains, and an invitation to keep the signal alive—even as the culture around it shifts beneath our feet.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro:
My Friend, My Friend - Phish 12/31/25 New York, NY https://relisten.net/phish/2025/12/31/my-friend-my-friend-40730?source=3188523

Background and Outro: It's Ice Cream: Harry Hood > 2001 > Tweezer - Phish 12/31/25 New York, NY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In3FMYG4eZ8

Happy New Year and welcome Back on the Chain. In this episode, we catch up on missed plans, family vacations, and why neither of us made it to the Phish New Year’s run—despite multiple golden-ticket invites. Then we dive deep into 12/31: first-set musical standouts (a blistering My Friend, My Friend), the surprising Cream tease and whether it was a spontaneous pop-culture nod or part of a longer runway, and a full walkthrough of the  It’s Ice/Cream/Harry Hood/Freezer/2001/Tweezer production. We explore competing theories behind the NYE concept—from benign Ben & Jerry’s “It’s Ice Cream” lore to heavier interpretations—and how the setlist could (or couldn’t) support them, before zooming out to what really matters: the band delivered a rare, third-set, 30-minute Tweezer and top-tier playing throughout. We close with the Spock’s Brain encore, uncanny Rock Paper Bitcoin synchronicity, and some reflections on audience capture, network effects, and keeping the focus on the music as 2026 kicks off. 

Resources and mentions: 12/31 set highlights (My Friend, My Friend; Lifesaving Gun; It’s Ice → Cream → Harry Hood; 30-min Tweezer; Spock’s Brain), Ben & Jerry’s limited “It’s Ice Cream” flavor (2018, WaterWheel 21st anniversary), Hood Milk references, Bader Field/The Met anecdotes, Stranger Things finale timing and Prince needle-drops (When Doves Cry, Purple Rain), and the ongoing art-versus-interpretation debate within the Phish community.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro: Back on the Train - Phish 09/13/25 Birmingham, AL
Alternate HD Video 04-18-24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cySKvPB62k

Backing Track: Phish 12-14-95 Binghamton, NY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgo-5c-ilMc&list=OLAK5uy_laR1sPXicMnL3jjNOtO695syA_H_bg_l4
https://open.spotify.com/album/5WYqHtFImqwNmg3f4LvfON?si=TDzbdWUMQauVK24hB4ctXA

Outro: Let it Go - Fastball https://open.spotify.com/track/7IsEXPk6qqt30FfQv4SZMa?si=849cb52aa07f4630

In this rollercoaster of an episode, I open by lamenting a string of tech issues that nearly derailed our planned conversation with guest Bubba—only for him to heroically pop in and out throughout the show, creating a delightfully jammy, “segue-all-night” vibe. We pivot from disappointment to celebration, marking December’s wave of music anniversaries—especially the 30-year mark of December 1995 Phish shows—before freewheeling into a wide-ranging music talk: Live Phish history, Zappa influence vs. bluegrass roots, danceability as a Phish first principle, and what made 90s live releases special. Along the way, we compare Dead vs. Phish scenes, regional fan cultures, and the oddities of pop-cultural bias—then Bubba arrives and lights it up with raw, hilarious, and unvarnished stories from the trenches: late-80s Nashville door-to-door publisher auditions, near-misses with Millennium Records and The Romantics, life as a “rock ’n’ roll hairdresser,” and the bloom-and-bust realities of bar-band economics, vans, and vanishing drive shafts.

Bubba’s first three concerts—Elvis, Neil Diamond, KISS—set a throughline for showmanship and songcraft, as we trade our own first-show memories (Metallica, Rush, The Who) and revisit why some bands stick forever. We dive into Van Halen’s swing, STP’s jazzy guitar DNA, Def Leppard’s high-and-dry tone, Lou Reed’s slow-burn gravitas, and the power of albums that never leave rotation. Bubba shares surreal small-room legends (Dylan, Lou Reed, John Prine popping into a 300-cap bar), the lost communal magic of the pre-social age, and a case for rock’s return in a perfection-obsessed, soulless pop/AI era. We close on simple life wisdom—keep it minimal, keep moving forward, never give up—and a few must-hear album and artist recs to dig into next.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro: Back on the Train - Phish 09/13/25 Birmingham, AL
Alternate HD Video 04-18-24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cySKvPB62k

Backing Track: Phish Set 1 (most) 12-07-95 Niagara Falls, NY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48ayMjaJBvM

