4. February 2014
The Toadies 20 Years of Rubberneck
By Walter Price
Has it really been 20 years since the release of one of the most darkly intriguing and largely unknown outside of the US albums by Texas deep chorded rockers The Toadies…
Rubberneck has an almost rare distinction of being an album by a band that have rock n’ roll sounds like you haven’t really heard before. Low slung guitar work and lyrical directives that playfully entice you to be afraid of the dark.
I don’t seem to remember a road trip or one of those many long nights of drink that was complete back in the mid-90’s that this album didn’t play on constant repeat. It was part of the soundtrack of my transitional days from ‘semi adult’ to ‘I really should grow up now’. An album that taunted me to not give a shit and just rock.
And who doesn’t truly enjoy rocking out and not giving a shit from time to time…Are you with me?!
In the grand tradition of vocalists and guitarist working in unison to create unforgettable sounds that will forever be embedded in listener’s minds. Allowing them to conjure up the places, sweet and dirty smells, relationships and the general state their crappy lives may have been in with the sound of a single word and/or chord. Todd Lewis and Darrell Herbert couldn’t have aligned the stars better when making the timeless masterworks on Rubberneck. With Lisa Umbarger (bass) and Mark Reznicek (drums) pounding the cinematic nature of the tracks home.
I will and have said this before. Whatever happened in Todd Lewis’ life as a boy we should all be perversely thankful for. Thankful that he (and band) had the ability to get good portions of it out in the open on this album.
Make up your mind
Decide to walk with me
Around the lake tonight
Around the lake tonight
By my side
By my side
I’m not gonna lie
I’ll not be a gentleman
Behind the boathouse
I’ll show you my dark secret
The Toadies have announced that they will be reissuing this 11 track gem (with bonus tracks, that would make more than 11 this time round) on 01 April and a subsequent nationwide tour with Supersuckers. I wouldn’t consider any of this news as a nostalgia bit but as a brand new chance for the world to discover an album they should have had in their sacred collection this entire time. Or perhaps for the new generation of rockers to finally find the album that could change their perspective on what is being offered up as rock n’ roll by their local corporate radio stations these days…And it is always fun to not have a care in the world and just rock out!
- 3/19/14 Crescent Ballroom – Phoenix, AZ
- 3/20/14 Belly Up – Solana Beach, CA
- 3/21/14 Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA
- 3/22/14 House Of Blues – Anaheim, CA
- 3/23/14 The Independent – San Francisco, CA
- 3/25/14 Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
- 3/26/14 El Corazon – Seattle, WA
- 3/28/14 Park City Live – Park City, UT
- 3/29/14 Gothic Theater – Denver, CO
- 4/9/14 Cain’s Ballroom – Tulsa, OK
- 4/10/14 The Pageant – St Louis, MO
- 4/11/14 First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN
- 4/12/14 Metro – Chicago, IL
- 4/13/14 Turner Hall – Milwaukee, WI
- 4/15/14 Mercury Ballrom – Louisville KY
- 4/16/14 Vogue – Indianapolis, IN
- 4/17/14 Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH
- 4/18/14 Magic Stick – Detroit, MI
- 4/19/14 Grog Shop – Cleveland, OH
- 4/21/14 Altar Bar – Pittsburgh , PA
- 4/23/14 Royale – Boston, MA
- 4/24/14 Irving Plaza – New York, NY
- 4/25/14 Stone Pony – Asbury Park, NJ
- 4/26/14 Theater of Living Arts – Philadelphia PA
- 4/27/14 Black Cat – Washington DC
- 5/7/14 Brewster St. Ice House – Corpus Christi, TX
- 5/8/14 Josabi’s – San Antonio, TX
- 5/9/14 House of Blues – Houston, TX
- 5/11/14 Tipitina’s – New Orleans, LA
- 5/13/14 Exit Inn – Nashville, TN
- 5/14/14 Masquerade – Atlanta, GA
- 5/15/14 The Ritz Ybor – Tampa, FL
- 5/16/14 Culture Room – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
- 5/17 /14 House Of Blues – Orlando, FL
- 6/14/14 Stubbs – Austin, TX