I’m not at all ashamed to admit I love Toad The Wet Sprocket. Songs like “Walk On The Ocean” and “Windmills” stand the test of time. Even the band’s b-sides disc had moments of brilliance. But public apathy goaded Toad Glen Phillips into a less-than-stellar solo career. To my surprise, Toad is back and coming to a town near you.
6/15/06 @ 8:00PM – Indianapolis, IN – The Vouge
6/16/06 @ 8:00PM – Madison, WI – Club Majestic
6/17/06 @ 8:00PM – Apple Valley, MN – Music in the Minnesota Zoo
6/18/06 @ 8:00PM – Chicago, IL – Toast of Randolph Street
7/07/06 @ 7:30PM – Portsmouth, VA – Rams Head Live
7/08/06 @ 7:30PM – Charlottesville, VA – Charlottesville Amphitheater
7/09/06 @ 6:15PM – Ashburn, VA – Loudon Summer Music Festival
7/12/06 @ 6:30PM – Glen Allen, VA – Innsbrook Pavilion
7/13/06 @ 8:00PM – Westbury, NY – North Fork Theater
7/14/06 @ 7:30PM – Hyannis, MA – Cape Cod Melody Tent
7/15/06 @ 7:30PM – Cohasset, MA – South Shore Music Circus
7/19/06 @ 7:30PM – Columbus, OH – Promowest Pavilion
7/21/06 @ 8:00PM – St. Louis, MO – Live on the Landing
7/22/06 @ 7:00PM – Council Bluff, IA – Star Cove
8/11/06 @ 6:00PM – Veneta, OR – Secret House Vineyard
8/13/06 @ 8:00PM – Arlington, WA – River Meadows Park
8/16/06 @ 7:00PM – Saratoga, CA – Mountain Winery
8/17/06 @ 7:00PM – Saratoga, CA – Mountain Winery
8/18/06 @ 8:00PM – Reno, NV – Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch
8/19/06 @ 8:00PM – Santa Ana, CA – Galaxy Concert Theatre
8/21/06 @ 8:00PM – Los Angeles, CA – Mayan Theatre
8/22/06 @ 8:00PM – Cabazon, CA – Key Club at Morongo
8/23/06 @ 7:00PM – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts By The Bay
On Glen’s latest album Mr. Lemons he goes jazzy on a Huey Lewis tune, and well, it’s the worst thing to happen to “I Want A New Drug” since Ray Parker, Jr.
Glen Phillips – “I Want A New Drug” (MP3 Link Expired)
Props to Huey, though. It takes a lot of balls (and a legendarily long cock?) to put out a dozen Greatest Hits compilations.
Glen Phillips’ other covers (Björk, Neutral Milk Hotel, Ron Sexsmith) are great. Download ‘em here.
(I’m sure you know this, but for anyone else: TTWS’ crazy name comes from an Eric Idle monologue on this album.)
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Scott,
Thank you.
I thought I was the only one with relatively good taste in music who liked Toad The Wet Sprocket.
Their first album (which is impossible to find) “Bread and Circus” was fantastic. I managed to get a promo version of it before it was released when I was, like, 17. It’s great, rough guitar. They really mellowed out later but the first album, and it’s successor “Pale”, were strong records.
They started getting a bit shakey on “Fear” and I pretty much dropped them after that.
But I remember, at one time, the all-ages dance club was spinning their girl-abuse song “One Little Girl” between Candy Flip’s “Strawberry Fields” and Thrill Kill Kult’s “Sex On Wheels…”
Wow – what a strange DJ. But what a great song.
Toad’s always been one of my favorites. I was extremely disappointed with Glen’s new one. The cover of Drug is embarrassing. Why would he even consider it in the first place? His ego has always been too inflated.
Don’t forget about Lapdog, Toad’s Todd’s side band (www.lapdogmusic.com). They haven’t done anything in a couple of years, but some of their initial demos were great.
Toad fans need to rise up in support. History has not been kind to them and I can’t find any reason that they deserve such criticism. Hope to see them on the road and would love a new studio album.
Oh man…just listened to the H Lewis cover.
That’s pretty awful…
how weird. just this morning a pulled out the toad the wet sprocket retrospective, listened to it in the car, and was too embarassed to keep listening to it at work because i didn’t want it to show up through audioscrobbler. i’ll admit it.
They’re listed as playing 7/10 at Irving Plaza (according to the club’s website), but that would mean that they’d play VA, go to NYC, and then go back to VA. I wonder if maybe they canceled that second VA show and didn’t update their tour dates page yet.
