I saw the toy dolls live at Newcastle Uni around 1985 (I can’t remember exactly when, a bit of a blur really). It was the first time I’d ever heard ‘Fisticuffs in Frederick Street’ and the first bars of solo guitar intro were played by Olga sitting on the shoulders of Filip (the bassist). On completing the solo he promptly jumped off and bounced around the stage like a demented spring. Epic.

Their recording company Volume Records was just down the road from the Uni and I bought their first two albums there.

On the subject of guitars, I have enough trouble with six strings let alone twelve! I did find a way to cure (some of) the vertigo-inducing distance between strings and fretboard though. I removed the strings then lifted out the bridge and filed it down using sandpaper! It is not recommended to remove too much height as the strings can ‘buzz’ against the fretboard if plucked too vigorously. It did help turn a pleasant but cheap guitar into one that I had a slightly better chance of playing without causing too much offence!

When you’re done rattling that lot, how about some Grant Lee Buffalo?