 Toth's association with the group began when he was working at a Boston Borders Books; The mother of Vertical Horizon's lead singer and guitarist Matt Scannell, was shopping in the bookstore and asked Ed for a Vertical Horizon CD, which he had listened to and quite enjoyed.His enthusiasm for the recording impressed Scannell's mother so much that, in gratitude for the assistance she received at the store, she offered to put the bookstore manager and a friend on the guest list for a Vertical Horizon show at Mama Kin, an Aerosmith-owned nightclub, also in Boston.Toth went to the show as the manager's friend; and when the band had an opening for a drummer, Toth auditioned for the spot.