Chuck Shute Podcast
In depth interviews with musicians, comedians, authors, actors, and more! Guests on the show include David Duchovny, Billy Bob Thornton, Mark Normand, Dee Snider, Ann Wilson, Tony Horton, Don Dokken, Jack Carr and many more.
Chuck Shute Podcast
Vinnie Dombroski (Sponge singer)
Episode 77- Vinnie Dombroski of Sponge! In this interview I discuss Vinnie’s whole career. He grew up in Detroit and started out playing the drums. He eventually switched to singing and formed Sponge. The band’s debut album Rotting Piñata went gold and spawned 3 singles on rock radio including “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down The Drain).” The band went on to make a lot more great music and has a new album coming out soon. Vinnie has also been part of two supergroups- Spys4Darwin with members of Alice In Chains & Queensryche as well as a new band with Dave Ellefson from Megadeth. We’ll discuss all of in the interview plus the meaning of their hit song "Plowed", Howard Stern and more!
00:00 - Intro
00:49 - Growing Up In Detroit
02:00 - Early Musical Influences
04:41 - The Cryptons - Prog Rock Duo
06:15 - LoudHouse
09:10 - Sponge vs Electric Cattle Gods
10:15 - Recording First Album
12:28 - "Plowed" Song
16:46 - "Molly (16 Candles)" Song
20:05 - Lollapalooza
23:07 - Playing with Kiss & Alice In Chains
24:45 - Crossing Paths With 80s Bands
27:02 - Touring With Iggy Pop
29:20 - Original Members Leaving Sponge
31:20 - Spys4Darwin Supergroup
32:35 - Destroy the Boy
34:15 - Licensing Songs
35:00 -"Orbitsuns" Honky Tonk Band
36:10 - Cover Songs
36:53 - New Sponge Record Coming Out Spring
37:21 - Performing on Howard Stern
40:48 - Leaving Germany Mid-Tour
44:40 - Drinking Alcohol & Health
48:44 - Price For Success
50:35 - Side Project - "Lucid"
52:10 - Censorship
54:50 - Social Media
55:35 - Pope Francis Center
57:05 - Wrap Up
Sponge Website:
http://www.spongetheband.com/#store
Pope Francis Center:
https://popefranciscenter.org
Chuck Shute Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/chuck_shute/
Thanks for Listening & Shute for the Moon!
Welcome to the Chuck Shute podcast. Thanks for checking out my show Vinnie Dombrowski, the singer of sponge is My guest today. And I learned a lot about him and his career from my research and this interview, and I'm about to share that with all of you. And you're going to hear about vinnies early path in the music business from growing up in Detroit and starting out as the drummer to then forming sponge and being the singer. And of course the side projects past and present. The story behind some of their biggest songs, his relationship with Howard Stern and a lot more. So check it out. I think you'll really enjoy this episode. And I spelled it right to there's not a W in there. I saw some people spelling it with a W that was wrong.
Vinnie Dombroski:That that's correct on bras. Yeah, that means a I'm not sure what it means is right. I think it means Dombrowski means great bowlers.
Chuck Shute:Is it Polish? Because you polish right?
Vinnie Dombroski:Something like that. Yeah.
Chuck Shute:So you're born and raised in Detroit. Tell me about that. Like, did you actually live in the city? Are you more like in the suburbs of Detroit or?
Vinnie Dombroski:No, I was born in inner city, Detroit, grew up and managed to make it all the way through high school in the city, Detroit, and continue to live and raise a family in the city of Detroit. Wow, for many. So, you know, I'm outside the city now. But certainly, my family and I got quite a fill of the city prior to moving everybody out. Gotcha. And so at a young age was Bob Seger was that the first musical thing that kind of changed your mind your world there? Well, I think Seger definitely was a major force in that my oldest sister, she would bring albums into the house, you know, she kind of would hate all the other siblings on on music. And one record was Bob seegers. I think it was the live bullet record. Okay, which was bigger, you know, probably, you know, it was a chronicle of his life, up and down the I 75 chord, or, you know, what I mean, players were, you know, big on Seger, you know, I don't know if Bob, you know, was as big as we thought he was, because to us, Bob was like, Bruce Springsteen, you know, and I mean, so, yeah, I think, you know, the live bullet record was definitely where we got a big start. And then and yeah,
Chuck Shute:he's from Detroit, right?
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, Bob is a Detroit.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. And then, besides that, he had elton john, The Beatles influence Alice Cooper, Iggy, pop the Sex Pistols and then but David Bowie. That was a big one as well. Right. That was the one that you idolize the most.
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, I think Bowie just kind of put it all together because yeah, you mentioned Alice Cooper, Alice Cooper and his band back in the day. Were certainly, you know, doing that kind of like androgynous thing. I think that was typical of bands of that particular era. It was so shocking. And of course, Bowie. Probably around the Diamond Dogs era, we were certainly aware of his music prior to Diamond Dogs. But when Diamond Dogs came out, that was kind of post Ziggy sarde star dos. But there was something even grittier, more urban in Bowie's music at that time, and it was probably because when I think about it, you know, the influence of Lou Reed, and Iggy Pop on Bali, and that, you know, that influence existed around Ziggy Stardust, but there was something to kind of hit deeper to the bone, I think with Diamond Dogs. Mm hmm.
Chuck Shute:And so not only like the, the sound, but the look too. I see. I definitely see some of that influence in some of your outfits and the 90s very, like very shiny and stuff. And
Vinnie Dombroski:yeah, for sure. I mean, our second record, kind of, you know, we dipped our toe into that a lot more. And and of course, I think the the fashion of the time being like the grunge fad, yeah. We we certainly didn't portray ourselves that way, even from the first record, not like there was anything wrong with it. But I mean, some guys were wearing doc Marten boots and right. Shirts, you know?
Chuck Shute:Yeah. But so it's interesting. You actually started out before you were singer, you were drummer. And then this is interesting. I found that you were in a band at age 13 it was like a duo. It was kinda like a white stripes royal blood thing before that was cool. It was just the two of you guys right? The kryptonite or something like that.
