To uncover where the group came from it’s best to start with one of the core members, Jeremy Toy. He grew up in a musical household: his mother had studied classical guitar, while his father played saxophone in well-known big bands, such as those led by Arthur Skelton and Jack Morris. Piano lessons started from age seven and then he took up saxophone at high school, but after being hectored by friends, he switched to guitar. He and his sister first performed at the Glasshouse in Brown’s Bay and Toy also played in school grunge group, Betty, at Rockquest (“trying to recycle the first Helmet record”) and won best original song.
Jeremy Toy - guitar, programming
Tyra Hammond - vocals
Julien Dyne - drums, programming
Bjorn Petersen - MC, vocals
Chip Matthews - bass
Isaac Aesili - trumpet, vocals
Steph Brown - keyboards
Cam Allen - saxophone
Scott Towers - saxophone
Harlin Davey - turntables
Joe Lindsay - trombone
Matt Short - bass
In 2007, Tyra Hammond appeared on Scribe’s single ‘Say It Again’.
Jeremy Toy also produced the third album by NZ-based Australian singer, Tim Guy (Big World, 2010). Their friendship also led Guy to write a song (‘Love Turns Wild’) for the second Opensouls album. Guy’s album wasn’t the only time Toy worked in the folk realm - he also produced Mel Parsons’ Red Grey Blue (2011).
Jeremy Toy also does production under the name ‘OTA’ which is a play on his second name (i.e., Toy-OTA).
Matt Short went on to play in Magic Factory.
From The Crate
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Freestyle Records