Toehider: With vocal gymnastics, modern prog guitar wizardry…..

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Toehider is the work of musician Micheal Mills and artist Andrew Saltmarsh and Melbourne’s eclectic duo latest album is I Like It. Toehider has also shared a new play-through video for the album track How Much For That Dragon Tooth?

I am a wizard.

I wasn’t born one, I have learnt my craft with time

I’m often in the woods honing my spells of shock and ice

But I’m a poor man. The local mages teach their wizdom at great price

I try selling things at my market stall – hyssop, sage and thyme..

But one night I saw a winged beast come swooping down from high

It’s fiery breath lit up the forest sky

My hands did shake, but I blasted frozen electricity

straight in its mouth and it fell into the trees!

Acting on instinct I scaled the tree trunk, and I scaled its scaly tail

It’s flinching slowly faded. My bravery had prevailed!

I was a hero! I’d saved the town, I’d saved their lives! Yet no-one saw..

I needed proof. I reached inside its mouth – yanked at its jaw

I put it in a case and proudly placed it at my stall But for the reaction I was not prepared at all…

“How much for that dragon tooth?” is what they said to me

“The one there in that old glass case you keep under lock and key?”

“How much for that dragon tooth?” one warrior exhaled

I shook my head and simply said “this tooth is not for sale”

When I was younger, I read an ancient book detailing the cursed dragon’s teeth –

Stronger than a sword, pity all it met with underneath!

The problem being – when the tooth comes in contact with the blood it draws

The dragon is reborn, even stronger than before!

But curses, I’m so poor and sick and in debt to all the mages

And a mage will not accept his wage in sage…

“How much for that dragon tooth?” one man was getting mad

And I was getting desperate, for I’d spent all that I had

“How much for that dragon tooth!?” My stomach was in knots

I frowned my brow, looked up and said “well how much have you got?”

I took his bags of gold, I paid my debts and left that place (I was 4 miles up a mountain by this stage)

I turned, just for a moment when I heard the howls of pain

And my eyes met with a town engulfed in flames..

“How much for that dragon tooth?” is what they said to me

“The one there in that old glass case you keep under lock and key…?”

“How much for the dragon tooth?” those words pervade my thoughts

Well, what’s the cost of glory? Can it simply not be bought?

“How much for that dragon tooth?” A spell of shock and ice.

How much is “not enough”, you fools, can you afford the price?

The collaborative project between singer/multi-instrumentalist Mike Mills & graphic designer Andrew Saltmarsh is the 4th full length studio album and 20th overall release (after a series of 12 EPs in 12 months kick started the project a decade ago, along with a few more along the way).

The collection of tracks on I Like It showcases Toehider’s diverse influences, blending 80s pop/rock & metal, with Mike Mills’ trademark vocal gymnastics, modern prog guitar wizardry, and more.

After releasing their debut EP back in 2008, Toehider caught the world’s attention by releasing an impressive 12 EPs in 12 months, covering everything from up-beat pop & heavy progressive metal, to children’s audiobooks & chilled out folk. Soon a live act was formed and, in 2011, the band’s first full album To Hide Her was released. The band continued to release albums over the next few years, while supporting a number of great acts on tour including Devin Townsend, Caligula’s Horse, Voyager and others.

 An invitation by Arjen Lucassen for Mike Mills to sing on the Ayreon album The Theory of Everything would lead to greater exposure for the group and performances with Ayreon live.  Mills would also be a featured vocalist on the Ayreon album ‘The Source’ in 2017.

In 2018, Toehider launched a Patreon campaign called 49 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die as a home for Mike Mills and Salty’s prolific work and content. This project continued in 2019 with further livestreaming and content, as well as a series of digital re-releases marking the 10th anniversary of the 12in12 project, with additional commentary from Mike Mills on each track.

Tracks:

01. Go Full Bore!

02. wellgivit

03. Rancorous Heart

04. Moon and Moron

05. Concerning Lix & Fairs

06. The Ultimate Exalter

07. Died of Dancing

08. Bats Aren’t Birds

09. The Guy That No-One Really Knows

10. He’s There… and Then He Does THAT

11. How Much For That Dragon Tooth?

12. I Like It!

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