May 2008
Olga!!! Have you ever played North Wales and if so will you please come back!!! My girlfriend and I are desperate to see the TOY DOLLS live!!!! Please come to North Wales!

Hey! The answer is YES!, once, many years back, mid 80’s, we played Bangor University! Would love to get back one day! I think members Teddy and Dean were in the band, and Fat Bob was the roadie! Brings back memories! Cheers Olga

hi olga!please can you tell me the notes of fat bob's feet solo?please..:D I can't understand it because it's very fast!I need only the fast part! from 1,30 minutes!please.......stefano

Oh Stefano, its been a few years since we played that one! will try to include in the next batch of guitar lessons for ya I will have to practice it a few times first! I know its on our Live in Japan videao, if ya manage to get a hold of a copy, that might help ya! Take care Olga

Hello Olga, my name is Alexander Dobrin, I am a student from Romania and a huge fan of everything that toy dolls stands for.. I also recently made a website which is not loaded over web yet: www.deklindesign.com which is supposed to be a new way of life by design. I really want to use the specified song as soundtrack but i dont know how author rights work so thats way i contacted you. ps: being in school, my funds are also limited and i really need the song because it is perfect for an wake up call for everyone! thanks and i will wait breathless your answer, have a nice day Olga! alex

Hi Alex, Romania rocks, cant wait to get back! If you can tell me the song title, I will check it out. I am sure it willl be ok, anyway let me know. Good luck with the website. Olga

Hi Olga, Fernando from Curitiba-Brasil, how are you doing? Questions for you. The 2008 set list will be the same as Our Last Tour? What do you think about a section in the toydolls.com ASK FAN ! Let us say to you the songs we like to listen you play!!! I saw Toy Dolls in 95 and 06 but really liked to listen Charlies Watching and Dorkamania, other old ones too: Lester Fiddled The Tax Man and Daveys Took The Plunge. And about the cover to the next album, you already made a choice? I see you here in Brasil once again, soon. Cheers!!!!!

Oi Fernando I am fine, thank you! Hard at work songwriting, and replying to these questions! The 2008 set list will be a little different from Our last tour gigs set, including Spiders in the dressing room, I caught it from Camilla etc… Will bear in mind what you saying! Cheers for that., might be a good idea actually. We will be back in Brasil for sure, rockin! Curitiba was wild! No cover for the next album yet! Any Ideas? Take care Olga

Hello Olga, at first, sorry for my bad english... For a few days i try to play the Wakey Wakey Outro (Goodnight Irene) on my guitar, but there are few difficult parts. So i would ask you, can you send me the Tabs via email? Many Thanks! Iam looking forward to hearing from you. Best regards, Christoph Dietzinger

Christoph Hi Sorry we don't have any tabs here, but there maybe some on the internet somewhere! I will include Wakey Wakey in a guitar lesson, or maybe I have already done it!? I will check! Cheers Olga

Hey Olga! First, thanks for answering me back in June last year and saying "Hi" to my kids, they were real excited. Second, I just took up the bass, could you tell Goober thanks for the you tube lessons? Someday when I'm a big rock star I will cite him as being one of my earliest and most important influences. Third, I like that you don't cram any overt political messages down my throat, your stuff is actually fun to listen to. Is politics something you intentionally avoid, or do you just not think about it that much and just have fun with your music? Oh, also, from whatever I've read or seen about you, I am unable to determine your age. Is this a carefully guarded secret or do you mind throwing that on here, too? Chad U.S.A

Chad Hey! I will pass your message on to Tommy goober, I am sure he will be flattered! His bass lessons are fab! I have watched them a few times! Yes, we all have political views,we don't avoid politics in real life, but we don't include them in The Toy Dolls music, its kinda escapism, which is whats needed I think, from time to time anyway. Oh, and regarding your last question about my age, yes, it's a carefully guarded secret! Cheers Olga

Olga, I really like the way you add cover versions to (most of) your albums - it's great to hear new versions of the "oldies". I would love to hear a Toy Dolls version of the Johnny Cash song "Ring of Fire" or Neil Diamond's "Cracklin Rosie" - I reckon they would they fabulous if you could give them a bit of a "Toy Dolling"- any chance??? Andy in Portsmouth

Andy in Portsmouth Hi! Will bear those songs in mind! Cheers for that, I really like both those songs! Mega, Wall of Voodoos version of Ring of Fire was wicked. Doubt we could match that! Olga

Hello Olga, How you doing? I sany hope to welcom you in Poland?! I love your art. and impressive performances!!! Spider in the dressing room must have been your great inspiration. It is genius. By the way how it happened your nam is Olga;) I am proud to carry the same name! All the best Olga

Olga! Hey! Thank you! My surname is ALGAR, which quickly became OLGA, from way back in the school yard! Kids shoutin ALGAR…ALGA….OLGA, so there ya go, and its stuck with me since then! Cheers, Michael!

