The Dude of Life

The Dude of Existence was the alias of Steve Pollak, a fresh York-based singer/songwriter most widely known for his longstanding affiliation with jam-band icons Phish. He gained his stage moniker through the early 1980s while going to senior high school alongside long term Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, sometimes appearing completely Dude regalia — tapestry, goggles, and head wear — with Anastasio’s teenage music group Space Antelope; collectively, they later on collaborated on Phish favorites including “Operate As an Antelope” and “Suzie Greenberg, ” with Pollak occasionally joining the music group on tour. The Dude also continuing writing his personal solo materials, and in 1991 he and Phish proceeded to go into the studio room for a program issued 3 years later on as Offences of your brain. With new support band the fantastic Crimson Shark — guitarist Cliff Mays, keyboardist Tag Thors, bassist Paul Gassman and drummer Jim Weingast — he came back in mid-1999 with Beneath the Sound Umbrella.