Started as a bedroom project in 2020 with COVID shutdowns, Toy Hospital frontman Martyn Rollo Rose started recording a series of songs and intersesial ideas which would become the first Toy Hospital album, “Changed Priorities Ahead” released in the winter of 2020. As lockdowns lifted, Martyn called upon Ed Ritchie and Stephen McKie who all played together in long defunct Fife instrumental rockers, Our Small Adventures to bring Toy Hospital to life. Toy Hospital played a small number of shows through 2021 into 2022 before being invited to open for Aberdonian/ Brightonian rockers, Xcerts in Kirkcaldy where they met future second guitarist Paul Grant who snuck his first show with the band into 2022 just under the wire at a NYE show at Glasgow’s Broadcast. in early 2023, the band focused on re-recording “Body Heat” the first single released as Toy Hospital in the iteration of a full band and played a number of shows to celebrate it. During the summer, Toy Hospital booked a successful gig in Anstruther to help out friends, Sunshine Frisbee Laserbeam after their Dundee show fell through due to venue closure.
Toy Hospital’s sound is influenced largely by Midwestern Emo, a subgenre of indie rock that prizes alternate tunings popularised by the likes of American Football and dour Scottish Indie bands like Frightened Rabbit. The end result is a mix of churning fuzzy guitars, twinkly melody lines and lyrics tackling modern anxieties, social isolation and loss which was fitting for the period the songs were written in.
In 2024, Toy Hospital is itching to play more shows than ever and get out of the traditional gigging towns and cities. Second guitarist Paul grew up in Aviemore and many formative gigs were seen at the Old Bridge Inn as bands took a detour to or from Inverness. Toy Hospital is well connected in the Scottish DIY scene and can bring a number of small bands out with them. The band is also working on new music.
