Origin

Toyen started autumn 1988. It is originally the nickname of the famous Czech surrealistic woman painter, Marie Čermínova

Toyen

Marie Čermínová , known as Toyen, was a Czech painter, draftsperson and illustrator and a member of the surrealist movement.-Biography:...

.
Toyen officially started on March 1989. People and critics was rooting for this band, because three from four members of Toyen were from the legendary band Letadlo, which has been cancelled by communist regime in the early 80s.

The band

Petr CHROMOVSKY- vocal,acoustic guitar,keyboards, /new member/
Ivo HEGER– guitars,main composer
Petr VACLAVEK- bass,main lyrics writer
Jiri SIMECEK- drummer and the first leader and imagemaker.

The band was in the right time on the right place. The guys had good infos from the world, good timing after Velvet revolution

Velvet Revolution

The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...

 and mainly good songs, image and they have own material with Czech lyrics. Though they could sing the songs in English and it was very important for their future.

Meeting Murphy

Scott MURPHY

Scott Murphy

Matthew Scott Murphy is an entrepreneur and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...

 from US-NYC, marketing supervisor from ABC-TV

ABC-TV

ABC-TV can refer to:*American Broadcasting Company, a radio and television network in the United States*Australian Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Television network**ABC , the ABC television station in Canberra...

, saw the band few times at the Prague music clubs. He has started collaborate with the Toyen, and prepared first US tour. The band started first work on the first album, EP The following the disappeared railroads. This same song was big hit in the local CZ Charts. The music was in the middle tempo, with blue mood, little nostalgic, nice melodic vocal and sophisticated guitars. It was really hit and the CD with nice cover by famous photographer Tono STANO

Tono Stano

Tono Stano is an art photographer living and working in Prague, Czech Republic.Tono Stano attended the secondary school of applied arts in Bratislava in 1975-79, and then, from 1980-86, the FAMU in Prague . Still during their studies, he and his fellow students Tono Stano (born 24 March 1960 in...

, new feelings of expected something in the air..., is still big rarity for the collectors.

Abroad success

The Toyen started first US tour with big success on the BROADWAY club, the Shooting Gallery. ABC have prepared for the band amazing tour.

US tour included the concert at legendary CBGB..s. It was good start and big CZ label Bonton-Sony music signed agreement with the band. Next album Last free swans! was done under collaboration with producer Colin STUART

Colin Stuart

Colin Ellsworth Laurie Stuart is a Guyanese cricketer, who has played for the West Indies.In six Tests, Stuart, who is a right-hand batsman, has a batting average of 3.42 average, and as a right-arm, medium-fast bowler, has taken twenty wickets with a 31.39 average.Stuart took part in the only...

, lyrics made by Matt BLACK

Matt Black

Matt Black is a British DJ and one half of music duo Coldcut .As a college student, he was a member of a band called The Jazz Insects, whose first single was played by John Peel in his radio show...

 from London. Album was more strong, little bit psychedelic and more groovy. The band hit first nomination on CZ GRAMY, but only for the cover. Toyen was the painter, or not?

Toyen were invited during the summer to England and Wales and they played on the Open/air summer Festival in CARDIFF. The band was on the top. Toyen were in Austria same year.

On the music competition in BREGENZ, Toyen met people from MTV120minutes LONDON, specially Paul KING

Paul King

Paul King is the name of:*Paul King , British singer and guitarist with pop group Mungo Jerry*Paul King , British rugby league footballer*Paul King , singer and VJ...

. He liked Toyen, and he started be interested about the band. Toyen had very nice profile, including videoclips, by director and friend of the band -David ONDŘÍČEK and live shots from Prague, in his 120minutes show. Toyen were really satisfied.

Changes

But life is changing, leader guitarist Ivo Heger left the band in the beginning of next year. It was very bad for the band, and the fans were unhappy. Ivo made own project The WAY

The Way

The Way may refer to a spiritual path:* The Way or "Tao" of Taoism* An early term for early Christianity * The Way of the Cross, a Catholic devotion to the Passion of Christ....

 and Toyen signed new contract with BMG CZ. Scott Murphy has prepared new US tour for the band. The band had decided to replace the guitarist and they took Jiří KŘIVKA, the guitar player, sound engineer and composer, who played with them in the beginning. Band knew he is not perfect composer as Ivo, but the guitarist was generally good.

But the future show-not for Toyen. They prepared new album for BMG Blue painter in the Czech language "Malíř smutnej". Jan P.MUCHOW collaborated like the producer-supervisor. Jiří Křivka prepared two excellent dance mix of two songs and the band was still on the top. Toyen got CZ GRAMY 93 nomination, for the cover again. But the British electronic legend DEPECHE MODE

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...

 took them, like support band on their Prague concert, including the Devotion tour in 1993.

Ending

But the members of the band had the families, children, and many concerts and many work took off energy. Jiří Křivka, after US tour 2, left the band. Toyen were on the support tour of CD "Blue Painter-Malíř smutnej", with new guitarist František SAHULA. Members had „little holidays" after this tour. TOYEN came back with new guitarist - Petr VANA, and released next album Ia Orana in 1997, for CZ independent label Indies. The album included new songs, again in English, maybe more by the influence of the first EP. Jiří Šimeček wanted to made on this CD, CD-Extra, with the document history of the band. He did not to know it will be the last album of the band. The band had CZ gigs as usuall, but the atmosphere, inside the band was not so good. Producer of this last album was symbolic Ivo Heger, the ex-guitar player of the band and he played on the CD two tracks on the guitar and Hammond keyboards.

Director David Ondříček prepared movie about Toyen for Czech TV in 1997.