Phish, Rick Beato, and Crossed Paths

In this freewheeling, no-plan-needed hang, we spiral from cosmic intentions to yacht-rock earworms and back again. I reflect on why this show isn’t about pleasing the masses so much as “putting the gods on notice,” and how a week-long Christopher Cross “Sailing” brain loop sent me down a YouTube rabbit hole: quirky TV scenes, Rick Beato deep-dives, and the strange cultural arc from MTV’s aesthetics to Arthur’s theme. We connect those dots to Phish lore—Trey vs. Beato origin stories, onstage tuner Easter eggs, and why Fish’s longevity and creativity remain an outlier. Then it’s boots-on-the-floor: our night at Umphrey’s McGee, a joyful surprise cameo from Eli Wunderman that lit up the room, and a candid take on lineup changes, pocket vs. precision, and what “tight” really means in a jam band. Through it all, we celebrate serendipity, lineage, and the rare miracle that Phish still exists—and still crushes—after four decades.

Resources mentioned: Rick Beato’s breakdowns (esp. Christopher Cross solo isolations), Christopher Cross “Sailing” live clips, Say Say Say video lore, Trey/Undermine podcast story threads, and the Umphrey’s McGee sit-in that became a moment. Ignore the cheerleader discourse; keep the gods on notice.

In this off-the-cuff hang, we spiral from yacht rock earworms to jam-band lore and back again—with the gods (and Tom Marshall) firmly on notice. I open with a weeklong fixation on Christopher Cross’s Sailing, which launches a YouTube rabbit hole: Rick Beato’s breakdowns, hidden fade‑out solos, and the MTV-era myth that looks killed the radio star. From there, we wander into Phil Collins-as-MTV-king, McCartney/Jackson’s Say Say Say as accidental premonition, and how guitar lineage—from Satriani to Neil Schon—shapes what sticks. We then pivot to a fresh Umphrey’s McGee show debrief: a surprisingly transcendent sit‑in by Eli Wunderman, the band’s evolving feel with a new drummer, and why the microscopic timing of tight prog-jam arrangements matters. Through it all, we circle back to Fish, Trey, and the Rick Beato near‑miss, musing on drive, beefs, and the sheer improbability of a band staying vital for four decades. TL;DR: Sailing still slaps, serendipity rules, and Fish remains the impossible standard—there is no second best.

Resources mentioned (no sponsors): Rick Beato’s “What Makes This Song Great” series; his analysis of Christopher Cross’s hidden guitar solo in Sailing; interviews with Billy Strings, Béla Fleck, and Joe Satriani; Christopher Cross live TV performances; Journey/Neil Schon fade‑out solo dissections; Say Say Say (McCartney/Jackson) video; Umphrey’s McGee live show with Eli Wunderman sit‑in; Phish’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction of Genesis; Trey Anastasio’s Undermine interview/story; Arthur’s Theme and MTV-era context.

Fundamentals
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Jason
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READ THE FCKING BOOK!!^^

Intro: Back on the Train - Phish 09/13/25 Birmingham, AL
Backing Track: Phish 02/15/03 Set 2+E Las Vegas, NV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIHEcoRIAbw
Outro: Sailing, Live - Christopher Cross https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myz7YV3W7po