Editing Toad the Wet Sprocket

{{short description|American alternative rock band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2016}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name                = Toad the Wet Sprocket
| background          = group_or_band
| image               = Toad the Wet Sprocket 2014.jpg
| caption             = Toad the Wet Sprocket in 2014
| origin              = [[Santa Barbara, California]], US
| genre               = {{flatlist|
* [[Alternative rock]]
* [[folk rock]]
* [[pop rock]]
* [[jangle pop]] (early)
}}
| years_active        = {{hlist|1986–1998|2002|2006–2007|2010–present}}
| label               = {{flatlist|
* [[Columbia Records|Columbia]]
* Abe's Records
}}
| website             = {{URL|toadthewetsprocket.com}}
| current_members     = [[Glen Phillips (singer)|Glen Phillips]]<br>Todd Nichols<br>Dean Dinning<br>Carl Thomson
| past_members        = [[Randy Guss]]<br>Josh Daubin
}}
'''Toad the Wet Sprocket''' is an American [[alternative rock]] band formed in [[Santa Barbara, California]], in 1986. The band at the time consisted of vocalist/guitarist [[Glen Phillips (singer)|Glen Phillips]], guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer [[Randy Guss]], who stopped touring in 2017 and left the band in 2020. Guss was replaced by drummer Josh Daubin, who supported them as their drummer on tours from 2017 through 2022 and also played drums on their 2021 album "Starting Now". Most recently, Carl Thomson took Daubin's place and has been drumming for Toad the Wet Sprocket on tour since 2023. They had chart success in the 1990s with singles that included "[[Walk on the Ocean]]", "[[All I Want (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|All I Want]]", "[[Something's Always Wrong]]", "[[Fall Down (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|Fall Down]]", and "[[Good Intentions (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|Good Intentions]]". 

The band broke up in 1998 to pursue other projects; however, they began touring the [[United States]] again in 2006 for short-run tours each summer in small venues. In December 2010, the band announced their official reunion as a full-time working band; they also started writing songs for their first studio album of new material since their 1997 [[Columbia Records]] release, ''[[Coil (album)|Coil]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fuoco-Karasinski |first=Christina |date=April 12, 2011 |title=Q&A: Dean Dinning of Toad the Wet Sprocket |work=SoundSpike |publisher=SoundSpike Media, LLC |url=http://www.soundspike.com/features/tour/1933-toad-the-wet-sprocket-tour-soundspike-interview-dean-dinning-of-toad-the-wet-sprocket/ |url-status=dead |access-date=August 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173707/http://www.soundspike.com/features/tour/1933-toad-the-wet-sprocket-tour-soundspike-interview-dean-dinning-of-toad-the-wet-sprocket/ |archive-date=July 27, 2011}}</ref> Their most recent full-length album, ''[[Starting Now (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|Starting Now]]'', was released on August 27, 2021.

== History ==
=== Name origin ===
Toad the Wet Sprocket takes its name from a [[Monty Python]] comedy sketch called "[[Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album|Rock Notes]]",<ref name="frightanic">{{Cite web |title=Toad The Wet Sprocket |url=http://www.frightanic.com/goodies_content/toadthewetsprocket/facts.html |access-date=August 14, 2015 |publisher=Frightanic.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=How Toad the Wet Sprocket got their name |url=http://www.savedbyzero.org/how_toad_the_wet_sprocket_got_their_name/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225155913/http://www.savedbyzero.org/how_toad_the_wet_sprocket_got_their_name/ |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2006}}</ref> in which a journalist delivers a nonsensical music news report: {{quote | Rex Stardust, lead electric [[Triangle (musical instrument)|triangle]] with Toad the Wet Sprocket, has had to have an elbow removed following their recent successful worldwide tour of [[Finland]]. Flamboyant ambidextrous Rex apparently fell off the back of a [[motorcycle]]. "Fell off the back of a ''motorcyclist,'' most likely," quipped ace drummer Jumbo McClooney on hearing of the accident. Plans are already afoot for a major tour of [[Iceland]].<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmd10urFnho Rock Notes] · [[Monty Python]], ''[[Monty Python's Contractual Obligation Album]]'', ℗ 1980 [[Arista Records]] LLC, YouTube</ref>}}