Unknown:Krypton? Man you do your digging, right? Yeah, that
Chuck Shute:I found it on the internet. I was like, Oh, that sounds really Cool, you got to tell me about this band.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, it was just a guitar and and drums and I can't I can't recall anybody singing at the time my buddy Lee, my next door neighbor Lee Huebner You know, he, we managed to, you know, set up the guitar amps we built our own cabinets. And it was just a thrill to do something that was really really loud you know what I mean? Yeah, strong set and the Guitar Rig that feeds back and it was a lot of fun man, you know, we would go out and play like you know, local festivals if we couldn't Detroit on six mile and gratiot or further on into the inner city at some local bars within VITAS play.
Chuck Shute:What kind of music was it?
Vinnie Dombroski:Ah, it was kind of like, prog rock or kind of math rock, you
Chuck Shute:know, okay.
Vinnie Dombroski:And I lean heavier on the rock side of it. Because, you know, I wasn't that smart. It's to say math rock, really kind of like, it suggests some kind of really like wild time signatures and stuff. But it was, it was pretty raw man, but it was instrumental for the most part.
Chuck Shute:Okay, gotcha. And then you did a band called warp drive. But then later it was a loud house was kind of your first big band, right? And you guys wrote your own songs, and you got signed. And you actually had a song. I didn't know that she had a song on the Point Break soundtrack. There was actually a music video to that. I just watched the smoke on the water. Deep Purple cover.
Unknown:Yeah, Go
Chuck Shute:Red Hot Chili Peppers, fake no more kind of thing. Right?
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, it's weird because that particular song wasn't indicative of what was on the rest of the record. What I mean, you know, we got this a cruel guys together to do a remix of what we had done. And that smoke on the water thing almost comes off. It would give people the impression that Loud House was kind of like a Nine Inch Nails band. Mm hmm. But yeah, I mean, I think Loud House was more, you know, people equated it unfortunately, with Jane's Addiction. I'm a big fan. Yes, Jane's Iran. But there can't be to Jane's addictions. You know what, I'm sure it's only one diction so I think people equated to the band with a jeans addiction rip off. So it didn't last long. But the smoke on the water thing, you know, yeah, we did that George Clinton's in the video, which is kind of cool. George was a friend of ours and was nice enough to make an appearance in the video, too. You know, two different channels. Our production company at the time, was owned by a fella by the name of Joel Martin who went on to work with m&m Oh, wow. Huge things in the music world. So anyway, yeah, that was a cool point in time, there was a lot of excitement and energy with the band at that point, but that was like 1990 1991
Chuck Shute:Yeah, so what did you learn from that? Because it fell apart. But you must have learned some things like you know, how to get the song on the movie soundtrack and
Vinnie Dombroski:well, you know, the business part of it. Um, yeah, I mean, I enjoy the business more so now, but the business back then I wasn't so plugged into but one thing I certainly learned we just spoke about Laos seem to have been perceived again, as like a Jane's Addiction kind of copy ban. You know, I thought it was unfortunate. But the one thing I learned was moving on into the sponge. I think sponge could have really dug down heavy into the land of Allison chains, and the kind of been carbon copies of a band like that. We certainly had some material that could have moved us that way. And up to make a whole record like that, but I was dead set on what I had learned previous, which was like, You can't just sit and be perceived as a copy of another band, you've got to do your own thing. So right. Yeah, doing stuff like, you know, Molly, and Ronnie and Jada. I think helped steer us away from what people would have perceived as more of a typical grunge type band.
Chuck Shute:Right so yeah 1982 you form sponge and you move from drums to vocals. I thought was interesting that the original name was electric cattle gods and you guys are gonna play a good gig in the name didn't fit on the marquee so you just change it to sponge though. So why not change it back later? Or you just decided at that point it was too late
Vinnie Dombroski:or we're just we're just like perfect sponge that's it there was no need to you know, go backwards at that point. All the electric catalogs man I you know, I look it up online. I don't I don't even think there's a band called debt right now. I think it's a cool name.
Chuck Shute:That is a cool name. Yeah. So who came up with a name sponge? How is that the backup name?
Vinnie Dombroski:Chuck, I think that I think that name was on one or two lists of names and we weed it down. And somehow that just seemed like it worked for the for the night that we were playing. And after that, it just seemed like it worked. So we were like leaving a sponge. Okay,
Chuck Shute:so of course, you did a bunch of gigs kind of outside of town, Chicago and such. And then you decided that you're going to record the first album on your own dime. And so how did you guys afford that? Was that from the money from wild house? Or like because a recording was a lot more expensive back then right now you can everybody can do it in their basement, but back then it's like, that's pretty expensive, right? Well,
Vinnie Dombroski:it certainly is. But, you know, to put it into perspective, you know what, when Loud House got signed this funny back then it's like, your manager made money. Your lawyer and you know, don't get me wrong. I'm not bagging on a manager's lawyers. No, but a lot of deals back then were front loaded deals, right. And then you had to make a publishing deal. You made a merge deal. You got your record deal. And man a lot of money comes in, but a lot of money gets divided among a lot of people.
Chuck Shute:So
Vinnie Dombroski:what I netted, I think in all of that with loud house. I netted and I gotta tell you, I was living in a flat in Detroit an upper flat for 140 bucks a month. And when you get$10,000 when you're young guy like that. And that's all your rent is you think you're rich. But no. Yeah, I was done. I was right back cooking. Midnight's in a restaurant. You know what I mean? Wow. Answer the question about did we record it on our own dime, the sponge music? Absolutely. The big part about it, though, was the loft studio in sunny Michigan weeks outside of Ann Arbor. Our good buddy Tim paddlin. And his brother Andy and both of the fellas currently are in the band. We're so lucky to have the fallas tour with us when we're out there on the road. They had the studio the loft out there. So it was kind of those one of those things. If we had a song, Tim would say we'll just come out and record is matter of fact, that's how ploughed came to be. The song was written on a Sunday afternoon. Real quick at my house. I called him up. He said come on out to the studio that night recorded and the version that's on the record. Is that version. We recorded that that night. Yeah. Yeah. So let's look. What's that?
