‘TEENAGE DAYDREAM: WE ARE THE GIRLS WHO PLAY IN A BAND' with Debsey Wykes

Join DEBSEY WYKES in conversation as she shares her EVOCATIVE COMING OF AGE STORY AS ONE OF THE UK’S FIR ST EVER FEMALE POST-PUNK MUSICIANS

Debsey Wykes was a singer, bassist and founding member of trailblazing all-girl post punk band, Dolly Mixture, alongside her school friends, Rachel Bor and Hester Smith. Teenage Daydream tells a story of how this close-knit trio of skint girls took their bedroom dreams and fuelled by punk’s DIY energy, imagination and a deep longing, created a world with real magic.

‘I can confirm the widely held view that late seventies Britain was a pretty drab place and by 1978 punk was no longer adding much to the palette. We were young, wanting to live and celebrate life, feel joy and then cry at sad songs, and feel more joy again. We embraced colour and melody and we wanted to burst into the world.’

Debsey Wykes traces her diverse, sometimes feverish, passions - for Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Bay City Rollers, Stevie Nicks, the Shangri-las, Patti Smith, Blondie, The Ramones - as she moves from posters on her bedroom wall to the real world live gig scene and then being part of the line-up, with her best mates. Dolly Mixture supported some of the biggest alternative groups of the time, including The Fall, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Jam and The Undertones — as well as having U2 support the girls whilst they were still in their teens. For a brief moment – signing with Paul Weller’s record label and following the success of ‘Happy Talk’, their Number One collaboration with Captain Sensible – success seemed theirs for the taking.

Teenage Daydream is a bittersweet coming of age story of youthful enterprise and a determination to create your own rules and identity – as musicians and as young women. Dolly Mixture remains an influential force within the post-punk genre, signalling the way for the indiepop to come and their contributions to the music industry continue to be celebrated by fans worldwide. Debsey’s early diaries and reflections, alongside the fan letters, memorabilia and photos that accompany them, are a beautiful reminder of how confusion about yourself or life can be dealt with by dressing up and writing a tune.

We have two ticket options available: * Event Only and *Event with Discounted Book Combo deal - books will be available for collection at the Festival.

Our event will be followed by a dedicated signing event with Debsey. RRP books will also be available for purchase on the day.

About the author

Debsey Wykes formed her first band Dolly Mixture in Cambridge in 1978 with friends Rachel Bor and Hester Smith while still at school. Championed by John Peel the girls were soon playing regularly in London where they attracted lots of attention from the music press and toured extensively for the next few years both as headliners and as support for groups including Dexy’s Midnight Runners, The Undertones, The Beat, Bad Manners and The Jam.

Debsey went onto greater prominence with Saint Etienne with whom she has performed since 1992, whilst in 2025, desirable Dolly Mixture reissues sell out around the world as quickly as they are printed.

She currently sings with her group Birdie and lives in London.