Phish's phenomenon finds Dead comparisons November 9, 1995 - Atlanta Journal and Constitution by Russ DeVault The members of the mushroomingly popular jam-band Phish are comfortable with comparisons to the Grateful Dead, but some of the trappings are increasingly uncomfortable. "There are maybe a couple of hundred fans following us around like Deadheads," says bassist/vocalist Mike Gordon of the eccentric band. "They don't have jobs and they may have parents, but they don't keep in touch. "On the last tour, cops were coming to us with pictures of runaways supposedly on our tour," says Gordon, speaking from the band's hometown of Burlington, Vt. Other Dead-like problems are spawned by the Phish phenomenon, which has seen the 12-year-old, four-piece group go from bar-band status in 1988 to booking two 1995-ending shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. Fans who don't have concert tickets show up to trade tapes and be part of the scene. Free-lance vendors sell everything from T-shirts to food to mood-enhancing substances. "It becomes a little less comfortable for some people who are there to hear the music," Gordon says. "If a lot of people are selling nitrous oxide, there have to be a lot of cops and violent situations can arise. They threaten the harmony, so we feel a responsibility to do what we can to make it harmonious." The band encourages peaceful and legal behavior through its 90,000- name mailing list, its newsletter, hotline (802) 860-1111, and on the Internet ("infophish,net"). "We'll have undercover cops out there, the band hands out 2,000 informational brochures detailing local facilities and suggested behavior a night and we gave them away during ticket sales," says Steve Harris, who has promoted Phish shows here since '91. "They have a Greenpeace crew that cleans up parking lots and recycles what can be recycled. "They're real trendsetters in these areas," Harris says. "The band wants buildings and communities to welcome them back." "They've got every 't' crossed and every 'i' dotted," says Dolly Vogt, general manager of Lakewood Amphitheatre, where Phish drew 15,000 fans in June. "They are very organized, very nice people." Gordon says Phish has copied some Grateful Dead practices, including selling some tickets by mail. "In terms of rock band organization, they were a model," says Gordon, 29. "It would be silly for us to deny their influence." Ditto for Phish fans. Like Deadheads, they don't buy albums in record numbers (Elektra won't reveal sales figures) and they dance tirelessly at shows. Phishheads, too, relish three-hour performances that are unstructured and they revel in a feeling of community. "Both groups are sort of hippie-ish, but I think our fans are younger and more mainstream," says Gordon. He knows because he's been a Dead fan for years, one who regrets never being "pushy enough" to say hello to the Jerry Garcia, now deceased, during backstage visits at Dead concerts. To hear selections from Phish albums "Nectar" and "A Live One," call Soundline by dialing 511, enter 8600, then enter access code 429. One free call per month. Additional calls are 50 cents each.