Page 9 - Real Rochdale Issue 13 Spring 2022

TONI BAKER

orn and bred in Rochdale, Toni Baker’s As well as both original and cover songs, Toni
Bcareer as a musician has taken him wrote music for hundreds of “little incidental
round the world and back. Now settled in scenes” and also went on to create the theme
Rossendale, he fills Real Rochdale in on a for ‘Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere’ and
lucrative career. has also written music for ‘The League of
Gentlemen’, the ‘Bottom’ Mindless Violence
You might not know his name, but you’ve live theatre tour, ‘Waterloo Road’ and
almost certainly heard his work: in a career ‘Early Doors’.
spanning six decades, Toni has worked
alongside names like Peter Kay, Tony Rochdale
Christie, Billy Ocean, Sheena Easton and
Lisa Stansfield, and was a member of Toni was born in February 1949 at Birch Hill
Shabby Tiger in the 70s, a band which was Hospital. He grew up in Milnrow before
a huge success in Europe. He’s even had a moving to Hollingworth Lake, and later
number two hit in Japan! became an organist for both Milnrow and
Kirkholt Working Men’s Clubs.
Phoenix Nights
Having joined several small bands and The Dakotas
Turning professional
Toni co-wrote, recorded and produced all the travelled Europe, in 1974 Toni joined
original music and cover songs in the comedy Despite leaving school with an aptitude for ‘Shabby Tiger’ – a glam rock group which In the 1980s, Toni joined The Dakotas, who
series Phoenix Nights as well as its iconic languages – Toni can speak French, German, had signed to a professional label and continue to tour today playing sounds of the
theme tune: “[Peter] told me he fancied Spanish and Italian – he left as a member of a went on to become a hit in Europe. 60s. He toured America with the band and
something on a solo instrument like ‘Some local band and with a job working at Shorrock also toured Australia with The Fortunes,
Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’. We settled on the and Shorrocks music shop on Drake Street. After calling it a day due to the rising stepping in on the keyboard.
glockenspiel sound which conjured up popularity of the punk scene, Toni threw
something slightly mysterious and comical.” “I’d asked if I could take the Saturday – our himself into sessions and went on to write The Dakotas are currently in the
busiest day – off to play with my band. I was ‘Eat You Up’, recorded in 1985 by Angie Gold. middle of a UK-wide 60 date tour with Mike
The collaboration came about after Toni put told no, but I did the gig. On Monday morning The track was subsequently covered by Yoko Pender, The Fortunes, The Trems, and Dozy
an advert in the paper to teach piano lessons I was instantly sacked,” Toni recalled. It was Oginome as ‘Dancing Hero: Eat You Up’ Beaky Mick & Tich.
– and was called by Peter Kay, wanting to then he decided to turn professional – landing which made it to number two in the
learn how to play ‘Dancing Queen’ as a an audition on the same day as a job interview Japanese Hot 100 charts.
surprise for his fiancée at their wedding in with the foreign office.
12 months. “He’d just got the go-ahead to
start work on a new series, Phoenix Nights, “I went to the audition,” he laughed. “I Toni’s autobiography was published in 2021
based on characters from ‘That Peter Kay nailed it!”
Thing’. He asked if I’d like to write and
produce all the music – you bet I would!” The Man Behind the Music of Phoenix Nights

REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2022 8 9 REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2022