There was also an extended skit about the fictional Toad the Wet Sprocket on one of Idle's later shows, ''[[Rutland Weekend Television]]'' (Season 1, Episode 4, "Rutland Weekend Whistle Test"). ''RWT'' musician and regular cast member [[Neil Innes]], ex-[[Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band]] and "[[The Seventh Python]]", played keyboards with the somnolent band.<ref name="Old Gay Whistle Test">{{Cite web |date=July 4, 2010 |title=4-1 Rutland Weekend Television |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_kv2aqVTyA |access-date=August 14, 2015 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

As their first gig approached, the band still had not chosen a name. The members facetiously adopted "Toad the Wet Sprocket" because they thought it would be "hilarious". Vocalist Glen Phillips later called it "a joke that went on too long" and, according to their website, "it was probably meant to be temporary at the time."<ref name=frightanic /><ref name="maui">{{Cite news |last=Yagi |first=Anu |date=May 5, 2011 |title=The Long and Winding Toad: The industry has changed a lot since Toad the Wet Sprocket last topped the charts—but it's still all about the music |work=Maui Vents |url=http://mauivents.com/featured/toad-the-wet-sprocket-jim-major-eric-gilliom-band-royal-lahaina-restort-groovetickets/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110828142528/http://mauivents.com/featured/toad-the-wet-sprocket-jim-major-eric-gilliom-band-royal-lahaina-restort-groovetickets/ |archive-date=August 28, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> The name had been used once before, by a short-lived British blues band of the late 1970s that had appeared on the 1980 ''[[Metal for Muthas]]'' compilation, although the earlier band had long since split up when Philips and company formed their band.

[[Eric Idle]], the sketch's original performer, reflected on the band's name in a 1999 performance: {{quote | I once wrote a sketch about rock musicians, and I was trying to think of a name that would be so silly nobody would ever use it, or dream it could ever be used. So I wrote the words "Toad the Wet Sprocket." And a few years later, I was driving along the freeway in LA, and a song came on the radio, and the DJ said, "that was by Toad the Wet Sprocket," and I nearly drove off the freeway.<ref name="idle sings">{{Cite web |date=November 10, 2014 |title=Eric Idle Sings Monty Python-Part 11 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR2i2krUkBc |access-date=August 14, 2015 |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>}}

=== Early career (1986–1990) ===
Toad the Wet Sprocket was formed in 1986, with the members having known one another from [[San Marcos High School, Santa Barbara, California|San Marcos High School]] just outside [[Santa Barbara, California]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wildsmith |first=Steve |title=Toad the Wet Sprocket: Older, wiser and still wearing their hearts on their sleeves |work=The Daily Times |publisher=Blount County Publishers LLC |location=Bounty County, Tennessee |url=http://www.thedailytimes.com/Weekend/story/Toad_the_Wet_Sprocket%3A_Older,_wiser_and_still_wearing_their_hearts_on_their_sleeves_id_009866}}</ref> Singer/songwriter and guitarist Glen Phillips was only 15,<ref>{{Citation |title=Toadfacts |url=http://www.houseoftoad.com/Coil/facts.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225143207/http://www.houseoftoad.com/Coil/facts.html |archive-date=February 25, 2008}}</ref> while guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss were 19. The band's first public appearance was at an open-mic talent contest in September 1986. The band did not win.

Toad the Wet Sprocket's first album was released in 1989. ''[[Bread & Circus]]'' was self-financed through their label, Abe's Records. The album spawned the singles "Way Away" and "One Little Girl", which made the ''[[Billboard magazine|Billboard]]'' [[Modern Rock Tracks chart]] but received little attention.

