Clone

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Originally Performed By	Leo Kotke/Mike Gordon
Appears On
Music/Lyrics	Gordon
Vocals	Mike
Historian	Phillip Zerbo (pzerbo)
Last Update	2023-11-27

History

The title track to the 2003 release from Mike Gordon and Leo Kottke, “Clone” tells the story of Dolly the Sheep gone awry, a mystical journey through the self-reflective imagination of our beloved Mike, times two. The bluesy syncopation and interlocking grooves that permeate this album as a whole are on the title track further fused with the infectious, persistent Gordon head-bob beat, off-kilter mumblings, and dingy percussive vignettes. 

Leo Kotke/Mike Gordon “Clone” 

The result screams: “Mike!” The mirror imagery in the album’s cover and liner notes also perhaps suggest its co-authors may well have found kindred spirits in this pairing, both in musical rhythms and quirky dispositions. “Clone” was a regular feature of the Gordon & Kottke live performances beginning in November 2002. Mike only played the song once with his band as the encore on 12/9/11.

“Clone” made its Phish debut on 2/26/03 in Worcester, emerging from the show-opening “YEM.” The “YEM” vocal jam featured Trey singing the “Clone” lines, and then the band launched into the tune in full, this time with Mike singing the lines that he penned. This combo led off a themed first set that included a tune from the solo project of each band member (“Drifting” from Trey, “Final Flight” from Page and “Blue Skies” from Fishman). This performance has yet to propagate and remains the single offering by Phish to date.

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