Interview with The Spongetones

The Spongetones, formed 1979, are a legendary power pop band from Charlotte, North Carolina. They just released their first live album The 40th Anniversary Concert…And Beyond . Irresistible songs like “She Goes Out With Everybody,” “Better Take It Easy,” “Here I Go Again,” “When It’s You,” “Better Luck Next Time,” “Skinny,” “Just Another Dream,” “Not So,” “My Girl Maryanne,” “It Can’t Go on Forever” and many others should be well known not just in the power pop community. Actually, they should be big hits. These guys write effortless brilliant pop songs that make your heart tremble and shake. In this interview, Jamie Hoover (guitar, vocals), Steve Stoeckel (bass, vocals), Pat Walters (guitar, vocals) and the new drummer Eric Wilhelm talk about funny moments, their favourite Spongetones albums and songs, success, why they never got famous, their induction into the Power Pop Hall of Fame and the possibility of a new Spongetones album.

Robert Pally: How did you join The Spongetones?

JH: I was with a friend Alan Kaufman doing a session at Davis Sound, where I worked at the time. Alan suggested us going by The Double Door Inn in Charlotte and watching The Spongetones play. I said ‘sure’-I had seen them several times-and loved them. On their break I went to say hello to Pat. He told me that Keith Brooks was leaving the band and… “you’re in!” I said Hell yes!

SS: Pat Walters (a longtime friend) called and said “We’re putting a Beatles tribute band together for a one-night show, and your name was mentioned for bass.”

PW: I’m one the founding members and was there when it started along with Steve Stoeckel.

EW: I am in another cover band, and Steve had seen us on a few occasions, and would join us onstage once in a while. This led to him and Pat joining us for a few gigs (Jamie lives several hours away, hence his not participating). Simultaneously, I was also friends with the Spongetones’ then drummer Chris, who, as luck would have it, would also fill in on drums in my band when I wasn’t available. So, we were all pretty tight as it was. When Chris fell ill, the guys asked me if I could be a standby drummer for them in case Chris was not in good shape for a gig. We had a few rehearsals to get me up to speed, but, Chris being the trooper he was, never missed a gig. His continues to be a tremendous loss. Chris died in 2022 of cancer. We all miss him dearly. But since we can’t get him back, and since I was now rehearsed, I became the new drummer. Having been a fan of the Spongetones since I was 13 (!), I consider it quite an honour to now be a member, but I will always remember why I am here, and for that reason, I try to approach things with a mantra of “WWCD” (What Would Chris Do?).

Robert Pally: What was the best experience for you and band so far?

JH: Japan. Airmail Records brought us over to Tokyo to play a few club dates, and they were just wonderful shows! They really loved us-and we loved them! Folks from Sony Japan were there as well. We had been on Sony Japan for years and had a number of releases there. They, and the people at Airmail, were all so kind to us and took care of us well.

SS: Playing for 1000 people at an outdoor show in Charlotte, and playing in Tokyo. Playing with Nicky Hopkins (played for The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and more).

PW: Writing and recording our own music. The 40th Anniversary Show in our hometown. Playing in Tokyo.

EW: For me, this question has a limited scope of only a few years, since I joined in ’22. But for me, simply playing onstage with them has been MY personal best experience!

Robert Pally: Which your favourite Spongetones album and why?

JH: My personal fave is Too Clever By Half. I just felt at the time that it was our most creative releases, although I dearly love them all… they’re my children.

SS: Too Clever By Half, for its varied songs and frenzy of creativity.

EW: It feels cliche to say Beat Music, but it’s the one that got me on the bandwagon. I was a teenager who was really starting to absorb music, and power pop was really tugging my ears. To know this was a local band that sounded THIS good, both in terms of sonic and song writing chops, was a delight in every way!

Robert Pally: Which is in your opinion the best Spongetones song and why?

JH: Same thing: “Too Clever By Half.” I am just so proud of it in particular! Steve and I had such a great time writing it. We had a rule: you had to open the dictionary and put your finger down on a word. Then you must use this word in your next line!

SS: Too many to choose from.

EW: Gosh, that’s a tough one! I’ll give two. Always loved “Eloquent Spokesman.” While being very much in the Beatles vein, it just has great production, and is quite simply a great song, any way you slice it. Another one I’ve recently discovered while getting to know the whole catalogue is “Easy With You.” That chorus. I always love when an unexpected chorus slips in and makes the ol’ neck hairs go TWANG!

