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Modern Rock Live
Interview with Toad the Wet Sprocket

MAY 17, 1994

HOST: Live from New York City this is Modern Rock Live, the nation's only
alternative music call-in show that gives you the chance to interview modern
rock's biggest stars. Tonight I'm pleased to present Toad the Wet Sprocket.
They'll be previewing some of the tunes from their brand new Columbia
release. If you have any questions for these guys call us toll-free at
1-800-223-ROCK.

Here is a little information for all you struggling musicians regarding
Toad the Wet Sprocket. Their first album was recorded in the living room
for a mere $650. They are named, of course, after a Monty Python sketch.
They were signed to Columbia Records while they were still teenagers. And
after nine years they have developed an accomplished voice in modern rock.
Welcome guys to the show.

We welcome Dean, Randy, Todd and Glen of Toad the Wet Sprocket.
Congratulations on the new record. It sounds great.

GUEST: Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

HOST: How long did it take you to put the record together?

GUEST: It was about 3 months total. Just recording and mixing. It had a
long gestation period. We'd been on the road for about 2 years. We decided
we needed to get home and learn to cook food and that kind of thing, again.
It took a while to get to write again.

HOST: You're in the studio for 3 months recording. You rehearse. Next
thing you know you're at the 'HFS Festival in front of 60,000 people
performing all this new music live.

GUEST: Completely unrehearsed!

HOST: Tell us about that. What kind of vibe was in the stadium?

GUEST: It was a little scary. We played 3 times in the last year. We took
a lot of time off. We hadn't played in a while, our crew didn't know what
was going on, no sound check. It was wonderfully nervous. And we were also
sandwiched between Violent Femmes and Rollins, so there was a festival vibe.
But it was okay. It was fun.

HOST: Going into the studio with this new record. Was there a lot of
pressure in trying to make a top 40 hit?

GUEST: They left us alone. "All I Want" was recognized across the board as
kind of a weird fluke. The album had been out for 9 months before it came
out. The A&R involvement on the last album was basically they came in, said
it sounded great and left. I think they somehow figure that things work out
if we're left to our own devices. That's just how we did it from the
beginning.

HOST: Left to your own devices we're going to listen to the first track off
your brand new CD. This is called "Fall Down" on Modern Rock Live.

PLAY SONG

HOST: Toad the Wet Sprocket on Modern Rock Live. And they brought their
instruments in as well. We'll be listening to them play live.

We're going to go the phones now and talk to Karen from The Point in St.
Louis. Hi, Karen.

CALLER: Hello, Toad. I just wanted to say that I've been a big fan of yours
since "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean." And the videos to those are
really good. I wanted to say thank you for being such a great inspiration to
me, you've really turned me around in a lot of things. I wanted to know how
you guys first met?

GUEST: Todd and Randy were school buddies from the first grade. They met
Dean in Junior High and I met up with them in High School when I was a
freshman. We did theatre and choir together. That's how we all hooked up.

HOST: Let's go to Cicero, Illinois and speak to Kelly.

CALLER: Hi. I just wanted to know if there are any stylistic changes in the
new release? Are you going for a new sound?

GUEST: It's all going to be Polka music. We're going to be adding the
accordion at my father's request. No, honestly. It's more of the same, but
it's not more of the same. Hopefully it sounds a bit more live and less then
a studio job.

HOST: Let's go to Zanesville, Ohio and speak to Todd. Hi, Todd. You're on
Modern Rock Live.

GUEST: Hi, guys. When you're out on tour what's your favorite band to tour
with?

GUEST: It's fun to bring out bands that people don't really know very well,
yet. The B-52's did that for us on our very first album. It was great to
get a break like that.

HOST: Hey, since you guys brought your instruments in, would you do a couple
of songs for us?

GUEST: Hey, nobody told us we'd have to play!

HOST: It's Toad the Wet Sprocket live on Modern Rock Live.

PLAY SONGS LIVE IN STUDIO

HOST: Live on Modern Rock Live that's Toad the Wet Sprocket. What was the
name of that song?

GUEST: "Wood Burning."

HOST: And you want to do another one for us? How about "Crowing."

GUEST: Okay. We'll play "Crowing" at your request.

PLAY SONG LIVE

HOST: That's Toad the Wet Sprocket playing live in our studios on Modern
Rock Live.

Next week we'll visit with Sonic Youth and hear all about their brand new
CD, "Experimental Jet Set Trash." Wait, there's more folks. "Lush" will
grace our presence and they'll preview tracks from "Split" which will not be
released until the end of June. That will be a great show.

Let's take some phone calls. And we talk to Erica listening to us on The
Edge in Minneapolis. Hello, Erica.

CALLER: I was wondering how you derived the lyrics to your songs?

GUEST: Monty Python! I don't know. They're things I just work out.
Whenever I read my lyrics without music I tend to have problems with them.
Music comes up and then the lyrics. A couple of words appear and I write
around those.

HOST: Do you all have different opinions about what a song is about?

GUEST: Sometimes. I like to deal less with a situation and more with a
mood. The emotions last.

HOST: Let's talk to Clay in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Hi, Clay.

CALLER: I really like you guys a lot. You came down here to Virginia Beach
and put on one helluva show. How do you think you're new album is going to
do? I think it's going to do real good!

GUEST: One never knows. I figured that out after I heard Sam Phillips'
"Cruel Invention," one of the best albums ever made and no one heard it. Who
knows? It's kind of a big crap shoot. We'll just have to wait and see.


HOST: We go to Easton, Maryland and Scott. Scott, you're on the air.

CALLER: I saw you guys at the festival. You were fantastic.

GUEST: You went to the show.

CALLER: Yeah. Don't worry about the Rollins Band. Do you guys prefer
playing the smaller venues compared to the larger shows? And how do you
adapt your music for the different audiences?

GUEST: It doesn't change that much. As long as people are standing I think
we're very comfortable. It's when you get into a theatre and there's no
standing room. You're 20 or 30 feet away from the nearest person and that
can be a little odd. As long as we're being ourselves on stage things tend
to work. It's best when it's our crowd. It's weird going to a festival
cause we're more of a sit down and listen band then kind of a jumping around
band.

HOST: Well, everyone at home sit down and listen. Toad the Wet Sprocket is
going to perform another song for us. Live, exclusively here on Modern Rock
Live.

PLAY SONG LIVE

HOST: Toad the Wet Sprocket performing live in our studios exclusively on
Modern Rock Live. We got some busy phones. Let's talk to Karen in Medford,
New Jersey. Hi, Karen.

CALLER: Hello. What is your personal favorite song out of all your songs?

GUEST: I would say the "Reincarnation" song or "Inside." But I don't think
you've heard either of them.

HOST: What's your favorite song, Karen?

CALLER: My favorite song is "Covered in Roses."

HOST: Thanks, Karen. Thanks guys for coming in. You hit the road on the
14th of June.

GUEST: Yeah. We start in New Orleans.

HOST: So, we'll see you all summer long.

GUEST: I guess so.

HOST: Well, good luck with everything. And again, congratulations on the
new record.