Thanks so much to Fred Twigg for the interview! I wrote about this obscure Midlands band like a month or so ago. Happily Fred wrote me to set the record straight of who were the original members of the band. That let me to ask hi if he’d be up for an interview, and his answer was just what I hoped for, “yes!”. So finally I know some more details about them! Discover them!
++ Hi Fred! Thanks so much for being up for this interview! How are you? Still making music?
I’m fine thank you and yes,still making music.
++ Let’s go back in time. What are your first music memories? Do you remember what was your first instrument? How did you learn to play it? What sort of music did you listen at home while growing up?
My first instrument was guitar. I bought a book by Burt Weedom called play in a day and had guitar lessons at the Bandbox based in Wolverhampton. I started listening to Lonny Donnigan, skiffle music and later Jimi Hendrix.
++ Had you been in other bands before The Blue Toys? What about the rest of the members? If so, how did all of these bands sound like? Are there any recordings?
I don’t know about the other members of the Blue Toys,but I had a successful band with my brother called the Suspects ,based in Norwich. We had a compilation album out in the alternative charts ( it was number one for six weeks) on the Crass label distributed by Rough Trade called the Bullshit Detector 11.The name of the track is Random Relations Part 2. We also played a lot of gigs in the Norwich and Yarmouth area and a tour of Holland. The music was protest ( punk -rock).
++ Where were you from originally?
Wolverhampton (West Midlands)
++ How was your town at the time of The Blue Toys? Were there any bands that you liked? Were there any good record stores? Or what about the pubs or venues to go check out up and coming bands?
Wolverhampton had a good music scene at the time. There was a venue called Croakers, J.B’s in Dudley,and the Blue Toys had a residency spot in the Bull’s Head in Bilston,Wolverhampton ,but we played all over the West Midlands and a festival in the West park. The bands around at the time were the Neon Hearts,Slade,killing Joke and the Jazz bass player Dave Holland. Record stores: Sundown records and HMV.
++ When and how did the band start? How did you all meet? How was the recruiting process?
Myself and My twin brother who is a drummer were looking for a bass player so I put an advert in the Express & Star and Baz Ketley answered the add. We formed a 3 piece band called the Sudden Impact.We played a few times together ,but it didn’t work out,so Baz quit and the band fell apart. Later Baz informed me that he was setting a new band up and he needed a guitarist /singer,so I agreed to join. Then came Vernon Charles on bass ,because Baz decided to change instruments from bass to guitar. Vernon was working at the local music shop in Wolverhampton.Later Baz came down to my house and introduced me to saxophone player Anne Marie. We were short of a drummer so we held auditions in a local pub and Dennis Coke passed the audition. We were now complete and Vernon came up with the name the Blue Toys.
++ There were some lineup changes too right? You were telling me that the names that appear on the book “The Charlatans We Are Rock” are more of a second lineup of the band and that creates confusion. How did these changes come about?
After 2 successful years of gigging around the Midlands,Baz decided to call a band meeting.During that meeting in the Bull’s Head Baz told the band that there were 2 members of the band he didn’t want to continue with any longer.The 2 members were myself and drummer Dennis Coke.No explanation or anything,he just wanted me and Dennis out,so we had no choice but to leave.He had already lined up 2 new members.Later Vernon had enough and left the Blue toys,so Anne Marie was the only Original member left,apart from Baz himself.
++ How was the creative process for you? Where did you usually practice?
Baz wrote most of the songs. He would come to me with an idea and ask me my thoughts about the song. I would arrange the guitar parts and then work them out in the practicing room at the Bull’s Head pub,with the rest of the band.
++ And who would you say were influences in the sound of the band?
We had our personal influences. Mine were from the Stranglers to Hendrix.
++ As far as I know you only put out one record though it did come out on 7″ and 12″. It was released by the London-based label Sedition. I was wondering if you could tell me a bit about them? How did you end up working with them?
I couldn’t tell you about that,because I was thrown out of the band before the record came out. Myself ,Vernon and Dennis were not involved with the record company at that time.
++ Then the B side was “Survivalists” and this one was actually from a Radio One Session for the Dixie Peach Show. I haven’t been able to find any info about this session. When was it recorded? How did it happen? Were more songs recorded other than “Survivalists”?
I never went on the Dixie Peach show,because that was after my time with the band.I don’t know anything about that session. The only thing that I have of my time with the Blue Toys is a video recording of “Survivalists” and “This is Not Heaven”.
++ I read that one big reason for the band to split was that your manager wanted a new direction for your music. What direction was that?
I never met the manager. At the time Baz was acting very strange, because he had contact with a manager,I don’t know which one,but he got invited to a gig of ours in Snobs Birmingham and after that Baz called the band meeting and wanted us out.
++ Are there more recordings by the band? Unreleased songs?
Yes, there were a lot of unreleased songs
++ If you were to choose your favorite The Blue Toys song, which one would that be and why?
Survivalists. The music,the way we played and sang it.
++ What about gigs? Did you play many?
Yes, throughout the West Midlands. Favourite gigs are the West park (festival 2/9 1984 Wolverhampton) and Snobs’s in Birmingham.
++ And what were the best gigs you remember? Any anecdotes you can share?
In Cannock
++ And were there any bad ones?
++ When and why did The Blue Toys stop making music? Were you involved in any other bands afterwards? The Bells I believe?
That was after my time ,but apparently I heard after receiving a call from Baz, he had done all he could with the band. I moved to Holland and form the Clean Cut Guru’s, Criminal Noise gang, Alice D ,The Silent Srceam and band under my own name Twigg and I just released a single called “Borrowed Time”.
++ What about the rest of the band, had they been in other bands afterwards?
Only Vernon played in other bands and still is. Anne Marie went to work on cruise ships as a solo act.
++ Has there been any The Blue Toys reunions?
Yes in 2010 with the Original Blue Toys members in Stoke on Trent.
++ What about the press? Did they give you any attention?
We had a write up in the Express and Star of the West Park gig.
++ Looking back in retrospective, what would you say was the biggest highlight for the band?
Being together and playing with Wolverhampton Lads. Only Anne Marie came from Bloxwich.
++ Aside from music, what other hobbies do you have?
Traveling, backpacking, international cuisine.
++ Anything else you’d like to add?
I would like you to add the Original member of the Blue Toys :
Baz Ketley : guitar/lead vocals
Fred Twigg ; lead guitar/vocals
Vernon Charles: bass / vocals
Anne Marie : saxophone
This was the Original line up from 1983 till 1985. Thank you for this questionaire . I hope this will set record straight.
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Listen
The Blue Toys – A Good Day