Scott Stereogum, your confession regarding Toad has made my day. Thank you.
toad is actually a pretty good band – one of my all-time favorites, actually. i could listen to glen sing pretty much anything – which, with the new record, he’s kind of putting to the test.
but his first solo record is great, and his second has its moments. i don’t think glen’s ego was necessarily inflated – toad pretty much *was* him with three other guys.
Somehow I live in a world where tons of my friends still love Toad so I’ve never had to be ashamed.
Check out Glen’s solo acoustic “Live at Largo”. He is a very underrated songwriter.
You can check out Huey’s cock in Robert Altman’s Short Cuts if you’re curious.
Hey! Glen’s first solo record, Abulum, was cool. Good call on Live at Largo, Ron. Too bad about the lameness of the new one.
Interviewed him a few years ago, and believe it or not, he came across as simply brilliant…one of the smartest yet most humble musicians making music today. He has my TOTAL respect!
Toad is back! I’ve been waiting so long. But what gives? No AZ dates on the tour? Dammit.
If there’s something wrong with still loving songs like “Windmills” after all these years, then I don’t wanna be right.
Thank you thank you thank you. Like many other commenters here, I am not afraid to say I’m a Toad fan. I was even in the fan club in high school. But then stuff stopped coming in the mail and I lost touch with them.
What is embarrassing though is that I got re-aquainted with the band after the American Idols did “Walk on the Ocean” (I think) during one of their Ford commercials.
they aren’t coming to a town near me! where is the dc metro area on that list? boooO
What’s with all the Toad-hate? They’re a fantastic band that wrote a lot of great songs that are still going to sound great in 20 years. I see no shame in enjoying their music.
Glen’s cover of Huey Lewis’ “I Want a New Drug” is actually pretty fun – it’s clearly tongue in cheek like Toads’ “emotional,” slowed-down cover of Kiss’ “Rock ‘n Roll All Night.” This is what’s wrong with most indie kids – absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever. Seriously, give it another listen. It’s a joke. Glen’s got a dry sense of humor.
I too love Toad and have never stopped ever since I first heard ‘All I want’ in high school. Some of the songs are absolutely lovely and Windmills is one that I can listen to over and over. Glenn has an awesome voice that really emotes. Every album as a few gems on it and am not ashamed to say that I own all plus the b-side. I saw a blender blurb that listed them as one of the most unneccessary bands of all time and I had (and still don’t) have an idea as to why they made the list. I hope that I will be able to see them.
I think we’ve just made being a Toad The Wet Sprocket fan cool.
No shame in being a Toad fan! They had a small “reunion” tour a couple of years ago (I want to say 2004) and I saw them here in Columbus, OH. They still sound fantastic together!
Viva Toad!! Many years ago – OK, about 14 – I hooked up with them at a gig in Asbury Park, and worked the Amnesty Int’l table they were setting up at each stop on their tour. After the show I had a chance to talk with them and they seemed to be four really normal guys who just happened to be popular, talented musicians. I’m very happy to know they’re back together and I hope to see them again.
I have loved Toad the Wet Sprocket for years, but like so many others, I lost touch with their music. That is, until I saw saw Glen play on The Rock Boat in January. He absolutely floored me with his solo stuff (and of course some old Toad favorites). I live in Kansas City, so I’ll be road-tripping once or twice to catch them live.
I’m surprised that Toad has received “embarassed to admit I like ‘em” status. I’ve never been embarrassed about that. I think they’re incredibly talented and were pretty underrated back in the ’90′s. With all the crap that passes for music these days, listening to Toad is like a breath of fresh air. VIVA LA TOAD!!!
Just got back from the concert at the zoo and it was great! I was suprised at the wide demographic that attended the show, pretty much everyone (except young children) was represented there. So there must be a lot of closet Toad fans in all walks of life.
They played really well together and played songs from nearly every albulm in their sets. My personal favorites from tonight’s show were: I will Not take these things for granted, the nightengale song, and windmills.
If you have the opportunity to see them this tour you should. What an enjoyable night and I was at a great small outdoor venue – not a bad seat in the place.
i have never been ashamed to admit that toad was my favorite band. i don’t get the guy who said glen has an inflated ego though. lack of ego, maybe.
i’ve caught three shows on this reunion tour thus far. might even go to one more.
glen’s solo shows are really not to be missed though. i’m amazed by how much entertainment can come from that tiny little man with the really big voice.