Hi Olga Between the third and the fourth line in Cheerio & Toodle Pip there´s a sentence that you forgot in the lyric sheet. I´ve been trying for years to figure out what the heck you sing but it´s impossible for a swedish guy, something like "she starts talking... ". Please finish the line for me. I´m going crazy! Buy the way, are you coming to Sweden this year? Cheers, Daniel from Varberg, Sweden

Daniel Hi Wow, long time ago! Those lyrics are actually on this site, under Multimedia, gonna check em meself! Not sure about Swedish gigs this year, but we will be back! We always have a great time anywhere in Scandinavia. Olga

Hi olga, I´m Fran, from spain. When tne next concert in spain????? I was in the madrid´s concert, was amazing because the toy dolls are my favorite PUNK group since ..., chilhood. And Why always use a yellow telecaster? Do you like Gibson (SG, Less paul) or other guitar??? Thank you Olga TOY DOLLS RULES!!!!

Hello! Spain is on June 7th! Please check the tour dates for full info, bit of a drive from Madrid though I think! The Telecaster is best guitar for rhythm guitar playing I reckon, I am really a rhythm guitarist, so it suits me! Not easy to play though! High action, and a thick neck. I do Like SGs and Les Pauls, all lovely guitars! Thank YOU Olga

evening olga, an old teacher of mine (fred dove) claims to have once managed the toy dolls can you dismiss or confirm this accordingly many thanks ian.

Good Evening Ian! Fred Dove eh? Really? Wow, never heard if him! Tell me more about, may refresh me memory! Whereabouts is he from, and what time period we talking about? Cheers Olga

Hi olga! How are you? I'm writing from Hungary. I just love your band! My favourite song is Telly Addict & I can play the intro of it! To tell the thruth I'm learning guitar by myself (I haven't got any books just a friend who told me a couple of things) what do you think, can I learn playing by myself? My guitar is a Johnson but I'm going to buy a Fender telecaster, so do I need a good guitar first? What do you think? Best wishes, Benedek from Hungary:o)

Benedek Hi Thank you for your message. Yes you can learn by yourself, though there are loadsa books and DVDs out there now which may help. Fender Telecasters are not cheap, if you can get a good USA vintage model it will be pricey, but its value will go up. Fender Telecasters are not the easiest guitars to play, but in my humble opinion, the best! Let me know what you decide. Olga

Hi Olga, I try to learn some new songs to play them with the guitar. I´d like to know how to play Eine kleine Nachtmusik. I now that you´ve been playing this song, but it´s not among the songs in Play with Olga. Please, would be possible to make a new video where you are teaching this song? Ta. Kate

Hi Kate Actually, our old bassist, Gary Funn,and a much better guitarist than me! played all the difficult parts on that song! I just played the easy bits! But I will do me best to learn it for ya! Good luck with the strumming! Olga

Hi Olga i have two question sorry for my english it not very well but i want to know if you cant remeber :-) which bass and amp K Cee have on the Fat Bobs Feet tour actually on Kawassaki City gig? Cheers and greeting from Croatia and hope to see you again and more gigs in our country!CHEERS

Hi! On fat Bobs feet it was an old Vox amp if I remember correctly, and at Kawasaki it was an Ampeg with an 8 x 10 cab, which is the usual bass set up we have had live for many years. Hope that helps a bit! Greetings to Croatia, we will be back! Olga

Dear Olga WHERE can i get some sunglasses like yours. In particularlly the new wavish asymetical ones in two different colors or the black and white squared ones you wear in most of the early videos. Ive been looking for YEARS. Please do a show in northern california soon. Love you. Kelly Monster

Kelly Hey I lost lost those crazy glasses decades ago, I myself have been looking for years for another pair! Let me know if you ever find some! I am sure Mr Bean was wearing some in his most recent film. Take care Olga

Olga man, I've been into your stuff ever since I first listened to the Nellie the Elephant single when I was yay big. I was hooked by the B side, Fisticuffs on Frederick Street, which is the reason for my question. I know from reading your questions you use a jcm800 2203 and a telecaster but how do you get that sonic sound in that particular song? It sounds like there's definitely an effect on there, is there? if so, which effect? Please don't tell me it's studio wizardry!! I have a jcm800 2210 so what settings do I need to set? Cheers fella! Grim.

Grim Hi On that record it was a Fender Strat, not my favourite guitar in the world! but I was having problems with me Telecaster at that time, so I used the Strat with an Ibanez tube screamer, not keen on the sound at all to be honest, too processed for me. Well spotted though! Olga

Hello, Olga! How are you? I'm Alex, a fan of Toy Dolls for about 5 years (I'm 21 now) from Moscow, Russia. I was at your show here in Apelsin club 2 years ago it was soooooo great, best concert in my life. I've seen many of great groups live such as Judas Priest, Rolling Stones, Misfits, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, but Toy Dolls' performance was the greatest! So thank you very much for coming in our country and making my dream come true and hope to see you in Russia again! Also I'd like to say a HUGE THANK YOU for your great music, it's so awesome, that I can't find proper words to describe it! Without Toy Dolls World would be much worse. And very special thanks for the way you treat with your fans, answering our questions directly and coming out after shows - not so many famous groups behave themselves the same way! And (I hope you are not getting boring with my gratitude) thank you for your great guitar lessons they are excellent! So, I have a suggestion for it, may be you could do a lesson not dedicated to one particular song, but where you show some basic exercises for guitar players, may be some licks you used to play when you just started guitar, or what you play now to keep fit :) And I have a request - could you please do Pot Belly Bill in your lessons, it's my favorite of your songs, and main riff is one of the greatest rock riffs I've ever heard! Now, to the point. I have a great deal of questions to you. I honestly read all ASK OLGA sections and I didn't find resembling questions, so I pluck up my spirits to ask them.

