Twin/Tone Records

Toadstool

Toadstool formed in Minneapolis in 1988 around the nucleus of bassist John Joyce and guitarist Brad White. John has been in a few bands, most notably the Magnolias (he plays on their debut Twin/Tone album Concrete Pillbox), while this is Brad's first outfit (at least the first one that got out of the rehearsal room). After going through four drummers in the first year and a half of existence, the two decided to move to Brad's hometown of Boston to plunder that percussionist pool. There they found Scott Sherman, former drummer with the Flies (now the Titanics) and Nova Mob.

In December 1989 the band returned to their Minneapolis roost, and recorded an album at Paisley Park Studios with Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner producing. The result is the twelve song record you're holding in your hand. Pirner has made producing forays before (Playhouse, The Coup de Grace), but this is his first full length project. (He also contributes some back-up vocals, and some horn and piano playing.)

Toadstood's sound could be roughly categorized under "garage rock," but that would be doing the band a great disservice. They inject many musical elements not normally found in that limited genre -- such as jazz rhythms and song structures, funky bass, and folky vocals -- to form that Toadstool sound, which is at once familiar and insidiously unique. Both Brad and John write songs and sing them, and their interplay creates a balance between delicacy and a big fist heading straight between the eyes. The band has already completed a very funny video for "Suck Rug," directed by video whiz (Soul Asylum's "Artificial Heart") and ferret comic mastermind Dave Roth.

Look for them to come to your town sometime in the fall!!!

- Twin/Tone 1990 “Hype” sheet for The Sun Highway