This band blew us away when we first seen them, they are powerful, hypnotic and capture something truly special live. The sense of melody in their songs is brilliant and it brings out something dark from within drawing you under their eerie spell. September’s band of the month goes to the very well deserved TOY.
US: Tell us about how you got together?
Panda: We started playing as TOY properly about a year and a half ago I think. Dom, Tom and I went to school together and have played music with each other in one form or another since then. We have known Alejandra our synthesizer player almost as long, and we met Charlie our drummer driving a tuc-tuc…
US: Where did you get the name TOY from?
Panda: Some friends of ours have an old box in their house with TOY engraved on it in big letters. Think we were already toying with the idea of calling it TOY and the way it jumped out at us when we saw it made it stick. We were originally called The Fabulous Skymen but we aren’t all men and TOY is better.
US: Things have seemed to happen extremely fast for you guys, how has the last year been?
Panda: Fast. It’s been fun. We played our first show in November or December and the support we’ve had from friends and people who have come to see us has been really great since then. We played after Faust at Field Day which was slightly surreal and supported The Pretty Things in June, a band we’ve always loved and respected.
US: You’re on tour in October, what’s things going to be like on the road?
Panda: Can’t wait for that tour. We all work and play very hard.
US: Your releasing your debut single soon right?
Panda: Our first single is coming out on Roundtable on the 17th of October as a limited 10″. It is called ‘Left Myself Behind’. We’ve just finished mixing it so it should be available to listen to online soon.
US: Who has the best hair?
Panda: I do.
US: Where do you like to hangout in London?
Panda: Near water. We spend a lot of time on the roof top of the pembury tavern in hackney central. Love it up there.
Playing live:
8th September Old Blue Last
9th September Shacklewell Arms w/ The History of Apple Pie