Toy Dolls - Idle Gossip

Toy Dolls

Idle Gossip

1986

Punk Rock

England

Tracklist:


 1. Idle Gossip
  2. Do You Wanna Be Like Dougy Bell
  3. The Lambrusco Kid
  4. You Won't Be Merry on a North Sea Ferry
  5. Harry Cross (A Tribute to Edna)
  6. Geordie's Gone to Jail
  7. Silly Billy
  8. If You're in a Pop Group You'll End up Paying a Fortune Practicing at Peter Practice's  Practice Place
  9. PC Stoker
 10. I Tried to Trust Tracey
 11. Keith's a Theif
 12. I'll Get Even With Steven (Steve Is Tender)


     The Toy Dolls are an English punk rock band formed in 1979. Departing from the angry lyrics and music often associated with punk rock, The Toy Dolls worked within the aesthetics of punk to express a sense of fun, with songs such as "Yul Brynner Was A Skinhead", "My Girlfriend's Dad's A Vicar" and "James Bond Lives Down Our Street." There is often alliteration in their song titles (e.g. "Peter Practice's Practice Place", "Fisticuffs in Frederick Street", "Neville is a Nerd"). They are probably best known however for their sole UK hit, a punk-rock cover of Nellie the Elephant.
     Their albums usually include a cover version of a well-known hit song, usually speeded up to the usual punk rock tempo. Covers have included: "Blue Suede Shoes", "Toccata in Dm", "Sabre Dance", "Livin' La Vida Loca", "Lazy Sunday Afternoon", "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles), She's So Modern and "The Final Countdown." They have also recorded parodies of popular songs, such as "The Kids in Tyne and Wear (Kids in America)" and "The Devil Went Down to Scunthorpe (The Devil Went Down to Georgia)". Their albums often start with a short intro with a catchy guitar riff, and end with an outro, which is usually a slightly longer variation of the intro riff. Kazoos are also prominent in many of their songs
     Most of the band members have nicknames, and are rarely seen without their cartoonish rectangular sunglasses (although they appeared bare-eyed on the One More Megabyte album cover).

     As of 2007, the band has had 14 different drummers and 12 different bassists. Olga is the only remaining original member of the band. After Olga, drummer Martin Yule had the longest tenure in the band (1987–1999). Yule currently owns a shop in Sunderland called "Hotrats." Former drummer Dave "the Nut" Nuttall owns Jalapeño Drums (a custom drum company based in Lancaster, Lancashire). The current lead singer/guitarist with The Stranglers Baz Warne also had a stint with the band. Olga has played bass on tours with the U.S. punk band The Dickies, and also with The Adicts. Gary Dunn, former bassist of The Toy Dolls (1997–1999), now teaches music at City of Sunderland College, and former drummer Trevor 'The Frog' Brewis now teaches music at Middlesbrough College, though Olga moved away from the north east of England a number of years ago, and now lives in London. It has become a tradition to give a special nickname to every Toy Dolls member.

     Current members
Michael "Olga" Algar - lead vocals, guitar
Duncan "The Amazing Mr. Duncan" Redmonds - drums, vocals
Tom "Tommy Goober" Blyth - bass, vocals

     Toy Dolls alumni
Peter "Pete Zulu" Robson - bass, guitar
Phillip "Flip" Dugdale - bass
Colin "Mr. Scott" Scott - drums
Paul "Hud" Hudson - vocals
Dean "Dean James" Robson - drums
Trevor "Trevor The Frog" Brewis - drums
Graham "Teddy Toy Doll" Edmundson - drums
Robert "Happy Bob" Kent - drums
Steve "Rubiboy" Mallinson- bass
Frederick "Freddie Hotrock" Robertson - bass
Nick Buck - drums
Barry "Bonny Baz" Warne - bass
Alan "Dirty Dicka" Dixon - drums
Malcolm "Dicky" Dick - drums
Paul "Little Paul" Smith - drums
Ernest "Ernie" Algar - bass
Kevin "Canny Kev" Scott - drums
Martin "Marty" Yule - drums
John "K'Cee" Casey - bass
Richard "Dicky Hammond" Hammond - bass
Gary "Gary Fun" Dunn - bass
Suba - drums
Michael "Reb" Rebbig - bass
David "Dave the Nut" Nuttall - drums