In a recent article in Relix, Phish bassist Mike Gordon talks about his revamped solo band and how he’s trying to keep his mind and body in shape since recently turning 50.

“When Trey turned 50,” Gordon recalls, “I called him that day and he said, ‘You know what I realized? My first 50 years, I did a lot of worrying, and I realized that it didn’t really help anything. So the only thing I am going to do differently after 50 is I’m not going to worry about anything anymore.’”

Besides working out more, Gordon says he is deep into daily transcendental meditation, which has helped him with stress and hi overall outlook on life. “TM just takes the edge off,” he says. “And there are a lot of things that people do to center themselves, which I’m sure work as well. But, for me, a few hours later when I’m feeling more confident, it just allows me to say: ‘Not only am I going to be OK, but it’s all going to be fantastic because life is so fun right now. It’s more fun than ever.’”

Gordon also spoke a bit on the current incarnation of his solo band, which includes drummer John Morgan Kimock, son of guitarist Steve Kimock, and keyboardist Robert Walter. Both came as recommendations from a member of Gordon’s “little cabinet of advisors,” drummer Joe Russo.

On the topic of his songwriting, Gordon talks about long sessions co-writing with Scott Murawski, which sometimes devolve into jokes lyric-writing when they get stuck. “I wish I archived it all,” Gordon says. “A couple of weeks ago, during one of those writing sessions, I laughed so hard that I cried. I was laughing for a whole hour, and I almost thought we were just going to have to stop for the night.”

The bassist also touched on why he didn’t accept the position in Dead & Company to fill in for Phil Lesh, a spot that ended up going to Oteil Burbridge. “One of the main reasons I didn’t do the John Mayer/Grateful Dead tour was because what I want to be doing with my time at 50 is writing and recording, and the Dead tour didn’t leave enough time for it. I hope I get to play with all of those guys again—and I hope they aren’t mad at me—because I have so much respect for them. But it seemed like the right decision because that’s what I have been doing.”

Read the full article here.