Music
Vinnie Dombroski
born 1962 · singer, songwriter
Detroit-born singer and founder of Sponge, the 1990s alternative rock band behind “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain).”
- Born
Detroit, Michigan
age 63- Detroit years
- 1962–present
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Dombroski started out as the drummer of the Detroit hard rock band Loudhouse, alongside brothers Mike and Tim Cross. When the singer left, Dombroski moved to the microphone, and in 1992 the group re-formed as Sponge with guitarist Joey Mazzola and drummer Jimmy Paluzzi, playing bars and clubs around Detroit. Their 1994 debut, Rotting Piñata, produced the alternative radio hits “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain),” followed by “Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)” and “Have You Seen Mary.” On June 28, 1996, Sponge opened for Kiss's reunion tour at Tiger Stadium, and in 2012 they opened for Guns N' Roses at the Fillmore Detroit. Dombroski has been the only constant member through many lineups and ten studio albums, winning several Detroit Music Awards, and in 2018 the band partnered with Detroit's Pope Francis Center to raise money for the homeless.
Highlights
- Founded Sponge in Detroit in 1992
- Hits “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down the Drain)” (1994–1995)
- Opened for Kiss at Tiger Stadium (1996)
- Ten studio albums, the latest 1994 (2024)
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 2
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Performed here · 1996
Tiger Stadium
Demolished · 1912–1999
The Tigers' old ballpark at Michigan and Trumbull, where Sponge opened for Kiss on June 28, 1996. It was demolished in 2008–2009; the field survives as a youth ballpark.
Performed here · 2012
The Fillmore Detroit
Downtown theater where Sponge opened for Guns N' Roses on February 21, 2012.