The follow-up to ''Bread & Circus'', ''[[Pale (album)|Pale]]'', was released in 1990, and saw Toad the Wet Sprocket's sound mature. During the recording of the album, the band signed to [[Columbia Records]] while declining the opportunity to re-record ''Pale'' but negotiating to have [[Columbia Records]] reissue ''Bread & Circus''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Official TTWS Website |url=http://www.toadthewetsprocket.com/}} See the Biography section.</ref> Featuring the singles "Jam" and the [[Modern rock|modern-rock]] chart hit "Come Back Down", the album was still not a success, but the singles received heavy airplay on [[Campus radio|college radio]] stations. The band's first music video (for "One Little Girl") was directed by [[Mark Miremont]] and aired on [[MTV]]'s ''[[120 Minutes]]''.

=== Commercial breakthrough (1991–1998) ===
Toad the Wet Sprocket finally achieved fame with their third album, 1991's ''[[Fear (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|fear]]''. The album's singles "[[All I Want (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|All I Want]]" and "[[Walk on the Ocean]]" reached the top 20 of the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]. The album became the band's first [[RIAA certification|RIAA-certified]] [[platinum album]].

In 1993, the [[Mike Myers (actor)|Mike Myers]] feature film ''[[So I Married an Axe Murderer]]'' included the song "Brother" on its soundtrack. "Brother" later appeared on the ''[[In Light Syrup]]'' compilation album, as well as the ''CD Extra'' compilation album included with [[IBM Aptiva]] PCs in 1996. The song was later included on the 2004 release of the live album ''Welcome Home: Live at the Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara 1992''.

In 1994, after years of heavy touring, Toad the Wet Sprocket released ''[[Dulcinea (album)|Dulcinea]]'', their follow-up to ''[[Fear (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|fear]]''. This album spawned the hit singles "[[Fall Down (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|Fall Down]]", which reached No.&nbsp;1 on the U.S. Modern Rock charts, as well as No.&nbsp;5 on the [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Mainstream Rock chart]], and "Something's Always Wrong", which also charted. Like ''fear'', this album was certified platinum by the [[RIAA]].

A 1995 compilation album of [[b-side]]s and rarities, ''[[In Light Syrup]],'' included the singles "[[Good Intentions (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|Good Intentions]]", which was featured on the soundtrack for the television show ''[[Friends]]'', as well as the aforementioned "Brother". The compilation was certified as a [[gold album]] in 2001.

The release of 1997's ''[[Coil (album)|Coil]]'' acted as the proper follow-up to 1994's ''Dulcinea''. Featuring a more electric, rock sound, it featured the modern-rock and mainstream rock hit "[[Come Down (Toad the Wet Sprocket song)|Come Down]]", as well as the singles "Crazy Life" (a previous recording of the song was featured on the soundtrack for the film ''[[Empire Records]]'') and "Whatever I Fear", which did not chart. The album, despite the success of "Come Down" as a single, failed to reach any sales benchmarks. This failure is often attributed to the label doing a poor job of promoting the album.{{Citation needed|date=May 2008}}

Toad the Wet Sprocket formally broke up in July 1998, citing creative differences.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Toad the Wet Sprocket Call It Quits |magazine=Rolling Stone |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/toad-the-wet-sprocket-call-it-quits-19980727 |access-date=2018-01-18}}</ref>

=== Post-breakup and reunions (1998–2008) ===
Toad the Wet Sprocket, though officially broken up since 1998, worked together off and on over the years. They performed on several occasions in 1999, although only short sets. Also in 1999, Phillips, Dinning, and Guss recorded two studio tracks for a compilation release, ''[[P.S. (A Toad Retrospective)]]'', including one of the first songs the band wrote together, "P.S." Nichols declined to participate in these sessions and was replaced by Lapdog guitarist Rob Taylor.

