More than 25 years after breaking onto the British music scene, Toploader remain a band whose music continues to connect with audiences across generations. From the enduring success of their timeless hit ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ to their multi-platinum debut album Onka’s Big Moka, the band carved out a distinctive sound built on soulful vocals, infectious piano melodies and an unmistakable sense of optimism. Now, following almost a decade without new music, Toploader return with ‘Sleepyhead’, a vibrant, piano-driven single that captures the warmth of their earlier work while reflecting a new chapter in their creative journey.
Having experienced the extraordinary highs of international success, the pressures of the music industry and the freedom that comes with experience, the band have rediscovered their passion for recording and performing. With a UK headline tour underway and a new album on the horizon, Toploader are embracing the present without losing sight of the music that brought them here. Speaking to House of Solo, the band reflect on their early success, the lasting magic of ‘Dancing in the Moonlight’, the changing music industry and why, after all these years, their love for making music together remains stronger than ever.
First of all, congratulations on the release of ‘Sleepyhead’. It’s your first new music in almost a decade. What made this feel like the right moment to return to the studio, and what sparked that creative energy again?
We’re constantly playing new songs in the set to balance with the older stuff, and we seemed to suddenly have a few under our belt. We’re a band who like to try the songs out live first, so we really know what they’re about. Not sure why it’s taken us so long to actually get back in the studio, but it’s about time, to be honest.
‘Sleepyhead’ explores our tendency to ignore what’s happening around us, even when the warning signs are obvious. Was there a particular experience or observation that inspired the song, and do you think its message reflects the world we’re living in today?
I think the song works on many levels, from burying your head in the sand from a personal perspective to, as a society, ignoring the impact of global warming or the impending threat of AI. I just liked the idea of us being told to ‘Wake Up Sleepyhead’.
The track has that unmistakable Toploader warmth, blending soulful vocals, piano-driven melodies and a nostalgic ’70s influence. When you started writing again, was there a conscious decision to reconnect with your original sound, or has your musical identity naturally evolved?
I have never stopped. I just write how I write and try not to shape anything during that process. It’s important for me to let the song happen naturally, although this song does have many elements from the early material. It’s a big, rolling, piano-driven track with a big chorus, so in that way, I suppose it’s similar. As a writer, I feel like a different person to the kid who wrote the first record, but that’s life for you.
You’ve worked with producer Danton Supple before, and he’s returned for ‘Sleepyhead’. What is it about that creative relationship that works so well, and how did he help shape the sound of this new chapter?
The song was pretty well shaped sonically already in my studio, but Danton is great at bringing out everyone’s best performance and has a delicate touch when building upon what is already there. He works out of RAK Studios, which we’ve always loved too. It’s where we recorded ‘Moonlight’ all those years ago.
Let’s go back to the beginning. When Onka’s Big Moka was released, could you ever have imagined the impact it would have? Looking back now, what do you remember most vividly about that period of your lives?
It was a strange rollercoaster of a time. I have very mixed emotions about it. I am very grateful for the success we achieved, but felt completely unprepared to deal with it, which inevitably took its toll on us as a band. At the time, I was also grieving the loss of my older brother, which, ironically, had happened at the same time.
I think I have truly enjoyed being in the band much more since we reformed in 2010, without the pressure and with creative freedom over what we do. Strange how things work out sometimes.
‘Dancing in the Moonlight’ has become one of those rare songs that transcends generations. With billions of streams and audiences still singing along more than 25 years later, how has your relationship with the song changed over time? Does performing it still feel as special as it did in the beginning?
We are very proud of it! It has connected with people in a way we couldn’t have ever dreamed. It has a magic to it that makes people happy, and that’s incredible to be part of. It has taken us all over the world and is still a highlight to play live. It sings itself these days.
Success arrived relatively early in your career, bringing international recognition, BRIT Award nominations and enormous expectations. What did that experience teach you about the music industry, and is there anything you wish you’d understood at the time?
