Toy Car Talk Debut Album, Favourite Instruments And More
Words by Glenn Sargeant
Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Perspective Communications
After a whirlwind of festival appearances and the fizz of national radio attention, Liverpool-based emotive, alt-rock four-piece, Toy Car return their highly anticipated debut album ‘Cream’ – out now. They chatted to us about the new record, favourite musical instruments and more:
Who is in Toy Car, how did you meet and what do you play?
We’re an alternative Indie band from Liverpool formed at the end of 2022 and is Shaun Hough (vocalist, guitars), Sam Cooke (guitars), Mike Price (bass) and Danny Lundvist (drums). We all met in different circumstances, Shaun and Cookie used to work in a blinds company together so that’s always a pretty funny one when it comes up in conversation.
What is your earliest musical memory?
Probably singing The Beatles in the car with my Dad, it’s a right of passage in Liverpool if not everywhere.
When did you begin songwriting?
I wrote my first song when I was 12, I was less interested about learning covers early on and more focused on using the guitar as a tool for writing. The results we not the best back then as you can imagine but started my journey I guess.
You have your new album released out now. How did you want to approach the making of the album?
I’m a massive fan of the debut cage the elephant album which just sounds raw and like you’re in a basement practice room. I spoke with the producer Ben Harper about this, we didn’t want it as messy but definitely wanted to make a guitar album and put the messiness in the right places if that makes sense.
Where did you record the album and who produced it?
Motor museum (1975, Oasis) in Liverpool with Ben Harper (Mysterines) who also mixed the full album.
Do you have any interesting, funny or memorable stories from the recording sessions?
The last night we had in the studio we got really drunk and done gang vocals, 99% were unusable
Did you use any particular instruments, microphones, recording equipment to help you get a particular sound/tone for the record?
We mostly used everything we play live however the OCD full tone pedal was used on my (Shaun) guitar which I had a lot of fun with. Vocals were mostly Shure sm7b’d and pretty sure all percussion tracks were used with that also.
Which of your new album tracks hear you at your a) happiest, b) angriest and c) most reflective?
A) Time Flies
B) Jurassic Park
C) Thylacine
Was it a difficult album to write?
Yes and No, all the songs took a lot of time and are well thought through lyrically and harmonically but they are all personal songs so all songs I experienced so was easy to reflect on, it was just a case of constantly asking myself ‘What are are you trying to say’. Sounds so basic but it really helped me wrap up that last 10-20% of the tracks
Who designed the album artwork?
Joel Daw, he has done all the artwork for the project since day 1 and only felt right to asking him again for the album and singles. His tag on socials are ‘@looseenzine
One of the tracks is the single Fishes. What was the story/inspiration behind the track?
The track was inspired by having a conversation with death (death was the original title) but also has themes of redemption, loss and I suppose growing up. It’s a pretty blunt reminder to live life because we don’t know what’s waiting around the corner
The single is accompanied by an official music video. What was the thought process behind the video and who directed it?
Lewis Evers and Sam Davies do all our video shoots, they are amazing. This particular shoot was just centred more around a visualiser including some shots with a fish eye lens, a subtle shout to the single.
Where is your hometown and could you please describe it in five words?
Liverpool, Inspiring, relentless, historic, proud, seagulls
How do you look after your voices?
Lemon (with peel) boiled and loads of honey
Do you have any live dates planned in the UK/Europe in 2025/2026?
Our next show is with the BBC Introducing in the Cavern Liverpool, 28th Jan
What two things do you hope to have achieved once you have left the stage?
I don’t intend to leave the stage but after all said and done probably I’d want to leave no stone unturned in what I want to say to the world through music
Do you have any favoured stage instruments, effects, pedals, microphones etc?
I use a Rickenbacker 650C Colorado it’s the foundation tone along with the Strymon Deco pedal. Bass and other guitars both rely on the ‘Rat’ Pedal for distortion tone. Reverb is hardly used through the instruments to create a really dry sound, we are a very dynamic band. So this helps with the stops and starts of sections
You are given the opportunity to write the score for a film adaptation of a novel that you enjoy. Which novel is it and why?
It would be a dream to do Bond, a song and the score. Think that one goes without saying but more modern rock bond takes like Chris Cornell and Jack White are very inspiring.
Who are some of your musical influences? Do you have any recommendations?
Willie J Healy is a personal favourite of ours along with Geese and Car Seat Headrest. Queens of The Stone Age is always a go to also.
What makes Toy Car happy and what makes you unhappy?
I think being active as a band makes us happy, feeling useful as a band is getting harder these days but persisting and doing something like this album release has been one of the absolute highlights and something we’ll never forget. We are at our best when we are active. Unhappy, when not releasing music.
Feature Image Photo Credit: Supplied By Perspective Communications
Toy Car’s debut album ‘Cream’ is out now.
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