Touchdowns All Day with Jon Barber & Max Dawson

E097 - The Guru, Part 2 (I Remember When)

Ep. 97

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Friday, May 23, 2025

TOUCHDOWNS ALL DAY w/ JON BARBER & MAX DAWSON

E097 - The Guru, Part 2 (I Remember When) - Benjy Eisen is a New York Times best-selling author, music journalist, artist manager, promoter, and podcaster. He's also one of the original jamband influencers, and for more than three decades he has catalyzed and mythologized our scene. Benjy's relationship with The Disco Biscuits stretches back to 1997, when he became one of the band's original fans, advocates, confidants, and collaborators. Part two of our interview with Benjy begins with the creation of DiscussBiscuits, the band's first online discussion forum, and focuses on the events of 1998 and 1999, two pivotal years in the history of The Disco Biscuits. Benjy describes how his experiences at festivals like All Good and Autumn Equinox inspired him and his friends to launch Melstock, a multi-day camping and music event hosted on the Mechanicsburg, PA family farm of early Biscuits fan Jason Melham. In addition, Benjy recounts his involvement in the first performance of The Hot Air Balloon rock opera on December 31, 1998, and shares the story of how he accidentally came up with the idea for Camp Bisco.

For full video of our interview with Benjy, which includes archival footage of historic Disco Biscuits performances, please check out (and subscribe to) the Touchdowns All Day YouTube Channel.

Special thanks to Mike Zarcone, Chris Kasari, Colleen Stern, and Carla Ngo for archival photos and videos.

This episode features excerpts of the following live Disco Biscuits' performances:

  • Pygmy Twylyte, from December 2, 1997 at Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA

  • Bernstein and Chasnoff, from December 12, 1997 at Bogie's, Albany, NY

  • M.E.M.P.H.I.S., from February 9, 1999 at Newby's, Memphis, TN

  • Magellan, from September 28, 1999 at Autumn Equinox Festival, Wilmer's Park, Brandywine, MD

  • IMan, from June 27, 1998 at Melstock, Melham's Farm, Mechanicsburg, PA

  • What a Show, from December 2, 1997 at Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia, PA

  • Helicopters, from August 28, 1998 at Wetlands Preserve, New York, NY

  • Helicopters, from June 28, 1999 at Melstock, Melham's Farm, Mechanicsburg, PA

  • Above the Waves, from December 31, 1998 at Silk City, Philadelphia, PA

  • Bernstein and Chasnoff, from January 23, 1999 at Stone Church, Newmarket, NH

Tickets are now on sale for TDB30, Celebrating 30 Years of The Disco Biscuits! For all tour dates and links to purchase tickets, please head over to discobiscuits.com/shows.

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