There are lots of things that I wish I could have said to myself at that time, but that is part of the experience of life and a little later wisdom, I suppose. We learnt that it is very much an ‘industry’, and we were riding that wave for a while. It was quite nice to get off when the chance arose.
The music industry has changed dramatically since you first broke through, particularly with streaming, social media and the way audiences discover music. As a band that experienced the height of physical record sales, how do you view today’s industry? Do you think it’s become easier or harder for new artists to build lasting careers?
I wouldn’t know if it’s easier now or not, if I’m honest. I think you still have to be talented, but the way artists break through now is very different to the endless touring and ‘word of mouth’ way that it used to happen.
In some ways, we were lucky to experience audiences before phones. People were in the moment at the show. The lasting career question is a good one. People’s attention spans and the constant desire for something new make building a lasting career more tricky these days. It’s still tough out there.
You’ve shared the stage with some incredible artists, from Coldplay and Muse to Paul Weller and Bon Jovi. More recently, you joined James Blunt on his arena tour. Have any of those experiences changed the way you approach performing, and what have you learnt from watching other artists over the years?
Watching the tradecraft of some of the artists we supported, like Robbie and Bon Jovi, was a valuable lesson. They would have a stadium in the palm of their hands (and still do). I stole a few bits here and there and applied them to our shows with varying degrees of success.
Paul Weller was super supportive early on and put us on stages we had no right to be on. We learnt pretty quickly to be a good live band. Sink or swim!
Your music has always had a certain optimism and feel-good energy, even when the lyrics explore more complicated emotions. Do you think that positivity has become part of Toploader’s identity, and is it something you consciously try to preserve?
I’m glad that our music has always landed on the side of optimism, although it’s definitely not a conscious thing. The first album, in particular, was wonderfully naive and full of hope, which resonated with the time, I think.
My writing seems to explore ‘escapism’ and a release from the day-to-day, and that has not really changed over the years. Although I’m probably a little more jaded than I was during that first record!
You’ve experienced extraordinary highs as a band, but like any long-running group, there must have been challenging periods too. What has been the biggest test of your relationship as bandmates, and what has kept you making music together after all these years?
The biggest test we’ve ever had as a band was becoming successful, which we succeeded and failed at in equal measure. The fact that we still love being in a band and making music together is why we’re still doing it. It’s a pretty happy ship these days, and we all seem to pull in the same direction.
Your current UK headline tour takes you into more intimate venues, following years of major festivals and arena performances. How does playing to a few hundred people compare with performing in front of thousands? Does that closeness with the audience bring something different out of you as musicians?
We are as happy in an intimate venue as we are in an arena or at a festival! It feels like we’ve rediscovered touring again and have fallen back in love with it. It’s amazing to be able to play some deeper cuts, and people are out there still singing along after all this time. The reaction in a more intimate venue is instant, and we’re loving that connection.
There’s something fascinating about how younger generations are rediscovering music from the late ’90s and early 2000s. With Toploader attracting millions of listeners on streaming platforms, have you noticed a new generation connecting with your music? What do you think makes certain songs stand the test of time?
With the accessibility of music now, it’s great that you can reach new fans across all generations. We have people at shows who wouldn’t have been alive when we made the first album. That’s one of the joys of music: it transcends age and brings us together. Songs that are honest and reflect human emotion will inevitably still make sense year after year.
Looking back at the musicians you were when Toploader first started and the people you’ve become today, how have your ambitions changed? Is success still about chart positions and record sales, or does it mean something entirely different now?
We’ve changed so much as people over the years, but are still as passionate about the band, music and the live shows. Our ambition now is definitely not the same as it would’ve been when we were twenty, but it has evolved with us as we’ve grown as a band.
I think we are happier now with ourselves and incredibly grateful that people still listen to the music and come to the shows.
Finally, with ‘Sleepyhead’ marking the beginning of this new chapter, what does the future look like for Toploader? Can fans expect more new music, perhaps even another album, and what would you still love to achieve together as a band?
We are working on a new album for release next year, and I want to make sure we keep releasing new material. It has been way too long, and we’re loving recording again. The live shows are going great too. Long may it continue!