Toad the Wet Sprocket temporarily reunited in late 2002, playing a benefit for the Rape Crisis Center in Santa Barbara and opening a few shows for [[Counting Crows]]. The group then played a few months of full-length shows in early 2003. Although these gigs were seemingly successful,{{citation needed|date=February 2015}} at the end of the tour, the band decided to continue on their separate paths and careers. In 2004, the band released an album of a live show that had been taped in 1992. This album, ''Welcome Home: Live at The Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara 1992,'' showcased the height of their popularity during the tour for ''fear''.

Between 2004 and 2010, Toad the Wet Sprocket performed several short sets together. In the summer of 2006, the band reunited for a 34-date nationwide tour of the United States. During the summer of 2007, they played several shows with lead singer Glen Phillips serving as their opening act. On January 16, 2008, the band reunited once again to play two shows – one in [[St. Petersburg, Florida]], then the next night at the [[House of Blues]] [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]], prior to joining The Rock Boat VIII. On January 25, 2008, the band played a set at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in [[Ann Arbor, Michigan]]. On June 11–12, 2008, they played in [[Philadelphia]] and New Jersey at the [[Trocadero Theatre]] and [[Starland Ballroom]], respectively. On June 14, 2008, they played at the 27th annual Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival.<ref>[http://www.waterfrontfestival.org/index.html 27th Annual Alexandria Red Cross Waterfront Festival] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507093457/http://www.waterfrontfestival.org/index.html |date=May 7, 2009 }}. ''American Red Cross, Alexandria Chapter''.</ref> On June 15, 2008, the band performed at The Norva in [[Norfolk, Virginia]]. One of the show's highlights was the band performing Glen Phillip's solo hit "Everything But You".

On December 19, 2008, Toad the Wet Sprocket performed on ''[[The Adam Carolla Show (terrestrial radio)|The Adam Carolla Show]]'' at the Canyon Club in [[Agoura Hills, California]]. In May 2009, they played a four show mini-tour, including two nights at the intimate 400 seat venue [[The Ark (folk venue)|The Ark]] in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and also in an outdoor venue at Neptunes Park in [[Virginia Beach, Virginia]]. Continuing throughout the 2009 summer, the group played a second 12-stop mini tour, which started with a show at the House of Blues in [[Houston]]. During the show, the band noted that it had been some time since they had played a venue in Texas. However, noting the positive crowd response and energetic atmosphere, Philips stated that the group "would try to make it an annual stop" in the future.<ref>[http://www.myspace.com/toadthewetsprocket Toad the Wet Sprocket Official MySpace Page]. ''See Tour List.''</ref>

=== Full-time reunion, return to recording, ''New Constellation'', and ''Starting Now'' (2009–present) ===
In 2009, bassist Dean Dinning said Toad the Wet Sprocket was now something each member considered an active project; though they had not released a new studio album since 1997, and only did small summer tours, they no longer considered themselves "broken up". In May 2010, the band gathered at a California studio to begin re-recording some of their older hits for licensing reasons. Columbia Records owns the masters to the band's albums. Therefore, the band makes little money from them, so to be able to make a living off their own talent again, they made these re-recordings with the goal of having them used in film and TV.

On December 7, 2010, Toad the Wet Sprocket released their first new studio track in 11 years. The holiday track "It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas", a cover of a [[Sam Phillips (musician)|Sam Phillips]] original, was posted on their official site, available via [[Bandcamp]], for free download just in time for the holidays, along with a new message on their site: "We're that band that did 'Walk on the Ocean', 'All I Want', 'Something's Always Wrong', and "Fall Down'. The one with the weird name. We're back from a long slumber and look forward to saying hello some time. Keep in touch…" The band had recently signed a deal with Primary Wave to handle their back catalog and any future releases, and on December 11, 2010, the band mentioned, both on stage and in an offstage [[YouTube]] interview, that they are currently writing songs for their first new studio album since 1997's ''Coil''. In addition, they began playing two new songs, "Friendly Fire" and "The Moment", which were being worked on for the new album.

