OLGA TALKIN'

December 2012

Well then, here we are at the end of 2012! Where did it all go!?

I can tell ya that as well as the Spanish tour we had a wicked time at the festivals, great to meet you lot after the shows too.

Hey, great to meet the guys from the Slackers, and an honour to meet Lars from Rancid too. All really lovely guys.

Yeah, yeah, I can hear say, what about 2013... When are you gonna play in my country blah blah blah!

But... before we move on to that, here's the process of me new hair colour treatment.

Cut and ready...	Bleached...	Green for GO!

So, anyway, I can tell you that we always wanna play as many countries as possible! Havin’ Tommy Goober and The Amazing Mr Duncan now firmly on board makes me even more eager to get to as many places as we can! And havin’ the fantastic crew that we have certainly helps!

There’s ALWAYS gonna be countries that are disappointed coz we can’t get there for one reason or another but trying to find the right local promoters who will promote the gig properly and provide the specified equipment etc is not always an easy task!

Portugal, for example, is one place we really wanna get back to, we had an absolute wicked time there last time, but the promoters we used have disappeared off the face of the earth! We have had offers from various people wanting to put shows on, but the promoters need to be professional. We could never take the chance of a show being cancelled at the last minute, totally unfair for all involved.

Another country we have been desperately trying to return to is Poland! And finally we have been offered the chance to play Gdynia! Of course we jumped at the chance, its been 18 years since we were there! There are constant talks of many different countries, but until we do get confirmed shows they won’t be announced.

Happy?

OK, I can still sense your anxiousness to know more of 2013!

Countries actually being discussed for 2013 tours, and I say DISCUSSED, not arranged yet, include France, Switzerland, South America and Russia. And we have not forgot about Scandinavia, Austria, Czezh Republic etc etc either... the list is too long to mention!

A couple of countries in more deep discussion for 2013 at the moment are the UK and the USA.

First up, USA.

We haven’t been to the USA for about 15 years and we are positively itching to get back! It's very expensive to get out there, with the long haul international flights, hotels, equipment and van hire etc, and we have to take our whole crew to do things professionally. The high cost of working visas doesn't help, and we would never take the chance of coming without visas! I know bands do this, but to turn up and be refused entry would be catastrophic, not just for us and everyone involved, but most of all you lot!

We can’t afford to make a loss in USA, and we have no big major record company support or anything! Though just be able to break even and see you lot would be fine, providing we can cover the costs and be able to eat! Anyways, our management are working on it as I am writing this, if they can make it work, they will! I really hope to have more news very soon, it seems like a life time since we saw you lot, cheers so much for your patience and loyalty.

UK

The UK is where we come from, so obviously it’s where we wanna be at our best! Friends and family turn up too, aargh! Makes me sooo nervous to think of it! Ha! The last tour we done in the UK was 2007, and we had a great time indeed. The gigs being looked at will be smallish sized venues, cheers loads to you lot on Facebook for the ideas! We have taken note! We wanna keep the tour in clubs, rather than festivals. There’s always gonna be towns and cities which are not included, but our management are actively looking at possibilities now.

The same goes for you lot in the UK, a HUGE thank you for your patience and continued loyalty.

All a bit vague I know, but if this does happen then the USA would probably be the first half of 2013 with the UK in the 2nd half!

If for whatever reason it doesn't happen, then hopefully it will still happen at a later date. I can say that at the moment we are hopeful!

I dare not go into more detail otherwise our management would kill me! I will keep you posted!

Will be back here soon, hopefully with more definite news for ya!

Cheers

April 2012

Well, hello you lot!

New Album review!

The new album “The Album after The Last One” has been out a couple of weeks or so now, I had a listen to it the other day... brought back fond memories of the recording!

Anyway straight to the review:

Overall score 3.7 out of 5

Olgamental intro:

Decent intro, good sound, too hectic though, overall, not bad!.
I do like the way it links to CCChristmas very much! One of the best links on a Toy Dolls album.

Credit Crunch Christmas:

I like the sound on this one, and all the twists and turns and key changes, in my humble opinion The best song on the album by far, a really good one! And nice lyrics.

Molly Was Immoral:

Why the hell did I keep that terrible guitar intro?? It should have went straight into the song, it's a nice song I reckon, good drum beat nice bits, nice solo, a decent song, apart from the guitar start, again nice lyrics too.

Sciatica Sucks:

I like some bits of this song, I really thought I had sciatica when I wrote it, but to be honest it drives me crazy listening to it after a while! About a minute.
For me, sadly, one of the weakest tracks on the album.

B.E.E.R:

Really difficult to judge a song when its not my own!
Anyways, it's a good old Rock n’ Roll tune! What more can I say! With honest Tommy Goober lyrics! Some nice guitar bits too.

Kevins Cotton Wool Kids:

I am really surprised, though its early days, why not so many people have mentioned this song yet!
I am proud of it, I like the solo too, great verses and good lyrically too! Inspired.
Yeah, well above average indeed.

