Sheep Farming in Barnet is the debut EP release by Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records. Originally released as a 6-track extended EP, dubbed an ‘Alternate Play’ record (AP) by Safari, and was later expanded into full-album status.
- The EP was produced by Steve James and future band member Keith Hale, and was released as an AP on 3 August 1979, with the album version following in February 1980. The album was originally compiled by the band’s German record label, EMI Electrola, but importation of the disc was so widespread, Safari decided to cash in and follow suit. The tracks added included several songs which did not make the original tracklisting and the debut single “Victims of the Riddle” (originally released in July 1979), plus its b-side “Victims of the Riddle (Vivisection)”.
- The album’s title refers to sheep being seen in a field in Finchley just off Regent’s Park Road. According to John Craig of Safari, the cover featured Toyah at the RAF Fylingdales radar station near Whitby in Yorkshire, “a shoot achieved with considerable difficulty as, quite predictably, guards chased Toyah and the crew from the high security site”.
- The EP version of Danced has an edited intro; this edited version does not appear on any other release.
