Doll by Doll
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Jackie Leven |
| Defunct | 1983 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
Doll by Doll was a London-based British rock ensemble founded by Jackie Leven in 1977. Although they surfaced during the new wave period, their sound—marked by emotional depth and psychedelic influences—did not align with mainstream trends and consequently received limited attention from music critics.
Career
The band's initial formation included Jackie Leven (vocals, guitar), Jo Shaw (vocals, guitar), Robin Spreafico (vocals, bass), and David Macintosh (vocals, percussion). This lineup produced a single studio album titled Remember before Spreafico was succeeded by Tony Waite (1958–2003). With Waite on board, they issued Gypsy Blood—under the production of John Sinclair—and followed up with their eponymous third album, Doll by Doll, prior to their breakup.
By the time Grand Passion, their final LP, was released, Jackie Leven remained the sole original member. He was accompanied by Helen Turner (vocals, keyboards), Tom Norden (vocals, guitar, bass), and guest artists such as David Gilmour from Pink Floyd. For live shows, Mark Fletcher (bass) and Chris Clarke (drums) provided support. The group ultimately disbanded in 1983. Subsequently, Leven, Shaw, Macintosh, and former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock collaborated to release the single "Big Tears" under the name Concrete Bulletproof Invisible in 1988. Following this period, Leven embarked on an extensive solo career emphasizing folk-inspired music.
In 2005, a live album entitled Revenge of Memory was issued, featuring recordings of the original band performing most tracks from Remember at Sheffield's Limits Club in 1977. Additionally, all four studio albums were made available on CD for the first time in March 2007 through WEA/Rhino.
- Remember (Automatic, 1979)
- Gypsy Blood (Automatic, 1979)
- Doll by Doll (Magnet, 1981)
- Grand Passion (Magnet, 1982)
- Revenge of Memory (Live at The Sheffield Limits Club 1977) (Haunted Valley, 2005)