THE TOY DOLLS (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for your time. What are you currently up to?
Olga: Yo! At the moment I am sitting in North west London, in Starbucks, doing this interview!
This week is prepartion/packing for the tour, and rehearsals, rehearsals, rehearsals!
– You have just released “The Last Album After the Last One”. Are you satisfied with this new opus?
Olga: I am never completely satisfied! But I think the production is great, and there are about 5 really nice songs on it! And some not so nice! I reckon its about 7/10.
– The whole album is 100% THE TOY DOLLS, but songs as “Sciatica Sucks” are quite original. What’s the story behind this tune?
Olga: Ahh, good question, I have been training for the tour for about 2 years, and I was, until last year, doing 100 steps up on to a park bench near the running track, well, I back began to ache and got worse and worse, I thought it was Sciatica, but one day a personal trainer saw me doing the steps and told me it would damage my back because the park bench was too high!
So I stopped, my backache got better, and I got a song out of it as a bonus!
– As I said, this album keeps your whole essence. Is it easy to keep the energy alive after so many years?
Olga: Sometimes it is difficult, sometime it isn’t! some times the songs just flow, and I have lots of energy, other times its almost impossible! But the truth is I love it! I know that sounds a bit ridiculous! But I think as soon as I get sick of it all, then I will stop, for now I am not sick of it!
So the songs will continue!
– You have never had political lyrics, something that makes you stand out among most Punk Bands. Is this a way to have a stronger identity or just to see things from a more positive perspective?
Olga, I do have political views/beliefs etc, but I never include them in the lyrics, The Toy Dolls is escapism, you need an element of this in your life to stay sane! Most of my songs are written with a positive perspective indeed!
I think I am kinda dictated to the lyric content having the awful singing voice I have!
I think it does give us a stronger/or/different identity, but its what I enjoy.
– Your previous effort was “Our Last Album?”. Why did you name it like that?
Olga, well, we named the tour and the album both with the same title, this was because I wasn’t really sure if it was gonna be the last one! That’s why I put the “?”, I was really unsure about how it would all go, especially with losing my long time drummer, Marty.
And guess what, here we are again, about to start another tour!
– I have read back then you weren’t sure if that record was going to be your last album, what made you later have things clear? Because you have taken your time between your two last studio offerings.
Olga, Mainly the public reaction at the gigs, and the loyalty, this made things clear! And the fact that I could still do it and really enjoy it!
– And do you think this new album can be the last one or have you come back with renewed energy?
Olga: I have renewed energy indeed, however, it could be the last one, who knows! Lets see how we feel in a couple of years!
– After over 30 years with the band; what’s left for THE TOY DOLLS to get?
Olga: Another good question, I am not actually trying to get anything more, to continue writing and playing to the same size audience, who are incredibly loyal, is perfect for me. Long may it contunue, as it is!
– What have been both the best and worst moments with the band?
Olga: the best, so many of them, I guess back in 1983, people in UK thought we were a joke band, but we did a big festival with The Exploited/GBH etc, and other Punk bands, a very hard core audience, and we won them over, we played well and the crowd were great, a very special time for us.
A bad time was between 1984 to 2004 in UK, many people thought we were a novelty band because of our hit single Nellie The Elephant, I think our tour of the UK in 2007, 20 years later, proved that we have always been a serious band!
– And how has the Punk scene changed throughout these years?
Olga: Its great to see how strong the Punk scene has remained, fortunately for us,
Nothing really has changed for the UK bands, we still all play in small venues and don’t have commercial success! Though for a few USA bands the Punk Scene changed dramatically for them, Offspring, Greenday etc, becoming huge, and rightly so, they are highly talented.
– And finally, what are your near-future plans? I see you will be playing shows and, once more, visiting Spain.
Olga: YES YES YES! Spain very soon, then loads of festivals throughout the summer, then back to club shows in the Autunm, heaven!
-That’s all from my side, thanks again for taking your time to answer our questions. If you now want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Olga, Yes, Thank you, I will say a big thank you to everyone in your great country for all these years of loyalty, Muchas grasias amigos!
