Tom Marshall (singer)


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, with songwriting credits for more than 95 originals. In addition to his songwriting work, Marshall also fronts 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. Other early collaborations include Bivouac Jaun, a project recorded by Marshall, Anastasio, and their friend Marc Daubert. 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 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. He is also a lover of good beer and witty banter.

List of songs

This is an incomplete list of titles whose lyrics Tom Marshall has written or co-written.
SongArtistAlbumYear
The Squirming CoilPhishLawn Boy1990
Lawn BoyPhishLawn Boy1990
Bouncing Around the RoomPhishLawn Boy1990
CavernPhishA Picture of Nectar1992
StashPhishA Picture of Nectar1992
Guelah PapyrusPhishA Picture of Nectar1992
GlidePhishA Picture of Nectar1992
Chalk Dust TorturePhishA Picture of Nectar1992
RiftPhishRift1993
Fast Enough for YouPhishRift1993
MazePhishRift1993
SparklePhishRift1993
HornPhishRift1993
The WedgePhishRift1993
My Friend, My FriendPhishRift1993
It's IcePhishRift1993
The HorsePhishRift1993
Silent in the MorningPhishRift1993
JuliusPhishHoist1994
Down with DiseasePhishHoist1994
Axilla PhishHoist1994
LifeboyPhishHoist1994
Sample in a JarPhishHoist1994
Wolfman's BrotherPhishHoist1994
Dog Faced BoyPhishHoist1994
DemandPhishHoist1994
WilsonPhishA Live One1995
FreePhishBilly Breathes1996
Character ZeroPhishBilly Breathes1996
WastePhishBilly Breathes1996
TastePhishBilly Breathes1996
TalkPhishBilly Breathes1996
Theme from the BottomPhishBilly Breathes1996
Swept AwayPhishBilly Breathes1996
SteepPhishBilly Breathes1996
Prince CaspianPhishBilly Breathes1996
GhostPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
Birds of a FeatherPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
MeatPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
GuyutePhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
FikusPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
ShaftyPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
Frankie SaysPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
Brian and RobertPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
Water in the SkyPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
RoggaePhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
Wading in the Velvet SeaPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
The Moma DancePhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
End of SessionPhishThe Story of the Ghost1998
NICUPhishHampton Comes Alive1999
Dogs Stole ThingsPhishHampton Comes Alive1999
Axilla IPhishHampton Comes Alive1999
FarmhousePhishFarmhouse2000
TwistPhishFarmhouse2000
BugPhishFarmhouse2000
Back on the TrainPhishFarmhouse2000
Heavy ThingsPhishFarmhouse2000
DirtPhishFarmhouse2000
PiperPhishFarmhouse2000
SleepPhishFarmhouse2000
SandPhishFarmhouse2000
Makisupa PolicemanPhishLive Phish Volume 12001
Buffalo BillPhishLive Phish Volume 62001
I Am HydrogenPhishLive Phish Volume 62001
VulturesPhishLive Phish Volume 62001
Strange DesignPhishLive Phish Volume 122002
Sleeping MonkeyPhishLive Phish Volume 122002
Pebbles and MarblesPhishRound Room2002
Anything But MePhishRound Room2002
Mexican CousinPhishRound Room2002
FridayPhishRound Room2002
Seven BelowPhishRound Room2002
46 DaysPhishRound Room2002
All of These DreamsPhishRound Room2002
Walls of the CavePhishRound Room2002
ThunderheadPhishRound Room2002
WavesPhishRound Room2002
Scents and Subtle Sounds PhishUndermind2004
UndermindPhishUndermind2004
The ConnectionPhishUndermind2004
A Song I Heard the Ocean SingPhishUndermind2004
Crowd ControlPhishUndermind2004
NothingPhishUndermind2004
Two Versions of MePhishUndermind2004
Scents and Subtle SoundsPhishUndermind2004
Secret SmilePhishUndermind2004
GrindPhishUndermind2004
McGrupp and the Watchful HosemastersPhishColorado '882006
Backwards Down the Number LinePhishJoy2009
Stealing Time from the Faulty PlanPhishJoy2009
JoyPhishJoy2009
OcelotPhishJoy2009
Kill Devil FallsPhishJoy2009
LightPhishJoy2009
Twenty Years LaterPhishJoy2009
Devotion to a DreamPhishFuego2014
WinterqueenPhishFuego2014
Sing MonicaPhishFuego2014
Blaze OnPhishBig Boat2016
Running Out of TimePhishBig Boat2016
No Men in No Man's LandPhishBig Boat2016
SteamPhish
MercuryPhish

Discography