1) So, here is my first question: Steve Vai (have you heard of him? ha-ha) said recently that he didn't have an album which shows all his guitar skills yet and he is going to record it sooner or later while he still can play, so the question is do you think that you realized all your potential as guitarist in previous Toy Dolls' albums, or we may expect something amazing in the future? I separate guitar technique and composer art, you can be a good guitarist but bad composer and vice versa, so I'm asking only about guitar technique, not about quality of songs as a whole. By the way, I think you are one of the greatest guitar players on earth, your style is unique, and speed is incredible!

Hi Alex, Thank you for your mail, and cheers for coming to the Apelsin in Moscow, glad you enjoyed it, we had a wild time there, great stuff, thank you!Steve Vai is an incredible guitar player, though my friend Paul Gilbert is even better! Check him out! I am really a rhythm guitar player myself, I dont like long solos so much, I think the solo should compliment the song melody. In answer to your question, I have never been 100% happy with any album, or guitar playing! And I guess I feel the same as Steve, though his playing is light years ahead of me!

2) So here's another question: do you think you are able to exceed your best albums in the future, and write something better than Dig That Groove and Absurd Ditties?

I would like to think so, I am trying! I am 90% happy with those two albums however! Fingers crossed the next one will be as good! I am working 10 hours a day on it at the moment, got 3 songs done so far, too early to tell how they are though!

3) In ASK OLGA section you said somewhere, that you could make a list of the worst Toy Dolls' songs, so could you please do it? 5 bad songs would be enough! (I think, many of your songs are very fucking great, all other are better than average (well, may be I haven't heard all of them) In fact the only Toy Dolls' song I can't listen to is Turtle Crazy)

Turtle Crazy is one of the worst for sure!! Some otheres include Nowt can compare to Sunderlands Fine Fare, Dorkamania, Greifsville, Pot Luck Percy…..etc etc! Far too many bad songs to mention!

4) As I know it takes you a lot of time to write an album, and judging by your comments on the albums you are very self-exacting. May be that's why your music is so unique and stunning. But many groups sometimes spend very little time composing songs and recording albums and sometimes they have outstanding results. As far as I know The Stooges wrote their first album in a couple of days and it's a good one. So the question is: is it possible for you to write a good album in a short time? Or can you compose a song in one day? And which Toy Dolls' songs took you more time to write and which took less? (Yeah I know there are three questions but they are similar :))

Yes, it is possible to write some great stuff in a day! But for me, rarely! Though Glenda and the Test Tube baby only took a day, and Dig that groove baby album only took 3 days to record, so it is possible for sure. Some bad songs I have written took months to write! Barry the roofer took quite a few weeks to write, but I am very happy with it. Some nice songs come quickly, some nice songs take ages to write. Some crap songs are wriiten quickly, and some crap songs even can take ages to write also!! Believe me! I know!

5) When you became famous you probably met some of your idols or heroes - people, whose music inspired you. For example you said that you've met Glen Matlock. You know there is an opinion, that meeting your heroes is not always a good thing, because they may disappoint you and it could turn out that they don't correspond to their image in your head. Whom did you meet from your idols? What were your feelings from meeting these people? Who disappointed you? And who made a great impression on you?

Ha! Famous eh! I will let you know if it happens! Met quite a few idols over the past 30 years, wont tell you about the few bad ones, but ones who made an impression are: Knox from Vibrators, Charlie Harper, the guys from Sham 69, No Doubt, Chris Spedding, Brian Johnson from ACDC, and a whole load more! Not always people in the music business.

6) During your long music career have your ever had a period when you was sick of touring, of playing? Did you want to marry, to have kids?

Well I am kinda human! So from time to time touring can get you down, but not very often to be honest. I am itching to get back on the road now, and I am never sick of playing, sometimes long rehearsals can get you down a bit, but they have to be done! But other than that I love travelling, being in the van, soundchecks, recording, playing live…. All wonderful! And I cant believe I am so lucky to still be doing it! I am married to me Telecaster! And I would NEVER have kids! That's for sure!

Well, that's all what I wanted to ask! Hope you will answer me, but if not I wouldn't take offence! Sorry for such a long letter, but I couldn't make it shorter, than it is! And also sorry for my bad English, I think there are plenty of mistakes here, though I can't find them! I wish you and Toy Dolls long years of rocking, say hi to Duncan and Tommy and other crew members, you guys are amazing! And also very special thanks to Ciaron, the site is excellent! Hope to see Toy Dolls somewhere sometime again! Gooood bye!!!!!!!!

Hey, thank you, interesting reading! Will pass your regards on to Tommy and Duncan, the crew and Ciaron. Cheers! Hope to see you in Moscow next time!. Take care Olga