Countdown to Glen Phillips, Day 2
I spent some time this afternoon writing about Vertical Horizon being one of the first “us” bands for TheGirlfriendI’veNowMarried and I (I’ve really got to stop with that longwinded way of referring to her), and it’s true. Vertical Horizon was one of the first. Toad the Wet Sprocket was the first.
Picture it: June 1998. I met her at a party hosted by a mutual friend. A few days later we gather once again at said friend’s house, which was a little more than hour from the dorms. I traveled with an arm load of CDs to go to the ATM machine back then, so you can imagine how many I’d have been armed with for a drive of that distance. I clearly remember two of the CDs that made that journey: Garbage’s Version 2.0 and Toad the Wet Sprocket’s Coil.
We sat around the living room, talking, and ordered some pizzas. While we waited for the food, I did my MusicNazi thing and commandeered the stereo. I put Coil in the stereo and within 45 seconds, they had a new fan. “Whatever I Fear” is still one of her favorite songs. For years, I teased her that Glen was singing “You eat my cat for breakfast” (he’s not). She was almost gullible enough to believe me but not quite. I did the same thing with Everclear’s “Santa Monica” (”I am still living with your… GOAT!”).
We listened to other CDs and other songs that night, but she kept asking to hear “Whatever I Fear” again. She bought the CD the next day. We’ve both influenced each other a lot over the past — wow, we’re a few days short of 10 years – and this is just one of the first examples. I gladly take credit for improving her taste in music. She takes great pride in turning me into something almost resembling a human. To most of you, you’d have to say advantage:her. For me, humanity is highly overrated. Music is far more important.
Be sure to join me this Thursday when Glen Phillips is my guest on the B-Sides Concept Album.
Filed under: Tags: Glen Phillips, Toad the Wet Sprocket
