[9] In 1993, Huw Williams of the Pooh Sticks became their manager[10] and released the debut single "Happy Shopper", named after a British convenience store chain, on his own Townhill label.
[14] The band broke into the UK Top 40 with their fourth single "Talk to Me" (Indolent, 1996), the video for which extensively featured the Newport Transporter Bridge.
[20] The band toured extensively in the UK, Japan and Europe, including several summer festival appearances such as Glastonbury 1997[5] as well as opening for The Sex Pistols at their 1996 Finsbury Park reunion gig.
[26] The track "Hair", written by Mike Cole about his then-girlfriend Donna Matthews, was placed Number 7 in Mojo's "100 Most Miserable Indie Songs of All Time" feature.
[27] The Dolls were included, with Catatonia and others, in a House of Commons Early Day Motion, extolling the virtues of Newport's rock and roll credentials.
[29] Richard Parfitt played as a session musician after the band split, working with the likes of McAlmont & Butler and Dido,[6] and later released a solo album called "Highlights in Slow Motion" in 2002.
[31] Welsh pop-soul singer Duffy credits Richard Parfitt with "changing her life"[32] and setting her on the road to fame after he hooked her up with manager Jeanette Lee.