Possibly more well known for his contribution as a band member of indie rock icons Guided by Voices (GbV), Tobin Sprout's solo career has garnered him critical praise for his songwriting skills and musicianship. A self taught musician from an early age, he played with and was a major collaborator to the Dayton, OH rockers, employing a 4-track and home studio skills, contributing to the unique lo-fi sound of GbV. During the late 80s and early 90s, Sprout appeared prominently on GbV's Bee Thousand, Alien Lanes, and Under the Bushes, Under the Stars, before going solo in 1996 with his debut Carnival Boy. Although a visual artist by trade, he has continued to write his own music, releasing Moonflower Plastic in 1997 and Let's Welcome the Circus People in 1999. He also wrote songs for a project called Eyesinweasel which were collected on 2000's Wrinkled Thoughts. His Demos and Outtakes collection was released in the following year. Also in 2001, Sprout rejoined with Robert Pollard (of Guided by Voices) to form Airport 5, independently releasing numerous singles and 2 full length albums, Tower in the Fountain of Sparks and in 2002, Life Starts Here. In 2003, he continued writing and composing independently, this time from his home in Michigan, recording and releasing his most recent solo effort Lost Planets & Phantom Voices.
