PHATFISH PLAYING LIVE
HISTORY/
1997-2000/
After praying it through in the early part of 1997, Phatfish decided that it was time that they wrote songs that were more worship-orientated and explicitly Christian in content. The band spent an intense month recording in their own studio, which led to We Know the Story – an album varied in style but with all worship lyrics. Phatfish subsequently toured the album in churches around the UK, where people were clearly and powerfully drawn into God’s presence.

In the summer of 1998, guitarist Mike Blow and percussionist Adrian Watts decided that it was time to explore other opportunities. Guitarist Alan Rose had been working with renowned worship leader Paul Oakley and was already a close friend of the band. He joined that year and Phatfish began a brand new chapter.


By now Phatfish had moved away from the jazz/funk sound to tracks with a rockier edge. Demos were made with producer Alan Shacklock who was able to catch the attention of record company ‘Pamplin Music’ in the US. Phatfish subsequently signed with Pamplin and in the spring of 1999 Purple Through the Fishtank was recorded in Nashville, where much of the Christian music scene is based. The album struck a chord with a wider audience and Phatfish began regularly touring in Canada, the US and Europe.