I write this while rockin’ out to Hell Below/Stars Above, at first impression, just the Toadies’ sophomore album but, after becoming better acquainted with their history, you’ll find is a heart-breaking tale of corruption, greed, and a betrayal most foul.
Maybe that’s a little dramatic, but if the Toadies are anything, they’re certainly that... oh, and creepy. Almost socially acceptably creepy. Consider “Jigsaw Girl” (honestly playing at this moment), track nine from the album, which chronicles the adventure of a gentleman who has turned his lady into a human puzzle. And though you may feel something like guilt, their backwoodsy brand of rock makes it worth laughing about.
Hell Below was actually not written as their second album. The tracks meant to be, after a long struggle with Interscope Records, were finally released as Feeler in August of 2010, 15 years after they’d intended. Rubberneck, their debut album, contains their most well-known tracks and celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2014 with a special re-release on 120 gram vinyl containing five previously unreleased tracks, a supporting tour for which they performed the entire album from start to finish, and their own beer, Rubberneck Red. Every summer they host a carefully curated 2-day festival called Dia De Los Toadies. The location seems to change every few years, but you can always count on hearing the best music Texas has to offer while reclining in a tube on the river, enjoying a cold beer.
The members of Toadies are all passionate about music and are associated with other creative endeavors. Vaden Todd Lewis (vocals/guitar) also played with Dallas-based Burden Brothers. Drummer Mark “Rez” Reznicek has released a four-part comic series, Buzzkill, about a superhero who has to overcome addiction. Doni Blair, bassist, was in Hagfish and Mag Seven prior to joining Toadies and is an instructor for School of Rock in Lubbock. Clark Vogeler, guitarist, won an Emmy for his editing contributions on Project Runway and the documentary, Bombay Beach, which he also worked on, was named the Best Documentary at the 10th annual Tribeca Film Festival.
Every Toadies performance is better than the last and they continue to surprise audiences with unexpected covers and maybe even some gymnastics. I’ve heard them turn “Heart of Glass” by Blondie into a morose ballad; amplify the energy in “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads; and give The Cure’s “A Forest” a savage edge. It has become a tradition to invite all the drummers back onstage for a dramatic performance of “I Burn,” which always has every lighter in the venue raised in solidarity and whatever primal urges the penetrating bass rhythm reawakens.
While they try new styles and subject matter, even occasionally waxing philosophical (give “We Burned the City Down” a spin), they remain true to their growling, swamp-thing sound and make me proud to “come from the water”.
Weezer
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