Chuck Shute:I was just gonna say, let's talk about that song"Plowed." I mean, that's Howard Stern's favorite song. It was actually the second single there was another single before that. But you you wrote the song in 10 minutes after shoveling snow in Detroit. So I'm always terrible at literary interpretation. And I guess Howard Stern's talked about he's tried to find out the meeting... has anyone just asked you, I'm gonna go ahead and ask you like, what is that song about? I mean, you know, I'm listening, look at the lyrics. I'm buried by the sound in a world of human wreckage. I'm lost, and I'm found and I can't touch the ground. I mean, I'm so bad at literary interpretation, like, Is it just kind of whatever you want it to mean? Or does it mean something specific to you?
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, I look at the point in time of when that song was written and living in Detroit, experiencing life in the city of Detroit. The hits keep coming... and I don't mean songs. Yes, but I'm just talking about the setbacks in life. And whether it's my personal setbacks or setbacks within the city - people always, I think have heard about the riot, Detroit 1967. I lived on a corner Houston, when you're Dickerson in Detroit. At that time, I remember the Army National Guard, rolling down the street to protect the citizens as best they could. The thing about it was, after that Riot, most people that could leave that city left the city, my family and I didn't have the means to do that we stayed. So the city basically slowly just burned for 25 years before we left. So it's that the neighborhoods were decimated, people's lives were destroyed. So when I think about the time of writing that song, I think about the might have been around the same time something called the St. Augustine Massacre happened, just hearing about stuff like that. It really makes you cynical, and to say you're in a world of human wreckage you are but you try to rise above that environment, you know, you become either become a product of your environment or like the saying goes, you make your environment a property you and you know, I'm lost and I'm found, I can't touch the ground because you got to stay above it, man, but a message that's the seed, there's the seed of this new beginning perhaps, and I think that is relevant in that song as well. But world of human wreckage, man, Detroit living in that environment. It certainly was a world of human wreckage for us.
Chuck Shute:Wow. And that's it seems like it actually would fit with today's what's going on in the last year. itself right here in America in 2020.
Vinnie Dombroski:enormous challenge on every level, physical challenge, a mental challenge, a financial challenge. It's all of those challenges. And really, it makes you, you know, these these things that probably I'm throwing out more cliches, but really these struggles make you more of what you really are. What was you down to your essence, and you know, whether you're going to sink or swim in this situation, it really kind of judges your character makes, it really helps you understand more what you're about. Mm hmm. Now, that's
Chuck Shute:really cool. So it's like, like you said, rising above it. Because we're all going to face hurdles for sure. In life, I mean, all over whether it's riots in Detroit or whatever, I mean, and so being able to rise above that and come out of it. I mean, you had the the issues of Loud House, that band didn't work out. And that could have been the end, but you rose above that, and then you know, you you did sponging on your own dime. That's pretty impressive.
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, we got that record. Before the label came in. We were more than halfway done record record label started to snoop around. And a fella by the name of David Kahn, who I think he was like head of a&r at Sony. He came out to the Studio One day, you know, just to see what we were up to and look at the process. And we did that we finished that record unsupervised. Although we did have an our guidance from our buddy Pablo Matheson. He was always in our corner fight with us all the time. Pablo came in and in our the record as well at that point, but I mean, we were just recording songs, and apparently doing a pretty good job of it. So yeah, we just kept on pushing through.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, and I love No offense to Howard Stern. But I think Molly, that is my favorite song over the overcloud even it's my personal favorite. And I'm so stupid because I'm like thinking what is the song about? And of course, it's about Molly Ringwald and the movie 16 candles although I read that there was actually a deeper meaning that the brother cross brothers had heard about some girl fell in love with one of her teachers before 16th birthday and then attempted to commit suicide. Is that right?
Vinnie Dombroski:That's that's more in the line of what this whole thing is. Yeah, yeah,
Chuck Shute:he was just using the title is kind of a did you have to add the 16 candles so people understood what the song because there's a lot of songs like punk songs, where the title is something that doesn't have anything to do with the chorus or the verse.
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, I mean, it's certainly to illustrate the the the, or cement the idea of like struggling adolescence for sure you know what I mean? And you know, the Molly Ringwald Connect, I mean, Molly Ringwald wanted to be in the video. Really? Oh, that would have been so cool. And we were stupid, man. We were like, Nah, it's gonna be too cutesy. And yeah, take attention away from from the music. But you know, looking back I go, that was a major mistake. It might be cool to make another video of Molly, but include her this time. Sure.
Chuck Shute:Sure. So who did the Yeah, who did like the arrangement on that song? Because, I mean, I'm not a musician. So I don't know. I don't know the technical terms are but just the way the song is arranged with the backup vocals harmonizing, and then the break where it's like 16 candles down the drain? Like who who did you guys do that together? Or was that one person kind of figuring out where all these things fit? Because it seems like a big puzzle. The way it all fits? It's like perfect, in my opinion.
Vinnie Dombroski:Oh, yeah, man. I mean, a big part of the song, you know, start out with those guitar arrangements. And what I think was unique about sponge from that particular era. When guitar players work together, it was usually bands like the scorpions. I love the scorpions. Yeah, Judas Priest, you know, I mean, and I think Judas Priest is certainly one of the greatest rock bands to ever exist. So you would typically see two guitar players in the context of metal bands, however, bands of our background, you would see two guitar players, but not really utilizing arrangements, you know, what guys are playing different guitar lines together. So Mike and Joey, were very smart about, they would get together and actually have writing sessions to, you know, figure out those guitar lines and make all those guitar things happen. So when you got two guitars plugged in to this song, you know, to the basic chords, and melody and lyric, then it's kind of a cool way to start putting in backup vocals and get the arrangement together. So all of those things were put together, like between rehearsal and the studio out there with Tim Palin.
