WITH FOLKY ALTERNA-ROCK hits like "All I Want," "Walk on the Ocean" and "Fall Down," Toad the Wet Sprocket created music challenging enough for post-grunge teens, yet subtle enough for some parents to enjoy. Despite the band's mid-1990s success, the members had gone their separate ways by the end of the decade, with frontman Glen Phillips embarking on a solo career. As he comes to town this weekend as part of Park Tavern's Unplugged in the Park series, he takes a moment to talk about Toad, musical experimentation and space travel.
Your latest EP, "Secrets of the New Explorers," has been compared more to rock luminaries like David Bowie and Peter Gabriel than Toad. That must be quite flattering.
The era of records that really got me excited about putting sounds down and exploring them was albums like "So" by Peter Gabriel. The old Talk Talk records —- people think of Talk Talk and maybe they get as far as "It's My Life" —- but their last three records were these bizarre masterpieces that had nothing to do with pop music and were just insanely intricate, beautiful sound sculptures. There was just a lot of really creative album making happening in the '80s that wasn't at the commercial forefront.
Was there a particular reason you felt compelled to explore the subject of space travel on your latest EP?
My friend John Askew and I decided we were going to spend a week recording together. We started in just recording tracks and when it came time for lyrics, I asked him what he'd been reading about and he said privatized space travel. I had just read this article on these inflatable space stations that was a discontinued project for NASA. ... These characters started popping into my head, so there's a little bit of science in it but there's a surprising amount of sex. People are trying to get in bed with somebody, but they're taking them into orbit instead of taking them to a fancy club. What woman could possibly resist that?
You're playing an unplugged show in Atlanta. Will this be solo or do you have other performers with you?
I'm just going to be solo acoustic. Although the last album is very produced and space oriented, I like to write songs that are portable and aren't going to lose their meaning when you take away their production.
Toad has regrouped a few times over the past few years. Do you ever see that becoming a full-time reunion?
We ... do about a dozen shows [a year] and that kind of keeps it fun. Obviously the band didn't end on a great note because you never end on a great note. But we've had enough years to grow up and get some distance that if we go back and play a dozen shows with no pressure to it, we all have a good time and none of us feel trapped by it.
> THE 411: Unplugged in the Park with Glen Phillips, Rebeca Loebe and Gareth Asher. Free. 7 p.m. July 13. Park Tavern, 500 10th St. N.E., Midtown. 404-249-0001, www.glenphillips.com, www.parktavern.com.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
