Great Article...

for me it goes further than that and when it gets inside you, songs, albums, and artists become a part of your life because they're a part of your memories.

Being a MetalHead,for me, was more about finding music that had passion & musicianship and in the late 80's there were plenty of underground Metal bands producing far more passionate & meaningful albums than what was on the radio. Dream Theater Images & Words got me through some horrible times.

That said, Toad.. was one of those bands that had a unique sound & passion for their brand of rock. Fear was also the beginning for me with the songs "Pray Your Gods" & "Stories I Tell" , the latter being just as heavy as alot of the "Hard Rock" of the late 80's. That album was a crutch for during my hardest break-up. When I found Bread & Circus, that's when I truly became a fan & Pale just made it that much easier to stay one.

That is freakin awesome that you were able to interview Mr. Phillips!! I hope the guys get back together for a few more albums & tours. I would love to get the chance to catch'em live...

That was a fantastic interview, Josh!

I should add that the article is fine work, too.

Brian, my thanks for the kind words, sir. You know, I never thought of how heavy "Stories I Tell" is, but you're not wrong there. There is a heaviness to the sound of that. It's not metal in the classic sense, yet there is a heaviness to it. I listened to that song twice yesterday. it's definitely a favorite.

And as for passion and musicianship, as a "retired metalhead" I understand that as well. Toad was never a band of virtuosos, but those albums they did with Gavin MacKillop always had a very professional sound to them. The music stands up very, very well.

Phillip, thanks for your kind words and for being there to listen. I hope I asked some questions that led to some interesting responses for everyone who tuned in. If you missed it, the show can be downloaded in the archives.