Outro: Punch You in the Eye - Phish 12-08-94 San Diego, CA  Punch You in the Eye | 1994-12-08 | Phish | Relisten

Other Mentions:
Phish 12-07-97 Dayton, OH https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVvTb-YlijNyQYl3tUOVyfgdOjVRFTOGE

In this week’s Back on the Chain, we spin 12/07/1995 Niagara Falls while diving deep into why late ‘95 remains peak “innocence and innovation” Phish. From bluegrass bookends (My Old Home Place > Uncle Pen) and a cappella closers to a bonkers Split Open and Melt opener and the rare, exploratory “digital delay” Weekapaug, we unpack the setlist craft—highlighting the sly Demand > Set II Melt callback to Hoist’s car-crash epilogue. We contrast Fall ’95’s audience-connected era (secret language, Big Ball Jam, on-tour chess) with the steamrolling “Phish Destroys America” dominance of Fall ’97, preview a future 12/07/95 vs 12/07/97 Dayton debate, and revel in Reba’s jet-fueled tempos. We also revisit Hoist as a signal-rich trove: Demand (human agency, “demand,” evolution) and Julius (Caesar cipher nods, time dilation, Orange Julius Gen X lore) join the canon. Then, worlds collide: the growing alignment between Phish’s Sphere runs and the Bitcoin conference in Las Vegas, plus a look back at Tom Marshall’s “phish loving bitcoiner” acknowledgment that helped spark this very show. We tease ideas for Vegas side events and celebrate how these scenes continue to intersect—on-chain and on tour.

Setlist highlights we discuss from 12/07/1995 (Niagara Falls Convention Center): My Old Home Place opener, Demand in Set I, Split Open and Melt opening Set II, a type II Weekapaug “digital delay jam,” a cappella endings (Hello My Baby, Amazing Grace), and an Uncle Pen encore.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro: Back on the Train - Phish 09/13/25 Birmingham, AL
Alternate HD Video 04-18-24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cySKvPB62k

Backing Track and Outro: Phish Set 2 + Encore 12-01-95 Hershey, PA https://youtu.be/c-oM3nw4iNw?si=Q091CubXZ7-pVyhx&t=4332 

Other Mentions:
High Hash Rate Podcast: Golgi Apparatus with Fundamentals - HHR056  https://fountain.fm/episode/oP1HkfvAU5ULcj8BcElp 

In this emergency-level episode, we process a whirlwind 24–48 hours in Bitcoin and Phish world—and how they just physically converged. From Vanguard’s “capitulation” on Bitcoin ETFs to MicroStrategy chatter and a shifting market mood, we pivot to the bombshell: Phish announced a nine-show Sphere run that perfectly bookends the Bitcoin 2025 Conference in Las Vegas. We talk implications, logistics, and why this feels like the vision of Phish x Bitcoin finally materializing. I share the backstory of our show’s thesis—that Phish culture and Bitcoin have been intertwined since the beginning—and make the case for bringing Phish’s community-building lessons to Bitcoin’s sometimes overactive immune system. We also speak a new dream into existence: get Trey and Tom on a Bitcoin Conference panel to explore lyrical and cultural overlaps. We celebrate the 30-year anniversary of 12/01/1995 Hershey (the “mystical land of chocolate”)—a snowy, intimate night where a friend finally “got” Phish mid-Mike’s Groove and never looked back. We reminisce about ‘95 vs. ’97 contrasts, Ghost/Tweezer evolution, and Phish’s unparalleled refusal to “sell out”—how they beat the money printer and what Bitcoiners can learn from that integrity. With the Sphere dates now surrounding the conference, we’re calling for a Phish-themed event in Vegas and rallying the community to help make it happen. If we build it, maybe they will come.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro: Back on the Train - Phish 09/13/25 Birmingham, AL
Alternate HD Video 04-18-24 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cySKvPB62k
Outro: Roses are Free (Ween cover) - Phish 04/03/98 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkHjnoex2gU

Backing Track: String Cheese Incident 07-23-10 Red Rocks, CO https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3FF7BFB0275FCD64

Other Mentions:
Christmas - Blues Traveler, A Very Special Christmas 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBGiQBLLuiE

In this episode, we welcome Dan from High Hash Rate for his first podcast appearance in a year, and we waste no time diving into why the show mattered, why it paused, and how the culture has shifted under the weight of AI slop and performative internet discourse. We trace High Hash Rate’s origins as a stoned, idea-first antidote to price talk, the joy of making a cohost crack up, and the awkward frictions of creative goals versus commercial incentives. From Prague to Red Rocks to backstage at Blues Traveler, we wander the jam-band map—String Cheese, Panic, Umphrey’s, Ween—and connect it to Bitcoin’s meatspace ethos, the Sphere’s uncanny VR immersion during the halving, and why real experiences still surprise you. We talk TV-raised generations, trolling in the dial-up era, Zappa-to-Ween lineage, and how a culture of ubiquitous access turned everything into slop—unless you show up, contribute, and risk being vulnerable in person.