My wife and I attended the Toad concert in Kansas City last weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it. I noted, too, the wide range of ages that were represented and think it underscores the breadth of Toad’s fan base. My wife, who has never been a Toad junkie like me, made an interesting observation about their on-stage presence. Compared to Sister Hazel’s extroverted opening act, Toad seemed rather introverted and introspective – even when playing their uptempo stuff. But that’s exactly what I love about this band. There’s a certain level of commitment that they expect from you. Their music opens up on deeper levels when you’re willing to invest yourself in it and really attempt to meet it halfway. I was pleased to hear a good cross-section of their songs – especially the ones they did off “Coil.” Regarding Glen’s solo stuff, I fire up last year’s “Winter Pays for Summer” nearly everytime the iPod goes on and think it’s a fine piece of work. I agree about the new “I Want a New Drug” cover – it’s a drywitted interpretation meant not to merely entertain but to illicit a response. Come on, Glen’s an artist; that’s what I love about the guy.
I am really surprised to see that some people would be ashamed to like toad.. They are not very known around here in Canada, but I have found a few people here and there who liked their stuff back in the 90s. I am a big fan myself and actually flew to LA to watch their concert back in August. I loved every single one of their songs, especially since most of them have excellent lyrics. I find that toad songs have a meaning that goes beyond what you would understand at first. After immersing a bit more into them you get it. Anyway, they definitely confirmed why they are my favourite band after seeing them live..
I’ve always been a big fan of the band and of Glen’s solo material, tough I don’t like the sound of his debut (2000′s “Abulum”) his “Winter Pays For Summer” record is one of the best pop albums in years. he’s quite possibly the best male singer-songwriter to come along since the 70′s.
and in response to Toad getting shaky on fear, HE WAS 19, for a band that had 3 records under their belts by that age it’s pretty impressive.
and while Fear wasn’t as cohesive they more than made up for it with 94′s “Dulcinea” and 97′s “Coil”, which is their best work musically, and lyrically, and easily the best sounding record of their career as well
that beng said, the Huey cover is okay. he gave it a much better melody and the song is a great example of a band working well together, the song is one solid take with no overdubs.
most artists and bands can’t do one live take in a room and have it sound so well
EMBARRASSMENT? GUILTY PLEASURE? WTH???
I feel no embarassment whatsoever in loving TTWS. I just bought the P.s. compilation CD because I love their music so much. I also make sure my windows are rolled down while I’m driving so people can hear what I’m listening to because I know that I’m the cool one! HAHA
I’ve been wearing out their videos at YouTube – expecially Walk on the Ocean – my all time favorite song by them. I’m just mad that the video is based on the single version of that song, not the album version that appears on P.s. The music in the video is even more melodic, if you can that’s possible.
Question: Isn’t it kind of unusual for the single version of a song to be longer than the one from the album?
Hope someone will be kind enough to put this question to rest– it’s been nagging me for YEARS and i can’t seem to get to the bottom of it…
I seem to remember having caught about half of a TTWS video on MTV sometime in the mid-ninties…i remember the song as being stirringly beautiful, with the guys being filmed pretending to perform the song at what appeared to be a high school prom or something like that– i clearly remember a red curtain behind them on the stage, and one guy playing a hollow-body guitar…
i was quite moved by the beauty of the song, and my memory of the event is one of those things that pops into my head about three times a year– for the last ten years or more! can anyone tell me the song that video was for?
grateful for any help,
bryan
I think that you’re referencing “Something’s Always Wrong” off of the Dulcinea album. great album, enjoy
when it comes to listening to pop-rock, it’s the beatles and toad the wet sprocket for me. While a lot of my favorite artists already have the critical praise, or indie-praise, I’ve been convincing all sorts of indie kids for years about Toad…they definitely have no respect even though they are such great-songwriters, but most people seem to come around to them when they actually start to listen to more than “good intentions” and get into windmills, or all in all, or all right, or corporal brown, etc.
For all you fans paying attention and who might stumble upon this page like I did – here’s some good news. Toad The Wet Sprocket will be doing two shows in Florida in January 2008. The first on Thursday 1/17/08 in St Petersburg then the next night at The House of Blues in Orlando. Tickets are real cheap at only $22/GA for both shows. After these two engagements the band is sailing on Rock The Boat with a lot of other bands. I plan to do both shows in Florida and would go on the cruise if it wasn’t already sold out! Hope others get a chance to see this b4 the shows….
I’m going to the Orlando show as well on January 18. Toad is a great band. I’ve followed the LapDog stuff and of course Glenn’s solo ventures. I, unlike a lot of people here, love the Mr. Lemons disc. “Thank you” is beautiful and “Waiting” is just a solid track altogehter. “I want a new drug” is an odd choice of cover but I still proudly listen with the windows down, shades on, and daughters screaming from the back seat of my fly mini-van.