Toy Love has always been ground zero for what became known as the Dunedin Sound, and their South Island aesthetic would go on to have a huge influence in defining New Zealand’s home-baked punk. Captured Tracks will kick off their Flying Nun reissue series with a 2xLP, 28-track compilation collecting all the A & B sides of the three Toy Love singles, plus the best demos from 1979, a live track, and even a radio jingle…all of them mastered for vinyl from the original analogue sources. Fronted by Chris Knox, and with Alec Bathgate on guitar, Paul Kean on bass, Mike Dooley on drums, and Jane Walker on keyboard, the band would release only one LP in their brief time together between 1978 and 1980, but they would leave a deep mark on the New Zealand scene. Members would go on to work closely with Flying Nun Records, as well as forming other seminal NZ bands such as Chris Knox and Alec Bathgate with the Tall Dwarfs, and Paul Kean with The Bats. Celebrate Toy Love’s 2012 Legacy Award at the New Zealand Music Awards, as well as their induction into the New Zealand Music Hall of Fame with a listen to the new 2xLP. Also included here is Jeff Smith‘s 2012 video for Toy Love’s 1980 track, “Swimming Pool“, with our vote for one of the best videos of all time! Okay, top twenty-five.
Toy Love “Swimming Pool”:
