Dean Dinning

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Dinning, along with fellow high school friends Glen Phillips, Todd Nichols, and Randy Guss, formed Toad the Wet Sprocket in 1986; having grabbing the name from a Monty Python sketch, created by Eric Idle. The band released their debut album Bread & Circus in 1988 on cassette-only (as well as their own label Abe's Records), and on Columbia Records in July 1989. The album had two singles "One Little Girl" and "Way Away," which both hit the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The following year, they released their second album Pale. Despite the album not being a huge success, it contained two singles "Jam" and "Come Back Down" (which became a Modern Rock chart hit). In August 1991, they released their third and fame-achievable effort fear, which contained hit singles "Walk on the Ocean" and "All I Want". This made fear their first album to become an RIAA-certified platinum album.

The band even released songs for films: "Little Heaven" (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and "Brother" (So I Married an Axe Murderer).

After almost three years, they finally released their follow-up to fear in May 1994, Dulcinea (which also went platinum). Dulcinea includes hit singles "Fall Down" (reaching No. 1 on the Modern Rock charts) and "Something's Always Wrong" (which also) hit the charts). The album's opening track "Fly from Heaven" was released as a music video, but never as a single. In October 1995, the group released an album In Light Syrup, which consists of b-sides and rarities, including "Little Heaven" and "Brother". In Light Syrup contains hit single "Good Intentions," which was featured on soundtrack for Friends.

On May 20, 1997, the group released their album Coil, containing hit single "Come Down," hitting the Modern Rock and Maintsream Rock charts. Singles from Coil "Crazy Life" and "Whatever I Fear" were also released.

After 12 years of touring and recording together, Toad the Wet Sprocket went their separate ways in the summer of 1998. As a result of this, Glen Phillips pursued a solo career, as Dinning and Todd Nichols formed a project called Lapdog, releasing two albums Near Tonight (2000) and Mayfly (2003). However, they did release a greatest-hits album titled P.S. (A Toad Retrospective) a year later, with three previously unreleased tracks.

After four years, the band reuinted temporarily in late-2002, and played shows well into 2003. Afterwards, they continued their own ways; however, in 2004, they released their first live album Welcome Home: Live at the Arlington Theatre, Santa Barbara 1992, which was recorded 12 years prior during the fear tour.

In 2006, the band reunited once again and played on and off together until 2009. By 2010, they announced that they are officially a full-time band again, and begun re-recording their older hits for their 2011 release All You Want. In late-2012, the group begun recording for their first in studio album almost 16 years, and finished up in March 2013. They released a new single on June 5, 2013 titled "New Constellation," as it was announced that their upcoming record would be the same name. They marketed the album on Kickstarter, having originally set a goal of $50,000. Fans, however, contributed more in less than 20 hours. After 16 years, the band finally released New Constellation on October 15, 2013 on their label Abe's Records. New Constellation not only included the eponymous single, but also singles "California Wasted" and "The Moment". They began touring in support of the album, as well as opening for Counting Crows in 2014.

On June 16, 2015, they released and EP titled Architect of the Ruin, followed by a summer tour with Smash Mouth and Tonic.

Personal life

Dinning graduated from San Marcos Senior High in 1985, along with bandmate Todd Nichols.

He is the nephew of American pop singer Mark Dinning, as well as Ella, Jean, and Ginger Dinning of The Dinning Sisters.

He grew up in Santa Barbara, California, and currently lives in Ventura, California.

With Toad the Wet Sprocket

With Lapdog