The Toy Watches were a punk/pop band based in Ipswich and Brisbane between 1979 and 1981. Shaun Mcgrath. the singer, said ''there was nothing to do in Ipswich so I organised the band, Toy Watches to play in Queens Park on a Saturday. Signs were placed on the main roads and many people ranging from a bank manager to babes in arms dropped in to hear the band perform behind the bowls club''.
Toy Watches played their first Brisbane gig at the now infamous Curry Shop in Roma Street, and on the same bill were The Go-betweens. As 1980 rolled around the band caught the eyes of promotor Dave Darling and promotor Graham Hutchinson. This put the band in the ideal spot where they were playing independent venues in Brisbane including The Silver Dollar, The Hotel Brisbane, The Cleveland Sands, Pinocchio’s in the Valley, and Sally’s in Annerley. With the input from Graham Hutchinson Promotions connected with Dave Darling they were also playing larger venues including Pip’s nightclub, Thompsons Hotel Mooloolaba, The Patch and The Jet club Coolangatta, and even as far north as Gympie and Bundaberg.
In 1980 the band released a single ''Too Long / Hawaii'' on Peanut Republic Records, a company established by Graham Hutchinson Promotions. The band was also fortunate enough to make a film clip for the song ''Too Long'', with the help of Cherie Bradshaw, a student at the time of Griffith University. Although not credited, snippets of the film clip are shown several times during the 2015 ABC documentary I’m Stranded. The band was known for their quick snappy songs with titles like ''She’s a Mess'', ''Tonight'', and ''5 Cent Shuffle'' supported by the mesmerizing front man Shaun McGrath. Like many bands of the time, as Clinton Walker put it about Toy Watches in his book Inner City Sound, “they appeared suddenly, shone briefly and then disappeared.” The band did a reunion show in 2014.
Members
Shaun McGrath (vocals), John Spresser (guitar), Noel Howe (bass), Cameron Howe (drums).
SINGLES
''Too Long / Hawaii'' 1980 Peanut Republic
References
In 1980 the band released a single ''Too Long / Hawaii'' on Peanut Republic Records, a company established by Graham Hutchinson Promotions. The band was also fortunate enough to make a film clip for the song ''Too Long'', with the help of Cherie Bradshaw, a student at the time of Griffith University. Although not credited, snippets of the film clip are shown several times during the 2015 ABC documentary I’m Stranded. The band was known for their quick snappy songs with titles like ''She’s a Mess'', ''Tonight'', and ''5 Cent Shuffle'' supported by the mesmerizing front man Shaun McGrath. Like many bands of the time, as Clinton Walker put it about Toy Watches in his book Inner City Sound, “they appeared suddenly, shone briefly and then disappeared.” The band did a reunion show in 2014.
Members
Shaun McGrath (vocals), John Spresser (guitar), Noel Howe (bass), Cameron Howe (drums).
''Too Long / Hawaii'' 1980 Peanut Republic
References
The Bands – return to white chairs
Ian Davies was also guitarist and is a credited song writer on the single.
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