Vaughn Toulouse

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Vaughn Toulouse

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Vaughn Cotillard

| alias = Vaughn Toulouse

| birth_date = {{birth date|1959|07|30|df=y}}

| death_date = {{death date and age|1991|08|08|1959|07|30|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/department-s-mn0000256557/biography|title=Department S|publisher=AllMusic|accessdate=7 October 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1990.html|title=1990 - 1991|publisher=The Dead Rock Stars Club|accessdate=7 October 2013}}

| origin = St. Helier, Jersey

| instrument =

| genre = {{hlist|Punk rock|post-punk|ska|new wave}}

| occupation =

| years_active =

| label =

| associated_acts = Guns for Hire, Department S

| website =

| current_members =

| past_members =

}}

Vaughn Toulouse (born Vaughn Cotillard; 30 July 1959 – 8 August 1991), was a British singer. He was a founding member of Guns for Hire and its successor band Department S.

Toulouse was born in St. Helier on the island of Jersey and raised in St Austell, Cornwall.{{cite web |url=https://www.cornwalllive.com/whats-on/music-nightlife/cornwall-pop-star-vaughn-toulouse-5439324|title=Cornwall pop star Vaughn Toulouse of Department S who died far too young|date=23 May 2021|work=Cornwall Live|first=Lee|last=Trewhela|accessdate=6 August 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://www.metafilter.com/73703/the-night-is-young-the-mood-is-mellow|title=The night is young, the mood is mellow...|publisher=MetaFilter|accessdate=27 May 2013}} He attended college in St Austell before dropping out in 1978 to tag along on tour with The Clash before moving to London in 1979, where he formed the punk/ska band Guns For Hire. The band released the single "I'm Gonna Rough My Girlfriend's Boyfriend Up Tonight" in April 1980, before they morphed into Department S, taking their name from the ATV television spy-fi series of the same name. In December 1980, the band released the single "Is Vic There?", which subsequently peaked at No. 22 on the UK Singles Chart in April 1981.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/department%20s/|title=DEPARTMENT S|publisher=The Official Charts Company|accessdate=6 August 2021}} In 1981, he appeared as a guest vocalist with The Jam at several venues in the UK for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Following the dissolution of Department S in 1982, Toulouse later worked as a DJ under the name Main T, and in 1983, released the single "Fickle Public Speaking" as the Main T Possee. Written and produced by Paul Weller, the song made No. 89 on the UK Singles Chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/Fickle+Public+Speaking|title=The Official Charts Company - Fickle Public Speaking by Main T Possee Search |date=11 July 2013|publisher=The Official Charts Company}} In 1982, he appeared on the cover of The Jam's single "The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had to Swallow)".{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/the-radcliffe-and-maconie-show/the-chain/chain1-300/|title= What is the Chain?|publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=2015-02-09 |accessdate= 16 February 2017}} Toulouse participated in The Style Council's miners' charity project the Council Collective, appearing on the "Soul Deep" single (1984) and then recorded a solo single, "Cruisin' the Serpentine" (1985).Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, {{ISBN|1-84195-335-0}}, p. 299

Toulouse was openly gay.{{Cite book|title=David Bowie Made Me Gay: 100 Years of LGBT Music|last=Bullock|first=Darryl W.|date=21 November 2017|publisher=Abrams Books|location=New York City|isbn=978-1468315592}} He died in 1991 from an AIDS-related illness, aged 32.{{cite web|url=https://www.ltmrecordings.com/deptsbio.html |title=Department S : Biography |first=Waldo |last=Pepper |publisher=Ltmrecordings.com |accessdate=2015-11-18}}