The Doll (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1977 |
| Founder | Marion Valentine, Adonis Yianni, Christos Yianni, Mario Watts |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Headquarters | London , United Kingdom |
| Products | Punk rock and new wave music |
The Doll was a London-based band blending punk rock and new wave styles, recognized for their 1979 single "Desire Me" which reached the top thirty in the charts.
History
The group came together in October 1977 with the original members Marion Valentine (vocals, guitar), Adonis Yianni (keyboards), Christos Yianni (bass guitar), and Mario Watts (drums). They signed with Beggars Banquet Records and contributed the track "Trash" to the Streets compilation. Their first single, "Don't Tango on My Heart," was released in January 1978. The follow-up single "Desire Me" climbed to number 28 on the UK Singles Chart in January 1979, earning them a spot on Top of the Pops. Valentine became noted in the press as a 'punk sex symbol'.
Subsequently, Valentine and Christos Yianni reassembled the band with new members: Denis Haines on keyboards, Jamie West-Oram handling lead guitar, and Paul Turner on drums. This lineup produced the album Listen to the Silence along with several singles but did not achieve the same level of commercial success, leading to their breakup in spring 1980.
After the split
Following the band's dissolution, Jamie West-Oram found success with the new wave group the Fixx. Denis Haines went on to perform keyboards for fellow Beggars Banquet Records artist Gary Numan and later became a founding member of Dramatis. Christos Yanni joined London’s post-punk outfit the Shoppers.
Albums
- Listen to the Silence (1979), released by Beggars Banquet
Singles
- "Don't Tango on My Heart"/"Trash" (1978), Beggars Banquet – lineup: Baby Doll (guitar & vocals), Adonis (keyboards), Whizz Kid (bass), Mario Watts (drums)
- "Desire Me"/"T.V. Addict"/"Burning Up Like a Fire"/"Desire Me (Extended Version)" (1978), Beggars Banquet – reached UK No. 28
- "Cinderella with a Husky Voice"/"Because Now" (1979), Beggars Banquet
- "You Used to Be My Hero"/"Because Now" (1980), Beggars Banquet
- "Burning Up Like a Fire"/"Frozen Fire" (1980), Beggars Banquet