Big Eyed Phish
Rochester, New York, United States | SELF
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An Interview With Big Eyed Phish
by Joe Leverone
It's not often that during the off seasons, that DMB fans can gather and enjoy the music that they love most: that of Dave Matthews Band. Although for the residents of Rochester, NY, it has been increasingly easier to get their DMBuzz when DMB isn't on tour, as the Dave Matthews tribute band, Big Eyed Phish, calls Rochester their home.
Big Eyed Phish is led by guitarist and singer Brandon DePaul. As the frontman to the former Dave Matthews tribute band, The Tripping Billies, Brandon has been in the Dave Matthews music scene for quite some time. He's had the pleasure of meeting Dave himself, as well as being mentioned in the book Dave Matthews Band: Music For The People. When The Tripping Billies ended, Brandon called Rochester his home, and began searching to put together his next project: Big Eyed Phish.
The pieces came together, and today, Big Eyed Phish is one of the most exciting acts in the Rochester music scene. When the search was complete, all of the matching pieces of Dave Matthews Band were in place. With Karl Thomas on drums, Brian Dudiak on keys, Dan Merkey on the sax, Mike Hoeschele on the violin, and Chris Brodhecker playing bass, Big Eyed Phish replicates the sound of Dave Matthews Band each and every night that they take the stage.
From Eh Hee to Cornbread, and Lie In Our Graves to Halloween, Big Eyed Phish never ceases to amaze the minds of the most committed Dave Matthews Band fans. As someone who has had the distict pleasure of seeing BEP several times, it wouldn't be premature to say that a Big Eyed Phish show is the next best thing to seeing Dave Matthews Band live.
I had the oppertunity to ask each of the members of Big Eyed Phish a few questions about their experiences with the band, and thoughts on DMB:
WDS: What do you feel the biggest difference between Big Eyed Phish and The Tripping Billies has been?
Brandon: The Tripping Billies toured the country, Big Eyed Phish is still workin' on it!
WDS: So man, how the heck you keep up with Dave's guitar playing?
Brandon: I don't totally feel I do keep up with it, I more get a rhythm going, then trip over my laces, do a face plant, then get up and do more of a brisk pace for a while, just kidding. Dave's guitar playing has always been challenging. One of the many reasons why I play it. I just usually take one part at a time, and when I conquer that, it's on to the next part.
WDS:Have you gotten to be able to recognize specific patterns easily, or does his unique style come with practice and hard work?
Brandon: There is a pattern to Dave's playing, and it took me many years to truly understand it.
WDS: You keep up with Carter's playing very well! How do you study his playing?
Karl: Yeah, haha! He's an amazing drummer. I watch a lot of video and listen a whole lot.
WDS: What challenges to you find trying to play the same songs as such a great drummer?
Karl: Well, people who listen the way that I do means that they expect to hear the same exact things they heard on a particular recording, not realizing that things change from performance to performance.
WDS: What's the hardest song for you to play? What song do you feel features Carter's best work?
Karl: The hardest song I'd say is Rapunzel. Carter is 'released into the wild', so to speak, on Two Step. That one blows me away every time.
WDS: How was Butch leaving DMB ultimately affected your role in BEP?
Brian: Other than initially worrying about losing my job in the band, it has actually opened up the door for my own creativity rather than having to rely on specific lines like the rest of the band does for their new stuff! Although I do miss being able to listen and sample some of his ideas!
WDS: For songs that don't feature Butch in them, have you been able to effectively mimic what you think he WOULD play?
Brian: No, I don't even try to do that much. Butch has a really rag-time and jazzy approach to things. I've been brought up on Pink Floyd instead of Coltrane. I am getting more and more into synthesizer sounds, which you will hear in upcoming performances. I am also diving head first into jazz, but not comfortable enough to put that in my performance like Butch does yet.
WDS: In a scat contest who would win: you or Butch?
Brian: You know, I have yet to try and scat along with playing, so I'm going to have to give that one to Butch...although now that you mention it, I think I'm adding that on my "to do" list for one of our next shows.
WDS: Trying to play at Boyd's level must be a challenge, but I've never seen anyone pull a Boyd as smoothly as you have. What has been your biggest tool in learning Boyd's parts?
Mike: Listen a lot! I use a Tascam to loop a solo, then change the tempo, so I can learn specific riffs. I also listen to and play jazz, blues, and country.
WDS: How long have you been playing the violin?
Mike: 30 plus years.
WDS: Have you ever imagined playing the violi - www.weeklydavespeak.com
An Interview With Big Eyed Phish
by Joe Leverone
It's not often that during the off seasons, that DMB fans can gather and enjoy the music that they love most: that of Dave Matthews Band. Although for the residents of Rochester, NY, it has been increasingly easier to get their DMBuzz when DMB isn't on tour, as the Dave Matthews tribute band, Big Eyed Phish, calls Rochester their home.
Big Eyed Phish is led by guitarist and singer Brandon DePaul. As the frontman to the former Dave Matthews tribute band, The Tripping Billies, Brandon has been in the Dave Matthews music scene for quite some time. He's had the pleasure of meeting Dave himself, as well as being mentioned in the book Dave Matthews Band: Music For The People. When The Tripping Billies ended, Brandon called Rochester his home, and began searching to put together his next project: Big Eyed Phish.