On the Bitcoin front, we get practical and philosophical: UTXO scarcity, why ETF rails are effectively a layer two for casual users, proof-of-reserves tradeoffs, and how Bronta’s payment verification mirror helps prevent address-swaps and man-in-the-middle attacks. We unpack the current governance kerfuffles through Gamehendge, argue for better in-person debates, and admit that “it’s not fair” is a seductive but empty frame. Maybe the fourth turning’s throughline is simple: find the signal, build resilient culture, and keep showing up—at shows, at meetups, and in the conversations that matter. Also, a pro tip for festivals and life: don’t buy drugs from the only guy on the beach wearing tennis shoes.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^ 

Intro and Backing Music:  Gamehendge - Phish 03/22/1993, Sacramento, CA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7norcHLFPmI
Outro:  Possum - Phish 07/22/1993 Stowe, VT https://relisten.net/phish/1993/07/22/possum-7037?source=162641

*Gamehendge NYE 4K Video* - Phish 12/31/2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSO6H7e-Gm0

Other Mentions:
Fundamentals of Plebslop and Purity Tests - Magic Internet Math https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSB34273u2Y
Back on the Chain Podcast - BotC02: Bitcoin Fixes Gamehendge  https://fountain.fm/episode/cPeFzzYLBpLVJgXj7ozy 

In this episode, we riff on Phish lore, time warps, and the art of staying synced—onstage and in life. We open with a vivid retelling of Gamehendge, tracing Trey’s senior thesis tale from Tela and Colonel Forbin to Wilson, Icculus, and the Helping Phriendly Book, then connect those themes to present-day Bitcoin drama and network governance—through the lens of futile revolutions, purity tests, and signal vs narrative. We trade stories from Prague, jet lag battles, and UTC dreams, then dive deep on Rick Rubin’s new interview with Mike Gordon: factions in the band, Machine Gun Trey’s evolution, Page’s essential steadiness, in-ear monitor taboos, and why Mike might be the most fascinating voice we rarely hear. Along the way: Phil Jackson / Rick Rubin parallels, Wu-Tang love, MSG lore, and a remembrance of Coventry’s muddy purgatory—before closing on possums, honey badgers, and why betting markets might be the real mountain to Icculus.

Whether you’re here for Phish history, Bitcoin meta, or just a good syncopated hang, this one blends story, music nerdery, and cultural critique—no sponsors, just vibes.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro:  Turtle in the Clouds - Phish, 10/31/18  Las Vegas, NV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jNGnAcNj5I
Outro:  While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Phish, 10/31/94  Glen Falls, NY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3alrPKnKZ14

In this special Halloween episode (recorded Oct 31), we dive deep into why 10/31 is sacred to both Phish and Bitcoin culture—and how those worlds have overlapped in surprising ways. I share first‑person memories from the early Internet days on rec.music.phish, the electricity of Fall ’94, and waking up on 11/1/94 to discover Phish had played the Beatles’ White Album in full at Glens Falls. From there, we trace the evolution of the “musical costume” tradition—its peaks, lulls, and reinventions—through Quadrophenia, Remain in Light, Loaded (and my infamous Vegas misadventure), the long hiatus, Exile on Main St., the polarizing Wingsuit set, the triumphant Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House, the transcendent Ziggy Stardust, the masterminded Kasvot Växt troll, and the futuristic Sci‑Fi Soldier—with the samples, memes, and new staples each era left behind.

