With nearly three decades of experience recording music, Toadies frontman Vaden Todd Lewis has spent his fair share of time in rehearsal studios. Recognizing all of the obstacles musicians must overcome to be successful, Vaden and his wife, Rachel, opened The Loop last year in the Evans Street building just east of Interstate 35.
Artwork from local painters and photographers hangs from the walls throughout the rehearsal complex, and a lounge area provides a collaborative break spot for musicians. Interior common spaces and the exterior of the studio are monitored 24/7, ensuring the safety of tenants and all of their gear.
Q&A With Vaden Todd Lewis:
Q: Where is the strangest place you've ever rehearsed?
A: I've rehearsed everywhere from a storage unit in Fort Worth to a soundstage in LA. The storage unit was on Beach Street and was about the size of a one-car garage, made of sheet metal with a rolling metal garage door and only a light bulb socket for electricity … No heat, no AC, cement floor and loud as all get-out. That was the first place The Toadies rehearsed and where I was introduced to Mark Reznicek (The Rez), who is still our drummer to this day.
Q: How did you come up with the name, The Loop, for your rehearsal complex?
A: Ages ago I was talking with some locals about where we all lived. One person asked, "Are you in the loop?" The other replied, "Nah, I'm in HEB," meaning outside Loop 820. Much later when Rachel and I were looking for locations for our rehearsal space, we told our Realtor, "We have to be in the loop" because we wanted to be centrally located. Also it's a pretty cool name.
Q: What can fans expect from The Toadies" newest album, The Lower Side of Uptown?
A: This album has been compared to our first album, Rubberneck, quite a bit. I think it has a similar angst, angularity and energy to that album, with a bit more refinement in the songwriting. The response has been fantastic, and the turnout for our recent tour reflected that enthusiasm. I believe fans of guitar-driven rock and roll are hungry for this sort of thing. I know I still am.
o 1988 – Lewis began working in a record store in Fort Worth where he soon would meet fellow Toadies band members
o 1989 – Toadies formed their band and began rehearsing together
o 1993 – Major label Interscope Records signed the Toadies
o 1994 – Toadies released debut album, Rubberneck (Lewis was working as a clerk at Sound Warehouse at time of release of platinum-selling album)
o 2001 – The Toadies released their second album, Hell Below/Stars Above
o 2001 – The Toadies disbanded
o 2002 – Horton Heat drummer Taz Bentley and Lewis formed the band Burden Brothers
o 2006 – Toadies regrouped for a few sold-out shows
o 2008 – Toadies released new material, No Deliverance, for Dallas-based Kirtland Records
o 2008 – Toadies held the first of their annual music festival, Dia De Los Toadies, at Possum Kingdom Lake
o 2012 – Play.Rock.Music., the Toadies fifth album, was released and featured Doni Blair on bass
o 2014 – Toadies partner with Martin House Brewing Company to begin annual collaborative special edition beers
o 2017 – Lewis and his wife Rachel opened The Loop
o 2017 – The Toadies released newest album, Lower Side of Uptown
The Loop Artist Rehearsal Complex
2016 Evans Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76104
