Sheep Farming in Barnet

Biography

Sheep Farming in Barnet is the debut album by Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records. The album was originally released as a 6-track extended EP, dubbed an 'Alternate Play' record (AP) by Safari, and was later expanded into full-album status. The album was later reissued on CD, cassette and white vinyl by Great Expectations in 1990 (As PIPCD 014), and again on CD by Safari themselves in 2002, this time digitally remastered and coupled with the band's second album, Th...

Sheep Farming in Barnet is the debut album by Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records. The album was originally released as a 6-track extended EP, dubbed an 'Alternate Play' record (AP) by Safari, and was later expanded into full-album status. The album was later reissued on CD, cassette and white vinyl by Great Expectations in 1990 (As PIPCD 014), and again on CD by Safari themselves in 2002, this time digitally remastered and coupled with the band's second album, The Blue Meaning. The album was produced by Steve James and future band member Keith Hale, and was released as an AP on 3 August 1979, with the album version following in February 1980. The album was originally compiled by the band's German record label, EMI Electrola, but importation of the disc was so widespread, Safari decided to cash in and follow suit. The tracks added included several songs which did not make the original tracklisting and the debut single "Victims of the Riddle" (originally released in July 1979), plus its b-side "Victims of the Riddle (Vivisection)". The album's title refers to sheep being seen in a field in Finchley just off Regent's Park Road. According to John Craig of Safari, the cover featured Toyah at the RAF Fylingdales radar station near Whitby in Yorkshire, "a shoot achieved with considerable difficulty as, quite predictably, guards chased Toyah and the crew from the high security site". Several tracks from the album became firm live favourites, and featured on two later live albums. Toyah Willcox still performs the tracks "Danced" and "Neon Womb" in her live sets. Track listing: Original EP 1. "Neon Womb" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 4:24 2. "Indecision" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush, Henry) - 2:44 3. "Waiting" (Willcox, Bray) - 3:17 4. "Our Movie" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 3:04 5. "Danced" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 4:42 * 6. "Last Goodbye" '(Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 3:00 The EP version of this track has an edited intro; this edited version does not appear on any other release. LP Version 1. "Neon Womb" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 4:24 2. "Indecision" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush, Henry) - 2:44 3. "Waiting" (Willcox, Bray) - 3:17 4. "Computer" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 3:06 5. *"Victims of the Riddle" (Willcox, Hales, James, Bogen, Bush) - 3:38 6. "Elusive Stranger" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 4:55 7. "Our Movie" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 3:04 8. "Danced" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 5:13 9. "Last Goodbye" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 3:00 10. *"Victims of the Riddle (Vivisection)" (Willcox, Hales, James, Bogen, Bush) - 3:52 11. "Race Through Space" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush) - 3:17 2002 reissue bonus tracks 12. "Bird in Flight" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush, Francis, Bray) - 3:56 13. "Tribal Look" (Willcox, Bogen, Bush, Francis, Bray) - 3:25 Personnel Toyah Willcox- vocals Joel Bogen - guitar Mark Henry - bass Steve Bray - drums Peter Bush - keyboards Keith Hale - keyboards on "Victims Of The Riddle" and "Victims Of The Riddle (Vivisection)" Production Producers: Steve James and Keith Hale. *"Victims of the Riddle" was the debut single from the post-punk band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, and was released on July 27, 1979. The single, and its B-side, *"Victims of the Riddle (Vivisection)" were eventually featured on the LP version of Sheep Farming In Barnet, which was itself an extended reissue of the band's next single. They also featured on the 2005 compilation album The Safari Singles Collection Part 1: 1979-1981. History "Victims of the Riddle" was considered by some[who?] as being a very brave single choice, especially as a debut. "'Victims Of The Riddle' was mainly my choice because I wanted to be as weird and far away from the mainstream as possible. In fact, being weird was my priority. If I was to go back in time I'd have made the first single 'Neon Womb'", Toyah remarked in 2011. There was, apparently,[vague] some friction within the band as to the authorship. In 1980, speaking to ZigZag fanzine, Toyah said: “ I'm not really happy with anything we've ever done, except 'Victims Of The Riddle', which was the first tune I ever write, but 'cos a certain member of the band was so stinking jealous that I had written a tune on keyboards it went out as he had written it, otherwise he'd have left the band and I didn't want that 'cos I quite liked his keyboard playing.” In 2011, speaking of the old songs she cherry-picked for her 30th Anniversary concert tour, Toyah commented: …'Victims Of The Riddle', this really translates beautifully into subtle jazz, which means I can put the vocal in the rhythmic pocket and make it sound more anchored. Subject wise it's still just as off the wall and interesting. Controversy The single courted controversy due to its intentionally disturbing front cover image — a photograph of one of the mummies of Guanajuato in Mexico (from a book by Ray Bradbury entitled The Mummies of Guanajuato), holding a note which asked "Is there a heaven? Is there a hell? Do both exist? Who can tell?". This was drawn over the original inscription, which bore the name of the actual mummy — Magdalena Aguilar, and her date of burial which was the 8th of September, 1897. Her mummified body was exhumed on the 27 December 1909. Critical reception In April 1979 New Musical Express wrote: "Toyah's backdrop is a quirky maze of fixing electronic and electric sounds, an intelligent sub-disco underlay. Toyah herself screeches and howls and makes the simple art of reviewing something of an endurance test. Angry and powerful, that's what it is, riotously and genuinely performed. But painful and disappointing too, after all the pre-release build up... Is there a heaven?/Is there a hell?/Do both exist?/Who can tell?" runs the deep intellect on the sleeve front. Theatrical froth".[ Tracklisting: 7" Vinyl A: Victims of the Riddle [Willcox/Hale/James/Bogen/Bush] B: Victims of the Riddle (Vivisection) [Willcox/Hale/James/Bogen/Bush] Catalogue Number: SAFE 15. Produced by Steve James/Keith Hales. Published by Sweet 'n' Sour Songs/MCPS. Side A ran at 45RPM, while the lengthier Side B ran at 33RPM. Personnel Toyah Willcox - vocals Joel Bogen - guitar Mark Henry - bass Steve Bray - drums Peter Bush - keyboards Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.