Debut single financed by Sunderland businessman

They were initially grouped with the Oi! scene, and have also been classified as punk pathetique . One reason they are associated with Oi! is that they were championed by Garry Bushell , who was very involved with Oi! bands such as Angelic Upstarts (whom The Toy Dolls later supported on their first national tour). In 1980, a Sunderland businessman financed the Toy Dolls’ debut single, “Tommy Kowey’s Car” with “She Goes To Fino’s” on the B-side . The single quickly sold out its initial pressing of 500 copies, but the band could not afford to press any more, making the single a collector’s item. Around the time the band signed to Volume, Olga moved to Newton Hall , in north Durham , which led to the song “Livin’ on Newton Hall”.