Tom Marshall is an American lyricist, keyboardist, and singer-songwriter best known for his association with Trey Anastasio and the rock band Phish. He has been the primary external lyricist for Phish during their career (1983–2000, 2002–2004, 2009–present), with songwriting credits for more than 95 originals. In addition to his songwriting work, Marshall also fronted the rock band Amfibian and hosts the Phish podcast Under the Scales. Marshall is the co-founder of Osiris, a podcast network in partnership with Jambase.
Personal life Marshall attended Princeton Day School in New Jersey with Anastasio. The duo began writing songs together as early as the eighth grade (the reggae tune "Makisupa Policeman" is often regarded as the duo's first collaboration and the very first Phish original song). Other early collaborations include Bivouac Jaun, a project recorded by Marshall, Anastasio, and their friend Marc Daubert (who occasionally played percussion with Phish in 1984 and wrote the lyrics to their classic "The Curtain With"). Many of the pieces recorded on Bivouac Jaun appeared on The White Tape. Marshall also was instrumental in influencing The Man Who Stepped into Yesterday, a Phish concept album and song cycle about the mystical land of Gamehendge written by Anastasio and used as his senior thesis at Goddard College in 1987.
Marshall, Anastasio, and friends would meet at The Rhombus, a giant piece of art located in a park next to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, and embark on lengthy songwriting sessions. Many characters and locations mentioned in early Phish songs reference these songwriting sessions. In one instance, Marshall wrote the original lyrics to the Gamehendge song "McGrupp and the Watchful Hosemasters" and nailed them to Anastasio's front door. By 1985, Anastasio and Marshall had parted ways as Anastasio became more involved with Phish at the University of Vermont.
Years later in 1989, Marshall apparently heard Phish's Junta album and thought to himself, "these guys really need lyrics." Marshall and Anastasio reunited and began a long songwriting partnership that resulted in over 100 songs over the next fifteen years. Anastasio's 2005 solo album Shine marks the first time since the pre-Junta years that he has not worked with Marshall.
In addition to working closely with Anastasio, Marshall fronts his own band, Amfibian, currently on hiatus.
In the fall of 2010, Marshall collaborated with CT jam band The McLovins to co-write "Cohesive", recorded with Marshall and Anthony Krizan (of Spin Doctors fame) at Krizan's Sonic Boom studios. In mid-November 2010, Marshall joined his longtime friend Trey Anastasio on stage at the historic Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall Princeton University bringing them back to their roots.
Marshall has a wife named Lea-Lea, a daughter named Anna and a son named Brodie.
List of songs This is an incomplete list of titles whose lyrics Tom Marshall has written or co-written. SongArtistAlbumYearThe Squirming CoilPhishLawn Boy1990Lawn BoyPhishLawn Boy1990Bouncing Around the RoomPhishLawn Boy1990CavernPhishA Picture of Nectar1992StashPhishA Picture of Nectar1992Guelah PapyrusPhishA Picture of Nectar1992GlidePhishA Picture of Nectar1992Chalk Dust TorturePhishA Picture of Nectar1992RiftPhishRift1993Fast Enough for YouPhishRift1993MazePhishRift1993SparklePhishRift1993HornPhishRift1993The WedgePhishRift1993My Friend, My FriendPhishRift1993It's IcePhishRift1993The HorsePhishRift1993Silent in the MorningPhishRift1993JuliusPhishHoist1994Down with DiseasePhishHoist1994Axilla (Part II)PhishHoist1994LifeboyPhishHoist1994Sample in a JarPhishHoist1994Wolfman's BrotherPhishHoist1994Dog Faced BoyPhishHoist1994DemandPhishHoist1994WilsonPhishA Live One1995FreePhishBilly Breathes1996Character ZeroPhishBilly Breathes1996WastePhishBilly Breathes1996TastePhishBilly Breathes1996TalkPhishBilly Breathes1996Theme from the BottomPhishBilly Breathes1996Swept AwayPhishBilly Breathes1996SteepPhishBilly Breathes1996Prince CaspianPhishBilly Breathes1996GhostPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998Birds of a FeatherPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998MeatPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998GuyutePhishThe Story of the Ghost1998FikusPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998ShaftyPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998Frankie SaysPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998Brian and RobertPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998Water in the SkyPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998RoggaePhishThe Story of the Ghost1998Wading in the Velvet SeaPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998The Moma DancePhishThe Story of the Ghost1998End of SessionPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998NICUPhishHampton Comes Alive1999Dogs Stole ThingsPhishHampton Comes Alive1999Axilla IPhishHampton Comes Alive1999FarmhousePhishFarmhouse2000TwistPhishFarmhouse2000BugPhishFarmhouse2000Back on the TrainPhishFarmhouse2000Heavy ThingsPhishFarmhouse2000DirtPhishFarmhouse2000PiperPhishFarmhouse2000SleepPhishFarmhouse2000SandPhishFarmhouse2000Makisupa PolicemanPhishLive Phish Volume 12001Buffalo BillPhishLive Phish Volume 62001I Am HydrogenPhishLive Phish Volume 62001VulturesPhishLive Phish Volume 62001Strange DesignPhishLive Phish Volume 122002Sleeping MonkeyPhishLive Phish Volume 122002Pebbles and MarblesPhishRound Room2002Anything But MePhishRound Room2002Mexican CousinPhishRound Room2002FridayPhishRound Room2002Seven BelowPhishRound Room200246 DaysPhishRound Room2002All of These DreamsPhishRound Room2002Walls of the CavePhishRound Room2002ThunderheadPhishRound Room2002WavesPhishRound Room2002Scents and Subtle Sounds (Intro)PhishUndermind2004UndermindPhishUndermind2004The ConnectionPhishUndermind2004A Song I Heard the Ocean SingPhishUndermind2004Crowd ControlPhishUndermind2004NothingPhishUndermind2004Two Versions of MePhishUndermind2004Scents and Subtle SoundsPhishUndermind2004Secret SmilePhishUndermind2004GrindPhishUndermind2004McGrupp and the Watchful HosemastersPhishColorado '882006Backwards Down the Number LinePhishJoy2009Stealing Time from the Faulty PlanPhishJoy2009JoyPhishJoy2009OcelotPhishJoy2009Kill Devil FallsPhishJoy2009LightPhishJoy2009Twenty Years LaterPhishJoy2009Devotion to a DreamPhishFuego2014WinterqueenPhishFuego2014Sing MonicaPhishFuego2014Blaze OnPhishBig Boat2016Running Out of TimePhishBig Boat2016No Men in No Man's LandPhishBig Boat2016SteamPhishSigma Oasis2020MercuryPhishSigma Oasis2020
Discography Amfibian Tales (August 2000) Trampled By Lambs and Pecked by the Dove (with Trey Anastasio) (November 1, 2000) From the Ether (June 2004) Skip the Goodbyes (July 2007)
References
External links Phish.Net FAQ: Tom Marshall Fans interview Tom Marshall Amfibian The McLovins Osiris Media