Tongue-in-cheek good-time Geordie punks The Toy Dolls contributed two songs to the most infamous Oi! album, Strength Thru Oi!, and released a self-financed single (Tommy Kowey’s Car) on their own GBH label, which quickly sold out of its initial 2000 pressing.
Eventually, EMI came knocking . . . and then swiftly departed again, leaving the band with Newcastle-based indie Volume Records, with whom they cut their brilliant and successful debut album, Dig That Groove Baby (1983).
Their 1984 smash hit Nellie The Elephant (a typically offbeat revival of the old kiddies favourite) served to get them – unfairly – tagged as a pure novelty act.
Stand out singles tracks include Deidre’s A Slag (1984) (obviously the band were fans of Coronation Street), She Goes To Fino’s (1985) and James Bond (Lives Down Our Street) (1985).
Michael ‘Olga’ Algar
Vocals, guitar
Robert ‘Happy Bob’ Kent
Drums
Phillip ‘Flip’ Dugdale
Bass
Barry ‘Bonny Baz’ Warne
Bass
Pete ‘Zulu’ Robson
Bass, guitar
Colin ‘Mr Scott’ Scott
Drums
Paul ‘Hud’ Hudson
Vocals
Dean Robson
Drums
Trevor ‘The Frog’ Brewis
Drums
Graham ‘Teddy Toy Doll’ Edmundson
Drums
Steve ‘Rubiboy’ Mallinson
Bass
Frederick ‘Freddie Hotrock’ Robertson
Bass
Nick Buck
Drums
Alan ‘Dirty Dicka’ Dixon
Drums
Malcolm ‘Dicky’ Dick
Drums
Paul Smith
Drums
Ernie Algar
Bass
Kevin Scott
Drums
John Casey
Bass
Richard ‘Dicky’ Hammond
Bass
Gary ‘Fun’ Dunn
Bass
Suba
Drums
Michael Rebbig
Bass
David Nuttall
Drums
Duncan Redmonds
Drums, vocals
Tom ‘Goober’ Blyth
Bass, vocals
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