On April 12, 2011, Toad the Wet Sprocket released a new greatest hits album titled ''All You Want'' in digital and disc form via their official website. The 11-track CD includes brand new studio versions of their hits. The band does not have access to some of the versions they did for Columbia Records in the '90s. However, they did regain full control of the songs from their first two albums, and they planned to re-release them in remastered form on their own label, Abe's Records, following the release of their upcoming studio album.
[[File:Kickstarter Show Pass.jpg|thumb|Access pass to the August 2013 Troubadour New Constellation kickoff show, signed by the band members.]]
On March 22, 2013, it was announced via Toad the Wet Sprocket's [[Facebook]] page that recording of the new album had been completed. The album was produced and mixed by [[Mikal Blue]] at Revolver Studios in [[Thousand Oaks, California]]. On June 5, 2013, the band announced the first new single in 16 years on ''Rolling Stone'''s website titled "New Constellation". An [[New Constellation|album of the same name]] was released on the band's own Abe's Records on October 15, 2013.<ref name="9-19-2013RollingStone">{{Cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=June 5, 2013 |title=Toad the Wet Sprocket Find a 'New Constellation' – Song Premiere |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/toad-the-wet-sprocket-find-a-new-constellation-song-premiere-20130605 |access-date=September 19, 2013 |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> The band marketed the new album via the [[crowdsourcing]] website [[Kickstarter]].<ref name="billboardkickstarter">{{Cite web |title=Toad the Wet Sprocket Caught Off Guard By Fan Support for New Album |date=June 19, 2013 |url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1567367/toad-the-wet-sprocket-caught-off-guard-by-fan-support-for-new-album |access-date=August 14, 2015 |publisher=Billboard}}</ref> The band initially set a fundraising goal of $50,000, expecting it to take about two months to raise that amount. Instead, fans contributed more than $50,000 in less than 20 hours.<ref name="billboardkickstarter" /> When the Kickstarter campaign finally came to a close, they had raised a total of $264,762.<ref name="totalKickstarter">{{Cite web |title=New Studio Album from Toad the Wet Sprocket! by Toad The Wet Sprocket — Kickstarter |url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/toadthewetsprocket/new-studio-album-from-toad-the-wet-sprocket |access-date=August 14, 2015 |publisher=Kickstarter.com}}</ref> The band kicked off their new album with a release party for Kickstarter supporters at [https://www.thepalm.com/location/the-palm-beverly-hills/ The Palm] restaurant in Los Angeles, California, on August 23, 2013, followed immediately by a live performance at the nearby [[Troubadour (West Hollywood, California)|Troubadour]] music venue.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Studio Album from Toad the Wet Sprocket! |url=https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/toadthewetsprocket/new-studio-album-from-toad-the-wet-sprocket |access-date=2021-03-20 |website=Kickstarter |language=en}}</ref>
[[File:Toad-Tonic-Smash Mouth Pass.jpg|thumb|VIP access pass to the 2015 Toad, Tonic, & Smash Mouth concert series, signed by Toad's band members.]]
In 2014, Toad the Wet Sprocket resumed touring and opened a number of shows for [[Counting Crows]]. They showcased some of the new material from ''New Constellation'', the Kickstarter-funded album, including "California Wasted" and the album's title track while playing a number of their earlier hits. During summer 2015, the band went on tour with fellow '90s acts [[Smash Mouth]] and [[Tonic (band)|Tonic]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 16, 2015 |title=Smash Mouth, Toad the Wet Sprocket and Tonic announce summer tour |work=AXS |url=http://www.axs.com/smash-mouth-toad-the-wet-sprocket-and-tonic-announce-summer-tour-49123 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> The band released an [[Extended play|EP]] called ''[[Architect of the Ruin (EP)|Architect of the Ruin]]'' on June 16, 2015.

