Toad the Wet Sprocket to play in O.C. on Aug. 30

Toad the Wet Sprocket will perform at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday night, Aug. 30.

As the lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket, singer-songwriter Glen Phillips was instrumental in the success of one of the best alternative rock bands of the 1990s.
The Santa Barbara-based quartet – famously named after a Monty Python comedy sketch – released a string of outstanding albums last decade, including "Pale" (1990), "Fear" (1991), ""Dulcinea" (1994) and "Coil" (1997).

Although Toad the Wet Sprocket officially disbanded in July 1998, just over a decade later fans of the legendary outfit have a chance to see the melodic rock outfit when they perform a rare show at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday night, Aug. 30.

"I think we finally found the balance that makes it work for us. I don't think we could do another album; there is a certain kind of electricity that you want in a band … the reason we broke up was because we didn't have that anymore," said Phillips in an Aug. 14 phone interview from his home in Santa Barbara, where he lives with his wife and three daughters. Toad the Wet Sprocket was formed in 1986 by four students at San Marcos High School and still features an all-original lineup including Phillips, lead guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning and drummer Randy Guss.
The band's best-known hits include "Whatever I Fear," "All I Want," "Something's Always Wrong," "Walk on the Ocean" and "Fall Down."
Toad the Wet Sprocket may only play a handful of dates every year or two, but Phillips and the other members of the outfit remain busy.

"I think we're all pretty happy creatively with what we're doing these days," Phillips explained.
"The years have gone by; Dean has started doing compositions and voice acting, Todd is producing and recording bands in his studio, and Randy has been playing with a number of people, so everybody has really moved on."
Phillips has released a number of excellent albums in the '00s, including "Winter Pays for Summer" (2005) and "Mr. Lemons" (2006). His most recent release is "Secrets of the New Explorers," an excellent six-song concept album he released earlier this year.
"It was a pretty quick thing. I had planned to do an EP (Usually 4-6 songs) with my friend John Askew and I thought I'd have a whole bunch of songs ready and when he showed up I had nothing. And we decided 'Let's do a concept album' and I said 'What are you reading about?' and he said 'Privatized space travel' and we had both just read the same article about Robert Bigelow and the X Prize."
Phillips and Askew approached the project with the aim of completing the songs and recordings with a rocketlike speed in tune with the cosmic-minded theme of the project
"We had five days (to complete the project) and I think the first day was a complete waste because we didn't know what we were doing and then we started three of the songs," Phillips recalled.
"Three of the songs (were done) with John and three were done by myself. And I kind of finished it up and mixed it by myself. It was a really fun project. In general, I like to make records quickly."

The variety of projects revolving in his sonic universe definitely keeps things interesting for Phillips.
"I think there was a period for me mentally when I was always comparing it (Toad the Wet Sprocket) with my solo career," Phillips admitted.
"I finally realized I'm not in a rock band anymore. And this audience, they all were in college or high school when they heard these songs. It's about memories for them. (Today) I'm doing folk music – if I'm doing electronica or whatever else – but I like playing for a more engaged, adult audience. I don't feel the need to communicate through these rock 'n' roll gestures. So I finally got to really enjoy it (playing with Toad). I get to go out, play electric guitar, sing a little harder and move around a little more and it's a great night. Then I really feel really good about going back to my own stuff where the audience is listening to every word.
"But it's great to get to go back and play these songs we wrote and visit it (the past), but know I don't have to live there and it doesn't have anything to do with what I'm doing now."

For more information on "Secrets of the New Explorers," visit www.GlenPhillips.com.