Tobin Sprout is an artist in the truest sense of the word. Sprout is an esteemed fine arts painter with a vast collection of gorgeous works that often catalog the magic within the mundanity of everyday American life. In addition to his accomplished visual art, Sprout is perhaps best known for his musical output, most notably as an original member of the legendary Dayton indie rock band, Guided By Voices. For more than four decades, Tobin Sprout has been churning out songs, paintings, illustrations, and even children’s books.
Yet, for all of his creative output, it is the way that Sprout lives day to day that proves his artistic intent. With a monk like devotion, he returns to his work each day, lamenting the arrival of the weekends and the expectation that he should put work on the back burner. This is a man who is always on the creative path, forever out seeking new ideas and inspirations.
Tobin grew up the child of visual artists, and took to painting and drawing immediately. In fact, Sprout was so naturally gifted at creating with his hands that he assumed everyone possessed the same skills that he did. While studying illustration and design at Ohio University, Tobin refined his artistic acumen, and began to hone a unique visual voice. After he returned home from school, Sprout fell in with a budding songwriter named Robert Pollard, and the pair began making music with a new band that Pollard was calling Guided By Voices. The rest, as they, is history.
Pollard, Sprout and company would go on to become one of the most legendary acts of the indie rock era. The original lineup of Guided By Voices, which featured Sprout, would release nine albums in nine years. Tobin and I discussed what it was like to be a songwriter in the same band with Bob Pollard, a man known for his Herculean output and creativity. Working quickly, and cheaply, was key to GBV’s success. Tobin shares one story about a now famous tune that was written and recorded on a boombox in a basement in a single afternoon.
During our chat, we hit upon the pendulum swings of artistic life, and the sacrifices that we often have to make to balance our creative work with our home life. This balance of proriorites truly hit home for Tobin the moment his son was born five weeks early in Dayton, Ohio while he was still out on tour in Vancouver with Guided By Voices, essentially ending the original lineup of the band.
Sprout has also had a sterling solo career outside of GBV. He’s released eight full length albums as well as a series of EPs and singles. Tobin has also fronted the band Eyesinweasel, a sort of solo non de plume, and made a pair of records with Pollard in a project that they dubbed Airport 5. In 2010, Sprout even rejoined Guided By Voices with other members of the original lineup. Over the course of five years, that reinvigorated GBV classic lineup would go on to release seven albums and play a raft of shows.
These days life is a bit quieter for Tobin Sprout. He works daily in his studio, and enjoys a leisurely life in the wilds of Northern Michigan. While he could likely rest on his laurels and fade into retirement, the artist inside Sprout is still itching to get to work every morning. And that’s just the way he likes it.
Let’s get into it.
Cheers,
Matty C
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End Credits
Thanks so much to Tobin for joining me. You can find out all about his music and visual art at https://www.tobinsprout.net/
The What Am I Making podcast is hosted, written, and produced by me, Matty C.
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