Tadpoles Are Back

Written By Mike Greenblatt

The Tadpoles by Sonic Baker

Todd Parker started Tadpoles in mid-‘80s Hoboken as a vehicle for his songs, vocals and psychedelic guitar shrieks. As the 1990s dawned, he found some like-minded musicians in New York City that loved his brand of noise-pop space-rock. The 1994 He Fell Into The Sky debut was released by Bakery Records but it was the 1996 Far Out follow-up that put ‘em on the indie-rock map. Four years and a few records later, they were done.

Last year, like their amphibian namesake (the larval stage at birth of a frog or toad), the stirrings of life emanated organically from the muck with the self-release of Make Believe. Now a remixed Make Believe version is out that Jim Testa of “Constant Listener” (https://substack.com/@jimtestanj) calls “swirling, whooshing, humming, eerie, ethereal and otherworldly.”

Down now to a trio of Parker (guitar, bass, vocals, synthesizer), drummer David Max and Nick Kramer (electronics), they sound a little something like Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd.

Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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