This remnant will be replaced soon. The FAQ is back, with a new design! How did the HPB start What's its history A few folks on the net (starting with Lee and Shelly) put together a compilation of setlists & other info about the band & borrowed the title of this all encompasing book, calling the compilation the Helping Phriendly Book -- the HPB, not HFB -- although it has at some times been referred to as the Helping Friendly Book. According to strict phishlosophy, all of the know & unknown knowledge in the relevant universe would include the Lyrics, FAQ, Chords, etc. Eventually, the virtual HPB may indeed include all of this; today, it is focused on setlists. Dan Shoop posted (3-14-94) an "ophishal announcement regarding the Helping Friendly Book Working Group and overview of what's up with the HPB" and indicated that further reviews were underway, but the machine that Shoop and Michael Weitzman were keeping it on crashed, and restoration never occurred. Updates on the web then diversified, with multiple Helping Friendly Books. But the core and focal collection is again and remains at the Phish.Net as the Official Helping Friendly Book. Offline, a book was published using the Helping Friendly Book, in contradiction of the philosophy behind it (as stated above as well as in the Helping Friendly Book itself). Now in its fourth volume, that book now acknowledges its origination from and reliance upon the Helping Friendly Book and, to its credit, has diversified and done some interesting work in other areas. As a way of returning the spirit of the Helping Friendly Book to phans, the Mockingbird Foundation was formed. As of May 10, 1993, the band had planned to put out their own version of the HFB. No word on this project/intention since that date. Related FAQ pages: Is it for sale What if I want to buy something in print What's the history of the file "I'm the chooser of what we're going to play. I wonder how it got to be that way. I guess it's just my personality. To me, it's like composing, and I really like composing and I don't get to do it when I'm on the road, so it's my little way of making little suites every night. I usually plan something out before we go on stage, and then we change it when we get on stage. It's very rare that we stick to the whole songlist. Or any of it, for that matter. But I choose it, partially by what we haven't played for a couple of nights before." -- Trey Anastasio, 12/10/94 interview with Steve Silberman; though note that setlists have not been pre-written since prior to summer 1997 This page last updated January 26, 2007. All contents © 1992-2007 Ellis Godard. All rights reserved.