INTERVIEW WITH OLGA
FROM TOY DOLLS October 2003


1. IN WHAT YEAR DID TOY DOLLS START?
October 1979!

2. HOW DID YOU CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO START TOY DOLLS?
Well, I had the idea at school, I started to write a few songs, then decided it was time to put a band together and perform them, I was bullied a lot at school also, this gave me the inspiration to perfrom on stage.

3. TOY DOLLS, WHERE DID YOU GET THAT NAME FROM?
Good question, our first singer (Pete Zulu) thought of the name!
I never got the chance to ask him where he got it from, it just seemed to fit our image.

4. IN WHAT WAY DO TOY DOLLS LOOK RIGHT NOW, MEMBERS AND SO?
Older! the other two guys are much fatter than me!
there again...anyone is much fatter than me.

5. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF MEMBERS IN THE BAND THROUGH THE YEARS, HAS IT EVER BEEN A PROBLEM TO GET THEM FOR THE BAND?
Yes, finding members who are good musicians and can stand being squashed in a van on the road for weeks is difficult, most importantly they have to be nice people.

6. ARE ANYONE ELSE DO ANY SONG WRITING BESIDES YOU?
At rehearsals other members suggest things from time to time, however, 99% of the songs are written by myself.


7. HOW DO YOU GET UP WITH THE IDEAS FOR THE LYRICS?
Girlfriends, next door neighbours, TV, everyday life..... the best songs come when I am depressed!
Usually because I am writing to cheer myself up!
In songwriting, for me, lyrics are the most difficult to be honest.

8. WHAT SORT OF MUSIC WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE PLAYING, PUNK OR?
We just call it Toy Doll music, having said that, Punk is the biggest musical influence for us.

9. YOUR OPINION ABOUT PLAYING IN THE USA, IS IT BETTER COMPARED TO EUROPE?
Oh no, not better, not worse, just different.
Its hard work touring USA, long drives, the country is soooo big.
We enjoy it, though we dont tour there as often as we do Europe.
There are a lot of original Toy Dolls fans in America, especially California, its nice to meet them after the show, they have been fans since 1983, now they bring thier sons and daughters.

10. ARE THERE A GIG TROUGH THE YEARS THAT WAS THE GREATEST OR ARE THEY ALL GOOD?
Mostly good I reckon, all for different reasons, there are a few really sprecial times though, Barcelona Zeleste, every gig there!
Our first time in Tokyo at the Tsubaki House in 1986 was special.
Carlisle Market Hall UK,supporting GBH and Exploited in the early 80's.
Lots of shows at the Theatre Fabrik Munich.....I could go on! we love them all!

11. WHAT ABOUT THE AUDIENCE, IS IT MUCH DIFFERENT NOW COMPARED TO THE PAST?
Now its a much more mixed audience, with different ages and people all appreciating different kinds of music, rockers, punks, ....etc

12. HOW ABOUT INFLUENCES, DO YOU GOT ANY?
I am mainly influenced by TV and everyday life, though musically....Sham 69, SLF, Dr Feelgood, Abba, Mozart.

13. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW PUNK/Oi! BANDS OUT THERE?
Some really nice ones, Crashed Out, Lambrusco Kids.

14. HOW MANY PAIRS OF SUNGLASSES, HAVE YOU`VE LOST WHILE TAKING A DRINK AFTER THE SHOWS THROUGH THE YEARS, IF YOU HAD LOST ANY?
Many! its costing me a fortune.
May be over 1000 pairs have gone over the past 24 years!

15. SWEDISH BANDS, HAVE YOU HEARD SOME THAT YOU LIKE?
AAAAH! I knew you were gonna ask that, anyway, I mentioned Abba!
Unfortunately we dont hear many Swedish Punk bands here in UK, Do you know some good ones?
I would like to hear.

16. ARE THERE ANY NEW RECORDINGS ON IT`S WAY?
Yes, new album released in 2004.

17. DO YOU HAVE AN ORDINARY WORK OR CAN YOU LIVE ON YOUR MUSIC?
Its difficult, but we can just manage to live off the music, so we are very happy.

18. A CONCERT NOWADAYS WHAT DO YOU PLAY, OLD OR MOSTLY NEW SONGS?
I think about 75% older stuff, its difficult, but fans always wanna hear old favourites along with new songs.

19. WHAT IS MOST FUN TO PLAY OLD ONES PEOPLE RECOGNIZE OR NEW ONES?
Both I reckon, you have to perform the newer songs better!
With the old stuff we have played for 24 years the audience are usually singing most of the lyrics for us

20. ANY TOURS PLANNED, CAN WE EXPECT TO SE YOU IN SWEDEN ONCE MORE?
World Tour starts October 2004, I really hope we can get to Sweden at some point, its been too long since we were there.

21. WHERE`S THE BEST AUDIENCE YOU THINK?
No best audience anywhere really, audiences are just different, we enjoy everywere.
Japan is nice though, coz its 90% females!

22. I`D READ SOMEWHERE THAT YOU WERE SOMETIMES PLAYING IN OTHER BANDS, IS THAT TRUE AND IN THAT CASE WHAT BANDS?
Yeah, I done a few US/Europe and Japanese tours with The Dickies from USA, that was great fun, and a USA tour with the Adicts, it was a good experience.

23. GIG MEMORIES, HAVE YOU GOT ANY SPECIAL ONES YOU DARE TO SHARE?
Yes I have some special memories....Private!

24. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO KNOW ABOUT TOY DOLLS?
Wear what you like at the shows, no uniform, escape from reality and enjoy yourselves for one hour or so, its good for you.

25. WHAT DO YOU PREFER TO DO WHEN IT`S NOT MUSIC RELATED?
I wish I had the time to do something else!
When we are not touring we are rehearsing, when we are not rehearsing we are recording, then sleeping.
The little time we do get...I like Horror movies/TV and Japanese food.

Take care
Olga