Chuck Shute:Oh, yeah, it's brilliant. I love it. So and then the band really starts taking off after this. You got songs on Empire records, and more And the craft soundtrack and then I get to talk about this Lollapalooza. I never got to go to this but you got to play with a was a Metallica and Soundgarden. Tell me about Lollapalooza. What do you remember from that? Well, believe
Vinnie Dombroski:it or not, I remember plenty. That's, you know, after getting into the late 90s and early 2000s, then things got kind of foggy, but that particular Lollapalooza was just, it was stunning. It was so diverse. Yeah, we were we were so fortunate to be on the it was the second stage that we performed on with the cows. And shit, man, it was a buzz. Okay, I forget their name and the other. The seminal Seattle band. Oh,
Chuck Shute:the Buzzcocks.
Vinnie Dombroski:Now man buzz was a guitar player. I'm actually having a brain fart right now man but I'll think about
Chuck Shute:I yeah, I'm from Seattle. I should know this. I'm drawing a blank I know what you're taught not mud honey not conjure on a blank. I might not know this actually.
Vinnie Dombroski:At it's right. On the ship.
Chuck Shute:It was guitar player was buzz.
Unknown:Yeah,
Vinnie Dombroski:he's got the big hair.
Chuck Shute:Why am I drawing a blank? I'm gonna Google those here. Guitar Player buzz Seattle band. Maybe it's Seattle. You said right.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, Seattle.
Chuck Shute:A buzz Osborne? Is that right? The Melvin's the Melvin's Alvin, that's it. Okay, there we go.
Vinnie Dombroski:Sorry. I blanked on it. I feel bad about that. Because those guys were always very cool. Human beings. But
Chuck Shute:yeah, Cobain loved them too. I think right. He was a big fan. And
Vinnie Dombroski:I think a lot of bands loved the melvins man. Yes. So we were on that second stage. And it was just so cool because we would play just a little bit earlier in the day so we would get a chance to walk over to the mainstage to see Soundgarden or see Metallica and they'd have special guests showing up like diva would do a couple dates through a moans would show up and do a couple dates. Rage Against the Machine would show up from what I recall. But it was just wow. lineup of bands, you know and yeah, I got all right here. And you can see this every day. You're out there on the road, man. So it was like, yeah, just a real special time for music and special time for sponge for sure. Do
Chuck Shute:you watch like on the side stage? Or do you go out in the crowd and hope people don't recognize you? Or
Vinnie Dombroski:you know what the guys in Metallica were cool enough. They let you stand in the wings to watch Metallica a lot of bands don't do that now. A lot of stages. Yeah, no. Bands get real picky about that sometimes, man but Metallica was just like Nah, man hang out. That's awesome. What about? Yeah, Metallica and another legendary band, two legendary bands. You played with kiss and Allison chains. Tell me about that. Because what it's like performing with kiss. And then you said I think you said this was Allison chains last show with Layne Staley and you thought he was like doing fine seem to be in good spirits and good health and everything. You know, I think they may have done one or two shows after that. But okay. Oddly enough Stone Temple Pilots was supposed to be the first ban on that bill. So Stone Temple Pilots played first Allison chains, and then kiss. But Scott was on his way into rehab. So they pulled off the bill. And we were coming back from I think we were overseas at the time. And we were on our way back. And our manager, Susan silver called us up to ask us if we would fill in. And of course, that's a no brainer. On Yeah, we'd like to fill in. But then we get a call from our agent, and our agents like, so you guys think you're going to go play with Allison chains and kiss but there's this other tour going on in the UK. If you guys want to go back. It's this new emerging artist, and she would open up for you. And I'm like, What's her name? And he goes, Well, Alanis Morissette, and we're like that we never heard of. Allison chains, fellas, yeah. Right. So that's what we did.
Chuck Shute:All right, that sounds It was cool, though. But, and then tell me I had a question about this. So because kiss is more of like a 70s band. You guys are kind of considered a 90s band. But you kind of wanted to get away from the 80s stuff. Did you ever cross paths with any of the 80s like hair metal or heavy metal bands? Like, I mean, I'm a big warrant fan, or do you ever come across like a warrant or poison and in your years in the 90s like that, like and what was that? What was Like,
Vinnie Dombroski:absolutely not too long ago, we played with Warren. Ah, outside Detroit it was we open up for them as a matter of fact and on Taylor, Michigan, and we we were asked by a licensing company to do a remake of the warrants on cherry pie. Oh,
Chuck Shute:that's right. I heard that that was
Vinnie Dombroski:kind of cool. And they wanted something like Nine Inch Nails meets warrant or something like which, which we did. Yeah, it gets out internet someplace. But the fellas asked me to come and sing it with him. And I'm like, dudes, somebody asked me to do this remake, you know? Yeah, I know the song. I just kind of recorded it. Right. Oh, I think some we were big fans, but but it was cool to do that. I mean, we did probably one of the last gigs that Kevin do bro sang out in Bakersfield, California. We played a casino. It was Vince Neil. Quiet Riot and sponge. And right shortly shortly after that. Kevin do bro unfortunately passed away. Yeah. So over the years, we've done a number of gigs with bands in that era. I mean,
Chuck Shute:but not in the 90s. Right? Was I mean, in the 90s? Was there like a stigma against those bands?
Vinnie Dombroski:You know what we we did nothing with those types of bands that I can recall in the 90s. Now in, in the last, you know, 10 years we have Yeah. Back then I think it was all about, you know, I mean, here's the funny thing, too, from what we understood bands like Allison chains when they were young, up and coming. They were out there playing with Van Halen. That's what I heard. So I think there was some talk at one point of sponge going out to open up a Van Halen to how, you know, it's something that never kind of transpired. But, you know, music is music, and I think those fans and those bands, you know, it, it seems to make sense somehow. I mean, for God's sakes, we were on the road with Neil Young. And yeah, he came over early retirement.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. And you toured with Iggy Pop. So tell me about that. Because there were some issues he wrote about your your band in his book. And I guess he was put off by the band or something. And he wanted to switch. He was you guys were opening for him. And he wanted you to switch spots and he would open for you. Like I think was he just is like maybe more people coming out to see you guys than than him.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, I mean, it's funny. In the interview that he did with Anthony Bourdain, I think it's in GQ magazine. He kind of explained it pretty good.
Chuck Shute:Okay.
