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The Dude of Life Interview

by AJ Abrams

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The Dude of Life (Steve Pollack) has been part of the jam band scene since the very beginning. He was friends and wrote songs with Trey Anastasio before Phish was even a band. He wrote the lyrics to such Phish classics as Sanity, Fluffhead, Suzy Greenberg, Run Like An Antelope, Dinner and A Movie and Slave to the Traffic Light. The Dude's contributions to Phish helped forge their eclectic and eccentric image. But the Dude of Life is now concentrating on his own career. His new album "Under the Sound Umbrella" is more mature and sophisticated than his previous work. Sure there are still plenty of quirky and strange moments on the album and at his concerts. But the Dude is really coming into his own right now. His backing band the Great Red Shark has helped him rise from being a novelty to become a real rock and roller. The Dude is never at a loss for words and has a unique opinion on any subject. >From baseball to personal relationships to music to current events the Dude always has insightful and humorous commentary on everything.

AJ: -Tell me about "Under the Sound Umbrella."

Dude of Life (DoL): I put a lot of blood, sweat and jism into it. The new CD means a lot to me. It took a lot of work and I'm really happy with the way it came out. Fishman does some amazing drumming and Trey does some incredible solo work. This is a fun album and it rocks.

AJ: - A few of the songs such as "Francella" seem to be based on some real life Dude experiences. Is "Francella" based on a true story? And by the way, Trey's guitar playing during "Francella" is phenomenal.

DoL: - Yeah, he's on four of the tracks but on "Francella" he was really lettin' loose. That song is about 90% truth, but I also had to add a bit of fiction.

AJ: - What about "Tow Truck Driver?" Have you ever beat up a tow truck driver?

DoL: No, I never did injure a tow truck driver. That song is a fictional account of expressing some frustrations at having your car towed in New York City. In the city the parking signs are totally confusing. And you have to go to this hell hole by the river to get your car back. It's huge - it's like two football fields filled with cars. It costs around $200 and you have to wait on a bunch of different lines. Each line is like a mile long and it just ruins your whole day. It is hell.

AJ: - I understand that you have been doing interviews on sports radio stations about the song "Pete Rose."

DoL: - Yeah, I think it is unfair that he is not in the Hall of Fame. He had 4,256 hits, the most ever in the majors. He had a 44 game hitting streak and 4,053 at bats during his 24 seasons. Some of his conduct after he played the game was not necessarily kosher. But while he was a player he had an upstanding reputation. Moreover lots of players made it into the Hall whose off the field careers have been irreparable. To be honest I just came up with the line during a jam. We had a good groove going, and the line "It's time to put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame" just popped into my head. The next thing you know you have a song. I've never been too political. But the muse of music gave me this message and now I'm just spreading it around the country.

AJ: - The lyrics on "Under the Sound Umbrella" are not as cynical or pessimistic as "Crimes of the Mind."

DoL: - The new album represents where I'm at now. I'm in a much better state of mind and I'm feeling real good about everything. People change and I've had a really good ten years, This album is about celebrating and having a good party.

AJ: - Why did it take so long to get the new album out?

DoL: - Well, the answer is twofold. First there was a transition period between bands. I was working with two different bands and I had to switch over from one to the other in the middle of the process. There was lots of politics involved but everything worked out smoothly and I was happy with the way it turned out. My current band is the Great Red Shark and we've really got a great chemistry going. We've been having a lot of fun at our shows, every show is like Mardi Gras. And secondly it was a matter of finding the right label. I had to find a label I could trust and support and work very closely with. I chose Phoenix and I have been very happy with them.

AJ: - Phoenix has become a great friend of the jam band scene by signing several jam bands. You have been around this scene from the very beginning. What do you think about it?

DoL: - It's incredible to see that all of these bands have started making headway. It means there are more celebrations going on. More festivals, more people getting together and partying and getting into the music. There is a new generation of counter culture forming. However, I think we need some more variety. Some bands sound too much alike and need to try to work on a more original sound.

