Debsey Wykes was in Dolly Mixture, one of the very few all-girl groups in post-punk London, a time when bands with charisma won the battle for attention and you promoted singles on the back of a truck. Her memoir Teenage Daydream perfectly captures a slice of late ‘70s life, the thrill of playing the pub circuit and trying to storm Radio One. Along with …

… the agony of re-reading teenage diaries

… being supported by U2 then watching their “annoying” ascent

… Girls With Electric Guitars and why rock hacks couldn’t take them

… forming bands for self-expression: “you reach that moment when all you want to do is scream!”

… “when Jean-Jacques Burnel rests his boot on your head you don’t wash your hair for a week”

… early adventures with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, David Cassidy and Bowie: “Cassidy was normal, Bowie was weird”

… diary entries: “the lead singer of the Only Ones has fantastic legs and glittery plimsolls”

… “Sugary Sweets Cause Youth Decay!”: the NME’s withering interview

… the satin-and-silk allure of Stevie Nicks

… violence at ‘70s gigs: “we were locked in the dressing-room with the sirens going off”

… “a cross between the Slits and the Nolans”: John Peel’s producer’s loathing for Dolly Mixture

… the vicious rivalry between ‘70s girl singers

… letters from her old boss and headmaster after she appeared on Top Of The Pops

Order ‘Teenage Daydream: We Are The Girls Who Play In A Band’ here: https://linktr.ee/new.modern?utm_source=linktree_profile_share

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