Doll By Doll, The Castle, Richmond

In the “Caught in the Act” column of Melody Maker (13 September 1980) Ian Pye reviews a Doll By Doll gig at The Castle in Richmond, west London. The band are “so enigmatic it hurts”: they continue to confound and disturb, veering from twisted layers of screaming noise, almost painful in magnitude, to exquisite moments of dazzling innovation which threaten to fulfil the astonishing promise shown when they first came under the media’s eye. The early gigs were received with the enthusiasm of the converted, supported by a mystique that slowly evolved around their lyrics, redolent with literary references and dark psychological confessions; Jackie Leven emerged as a forceful, charismatic figure.

The first album, Remember, was typically confusing, with passages that only hinted at the band’s live presence; some commercial credibility was regained after the second, Gypsy Blood, which contained some excellent songs but again paled in comparison to their frequently stunning live performances.

At Richmond a dodgy PA and an initially fuzzy mix only marginally marred a performance of consuming passion. On “Teenage Lightning” and “Strip Show” they explored territories few will have heard before; Leven’s voice soars over the top like a prehistoric bird. Jo Shaw has evolved into a guitarist of hypnotic intensity and breathtaking range, picking out penetrating lines behind Leven’s vast banks of rippling electronic sound, over the insistent rhythm of drummer Dave McIntosh and bass player Tony Waite. Only Leven’s fear of sounding familiar prevented them from fully relaxing into the veins of white soul that run through their music. Everything is delivered with a glowering menace, occasionally punctuated by the band’s exclusive, whispered conversations; slow, curling intros establish the mood before a creeping menace comes from behind to grip like a vice. Pye quotes lines from “Teenage Lightning” and “Hell Games”.

Now that bands like Joy Division and Echo And The Bunnymen have opened the way for new music of risks and adventures, Doll By Doll should, if there is any justice, have their day. Encoring with “Palace Of Love” (printed “Place Of Love”), they left amidst a tangle of retching feedback; Leven stood transfixed, glaring into the distance one last time before he led the band quickly away.