Vinnie Dombroski:I was I was pleased to see that. I mean, Iggy, I'll start with this. I got all the respect in the world for AG, I've always been a fan. I think he's a killer writer, you know, people go, you like his lyrics. I go, I absolutely love eggies lyrics. And as a performer, it The thing is, like, he kind of wrote the playbook on performance or physical performance. So back in the day, I mean, who wasn't diving off the stage and who wasn't, you know, like just diving off balconies and scaffolding and all. So come forward, you know, from back when he was doing that kind of thing into the mid 90s. I go. Well, of course, we're out there doing that. He wrote the playbook. So I think he may have felt that there were more people coming to see us, which I didn't understand that. But yeah, you wanted to swap spots. Yeah. You want to swap out spots on the bill. But I mean, you know, that's a significant difference in money. You know what I mean? There's, like, close it, we'd have to negotiate something. Something different. Yeah. But, um, you know, I still think he was the proper headliner for that tour. And by the way, that was pre Stooges reunion, stop, you know, he got back together with the Stooges. That, in my opinion, was like a huge uptick in his exposure. his, his career seemed to like just explode. His visibility was everywhere, man. But prior to that, man, you know, he was like, he was out there, like the rest of us slugging it out.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. So in 2000, I think was around the year 2000, the crossbow brothers, they left the band what what happened there? Like you've had some lineup change? I know you've had the same lineup for the last like 20 years or so. But why did some of the other members of the band split? Did they want to do other projects? Or did they leave the music business entirely?
Vinnie Dombroski:Um, as far as I understand, the cross brothers aren't involved in in music like the the touring. They may be writing or recording but as far as like, you know, the band thing or being in a band is out touring. I don't think they're involved in that anymore.
Chuck Shute:So it was it was that it was and it was it wasn't their choice to leave at that point or was there like a falling out with you guys? Are you guys still on good terms or what happened there?
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, I mean, it was weird. We did a a event called the Detroit Music Awards about three years ago. And we got the old lineup back together for one performance, I think we may have done five songs four or five tunes, I can't remember exactly. But Tim, cross the bass player. I hadn't seen him since he walked off the bus in Cleveland, probably in 1999. So, you know, it was nearly 20 years. As I saw, at rehearsal for the Detroit musical words, and Mike, I've talked to you on and off. But when Tim left the band, you know, I couldn't explain it to you, you know, obviously, you know, frustrated. Beyond explanation, I would guess. And obviously, didn't feel being on the road if you're in a band was worth it anymore. So he left the band. Okay. However, you know, I mean, everything seemed pretty cool. At the rehearsals, everybody seemed fairly civil, and they seem happy in their lives. And I go, that's pretty cool.
Chuck Shute:Okay, well, that's cool. And then are also in 2001. This is cool. I found this out. You got you did a little supergroup here called spies for Darwin. I don't know how I never heard about this. But it's a couple Seattle people Christie degarmo. from Queens, right. Sean Kenny and Mike Inez from Allison chains. And you guys recorded an EP, the cool thing I know, musicians probably hate this. But now you know, you can find everything on YouTube and Spotify. So I was able to listen to this. It's really good. Whatever happened with that, you get to kind of just fell apart or you did perform, I think at n Fest in Seattle or something.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, we did a performance at n Fest, I think was headlined Nickelback or something like that. But yeah, we did that. But I think I think at that time, though, als was starting to get the idea in their head that we're going to ramp up again. No, that means Yeah. Having the time to do anything else, I think was kind of limited.
Chuck Shute:Okay, gotcha. It's interesting that they, they just knew you or something, because you're not obviously in Seattle. So did you have to fly back to our How did you guys rehearse and stuff?
Vinnie Dombroski:I would fly out to Seattle.
Chuck Shute:Oh, wow. That's cool. What's too bad? Didn't? You know, there wasn't more work from that. But that EP is still available on Spotify and YouTube and stuff. And it's kind of cool to listen to. And then you guys did you, obviously, you did more records with sponge from 99 to 2016, I think you had six more full length albums plus live and compilations of that span, like which one is your favorite? Because that's one thing I hate about the music business, I feel like sometimes they they just kind of stopped playing bands, even if they make really good music. Is there one of those records or songs that you feel during that era has was really really good and should have been a hit?
Vinnie Dombroski:Wow, you know, I
Unknown:look at the,
Vinnie Dombroski:we put out an EP called destroy the boy. That was probably around 2010, I'm guessing. And then we put we put together a full length album, and released it on a label called the end out of Brooklyn, New York. And that was about 2013. So that record became a record called stop the bleeding. Okay, and, you know, off of that particular record, I look at that I go. Now, the song destroy the boy, I go, certainly could have been a radio contender. We have a song called coming from the rain that I did get radio. But you know, never seem to get a lot of traction at Radio. So I thought that record was a fine effort from the band. But nonetheless, it's just, you know, there's not a lot of room at rock radio, and having the finances to keep the pressure up to maintain spins at Radio. That's difficult as well.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. And so do you try to get the songs licensed for commercials and movies and TV and stuff like that? Because it seems like that's where a lot of the money is in recording these days.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, I mean, you know, I used to do that plenty. I have a band called crud, right? That that particular style of music was very useful for a lot of like, programmers at TV and movies. And the thing is, so few bands actually sell records anymore. There's more money in licensing and that's where everybody's starting to go. So Sure. The licensing door was wide open at 1.0 license in Georgia slowly closes close. close close. And it's so narrow right now for for bands like mine to license things. Yeah, that's okay cuz I mean we were on the road touring very steady yeah and make making a living doing that. But that doors kind of temporarily shut for now so like I was just ready to say one door closes another door opens well the door that open close
Chuck Shute:right Yeah, tell me about you so you have the crud side project and you have another side project he's still doing the what is it called the orbit since it's like a Johnny Cash country Honky Tonk band.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, yep. The orbit since we're always out there playing when I was home, from the road was sponge crud doesn't play too much. Although it is a fun dance a lot of fun to do the music, it's just just takes more production, okay, countries going out to, you know, play in bars and have fun playing original songs like, you know, we write a lot of those orbits and songs, you know, there's a lot of fun to do. And I get a kick out of that. So unfortunately, we're not able to do that right now. Yeah.