Don’t Drive Yer Car Up Draycott Avenue

A song by The Amazing Mr. Duncan, a canny song this and sung very nicely, I like it, and it makes a pleasant change from listening to the squeaky lead singer!
Nice one, and of course I am a sucker for key changes!

Dirty Doreen:

Again good lyrics, a decent song but spoilt by the hectic speed its played at, had it been a few BPM (beats per minute) less, it would have been a lot more pleasant.
Not the worst song though, and a great intro/outro voice over!
This was based on 2 Doreens by the way!

Down at the Old 29

An odd one this, the lyrics mean so much to me, and I spent a lot of time trying to create a guitar solo with heart felt emotions in, I think its worked, in the solo anyway, the song itself is average I reckon.

Martys Mam:

I can safely say this is the worst song on the album, it's a drag from start to finish, nice guitar solo though, but an uninspired song, bah. Nice classical harp!

Gordon Brown Gets Me Down.

Now we are talking! I am very happy with this one, good lyrics, good verse, bridge, chorus, harmonies etc, yeah, I am proud, in the top 3 for sure.
This one could have been taken from Absurd Ditties with C C Christmas, a winner!

Deccas Drinkin' Dilemma

I am very happy with this song too, maybe I should have done the verses a bit different, but I wrote it all around the bass riff, in fact I wrote the bass riff first!
Then I left it and wrote the chorus, then went back to writing the verse again, which was kinda dictated by the bass already written!
Its an odd verse, but with such a nice chorus I think it works, probably the 2nd best song on the album, nice!

Olgamental Outo:

Too fast, other than that it's a good one!

The acoustic bonus tracks:

I am very happy with these, they were done in just about 1 take, and I like the rawness, I may do more of them!

The album is no Absurd Ditties, Anniversary Anthems or Dig that groove baby, but it does come next in line, if it just had 3 or 4 more better tracks, then it would have been right up there.
Christmas, Decca & Gordon prove it can be done! The production is nice, and lyrically very good, so all I need next time are less Martys Mams and more Christmas’s, keep the same sound and I will be happy!
Lets see what happens!

I am interested in hearing your opinions!

Talk soon

March 2012

Yo! So, here we are in March already!

Started the first full rehearsals a couple of weeks back, what a killer! Even after the daily training I do I was still like a zombie after the first practice! The 2nd rehearsal was a bit easier, kinda braced meself for it! Took Ibuprofen and taped me fingers up n’ stuff. I will be happy once we have the set learnt and we are just perfecting it.

Anyway, before The Toy Doll shows in May, Tommy is doing dates in Germany with his band Goober Patrol, and The Amazing Mr. Duncan is off on a UK tour with his band Snuff!

We were hoping for a couple of gigs on 20/21st April in Poland, unfortunately the promoter there pulled out... the same happened in Portugal, bah! So, the years shows will start in Barcelona on 4th May.

I really can’t believe it’s all about to start again!

I remember when I was 3 years old in South Shields watching me older brother, Ernie, leave for gigs in the band's van! Never thought I would be doing it all these years later! Thanks to him for showing me how to tune up and me first few chords and for teaching me Apache by The Shadows! Ha!

Just for you lot, (I am sure he will kill me for putting this up!) here is his band, I'll let you guess which one's me older bro! :0)

Before it does all start again, I will say a huge thank you to YOU LOT for making it all possible yet again!

Cheers! And let me know what you think of the new album, even if you think its crap! No worries!

Take Care

January 2012

Yo You Lot!, Here is the back and front of the album.

Inside the CD will be a booklet with some nice pics and all the lyrics to the album songs.

New year resolution, to make all new songs that I write, at least as nice as Credit Crunch Christmas.

Its not the best album to be honest, but songs like Credit Crunch Christmas, Gordon Brown Gets Me Down, and Decca’s Drinkin’ Dilemma are gonna be the kind of standard I am always gonna aim for from now on. I am gonna write some songs without guitar solos too! I am a bit guitared out after recording this latest one! The 3 acoustic bonus tracks really show the songs in their naked format! Enjoy!

So, what’s happening now?

Well, our management are busy planning the years shows, there are mentions of lots of places, but until they get confirmed I am keeping schtum!

We start rehearsals this month, I am looking forward to getting stuck into them!

I am practicing at home everyday too, and training, which isn’t much fun! But I am feeling the benefit now for sure!
My daily breakfast from Monday – Friday is a pint of water and 2 pints of smoothie yoghurts with grapes, strawberries, bananas, nuts, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds, would kill for a beer now though!

The first shows confirmed are in Spain, but its highly likely there will be a couple of gigs before that, on 20th and 21st April.

Hey, I bought a lovely nice new Lambrusco stage bottle! About 25% bigger than the other one! I have got 2 in fact - one is a spare!!!

Between The Toy Dolls rehearsals Tommy will be doing German dates with his band ‘GOOBER PATROL’, and Duncan is heading off on a UK tour with his band ‘SNUFF’, so they should both be fit & well ready for the Toy Dolls shows!

Catch me on Facebook for more up to the minute news n’ stuff!

See ya at the gigs! Yipeee!