Wonderland Burlesque's
Down The Rabbit Hole:
Toto Coelo
Down The Rabbit Hole merely places a spotlight on something slightly unusual that's caught my interest. With the help of Wikipedia, YouTube, and other sites, I gather information and learn something new.
Today, we take a look at the brief history of the girl group Toto Coelo.
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Toto Coelo (Total Coelo in the US) was a 1980s British new wave pop group, founded by producer Barry Blue. The original members were singers Anita Mahadevan, Lacey Bond, Lindsey Danvers, Ros Holness and Sheen Doran. The group's name is Latin and means "by the whole extent of the heavens" or "heaven-wide". Sheen Doran said, "It has a number of meanings, such as 'heart and soul', 'root and branch' and 'totally different'. It seemed to describe what we were. Plus, it's strange-sounding and hard to pronounce, so it sticks in your mind".
Formed in 1981, the group's first recordings, Videotheque (a Buggles song which became a hit for Dollar in 1982) and World of Automation remain unreleased.
Then, in 1982, the group released the hit single, I Eat Cannibals, which reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart and was a Top 5 hit in Australia, South Africa, and Sweden. It also charted in the US, where it peaked at #66 in April of 1983, thanks in part to a video featuring the five ladies in dresses made of what appears to be black trash bags.
Formed in 1981, the group's first recordings, Videotheque (a Buggles song which became a hit for Dollar in 1982) and World of Automation remain unreleased.
Then, in 1982, the group released the hit single, I Eat Cannibals, which reached #8 in the UK Singles Chart and was a Top 5 hit in Australia, South Africa, and Sweden. It also charted in the US, where it peaked at #66 in April of 1983, thanks in part to a video featuring the five ladies in dresses made of what appears to be black trash bags.
(You're my kind of meat, indeed!)
The follow-up single, Dracula's Tango (Sucker For Your Love), reached the Top 20 in Australia and Top 10 in Sweden. The group's only studio album, 1983's Man o' War, was not a commercial success. A third single, Milk from the Coconut, was released from the album and peaked at #4 in South Africa. Following the album's release, Anita Mahadevan and Sheen Doran left the group.
In 1985, the remaining three members released two more singles, Girls Night Out and Gimme Some Lovin', neither of which charted. A compilation album followed and that was all they wrote.
In 1985, the remaining three members released two more singles, Girls Night Out and Gimme Some Lovin', neither of which charted. A compilation album followed and that was all they wrote.
Until 2020...
Back in 1982, the band was briefly featured in a then-unreleased horror film Grizzly II: The Predator, performing Milk from the Coconut in a few scenes during a rock concert. In 2020, the film was completed and released under the title Grizzly II: Revenge, with scenes featuring the band performing four songs: Milk from the Coconut, Man of War, Automation and Calories - a marvelous little coda; a time capsule perfectly capturing the group's spirit.
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I Eat Cannibals - Toto Coelo
Dracula's Tango (Sucker For Your Love) - Toto Coelo
Milk From The Coconut - Toto Coelo
Mucho Macho - Toto Coelo
