Toyen (band)
| Toyen | |
|---|---|
| Origin |
 Prague, Czech Republic |
| Genres | Indie, Shoegaze |
| Labels | Toyen.rec |
| Members | Petr CHROMOVSKY, Ivo HEGER, Petr VACLAVEK, Jiri SIMECEK, Mr.Scott MURPHY |
Toyen was formed in Autumn 1988, officially starting in March 1989. The band name was taken from a nickname of the famous Czech surrealistic woman painter, Marie Čermínova. Three of the four original members were in the legendary band Letadlo, which was banned by the Czech Communist regime in the early 1980s. Toyen formed shortly after the Velvet Revolution. Their songs had Czech lyrics, but they occasionally performed in English as well.
The band
- Petr Chromovsky - vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards
- Ivo Heger – guitars, main composer
- Petr Vaclavek - bass, main lyrics writer
- Jiri Simecek - drummer and the first leader and imagemaker
Meeting Murphy
Scott Murphy from US-NYC, marketing supervisor from ABC-TV, saw the band while frequenting Prague music clubs. He collaborated with Toyen, and helped prepare their first US tour. The band soon began work on their first album, the EP The following the disappeared railroads. This song of the same title was a big hit in the local Czech charts. Their music was characterized as being mid-tempo, with blue mood, little nostalgic, and nice melodic vocals and sophisticated guitars. The CD featured a cover by famous photographer Tono Stano, and is still considered a collectible rarity.
Abroad success
Toyen started their first US tour with big success at the Broadway club The Shooting Gallery.
The US tour included a concert at legendary CBGB. Czech label Bonton-Sony music subsequently signed an agreement with the band. Their next album, Last free swans!, was done under collaboration with producer Colin Stuart, with lyrics by London's Matt Black. This album featured a stronger, more psychedelic and groovy style. The album cover led to the band's first Czech Grammy nomination.
Toyen were invited during the summer to England and Wales and they played on the Open/air summer Festival in Cardiff. Toyen visited Austria the same year.
At a music competition in BREGENZ, Toyen met Paul King from MTV's 120 Minutes (UK). He ended up featuring video clips from David ONDŘÍČEK and live footage from Prague in a later episode of 120 Minutes.
Changes
But life is changing, leader guitarist Ivo Heger left the band in the beginning of next year. It was very bad for the band, and the fans were unhappy. Ivo made own project The WAY and Toyen signed new contract with BMG CZ. Scott Murphy has prepared new US tour for the band. The band had decided to replace the guitarist and they took Jiří KŘIVKA, the guitar player, sound engineer and composer, who played with them in the beginning. Band knew he is not perfect composer as Ivo, but the guitarist was generally good.
But the future show-not for Toyen. They prepared new album for BMG Blue painter in the Czech language "Malíř smutnej". Jan P. Muchow collaborated like the producer-supervisor. Jiří Křivka prepared two excellent dance mix of two songs and the band was still on the top. Toyen got CZ GRAMY 93 nomination, for the cover again. But the British electronic legend Depeche Mode took them, like support band on their Prague concert, including the Devotion tour in 1993.
Ending
But the members of the band had the families, children, and many concerts and many work took off energy. Jiří Křivka, after US tour 2, left the band. Toyen were on the support tour of CD "Blue Painter-Malíř smutnej", with new guitarist František SAHULA. Members had „little holidays" after this tour. TOYEN came back with new guitarist - Petr VANA, and released next album Ia Orana in 1997, for CZ independent label Indies. The album included new songs, again in English, maybe more by the influence of the first EP. Jiří Šimeček wanted to made on this CD, CD-Extra, with the document history of the band. He did not to know it will be the last album of the band. The band had CZ gigs as usual, but the atmosphere, inside the band was not so good. Producer of this last album was symbolic Ivo Heger, the ex-guitar player of the band and he played on the CD two tracks on the guitar and Hammond keyboards.
Director David Ondříček prepared movie about Toyen for Czech TV in 1997.
Toyen- with the famous, original line-up: Chromovsky, Heger, Vaclavek, Simecek, started to play again in 2010, we can see them on the special gigs or festivals.