Robert Pally: Can you tell me a funny story from the early years of The Spongetones?

JH: The worst gig ever for me. Greensboro NC at Joker’s III. 1st song, I busted a string. Randy, my roadie handed me another guitar. Great! Except-it was sadly out of tune. So, he handed me another……also out of tune. Then he tuned the first replacement and gave me that…..and another string broke. This happened a few more times. Karmic debt? Still not sure…. 🙂

SS: I once played a large club while wearing tight pants with flimsy fabric. I crouched down at the loud part of “Lola,” where the whole band comes in and ripped the pants from front to back. I played the rest of the song holding my bass upright to hide the rip and then walked to the dressing room like that.

PW: We drove directly to a gig in the ’80s and didn’t have time to do a sound check. We walked out on stage, played the first notes of a song and quickly became aware that the guitars were out of tune with each other. It seems that the roadie had mis-calibrated the electronic tuners. We had to stop the show and retune the guitars in front of a full house. Funny and embarrassing!

EW: I certainly cannot! Though I guess I can add that for me, I mainly knew Steve and Pat as “the guys who work at Reliable Music” (an amazing instrument/equipment shop) who would fix my broken tape decks etc. I also remember going to see an early gig of theirs at a nearby college auditorium, and just having a blast.

Robert Pally: Why didn’t get The Spongetones famous?

JH: I really have no idea. We were young and pretty, not to mention talented. The usual excuse was we were too much like The Beatles. Fuck that. That was our mission!

SS: I wish I knew!

EW: I can’t answer that, but I can tell you that almost every band I really love is in that boat. Heck, they’re famous with ME, and that’s all that matters!

Robert Pally: What means success to you?

JH: Being able to look in the mirror and say “I’ve given it my best shot.” I got nothing left to prove!

SS: Getting our music played and listened to.

EW: Being happy doing what you’re doing.

Robert Pally: What memories do you have from The 40th Anniversary concert?

JH:Lots of love, joy, sincere appreciation, and a good time was had by all. Chris had a great time! We all did.

SS: First, it was the next-to-last gig with Chris our drummer, who passed away within months. Second, fans came from all over to hear us, some we’d not seen in years. It was an amazing night.

Robert Pally: From a current perspective the band name The Spongetones sounds a bit funny /goofy. How would you call The Spongetones today?

JH:It was and is a perfect name for us!

SS: It made us laugh the first time we saw it on a marquee that first night. It was somewhat of a joke name. Now it means something special, and I wouldn’t call us anything else.

PW: The Tones

EW: Hmm, the Porous Tunes?

Robert Pally: “Scrambled Eggs” from 2009 is your last studio album. How are the chances that there will be a new Spongetones album sometime in the future? 1: not very likely, 10: very likely

JH:Very likely!

SS: 10: We will do more records.

PW: 10

EW: I’d venture a 9. I am hopeful! Tunes will be written and recorded. The trick comes in slotting into the label’s release schedule. Patience will be a virtue!

Robert Pally: Power Pop is…? (finish the sentence).

JH: …all things Beatle.

SS: Well-crafted tunes with good melodic content, great singing and playing, with memorable hooks.

EW: …hooky music with chord progressions that cause a visceral reaction. You feel it in your nerve endings, in the best way. It can make you shiver, again, in the best way. It makes you feel lucky to be alive.

Robert Pally: What emotions did you have when were inducted into the Power Pop Hall of Fame?

JH:I didn’t really know about it until recently. I am honored!

SS: It was very gratifying to be among many of our heroes.

PW: It’s very exciting to be a part of it.

Discography:

Beat Music (1982)
Torn Apart (1984) EP
Where-Ever-Land (1987)
Oh Yeah! (1991)
Beat And Torn (1994): compilation of Beat Music and Torn Apart
Textural Drone Thing (1995)
Odd Fellows (2000)
Beat! The Spongetones (2001)
Mersey Christmas (2001)
Number 9 (2005)
Turn Me On Dead Man (2005) Fan sponsored CD-R with Number 9 songs and 4 more (“Everyone’s In Love With You” (Marshall / Robert Crenshaw) and “Fade Away” (Jamie Hoover & Robert Crenshaw))
Always Carry On: The Best Of The Spongetones 1980-2005 (2007)
Too Clever By Half (2008)
Scrambled Eggs (2009)
The 40th Anniversary Concert…And Beyond (2025)