That’s all folks, a break. Not a breakup, not a breakdown – just a break.

A New York Times feature article on the band noting the event seems to have generated a mild frenzy in the music press world, with some reports – particularly on the Web – all but announcing the band has split up.

Not so, says Phish manager John Paluska. Not even close.

“You think all this kind of stuff will happen when U2 finishes their tour? It’s not that much different. They’re just taking a break to recharge, write some new music and spend some time with their families,” Paluska assured, adding, “We just don’t know when we’re going to come back.”

The eclectic ensemble from Vermont does have a devoted – some may even say obsessed – following, so any disturbance in the Phish universe is bound to generate attention.

The band has either been on the road or in the studio practically non-stop for 11 years.

The group has seen it all, from tiny bar gigs to hosting the world’s largest paid concert event to ring in Y2K – a camp out for 75,000 at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in south Florida.

Taking a break while at the peak of popularity is a risky move, but it’s not like the quartet needs the publicity.

“The last thing we want is for people to think the band is breaking up, then we come back in a year and people think that we were sort of crying wolf or something,” Paluska told Pollstar.

“All we’re doing is just taking a break, and if we make any further decisions in any direction, we’ll announce it once [Phish] has made them.

“But for now, they’re just chillin’ out, taking time off, from the hectic pace that is being Phish.”

Though the jam-gods may have played their last gig for awhile (a typically sold-out show October 8 at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, Calif.) Phishheads still have another shot at seeing their favorite band on the small screen. A filmed July 17 live performance is scheduled to debut October 14 on the PBS music series “Austin City Limits.”

So set that VCR, kick back and cut ‘em some slack, already. Everybody deserves a vacation sometime.