The pieces came together, and today, Big Eyed Phish is one of the most exciting acts in the Rochester music scene. When the search was complete, all of the matching pieces of Dave Matthews Band were in place. With Karl Thomas on drums, Brian Dudiak on keys, Dan Merkey on the sax, Mike Hoeschele on the violin, and Chris Brodhecker playing bass, Big Eyed Phish replicates the sound of Dave Matthews Band each and every night that they take the stage.
From Eh Hee to Cornbread, and Lie In Our Graves to Halloween, Big Eyed Phish never ceases to amaze the minds of the most committed Dave Matthews Band fans. As someone who has had the distict pleasure of seeing BEP several times, it wouldn't be premature to say that a Big Eyed Phish show is the next best thing to seeing Dave Matthews Band live.
I had the oppertunity to ask each of the members of Big Eyed Phish a few questions about their experiences with the band, and thoughts on DMB:
WDS: What do you feel the biggest difference between Big Eyed Phish and The Tripping Billies has been?
Brandon: The Tripping Billies toured the country, Big Eyed Phish is still workin' on it!
WDS: So man, how the heck you keep up with Dave's guitar playing?
Brandon: I don't totally feel I do keep up with it, I more get a rhythm going, then trip over my laces, do a face plant, then get up and do more of a brisk pace for a while, just kidding. Dave's guitar playing has always been challenging. One of the many reasons why I play it. I just usually take one part at a time, and when I conquer that, it's on to the next part.
WDS:Have you gotten to be able to recognize specific patterns easily, or does his unique style come with practice and hard work?
Brandon: There is a pattern to Dave's playing, and it took me many years to truly understand it.
WDS: You keep up with Carter's playing very well! How do you study his playing?
Karl: Yeah, haha! He's an amazing drummer. I watch a lot of video and listen a whole lot.
WDS: What challenges to you find trying to play the same songs as such a great drummer?
Karl: Well, people who listen the way that I do means that they expect to hear the same exact things they heard on a particular recording, not realizing that things change from performance to performance.
WDS: What's the hardest song for you to play? What song do you feel features Carter's best work?
Karl: The hardest song I'd say is Rapunzel. Carter is 'released into the wild', so to speak, on Two Step. That one blows me away every time.
WDS: How was Butch leaving DMB ultimately affected your role in BEP?
Brian: Other than initially worrying about losing my job in the band, it has actually opened up the door for my own creativity rather than having to rely on specific lines like the rest of the band does for their new stuff! Although I do miss being able to listen and sample some of his ideas!
WDS: For songs that don't feature Butch in them, have you been able to effectively mimic what you think he WOULD play?
Brian: No, I don't even try to do that much. Butch has a really rag-time and jazzy approach to things. I've been brought up on Pink Floyd instead of Coltrane. I am getting more and more into synthesizer sounds, which you will hear in upcoming performances. I am also diving head first into jazz, but not comfortable enough to put that in my performance like Butch does yet.
WDS: In a scat contest who would win: you or Butch?
Brian: You know, I have yet to try and scat along with playing, so I'm going to have to give that one to Butch...although now that you mention it, I think I'm adding that on my "to do" list for one of our next shows.
WDS: Trying to play at Boyd's level must be a challenge, but I've never seen anyone pull a Boyd as smoothly as you have. What has been your biggest tool in learning Boyd's parts?
Mike: Listen a lot! I use a Tascam to loop a solo, then change the tempo, so I can learn specific riffs. I also listen to and play jazz, blues, and country.
WDS: How long have you been playing the violin?
Mike: 30 plus years.
WDS: Have you ever imagined playing the violi - www.weeklydavespeak.com
Discography
We play the songs of Dave Matthews
Photos
Bio
Big Eyed Phish is a Dave Matthews Tribute band formed in 2007 by Brandon Depaul. The band came about as a result of Brandon’s love of Dave Matthews and the falling apart of his previous Dave Matthews tribute band, The Tripping Billies. With the Billies, Brandon toured the country for several years and played at venues in cities such as Las Vegas, San Diego, Miami, Washington DC, New York City, Boston, and many more. Brandon’s band was even mentioned in the book published by the Dave Matthews Band themselves.
Brandon spent many weeks searching for a good set of musicians to backup his guitar playing and vocals. During the search, he came across saxophone player Dan Merkey, bass player Chris Brodhecker, and violinist Mike Hoeschele. This group started to learn the songs of Dave Matthews as well as began playing out at small venues around Rochester and Buffalo.
In September of 2007, the band felt that something was missing and decided to pick up keyboard player Brian Dudiak and drummer Karl Thomas. This rounded out the bands desired sound and filled in some gaps that seemed to be missing in the songs. These 6 members have since become what are known as the band Big Eyed Phish, which has taken New York by storm. In less than 6 months the band went from playing small local bars for a few people to headlining festivals to an audience of thousands.
What sets Big Eyed Phish apart from other Dave Matthews tribute bands is not do they play great versions of Dave Matthews songs, but also put on a live show that is as close to a live Dave Matthews performance as you can get without actually seeing the band themselves. From the “dave dance” that Dave Matthews is known for, to the wailing saxophone solos, to their very own “butch taylor” on keys, and a drummer that is as close to the style of Carter Beuford as you can get, Big Eyed Phish brings it all to every show they do. The energy of a live band combined with their musical talents allows Big Eyed Phish to draw crowds by the thousands and continue to impress new fans, both young and old, with each performance.
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