In 2018, Toad the Wet Sprocket announced that they had reissued their albums ''fear'' and ''Dulcinea'' on a deluxe remastered vinyl LP available through their online store.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-07-16 |title=Toad the Wet Sprocket announce vinyl reissues |url=https://themusicuniverse.com/toad-the-wet-sprocket-announce-vinyl-reissues/ |access-date=2019-03-15 |website=The Music Universe |language=en-US}}</ref> The same year, they also released a limited deluxe 5-LP box set of colored vinyl for their albums ''fear'', ''Dulcinea'' and ''Acoustic Dance Party''.<ref>{{Citation |title=RSDBF '18 Special Release: Toad The Wet Sprocket – Toad The Wet Sprocket Box Set |url=http://recordstoreday.com/SpecialRelease/10509 |access-date=2019-03-15}}</ref>

In a January 2020 interview with ChicagoNow, Glen Phillips stated that "Toad has started recording again." In addition, he confirmed the band's first official lineup change, and that drummer Guss had left the band on good terms. Previous occasional touring member Josh Daubin replaced Guss.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket Explains Just What Happened in Schaumburg (Concert Preview: January 16, 2020 with Chris Barron at City Winery) |url=http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-at-night/2020/01/interview-glen-phillips-toad-the-wet-sprocket-concert-preview-city-winery-chicago-with-chris-barron-of-spin-doctors-6681/}}</ref>

On September 25, 2020, they released a new song titled "Starting Now", followed by another new song "Old Habits Die Hard" on October&nbsp;23, from their album, ''[[Starting Now (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|Starting Now]]'', released on August&nbsp;27, 2021.<ref name="IconVsIcon20210827">{{Cite web |last=Price |first=Jason |date=August 27, 2021 |title=Toad the Wet Sprocket releases new starting now studio album |url=https://www.iconvsicon.com/2021/08/27/toad-the-wet-sprocket-releases-new-starting-now-studio-album/ |access-date=September 5, 2021 |website=[[Icon Vs. Icon]]}}</ref>

==Musical style==
Toad the Wet Sprocket have been most consistently labelled as [[alternative rock]],<ref name="allmusic">{{Cite web |last=Ankeny |first=Jason |title=Toad the Sprocket – Biography |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/toad-the-wet-sprocket-mn0000610339/biography |access-date=2021-12-30 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=2013-06-05 |title=Song Premiere: Toad the Wet Sprocket Find a 'New Constellation' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/toad-the-wet-sprocket-find-a-new-constellation-song-premiere-92236/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |access-date=2021-06-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |date=1997-05-24 |title=Review & Previews |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fA8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=toad+the+wet+sprocket+&pg=PA53 |magazine=Billboard |page=53}}</ref> but their music has also been described as [[folk rock]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levith |first=Will |title=Toad The Wet Sprocket's Favorite Curse Word Is 'Blast!' – Which Is Why We Love Them |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/2699403/toad-the-wet-sprockets-favorite-curse-word-blast/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514030145/http://www.mtv.com/news/2699403/toad-the-wet-sprockets-favorite-curse-word-blast/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 14, 2016 |access-date=2021-06-14 |website=MTV News |language=en}}</ref> [[pop rock]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Metivier |first=Michael |date=May 25, 2005 |title=Glen Phillips: Winter Pays for Summer, PopMatters |url=https://www.popmatters.com/phillipsglen-winter-2496038243.html |access-date=2021-06-14 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US}}</ref> [[jangle pop]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=MTV News Staff |title=Toad The Wet Sprocket Falls Down, Breaks-Up |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1434897/toad-the-wet-sprocket-falls-down-breaks-up/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624195146/http://www.mtv.com/news/1434897/toad-the-wet-sprocket-falls-down-breaks-up/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |access-date=2021-06-14 |website=MTV News |language=en}}</ref> and [[folk-pop]].<ref name="allmusic" /> 

