Formed in Sydney (Australia) at Christmas 1986, Toys Went Berserk were in the recording studio by the following June under the watchful eye of Aberrant Records boss, Bruce Griffiths.
Of the three songs they recorded in one day, One Day My Head Is Gonna Explode was contributed to the second Trousers In Action EP, and the other two (Don’t Run Away and Guns At My Head) made an impressive debut single, which was released in October 1987.
The band were compared favourably to early Cocteau Twins – but with the addition of a double distorted guitar attack.
There were also similarities drawn to Siouxsie and The Banshees (the name of the band was in fact derived from the Siouxsie song Spellbound) as well as Blondie and Los Angeles punks X.
Carolyn Polley replaced Steve on guitar in 1987 but left again at the end of 1988, having played on the two singles released in 1988 – No Warning in June and Forever and A Day in October.
In 1989 the band issued the 12-inch single Have No More, See The Man and the album Smiler With A Knife.
Brand New Life was issued as a single in 1990, and Toys Went Berserk travelled to Boston in August to record a new album with American producer Gary Smith (The Pixies, The Chills) at his Fort Apache studios.
The resultant album (Sensory) included the powerful single, Wheels In Motion.
Following their break-up, Coo Bennett and guitarist Andy Jarvis moved to England and formed bands called Feast and Houdini. In late 2003, they returned to Perth, starting their own label, Trickster Music.
Toys Went Berserk have since regrouped for reunion shows.
Leslie ‘Coo’ Bennett
Vocals, piano
Andy Jarvis
Guitar
Steve
Guitar
Bill Quarry
Bass
Mark Nicholson
Drums
Carolyn Polley
Guitar