Chuck Shute:Did I hear that you were gonna do a cover EP or record with a bunch of cover songs.
Vinnie Dombroski:Yeah, you know what we're talking about doing something like that. We wanted to call it under the influence. Okay, we did a couple different tours a few years back. And the promo was under the influence of sponsored. Basically, we play some of our songs, but we would play some of the songs that we were influenced by coming up in the early days. So you know, under the influence thing, we could put together a whole album of like songs from bands that we really dig back in the day.
Chuck Shute:Now. That'd be cool. Well, so it might come out later than
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, I'd love to do a record like that ASAP. We got the new sponge record coming out. Oh, you do? It's recorded. It's been mastered and delivered to a label called Cleopatra. Oh, yeah. For then. Yeah, that's that'll be coming out. I would imagine by the spring because with any luck, fingers crossed. There's a handle on this pandemic. And people are getting somewhat back to normal. We can get out there and promote a new record.
Chuck Shute:Oh, that'd be very cool. Yeah. So last year, you got you guys got a little bit of a resurgence. And you got to perform on Howard Stern's his new live music performance thing I get, like I said earlier, he's a big fan. He mentions the band a lot. And he told that he told the listeners that that that song he did plowed was an inspiration when he was painting a portrait of a cat. And you guys that you guys perform that"Plowed" on his show, and you also did a cover of STP's Vaseline on Howard. Is he there when you're doing those live performances or he's watch it later.
Vinnie Dombroski:We came in was trying to think was it a Monday? Howard was to answer the question, simply Howard was not in the studio. We came in and taped the segments. And we had been trying to get on the show. And I mean, like we've got we were contacted by his producer Steve several times. He's like, when are you guys going to be in the area? Well, we're always in that area. On the weekends. You're never sure or during the week, right? I said we're gonna make a special trip out. You tell me when we're supposed to be here. And we'll come out. Yeah. And we went out. We made the trip out. We picked up a gig along the way. I know it was I think we were out there on a Thursday. It was what it was. And we picked up a gig on the on a Friday. And then we came back to Detroit. So yeah, we've made a special trip to record at the studios that that day.
Chuck Shute:That's really cool. So does he do you ever hear personally from Howard about that, like, Hey, good job guys, or anything like that? Or is it just more like when he talks about you guys on air?
Vinnie Dombroski:You know, just when he talks about the group on air, and it's what's so cool about and what's so I guess we're touching, I just go when somebody is so inspired by music. It's it's an unsolicited response about something. Yeah, that's like, that's really cool, man. You know what I what I heard about Howard, is that he grew up in a similar environment that I did. That's right. It was a very racially mixed neighborhood. He went to a school that was really racially mixed. He didn't leave his neighborhood. And I don't I can't help but think there's some kind of connection there, man, because it's like, you know that growing up that way. It really cements itself in a lot of the ways you think. Yeah, did you?
Chuck Shute:Did you I know. He played your music a lot when he was a I think was he a Detroit radio in the 90s? I know he played it somewhere. Did you ever did you guys ever go And do his show back then. Or have you ever? No, interesting?
Vinnie Dombroski:No, we did. I mean, he's a big 90s music fan. Yeah. Is he really like? Yeah, it's like any band that would go into plays show, they would play a cover of some other 90s band, which I thought was a brilliant idea. Right.
Chuck Shute:Goo Goo Dolls covered your song cloud. Yeah, go.
Vinnie Dombroski:That blew me away, man. Johnny. What a great guy.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. So that's still flattering to hear stuff. Like when howard stern likes your song that still blows you away? Even if you're not you don't get tired out ever.
Unknown:No, that's awesome. Yeah,
Chuck Shute:yeah.
Unknown:Why would I?
Chuck Shute:Yeah, exactly. Very cool. Hey, so you got to tell me this story. I heard that, you know, just gonna tell me some fun rock and roll story. So you There was a time that you were in Germany performing. And you left on an airplane and you went back to the United States when you're on tour. And your manager put you in rehab for 30 days after that. Tell me about what happened here with the story. Why did you just get on an airplane and head back to the United States?
Unknown:Well,
Vinnie Dombroski:I mean, I'm sure there's, there's a lot of reasons why I think, you know, certainly, you know, being in a situation when you're in a rock and roll band. Sometimes you're thinking the world is revolving around you. But at the same time, you're the leader, and the focus point of a rock and roll band. And I'll tell you this much. Let's cut right to the chase. We're playing a show. We're on the road with Soundgarden out there. And those folks, those people in the audience, they don't have access to radio from the United States. You know, they don't know plow, they don't know Molly, you know, some rub their planner, half hours out or whatever it was, and people are just not reacting. They're just like, you know, they're ready to see the headliner band, you know, so I'm like, you know what, we're going to play something that they know, we're going to play. Wish you were here by Pink Floyd, because we would do it from time to time, right.
Unknown:Okay.
Vinnie Dombroski:We played that song, we finished our set. However, our manager, we have a separate manager for Europe. She was furious with me because she bought she brought out like lots of promoters. And back then if you were doing a cover song, like you were looked at, like a cover band. And I didn't necessarily see it like that back then. But that's how people looked at it, that you were a cover band, and it's kind of belittling to what you're trying to do. And she basically said to me, she was so mad at me. She goes Vinnie, I can't believe you did that. She had a lot setup. And she probably isn't pressed out there too. And she said, you might as well just go home. So I'm out there living the rock and roll life. I'm you know, partying for like three days straight. And you know what I'm going, I could use a break, you know, so I go, Okay, perfect. And I'm gonna go to the airport, hop on a plane and come back to Detroit, man, you know, where I made it to New York. I mean, I literally went to the airport in Germany. And I said, Give me a ticket back to United States like what city? I go, I don't care what see just whatever planes leaving first and having to be going to New York. So I made it to New York and took a bus in New York to Detroit, you know, wow. And no, you know, what, and certainly not a smart thing to do. You know, I'm certain that in many ways, I've paid for that. And I continue to pay for that to this day. You know, it's and certainly sometimes people go on, it's a funny rock story. And but, you know, in the name of rock and roll was kind of cool. I don't know, I still can't assess anything cool in that because I think, you know, I know I disappointed a lot of people. So yeah, I'm certainly heartfelt sorry for that, you know, in. Well, we've
Chuck Shute:all done stupid shit in our 20s. I mean, that's if that's the worst thing you did. That's not so bad. So,
Vinnie Dombroski:first thing I've done.
