Years active 1978–1980 | Active until 1980 | |
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Past members Chris KnoxAlec BathgatePaul KeanMike DooleyJane Walker Albums Live at the Gluepot, Live at the Gluepot 1980 Similar Tall Dwarfs, The Bats, The Clean, The Chills, The Verlaines | ||
History
Front man was Chris Knox and other members were guitarist Alec Bathgate, bass player Paul Kean, drummer Mike Dooley, and keyboard player Jane Walker. The band developed out of the earlier punk band The Enemy from Dunedin, New Zealand, and are often regarded as the progenitors of the Dunedin Sound movement.
Toy Love were together for less than two years (1978–80) and spent a large part of that time in Australia. They released just one (self-titled) album, however the band members were apparently appalled by the mixing of the tracks which took the edge off the band's deliberately raw sound. Allmusic gave the album a 3/5 rating. In April 2005, this album was remastered and released along with a bunch of demos and unreleased tracks as a double CD entitled Cuts.
After Toy Love broke up, Bathgate and Knox remained together as the Tall Dwarfs.
In 2012, the band was inducted into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame and given the Legacy Award at the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
Featured appearances
The group have appeared on a few compilations and soundtracks in New Zealand. The following is a list of these albums that have featured tracks by Toy Love.
Songs
Pull Down the ShadesLive at the Gluepot 1980 · 2012
Bride of FrankensteinLive at the Gluepot 1980 · 2012
Death RehearsalLive at the Gluepot 1980 · 2012