Toad (band)
Encyclopedia
Toad were a Swiss
hard rock
band
, formed by ex-Brainticket
members. Their best known songs were a cover of "Purple Haze
", "Using My Life" and "Stay".
band Brainticket
released their first album. Soon after, Werner Frohlich (bass) and Cosimo Lampis (drums) departed the group and formed Toad with Vittorio 'Vic' Vergeat, who was briefly in the British space rock group Hawkwind
, on guitar. That year, they released their self-titled album and the single 'Stay', which did fairly well. Their first album was mixed by Martin Birch
, and had Benjamin Jaeger on vocals, who would leave once the album was finished.
In 1972, the band released Tomorrow Blue, which was in a more Blues
direction and without a lead vocalist (with Vergeat and Frohlich handling vocals) and their first album in a more heavy rock direction. The same year, the band recorded the album Open Fire: Live in Basel 1972.
They waited until 1975 to release their third and final album, Dreams, which contained the single 'Purple Haze'. After that, their history is mainly undocumented except for a live album recorded in 1978. They spent the rest of the 1970s and 1980s appearing on a few compilations and releasing live albums before fading into obscurity.
The band never achieved great success outside of their own country, but were very influential on the Swiss heavy metal movement during the 1980s. They have seen renewed interest in the early 2000s among the European Hard rock
scene. Their albums were re-released recently in CD in a box-set, packaged as miniature vinyl records.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
, formed by ex-Brainticket
Brainticket
Brainticket is a little-known experimental krautrock band.-History:Brainticket originally formed in 1968, consisting of members of Belgian, Swiss, and German descent...
members. Their best known songs were a cover of "Purple Haze
Purple Haze
"Purple Haze" is a song written in 1966 and recorded in 1967 by The Jimi Hendrix Experience and released as a single in both the United Kingdom and the United States. It appeared on their 1967 album Are You Experienced...
", "Using My Life" and "Stay".
History
In 1971, European Psychedelic rockPsychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band Brainticket
Brainticket
Brainticket is a little-known experimental krautrock band.-History:Brainticket originally formed in 1968, consisting of members of Belgian, Swiss, and German descent...
released their first album. Soon after, Werner Frohlich (bass) and Cosimo Lampis (drums) departed the group and formed Toad with Vittorio 'Vic' Vergeat, who was briefly in the British space rock group Hawkwind
Hawkwind
Hawkwind are an English rock band, one of the earliest space rock groups. Their lyrics favour urban and science fiction themes. They are also a noted precursor to punk rock and now are considered a link between the hippie and punk cultures....
, on guitar. That year, they released their self-titled album and the single 'Stay', which did fairly well. Their first album was mixed by Martin Birch
Martin Birch
Martin Birch is a British rock and heavy metal music producer, who became renowned for engineering and producing albums by the British rock bands Deep Purple and Iron Maiden....
, and had Benjamin Jaeger on vocals, who would leave once the album was finished.
In 1972, the band released Tomorrow Blue, which was in a more Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
direction and without a lead vocalist (with Vergeat and Frohlich handling vocals) and their first album in a more heavy rock direction. The same year, the band recorded the album Open Fire: Live in Basel 1972.
They waited until 1975 to release their third and final album, Dreams, which contained the single 'Purple Haze'. After that, their history is mainly undocumented except for a live album recorded in 1978. They spent the rest of the 1970s and 1980s appearing on a few compilations and releasing live albums before fading into obscurity.
The band never achieved great success outside of their own country, but were very influential on the Swiss heavy metal movement during the 1980s. They have seen renewed interest in the early 2000s among the European Hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
scene. Their albums were re-released recently in CD in a box-set, packaged as miniature vinyl records.
Studio albums
- 1971 - ToadToad (album)Toad is the eponymous debut album by the Switzerland rock band of the same name. It was engineered by legendary British producer Martin Birch. After the recording finished, singer Benjamin Jaeger left the group and was not replaced.-Track listing:...
- 1972 - Tomorrow Blue
- 1975 - Dreams
Live albums
- 1972 - Open Fire: Live in Basel 1972 (Copy from Live at St. Joseph)
- 1978 - Yearnin' Learnin': Live 1978
- 2005 - Live at St. Joseph (Basel) 22.04.1972
- 2006 - The Real Thing