Live at the Gluepot 1980

by Toy Love

Overview

Toy Love were the vitally important transitional link between New Zealand's early punk rock scene and the remarkably vital indie rock community that would follow: lead singer Chris Knox and guitarist Alec Bathgate would go on to form the Tall Dwarfs, bassist Paul Kean would join the Bats, and roadie Ian Dalziel would work for Flying Nun Records, the label that brought the nascent New Zealand sound to the world. But while Toy Love's historical significance is firmly acknowledged, an accurate picture of what they could do musically was a long time coming; their sole, self-titled 1980 album was a botch disowned by the group, and it wasn't until 2005 that the anthology Cuts allowed the historically minded to hear Toy Love as they were meant to be heard. Live at the Gluepot adds more evidence of Toy Love's strengths to the canon; this is a monophonic recording of the band on-stage in Auckland during their farewell tour in the fall of 1980, and it demonstrates that tales of the band's frantic, energetic live shows were entirely accurate. While in the studio Toy Love had a poppier, new wave sound, on-stage they were still very much punk rockers, more musically sophisticated than they were in their early days as the Enemy, but still capable of impressive guitar firepower and snarling attitude. Jane Walker's keyboards are largely inaudible on this recording, only occasionally bobbing into the mix, and the audience is so rarely heard that sometimes one might forget they were there, but otherwise Live at the Gluepot is a simple but righteously effective archival document; Chris Knox sounds feral behind the mike and remarkably witty between tunes, Alec Bathgate's guitar is bruisingly powerful but displays an impressive melodic imagination, and bassist Paul Kean and drummer Mike Dooley lay down a solid foundation, with just enough swing to keep things lively. The songs range from the playful to the ominous, and Toy Love sound solidly committed throughout, determined to make the most of their final moments on-stage. Live at the Gluepot is a crucially important document for fans of New Zealand's fabled indie pop heyday, but anyone who likes good, heavily snarky rock & roll will appreciate this recording of Toy Love going out in a blaze of glory. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	11/27/2012
Label:	Goner Records
UPC:	0600385229821

Tracks

1. Fifteen
2. Unscrewed Up
3. Amputee Song
4. Toy Love Song
5. I Wanna Die with You
6. Don't Catch Fire
7. Photographs of Naked Ladies
8. Lust
9. 2nd to Last Song T.L. Ever Wrote
10. Sheep
11. Swimming Pool
12. Fast Ostrich
13. Good Old Joe
14. I'm in Love
15. Green Walls
16. Horror Comic
17. Rebel
18. Cold Meat
19. Don't Ask Me
20. Squeeze
21. I Don't Mind
22. The Crunch
23. Death Rehearsal
24. Bride of Frankenstein
25. Pull Down the Shades

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Toy Love   Primary Artist
Chris Knox   Vocals
Alec Bathgate   Guitar
Mike Dooley   Drums
Paul Kean   Bass
Jane Walker   Keyboards

Technical Credits

Murray Cammick   Photography
Terrence Hogan   Liner Notes
Chris Knox   Group Member
Dawson   Composer
Alec Bathgate   Liner Notes,Group Member
Toy Love   Images
Mike Dooley   Liner Notes,Group Member
Doug Hood   Engineer,Liner Notes
Chris Moody   Liner Notes
Barny Bewick   Art Executor
Paul Kean   Liner Notes,Group Member
Jane Walker   Liner Notes,Group Member
John Baker   Images,Art Direction,Reissue Producer
Simon Kay   Images
Steve McGough   Mastering
Anthony Phelps   Cover Art
Ian Dalziel   Liner Notes