For years, Glen Phillips says, it felt personal.
It makes sense when you listen to Phillips explain his career arc, a creative trajectory within which he says, “I peaked at probably 23 … and, in a commercial sense that anyone would notice, I was over by 26 or 27.”
That’s a perplexing stage to have in the rearview mirror, especially for someone who’s continued to make music for another 20-plus years.
It’s taken some time for Phillips to realize the ebb and flow of popularity and the shifting sands of the music industry have nothing to do with his value as a person or his worth as a cultural voice. These days, he’s “over” the idea of a career, he says. It’s simply about obedience to the creative impulses that he feels.
These days, Phillips is still writing, recording, and releasing music as both a solo artist and with his longtime band. However, he’s also taking time to find his spiritual center via drum circles and helping his neighbors channel their own creativity.
While Phillips sounds more at home than ever, it’s come at the cost of several battles with resistance—some of which are ongoing. Here’s our interview with Phillips about his early years, his latest work and the roles that resistance has played at each intersection.
Listen to Episode 1.11 of our podcast, The Resistance, with Toad the Wet Sprocket's Glen Phillips.
