The second single from the London version of The New York Dolls, Raped. Unfortunate choice of name, rightly slagged off by Gazza Bushell and the rest of the media, retailers, gig promoters etc, the band found it hard to get anything out there to the public with that name even if it was in the days of trying to shock…the first release was an EP called ‘Pretty Paedophiles’, you can imagine the hassle over that release, even Rough Trade refused anything to do with them or the release. By 1979 the band name changed to The Cuddly Toys, which is much more pleasant!
The subject matter in the lyrics were just as decadent and lewd, whatever the band name was though, generally pretty sleazy! Musically perhaps Mott The Hoople speed-ed up, kinda Damned-ish.
Will not bother with any more info because it is all written out here and here as an interview with Faeb Kwest the guitarist of Raped / Cuddly Toys courtesy of PUNK77 website.
crow
February 4, 2008 at 3:59 amGreat to hear this again! I was lucky (?) enough to see this band live (as the cuddly toys of course) in 1980 at the moonlight club in west hampstead..
Chris
February 4, 2008 at 4:19 pmjust out of interest, does anyone know if the raped’s japanese TV footage is up on youtube? can’t seem to find it anywhere and would be intribued to see it.
Tony Puppy
February 5, 2008 at 12:55 amThere’s six or seven Raped/Cuddly Toys ‘friends’ at the kill your pet puppy myspace – some have loads of you tube links. The one dedicated to drummer Paddy is run from Japan – there’s a good place to start.
Chris
February 5, 2008 at 1:31 amCheers, will have a look. I’m sure i’ve seen paddy at a few gigs round Camden…last one was Futon (thai band featuring Bee from getting the fear/Southern Death cult and Simon from Suede) at the Underworld. If not someone who looks very like him.
David Green
February 5, 2008 at 9:06 pmOne of the BEST 45’s i ever bought (along with The Models ‘man of the year’ & Satans Rats ‘you make sick)
Memories are made of this!!!!!!!!!!!