Box of Toys - 3D - The Light (1982-1986)

While New Romanticism was spreading all over London, in Liverpool several bands formed with the purpose to capture the spirit of the day by mixing sythesized drum machines, saxes and decadent vocals. A Select Committee (1981-82), was one of those, combining powerpop with neo romanticizing. The band, that only released one track (Shape Our Lives on the compilation cassette Crackin Up At The Pyramid in 1982) featured Tim Lees (vocals) and Brian Jones (bass) (both later Something French), Steve Downey (guitars) (later Come in Tokio, with Pete Wylie’s brother), Phil Martin (only occasionally, sax, later Come in Tokio), and Andy Redhead (drums and keyboards). After the split of A Selected Committee (1982), Redhead and Martin (on drums and guitar the former, on sax, keyboards and vocals the latter) teamed up with Brian Atherton (vocals and keyboards), Roy Campbell (bass and vocals) to form Box of Toys. This line-up recorded and released two singles:

BOX OF TOYS

I'm Thinking Of You Now (1983)
- I'm Thinking Of You Now
- Old Man Rome


Precious is the Pearl (1984)
- Precious is the Pearl
- It Goes Without Saying
- When Daylight is Over

Before the release of the second single, Box of Toys also recorded a Peel Session, in April 1983, playing both their old and their forthcoming single. In 1984 BoT disbanded, and members went their separate ways. Andy Redhead formed 3D, with Johnny 'Riff' Reynolds (ex Berlin, ex Fun, on guitars) and Brian Rawlins (ex Fun, and Victims of Romance, on drums). The band released a first promo one sided-single (Nearer) in 1984 (then to be included as a b-side in a later release), soon to be followed by a couple of other singles:

3D

Break The Fix(ation) (1984)
- Break The Fix(Ation)
- I Hear The Rhythm


Dance to Believe (1985)
- Dance to Believe
- The Club
- Nearer (Revenge)

After the split of Box of Toys, Brian Atherton formed The Light, another one-man act (as the covers of the singles suggest). The Light released two singles:

THE LIGHT

Contrasting Strangers (1985)
- Contrasting Strangers
- Monument


Pride Of Winning (1986)
- Pride Of Winning
- Ten Million Years

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(see also: http://www.thelightatherton.piczo.com/?cr=3 )

BoT_3D_TL