AJ: - How did your family feel about some of the lyrics on "Crimes of the Mind?"

DoL: - My wife back then didn't exactly love the lyrics to "She's Bitchin' Again." She's wasn't too crazy about the song. But on the whole, people dug the lyrics and they're not meant to be taken too seriously.

AJ: - I think your music is an acquired taste. Have you ever been worried that people just don't get your music? You have been controversial on rec.music.phish in the past.

DoL: - I think what happened was that when "Crimes of the Mind" came out people thought it was gonna be a Phish album. But my work is completely different and it took people by surprise. People have different tastes, and you're never gonna please everybody. You just try to be true to yourself. If I like it, there will be other people who like it as well because I'm pretty picky. I feel like I'm just gettin' into gear. I'm working on material and have lots of songs on the chopping block that I'm waiting to record. I love going into the studio, the whole process is a blast. It's amazing what can happen when you take a song from your living room to the band. The band works and reworks it and then we go back to the studio and turn it into a masterpiece (hopefully).

AJ: - How would you describe your unique vocal style?

DoL: - It's old school rock and roll. I'm a frontman. I'm not a guitar player or a big dancer on stage. I have lyrics that I want to communicate and I do the best I can do to get the message out there. I never went to music school and I don't have perfect pitch. But Garcia and Dylan don't have it either.

AJ: - Do you still submit lyrics to Phish?

DoL: - I haven't in a while. I'd love to do more songs together with them. But I'm doing mine and they're doing theirs so everyone is happy with the way it is. I would love to write lyrics for more Phish tunes but it's not my call. I've loved making special appearances at Phish shows. If they get positive feedback from the fans, then they'll get me back up there. So write your congressman in the Phish organization and tell them to "Let the Dude sing!" I'm very close with all those guys and it has been a lot of fun to watch them rise from one level to the next. It's staggering to think the heights they are going to reach in the future.

AJ: - Years ago I used to think that Suzy Greenberg would be Phish's first big single. Are you disappointed it has never been released on an album?

DoL: Well, having a hit single has never been their motive. I would have loved to have it on "A Live One." It almost made it on there, When it came time to choose the final song on the album, they were considering Suzy Greenberg along with one or two other songs. But they cut Suzy and I said goodbye to a few royalty checks. But I've really been developing my own career and I'm really looking forward to putting my own musical ideas onto CD. And ultimately, if everything goes as planned I am going to be making some big waves in the rock and roll world. So watch this space.

AJ: Are you in rock and roll full time or do you have a day job?

DoL: I'm a marketing manager for a home health care agency. The job helps fund some of my recordings and my gigs. A lot of fans in the jamband arena don't buy CDs because taping live shows is so easy. So I really appreciate the support of anyone who can purchase a CD because that will help finance the next one and the music business is tough.

AJ: You said earlier that you are not political but you are always fairly outspoken. What do you think about the John F. Kennedy Jr. story? He did live just a few blocks from Wetlands.

DoL: Well, right now my hair is short and whenever I have short hair people think I look like JFK Jr. So my friends have been kidding me by saying "Hey, they found you at the bottom of the ocean!" The crash was tragic but at the same time JFK Jr. just didn't have the proper training to fly and he took an unnecessary risk. It is scary just being a passenger in those little planes. It is a horrible, horrible tragedy. Sometimes you just gotta know when not to take risks and man he really did make a bad judgment call.

AJ: And what about the well-hyped senate race between Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani?

DoL: I'd have to go with Hillary because Rudy has been pretty fascist in his dealings with NYC, The city is safer but a lot of the ways in which he has dealt with different situations has been just plain fascist. 42nd St. was scary and it used to be a museum of seediness. But there was a certain realness to it. Now it's been turned into Disneyland and it's kind of sickening.

"Under the Sound Umbrella" is available from Phoenix Rising records. It can be ordered through their website: www.radiophoenix.com.