Chuck Shute:Oh, man. Okay. All right. Fair enough. You won't get any other word. You want to tell me what the worst thing is?
Unknown:I plead the fifth.
Chuck Shute:plead the fifth. All right, fair enough. Well, so you haven't stopped even though you went to 30 days in rehab. Your manager made you do that but you haven't stopped partying? You still like to have a good time. I always I'm always fascinated by this because I talked to so many rock stars and so many of them are like, I don't drink anymore. I've totally cut out alcohol and then other ones like I had Rachel bowling on her the days like yeah, we still do shots when before we go on stage. So I'm always fascinated by this. Do you have to slow things down? Little as you get older, or are you 42?
Vinnie Dombroski:I have to slow things down a lot. Well, man in the 40s You know what, what I noticed about the 40s is you can't eat, like you could eat Yes. Or in your 30s like that to body metabolism changes. Now, you know, in my mid 50s that's when like, I go, something's going on. Like, I literally, I can't operate and drink the way, you know, I used to, which is a quick bounce back. And nobody likes to drink too much, that's for sure. But I admire the fact that a lot of these folks don't party anymore. Because as you get older, you really can't party like you used to anyway, if you just pay for it. You keep paying for it. Yeah, he works. I'm just like, Man, I'm, I really I pulled way back, man, I shouldn't be drinking. I spent five years not drinking. Wow, I wonder what happened. There was only one way that happened. One going to meetings the other way. Keep going to meetings. But when you when sponge plays, and has played bars, if you're in a bar every night, every night and you can't get to meetings, you know what, guess what, you're going to start drinking again. So you know, I spent five years without it. And sometimes I think I'm better. I would be better served if I didn't drink at all, but I spend my life It seems in a bar, you know, spend all your time in a bar, what are you going to do a lot of these guys that don't drink anymore? They have system set up? And basically if they're on tour, you know, it's nowhere backstage, you're not gonna find a beer. And that's what you need. You maintain your sobriety by not having and this is odd because there's a guy that drinks telling telling me for me, Well, yeah, you know, going to meetings and staying away from the shit. But I mean, we spent all our time in bars man. Yeah, just like i don't i don't i don't know how to stay away from it necessarily. And like most of us, there's no moderation but you hope you find some moderation someplace.
Chuck Shute:Well, you had a rule clear liquor on show days brown liquor on off days. Wasn't that one of the rules that you set up some rules and things like that? Yeah, I
Vinnie Dombroski:think I was talking to whitey Morgan, man, one day about this. I don't know why he remembers but it's just like we're talking about you know, whiskey and shows and and, and I I said I can't do whiskey on show days. It affects my stomach or something, you know, so yeah, clear liquor does not do that. Clearly does not affect your stomach the way brown liquor does for some reason. What about me?
Chuck Shute:Yeah, what about I don't know if weed is legal in Michigan, they just legalized the here in Arizona is uh, do you do ever do the legal weed? You ever try that the edibles or any of that kind of stuff?
Vinnie Dombroski:No, I was always doing it when it was illegal. And I don't smoke weed. Yeah, I just, I haven't for years, you know, doesn't mean you're doing drugs. Anything goes but you know, I don't do that shit anymore. Drinking is bad enough.
Chuck Shute:Yeah. Are you still doing the jumping rope just because you're still pretty physically fit. So
Vinnie Dombroski:I thought my knees are shot, man. I can't do that. I can't skip. I mean, I work out all the time. You know, I got a heavy bag in the garage. Okay, I got I got a slip bag, man. So I can get my mike tyson. Peekaboo boxing style nailed down. So I work out every day, man. But let's get skipping rope. Man. My knees are shot.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, for sure. We got an interesting point you said about being in a rock band. And touring is like people don't realize the price that you pay for some of this like that. You said like you've missed a lot of birthdays and anniversaries and things like that, like the price for success that people don't see talk about that like the price for all this hard work that you've put into the band?
Vinnie Dombroski:Well, that hard work is what we call building the road and building the road for sponge to travel on even today. It takes enormous focus and enormous sacrifice. And it takes a toll on your personal life. It takes a toll on your health. It takes a toll on you spiritually it takes a toll on everything. But I suppose if you're that focused in that drip and anything could possibly be detrimental to you. So that that's the sacrifice that the music business requires of anybody and let's face it, sometimes there is no success at the end of the road, man, you know what I mean? Yeah, just go and and and you do what you do, because that's what you are. And there's no apologizing for it. That's what you do. So I go, you know what, nothing's gonna change with me. I'm gonna keep doing this till the day I die. And that's, that's really it Now, don't get me wrong. It's not like I'm going I got nothing else I could do. I really enjoy. I still enjoy doing this. I still enjoy getting up on stage. I still still enjoy writing songs. Because primarily, what I look at myself is I'm a guy who writes songs and happens to be in a band. So I really enjoy writing songs. So writing songs and singing songs, man, I really get a kick out of that I get a kick out of my friends that write songs and, and, boy, and you're just Yeah,
Chuck Shute:you're really good at it, too. You obviously have the talent. I think, you know, what, if you hadn't had a hit at this point, I might tell you to give it up. But I mean, I think you're doing pretty good, right?
Vinnie Dombroski:Oh, you know, I've been so fortunate. You know, we worked on the sponge record that's wrapped up, you know, my connection to you. Today was drew for chair. Yeah. And, you know, we've finished writing and recording a record with Dave Ellefson. And, and Mike Heller (Fear Factory). So I
Chuck Shute:What is this band called? I was not wasn't mean, this, and this band just sounds fantastic. But I found supposed to bring it up unless you brought it up. But you myself in a situation where I was home, not touring. And lo brought it up. So now I can ask about it. and behold, the fellas sent me like 30 demos, man, let me go down post. Wow. And we ended up I think, demoing out about 13 songs and tracking officially nine. So this record is how long wheels man it sounds killer.
