The music of Toad the Wet Sprocket is so baked into the DNA of Santa Barbarans of a certain era — when the only place to buy our music was in record stores — that my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I heard that this summer marks the 30th anniversary of their platinum-selling album Dulcinea. The homegrown band is hitting the road this summer on a tour that includes co-headlining with the Gin Blossoms, opening for Barenaked Ladies, and solo dates, including a stop at the Lobero Theatre on Thursday, August 29.
Ahead of the tour, I caught up with bassist Dean Dinning, a San Marcos High School grad — how is that no one ever calls these Royal alums frog princes? — who grew up in town alongside lead singer Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, and original drummer Randy Guss (Carl Thompson now plays drums).
Let’s start with the origin story. Is it really true that Toad the Wet Sprocket met in a theater class at San Marcos?