Along the way, we compare the cultural arcs of Phish Halloween and Bitcoin milestones (White Album vs. White Paper), unpack how online communities shape peak moments, and talk candidly about personal inflection points—how a first Phish trip flipped a switch in life and career, and how 2008’s market chaos felt from inside the machine. We close by wondering whether Halloween may be retired… or merely waiting for Phish to find Bitcoin before the next great costume emerges.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro and Outro:  Sample in a Jar - Phish 08/17/1996, Clifford Ball Festival, Limestone, ME https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH3UpIJPnnc
Doc Ellis No-No Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vUhSYLRw14

Other Mentions:
Phish - The "Hoist" Tracking Sessions [1994] (Includes studio footage of Allison Krauss and Bela Fleck)  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgOEoW7gqUk

In this episode, we riff on subversion in sports, music, and modern culture—from John Daly’s “grip it and rip it” ethos to Doc Ellis’ legendary LSD no-hitter storytelling, and why those anti-establishment moments resonate so deeply. We draw parallels to Phish’s enduring, proudly off-kilter path: their refusal to chase a radio hit, the wonderfully weird choices on Hoist (hello, Riker’s Mailbox), and how playful defiance, secret language, and fan connection can outlast trends. Along the way, we debate calling your shot versus quiet competence, Dunning–Kruger in the influencer era, Buddhism’s lens on suffering and self-importance, and whether telling the truth is today’s most subversive act. We also hit Bitcoin culture—scarcity mindsets, circular economies, paying in sats, and why real scenes need real art—asking: where’s the music for the moment, and what makes it truly subversive?

Plus: memories of hard-to-get shows like Phish at The Met, the strange magic of scarcity, Fishman’s political detour, Bernie-era populism, and the improbable ways conviction carries creative projects through.

Fundamentals
X: @Fundamentals21m
nostr: npub12eml5kmtrjmdt0h8shgg32gye5yqsf2jha6a70jrqt82q9d960sspky99g
READ THE BOOK: https://zeuspay.com/btc-for-institutions

Jason
nostr: npub19l2muzvelq07kfx8glfqmpf8jdcj2xp733rhjfc05t2g2mt9krjqrae40w
READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro:  Buried Alive - Phish 11/22/94 Columbia, MO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyheX9gJQLY
Outro:  September - Earth, Wind & Fire https://open.spotify.com/track/2grjqo0Frpf2okIBiifQKs

Other Mentions:
Fundamentals' "Phish and Bitcoin" Essay https://fundamentals.ghost.io/phish-and-bitcoin-a-continuum-of-genius-network-effects-and-unintentional-foreshadowing/

Most Shows Spell Something https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/phish-dicks-spell/

In this emergency episode, we unpack Phish’s instantly legendary “21 Show” at Hampton—the tour closer that wove the number 21 through nearly every musical and meta choice. From the 21-song setlist and precisely timed 21-minute segments (Mike’s Groove, What’s Going Through Your Mind, and Sense and Subtle Sounds) to first-set winks like First Tube > Twenty Years Later, 2001, Most Events Aren’t Planned, and encore symmetry clocking 21 minutes—this night was deliberate signal, not coincidence. We connect the numerology and cultural resonance to long-running Phish lore (Gamehendge, Golgi, ACDC Bag’s “Mr. Palmer,” sharing in the groove) and to wider cultural currents, including a rising season in Bitcoin culture, unified consciousness, and the idea of artists as vessels channeling something bigger. We also touch on the Hampton parking lot incident contextually, then return to the band’s reply-in-art: closing with Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” on 9/21—the perfect exhale to a meticulously crafted rite at the Mothership. Resources referenced or related: Golgi apparatus essay (Phish x Bitcoin), prior discussions on Rock Paper Bitcoin and High Hash Rate, numerology threads from the community, and background on Phish era markers (1.0–4.0).


In this emergency episode, we unpack Phish’s instantly legendary “21 Show” at Hampton Coliseum and the uncanny web of 21s woven throughout the night—from 21 total songs and multiple 21-minute jams to setlist choices, numerology, and the encore’s miner tip of the cap. We connect these breadcrumbs to broader cultural currents in Bitcoin, including Rod Palmer’s viral monologue, themes of sharing, unified consciousness, and why Phish so often acts as a vessel for signals they may not consciously intend. Along the way, we revisit key tracks (AC/DC Bag, Golgi Apparatus, Mike’s Groove, What’s Going Through Your Mind, Sense and Subtle Sounds, Ghost, Chalk Dust Torture, Harry Hood), the preshow/exit music Easter egg of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” and the Hampton context—including the shakedown incident and how the band historically “responds” with art. 

If you’ve ever wondered how Phish and Bitcoin keep intersecting in symbolism and timing, this tour closer at “the Mothership” is the latest—and perhaps clearest—signal. We make the case for why 21 matters, why it landed on 9/21, and why sometimes “most events aren’t planned”… until they are.