Vinnie Dombroski:It's called Lucid- L-U-C-I-D
Chuck Shute:Okay. And when do you think this will be out?
Vinnie Dombroski:You know, it's really the same answer. There's a fella by the name of Lassie lammerts I think he's out of Germany. That's us mixing the record. He's got everything. I literally caught my last vocal last week. Okay. And, you know, I think I'm not sure when it's gonna be released. I think it might. The record may find a home and a label. And then who knows? But, you know, I'm the kind of guy I love to work. I love the process. Yeah, so the out just goes out of my hands. Now I go, I don't know what the hell is gonna happen. I never knew what was gonna happen back in the sponge days. I know. All I know is I want to work. Yeah. And then I don't my hands. Okay. Very cool.
Chuck Shute:Hey, I wanted to get your thoughts on censorship. Because I remember like, when I grew up a kid in the 80s, and there was I remember, they're trying to do those stickers, the Parental Advisory stickers on the records and stuff in the 80s. And then, you know, there's kind of this, like, fight with that. And then I guess they they settled on, okay, you can put the sticker on but you know, you can still buy the record. It seems like I haven't really heard a lot about censorship in a long time. It seems like that's kind of coming back on social media and the internet. I'm just curious, like, your thoughts on on that? Are you? Are you for some of this censorship? Or are you against all censorship? Or what is your thoughts on that? And like, especially with music?
Vinnie Dombroski:Back in the 80s, the most the most threatening thing was something perhaps on a rock and roll record. Yeah. And that was something that if it had that sticker on it, everybody understood that it was something potentially for young years. Done, right. But these days, I gotta tell you, Chuck, I'm not aware of any kind of censorship campaign, especially given what the content is on YouTube. I go, you know, I know they idle it down for people that they go, well, it's there. They're too young. But even what's on there, and I guess, okay, for young people to view I go is still, like, far beyond what we were exposed to. As young people do. I think there needs to be some kind of, you know, they put they really put it in the hands of the parents. Unfortunately, you know what I mean? They put it on our shoulders to go you got to keep an eye on your kid. Well, good luck. Keep an eye on me when I was a kid if they tried.
Chuck Shute:Yeah,
Vinnie Dombroski:you mean shit. You know, we're out smoking weed and drinking was 15 years old. Red, you couldn't keep an eye on me. So I say I'm like we could parents, any parent, I think could use some help in that, you know, I don't think look, I love playing bars. I love playing bars. that are you know, you can't look scared when you go into the orbit since my other band would play those kind of places. So for me to sing songs with a lot of vulgar words. And the night being that way, I go I'm in a bar with a bunch of adults. Lenny Bruce, God bless you. Let's Let's go Yeah, so but when it's like, you know, some kids sitting on his iPad at home, and you know, I go he doesn't need to hear that shit right. Oh, you know bar. I'm not some self righteous asshole but in a bar to me. Anything Goes Okay,
Chuck Shute:fair enough.
Vinnie Dombroski:You know? Yeah, but outside of that, man I go it really something. I'd like to see something done. But I think it's makes me look like you know, I'm some kind of proved, you know, I could use the help. Yeah,
Unknown:parents
Chuck Shute:know. That's interesting. Also, like, you don't have social media. Do you? I couldn't find you on Instagram or Facebook.
Unknown:Yeah. Do you? Oh, yeah.
Chuck Shute:You don't?
Vinnie Dombroski:You do? Yeah, I'm, I'm active with the sponge, Facebook and the Instagram. Do you say about me personally?
Chuck Shute:Yeah. Like you don't have your own account. You don't have an Instagram account or do you have a Twitter or any of those things or? No,
Vinnie Dombroski:I mean, I just basically do a lot of my stuff to the sponge. Okay. Facebook, so it's Facebook forward slash sponge rocks, and sponge has Instagram account. So, you know, I'm usually on the sponge account throughout the week or on the weekends.
Chuck Shute:Okay, cool. Well, thanks so much for doing this interview. I'd like to end with a charity. Is there one that you work with? You want to give a shout out to? Oh, man,
Vinnie Dombroski:I saw that. I appreciate that. We do. And we've done this for the past. This would have been the third year the night before Thanksgiving. We work with a homeless shelter. In downtown Detroit. It's called Pope Francis center people Pope Francis. It's got to be Catholic. What do they need the money for? They are completely privately funded homeless shelter in downtown Detroit, the Pope Francis center, you go to Pope francis.org Pope Francis center.org. I think it is
Chuck Shute:okay. I find it.
Vinnie Dombroski:I'll put in the notes. They they do a fantastic job feeding the homeless community offering showers, legal advice. They also give homeless folks that don't even have an address. Basically, you got like a mailbox, you got an address. So if you're looking to help your life out, get a job. Pope Francis center gives you an address as well my buddy Chris hearth, and he's a director down there and does a fantastic job. Unfortunately, this year sponge can't do the big benefit that we do. But we put out a record a record that's going to be available. Just before Christmas of Detroit bands doing Detroit songs called songs that got me through it. So Oh, Francis, folks, that's the charity that sponges work closely with. Okay, well, that's awesome. Very cool. And then people keep an eye out for all these projects that you have coming up. Anything else you want to give a shout out to or I love what you do. Chuck, I appreciate you time.
Chuck Shute:Thank you. I
Vinnie Dombroski:really do. It's good to talk to you.
Chuck Shute:Yeah, you too. All right, thanks.
Unknown:Take care of yourself. All
Chuck Shute:right, you too. Bye. Bye. So Vinnie Dombrowski, singer of sponge, check out their catalogue and all the side projects. They're available on Spotify and YouTube, check out the website and the merch store. They got some cool stuff over there. Follow the band on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with the new releases and the tour dates when those happen again, follow me on social media and subscribe to the podcast so that you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed this episode, you can share it on your social media or write a review on iTunes. I'd sure appreciate that. That helped me out a lot. Thank you so much for listening. And remember, shoot for the moon.
