Dig A Hole

One reason it took a month to make the breakup announcement official is because of a lawsuit in which the band has been entangled for more than two years. The suit was originally brought by guitarist Darrell Herbert, who was ousted from the band in 1996 and replaced by Vogeler. The band insisted it didn't owe Herbert money and contended that whatever money the guitarist might have been owed should come from manager Tom Bunch, with whom it parted ways in December 1998. Herbert settled his claim for an unspecified sum, but the battle between Bunch and the Toadies continued. Bunch, who also manages the Butthole Surfers, claimed in legal documents that he was due unpaid management fees as well as continued royalties, while the band insisted it doesn't owe him a thing, since the two parties never signed a management agreement. (One was drafted, but it never was signed; Bunch sought the enforcement of it anyway.)

Two months ago, County Judge John Peyton agreed with the band that Bunch was not entitled to royalties or commissions. But the Toadies finally settled the suit with Bunch two weeks ago, agreeing to pay Bunch the money he contended he advanced them for expenses.

Nancy Newberry

Five months after the release of Hell Below/Stars Above, the Toadies have turned their backs on their career.

Nancy Newberry

The way they were: Clark Vogeler, Mark Reznicek, Todd Lewis and Lisa Umbarger

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• Lisa Umbarger
• Todd Lewis
• Sound Recording Industries
• Relationships
• Breakups

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"The Toadies decided to focus on music rather than any past problems and complaints they had with management," says the band's attorney Frank Majorie. "This way, they can focus on their farewell tour."

And so can their most die-hard fans, for whom the breakup has been nothing less than devastating. Since the Observerposted an earlier version of this story on its Web site last week, the Toadies' official site (www.thetoadies.com) has been inundated with sad farewells from fans, most of which are echoed in this bulletin-board posting from a Web site member known as toadmansteele: "i was praying for this day never to come," it read. "this is the saddest news i've ever received in my whole life! i wish the best for the toadies."

At this point, that's all there is left to do.