New Faces: Toy - Telegraph Lead singer Tom Dougall met guitarist Dominic O'Dair and bassist Maxim 'Panda" Barron while at school in Brighton. At 18, the trio were part of Sixties-leaning rockers Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong, who were briefly hailed as indie's great white hope in 2008, but never released an album. What happened to the Jing Jang Jong? "We quickly realised we had no control over our sound," Dougall explains. We had lots of problems with the management and the record label... it wasn't much fun. After the band split in 2009, Dougall toured as a guitarist for his elder sister - and Mark Ronson-collaborator - Rose Elinor Dougall. Far from throwing their toys out of the pram, the original Brighton trio then regrouped with Gloucester-born drummer Charlie Salvidge and Spanish keyboardist Alejandra Diez to form Toy in 2010. How are Toy different? Toy signed to independent label Heavenly (who launched the career of the Manic Street Preachers) in 2011. "We weren't interested in major labels this time," says Dougall. "You get a cash injection and then six months later it's 'go and move back in with your mum."" The new approach is paying off for the quintet of 24-year-olds. After some raucous performances at summer festivals, they released debut album Toy to wide acclaim in September. What about the Horrors comparisons? "I don't think we sound alike," Dougall sighs, "but the comparisons have exposed us to a wider audience, so it's helped." Toy are touring the UK until 30 October. Toy" is out now on Heavenly.