Q: Lets begin where all good things do; the beginning.

Tell me about how you got

into playing an instrument, and what all lead to you playing in the Toadies.
A: I started playing at 15, my favorite bands were Devo and ZZTop (now that I th
ink of it, they're not that different). I never had a lesson, just learned to pl
ay by figuring out records. I worked at RCA Records in the early '90's and had k
ind of started managing the Toadies. When other guitarists left I was asked to j
oin. I was happy to do it as they were the best band in town, although no one kn
ew it at the time.
Q: What all went into recording Rubberneck? Who did you work with to make it? Wh
at was it like working with iconic producer Tom Rothrock?
A: We interviewed a bunch of producers and settled on the Bongload guys. They we
re pretty hot at the time with Beck's "Loser" getting a lot of airplay. We recor
ded at a studio that was in the woods in Northern California. It was great excep
t there was nothing to do if you weren't recording. I felt bad for Lisa, she was
well rehearsed and cut all her bass tracks in one pass; then spent a month sitt
ing around.

I saw Tom at Amoeba Records a year or so ago, we chatted and he is doing well. A
ndy Wallace mixed the record in New Jersey and did an incredible job.
Q: Pertaining to the "Pleather" EP and Rubberneck, what was your favorite part o
f being in the band?
A: We were really close friends at the during the Pleather EP, more like a gang
just recording for fun, but making Rubberneck and knowing that everybody was goi
ng to hear it was my favorite part. It was immensely satisfying to open the box
and get the CD in your hands.

Q: What was touring like? Your favorite bands that you played with? Favorites yo
u opened for?
A: I liked being on the bigger tours. Play for 45 minutes, then hand the guitar
to the roadie and the rest of the day was yours. I saw a rock doc recently where
the band was talking about how they couldn't come down after playing in front o
f 20,000 people and had to get high, but I was never like that. I could play a s
how, then go back to the room and go right to sleep. I never cared what people t
hought of me.
Q: I compare the early Toadies stuff with a lot of the Pixies' output. Are you f
amiliar with the Pixies' body of work?
A: When "Surfer Rosa" came out it was like a bomb went off in my brain. I couldn
't stop listening to it. Forget grunge, the Toadies were like a Pixies cover ban
d, especially early on. The only shows I've ever gotten in the pit for were Pixi
es shows.
Q: What band, if any, historically, would you like to play with?
A: I would have liked to be the 5th Beatle when they played the Ed Sullivan show
, but I would have worn a "Fancy Lad" outfit instead of the Beatle suit. I would
've also tuned my guitar to random notes and pranced about in front of the camer
as trying to block their view of the other four, suddenly much less important, B
eatles. I think that this would've helped to cut down on the screaming. Also, no
Eagles.
Q: Mudhoney, Nirvana, everyone seemed a little stigmatized by the term "grunge".
What do you think of the term, and how it applied to the Toadies?
A: Most of Rubberneck was written before those bands got big, and we weren't fro
m Seattle so I don't think it applied. Still, we were painted with the brush.
Q: What sort of stuff have you been working on as of late?
A: I've been working on a solo album. I've always been fascinated by records tha
t people made completely on their own, like the first Foo Fighters album, so I'm
doing that. It's called Fifty Foot Fist and should be out by this summer.

Q: With all the buzz that's been surrounding the Toadies lately, what are the od
ds of a full on classic-lineup reunion? Slint did it, Tad did it! What, if anyth
ing, is preventing a reunion?
A: I don't know if there's any demand for that!

Q: If you weren't in music, what would you be doing with your life?

A: Working in film, which is my other passion. I work at Sony Pictures now in Po

st Production.

Q: What are your thoughts on how music influences peoples' moods? How about musi
c's importance to people?
A: I'm convinced that music is vitally important, lifesaving even. It's sad that
the music business collapsed like it did. People crap on the major labels, but
they brought us some incredible stuff in the past. Seems like young bands are ge
tting left to fend for themselves. The same thing is happening in film, where th
e margins are so small they can't take a chance on a smaller, more ambitious/hea
rtfelt project, so everything is a blockbuster superhero movie and the smaller s
tuff is getting pushed to the internet where no one sees it.

Q: What are your thoughts on censorship?

A: None for me thanks. Although it seems to me that the press is self-censoring
these days. The only people who speak truth to power anymore are comedians.

Q: What's one piece of advice you've heard that you thought was exceptionally go
od?
A: Be careful what you put on the internet.
Q: Any advice to young musicians out there, looking to start a band?
A: Get a road manager. You don't want to be the guy that has to tell the band to
get in the van and drive 10 hours, then have to get up on stage and play with t
hem. They will hate you for it, get someone else to do it.

Q: What music do you really hate?

A: None comes to mind.

Q: Would you like to appear on a cartoon I am making?

A: Ooh, I don't know. I doubt it.

Q: Would you mind if your character got blown up, sending gooey chunks of brain
matter flying through the acrophycal sky onto the floor?
A: It happens every day.
RAPID FIRE ROUND!
Q: Vacation: Italy or Mexico?
A: Italy
Q: Worst Band ever?
A: Toadies!
Q: Most underrated band ever?
A: Beatles

Q: Worst injury you have personally sustained?

A: Broken arm
Q: Best sandwich you've ever had?
A: Banh Mi at the Nom Nom truck here in LA.
Q: Is grandma's cooking always the best?
A: Not mine.
Q: Does the Pixies song "Where is My Mind" give you the goosebumps?
A: Yes

Q: Feelings towards Steve Albini?

A: I love his work. Some of it seems one dimensional because of the lack of prod
uction and I can't listen too long, but you have to hand it to anyone that can h
ave such a distinctive style

Q: Any parting words for my legions of readers? Any passing advice, thoughts on
mortality, the imagination, the environment, recycling, the Founding fathers, ex
otic pets, kidney failure, or setting mousetraps?
A: Nope.
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-- Tommy. http://www.nocensors.com