AllMusic writer Kelly McCarteny described Toad's early music as having a "jangle pop, garage band sound", and noted that their album ''[[Fear (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|Fear]]'' was a shift to "smart and catchy pop/rock songs".<ref name="AllMusic">{{Cite web |last=McCarteny |first=Kelly |title=Fear – Album Review |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/fear-mw0000268891 |access-date=2021-12-27 |website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref>

== Associated acts ==

=== Glen Phillips' solo career ===

Immediately after the band's breakup in 1998, Phillips began his solo career, releasing five solo studio albums: ''[[Abulum]]'' (2000), ''[[Winter Pays For Summer]]'' (2005), and ''[[Mr. Lemons]]'' (2006), ''[[Coyote Sessions]]'' (2012), and ''[[Swallowed by the New]]'' (2016), along with two live albums, ''Live At Largo'' (2003), and ''[[Live at the Belly Up (Glen Phillips album)|Live at the Belly Up]]'' (2016).

=== Lapdog ===

In the late 1990s, Nichols and Dinning formed a new band called [[Lapdog (band)|Lapdog]]. They recorded and released the studio album ''Near Tonight'' (2001), and toured minimally. After this, Dinning quit the band to split his time between recording and producing local music and pursuing his acting career. Guss joined Lapdog as their drummer. Again, Lapdog recorded and released an album, called ''Mayfly'' (2002). Nichols has since ended Lapdog and is focusing on writing songs along with Dinning in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] for country acts, and producing bands at his studio, Abe's, in Los Angeles. A Lapdog song, "See You Again", appears in revamped/revised form on Toad the Wet Sprocket's ''New Constellation'' album under the title "I'll Bet On You".

==Band members==
'''Current members'''
* Dean Dinning – bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards, rhythm guitar (1986–present)
* Todd Nichols – lead guitar, backing vocals, mandolin (1986–present)
* [[Glen Phillips (singer)|Glen Phillips]] – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin, keyboards (1986–present)
* Josh Daubin – drums, percussion, backing vocals (touring substitute 2017–2020; 2020–present)

'''Former members'''
* [[Randy Guss]] – drums, backing vocals (1986–2020)

'''Touring members'''
* Bruce Winter – keyboards, backing vocals (1992)
* [[Jonathan Kingham]] – keyboards, backing vocals, rhythm guitar, mandolin, lap steel guitar (2011–present)
* Jon Sosin – keyboards, lap steel, mandolin (2023–present)
* Carl Thompson – drums, percussion (2023–present)<ref>{{cite tweet |access-date=2 August 2023 |url-access=limited |title=Register |number=1664100881661415424 |user=ToadWetSprocket |url=https://twitter.com/ToadWetSprocket/status/1664100881661415424}}</ref>

'''Session substitutes'''
* Rob Taylor – lead guitar on "Eyes Open Wide" from ''[[P.S. (A Toad Retrospective)]]'' (1999)

==Discography==
{{Main|Toad the Wet Sprocket discography}}
* ''[[Bread & Circus]]'' (1989)
* ''[[Pale (album)|Pale]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Fear (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|Fear]]'' (1991)
* ''[[Dulcinea (album)|Dulcinea]]'' (1994)
* ''[[Coil (album)|Coil]]'' (1997)
* ''[[New Constellation]]'' (2013)
* ''[[Starting Now (Toad the Wet Sprocket album)|Starting Now]]'' (2021)

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website}}
* {{Internet Archive music|id=ToadTheWetSprocket}}

{{Toad the Wet Sprocket|state=expanded}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:1986 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Alternative rock groups from California]]
[[Category:Columbia Records artists]]
[[Category:Culture of Santa Barbara, California]]
[[Category:Folk rock groups from California]]
[[Category:American jangle pop groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1986]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2010]]
[[Category:Musical quartets from California]]
[[Category:Monty Python references]]