Outside The Phish Tank October 1, 2003 - Bass Guitar Magazine By Alan Paul click on thumbnail for larger image Mike Gordon swims solo on Inside In. If you're surprised or even dismayed to discover that the lead instrument on Phish bassist Mike Gordon's solo debut, Inside In, is the pedal steel guitar and not the bass, don't worry: Mike understands. He only asks that you give the music a chance. "I've bought solo bass albums and been disappointed that there weren't more hot licks," says Gordon. "But actually, I think there's something awkward about making an album to showcase bass playing, because bass is already so much deeper than the other instruments, and the essential beauty of the bass lies in the way it combines art and pragmatism. In fact, I think Inside In features some of my best playing ever, even if the bass is used in its traditional role." To that end, Gordon's bass steers the music effortlessly through jazz, rock, funk, folk, country and sound=collage contexts. The soundscape nature of the songs is not merely incidental: the tunes evolved from music he wrote of Outside Out, the experimental feature film he directed two years ago. in addition to laying down the groove with his Modulus five string, Gordon sings and plays all of the guitars and some of the pedal steel, as well as Wurlitzer electric piano, Moog synthesizer and accordion. It's all part of his grand goal to spread his wings and follow his muse wherever it may lead him. "In Phish, I get to be the bass player, where there's no responsibility to be out front soloing," says Gordon. "Instead, I have the greater responsibility to be in the engine room making sure the whole thing works. I love that. But I do also have a part of my personality that wants to be the guy in control, totally involved in the day to day craft of making things. That's how I am when I'm directing films, and it's very much where I was at recording Inside In." Article Copyright © 2003 Bass Guitar Magazine