Good Morning Universe! Catch Toyah in a live filmed performance for the new online TV series That Was Then… This Is Now! on Thursday 5th November at 7pm. Also in this series launch episode are Chesney Hawkes & The Fizz. Get your tickets by clicking below.
Nerdly: Frightfest 2020: ‘Heckle’ Review: Shot in neon-lit hues, reminiscent of Italian giallo (in particular the work of Dario Argento); with a killer in a clown mask and red rain mac that looks and feel like a total homage to 1976’s proto-slasher Alice, Sweet Alice; Heckle is a superb diatribe on perils of fame, personality and neurosis, and a warning to never, ever, meet your heroes! – Continue reading…
• Starburst: Heckle [FrightFest October 2020]: While Heckle won’t win any awards, it’s a fun distraction if you can overlook the shortcomings – Continue reading…
• Movie Ramblings: Arrow Video FrightFest October 2020: ‘Heckle’ Review: Heckle is something of a strange brew – in essence it is a straight-up slasher movie (heck, we even get a mask-wearing killer), but it also has plenty to say about the cult of celebrity, even mental health. But Heckle is certainly worth a watch and is likely to keep most genre fans reasonably happy – Continue reading…
• Eye For Film: Heckle Review: Screening as pat of Frightfest’s October 2020 selection, this is a spirited little film which, despite its dark subject matter, has obviously been made with love. Though not exactly polished, it has an innate exuberance that will encourage viewers to tick with it. That said, for all its roughness, this is an enjoyable little romp which will no doubt win itself some fans – Continue reading…
Indie Mac User: Review: Heckle ‘A Slow Burn Turns Slasher’ (FrightFest 2020): Written by Airell Anthony Hayles and directed by Martyn Pick, this slow-burn thriller turned slasher is well penned and conducted. The atmosphere is well captured in each of the scenes throughout the movie. Where it really shines is the dreary, dark, and dreadful outside of the desolate house and how many of the characters in the film meet their fate within it. The kills are very well orchestrated, and the aftermath of the kills are quite unique – Continue reading…
• The Kim Newman Website: FrightFest review – Heckle: For a horror film with a comedy theme and a comic attack, Heckle goes into some dark places – The cast is gossip-column friendly – with bits for Dani Dyer, Toyah Willcox (who does a song) and Nicholas Burman-Vince – Continue reading…
• SciFi Now: Heckle – Interview With Airell Anthony Hayles: Heckle writer Airell Anthony Hayles tells us about his love for Eighties cinema and getting Steve Guttenberg over to the dark side – Directed by Martyn Pick and written by Airell Anthony Hayles, Heckle stars Guy Combes as Joe and Steve Guttenberg as foul-mouthed Nineties comedian Ray Kelly, alongside Dani Dyer and Toyah Willcox. We spoke to Airell about the Eighties, horror and stand-up shows – Continue reading…
• The People’s Movies: Frightfest 2020 Interview – Martyn Pick & Airell Anthony Hayles (Heckle) Ever wanted to see Steve Guttenburg like never before? Then Heckle is the film for you – and we chatted with the film’s director and writer to find out its inception and how they got such an icon to star in the film. Playing as part of this year’s FrightFest, Heckle is the horror-comedy that sees our favourite charmer from Short Circuit, Police Academy, and Three Men and a Baby go a little rogue, shall we say, but there’s more to discover with this indie stand-out – Continue reading…
• The People’s Movies: Heckle Interview – Martyn Pick & Airell Anthony Hayles (Frightfest 2020 October) – Continue watching…
• Horror Channel: Interview with Steve Guttenberg, star of Heckle: Steve Guttenberg is one of Hollywood’s best loved actors and is known for playing characters you want to be with. But in Heckle, showing at FrightFest, Steve is showing his darker side – Continue reading…
• Clout Communications: FrightFest October Digital 2020 Film Stills – Continue reading…
Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch is by the water this week.
Who Won Wot? 1980 – 1989: NOW 80s: Sunday 25th October: 9am
From Smash Hits “Most Unwanted Person of 1980” to the Brits “Best Group” of 1989 – Mark Goodier’s 10 hour marathon of 80s award winners lasts nearly as long as the Oscars. (The first artist played from 1981 is Toyah, with the Thunder In The Mountains video. Mark said: “We begin 1981 with a 4ft 11 pop star who had the biggest hair of the entire decade, here’s the Most Fanciable (as voted by Smash Hits magazine readers) Toyah Willcox with Thunder In The Mountains“). Click on the screen caps to zoom.
Dreamscape’s bumper Sheep Farming In Barnet fanzine bundle… is coming soon!
More of your social, emotional and music tuning predicaments are addressed with care and attention by the deeply unqualified Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp. Premieres today at 6pm.
Pointless Celebrities: Challenge: Thursday 5th November: 6pm
Music. A special celebrity music edition of the general knowledge quiz in which four teams try to come up with the answers that no-one else could think of. Presented by Alexander Armstrong and co-host Richard Osman. Featuring Fish and Barbara Dickson, Nick Heyward and Toyah Willcox, Heather Small and Mari Wilson, and Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young. (Photo © BBC)
All of our 2020 news, so far, has just been added to the News Archive >> The archive dates back to the start of Dreamscape, which was created during 1999, as the old millennium was coming to an end, and launched in March 2000 at the dawn of the new one!
We are fast approaching 21 years online and during that time the website has been a constant source of Toyah news, releases, interviews, press, appearances, television, radio, films and much more…
Covering numerous eras from those years: Velvet Lined Shell, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, Toyah & The Humans, From Sheep Farming To Anthem Tour 2011, Calamity Jane, Toyah Solo, I’m A Celebrity and many more.
Our News Archive also has many posts from the classic years of Toyah’s career (1976 – 1999). There’s a lot more news to come… 2020 has brought many great Toyah releases and next year it’s set to continue with the Safari back catalogue being reissued in deluxe formats, as well as many live dates.
• Take a trip to the Toyah past! Browse 21 years and thousands of news posts by clicking here!
Now available, personalised artworks hand-drawn by Toyah, with your favourite Toyah lyric and an autograph, on high quality paper, and ready for mounting and/or framing. A great gift for a friend, relative or even yourself! Watch Toyah’s info video at Instagram, and click below for more details or to order your personalised gift from Toyah or Robert Fripp.
“I’m crashing cymbals, in outer space, for all the aliens to hear…”.
Last Saturday’s episode of Toyah At Home featured two archive performances: The glorious (and cosmic) Good Morning Universe, from the Four More From Toyah EP, and Toyah’s uplifting 1982 single, Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard).
Click below to watch/rewatch episode 17, with lots of fun from Toyah and Robert! Toyah revealed she is currently working on the reissue of The Blue Meaning, and about to become the Patron of the Derek Jarman Film Award. Episode 19 of Toyah At Home airs tomorrow at 11am at Toyah’s official You Tube channel, and Facebook.
The World Premiere of Heckle, starring Steve Guttenberg, Clark Gable III, Toyah Willcox, Nicholas Vince takes place on Saturday as part of FrightFest 2020. Click below for further info.
World Premiere – Joe Johnson, at the top of his stand-up comic game, decides to share a Halloween weekend away with a group of friends. They decide on the theme of a 1980s retro party, and jokingly suggest that if they get drunk, high, and behave badly enough, hopefully they’ll attract their own psycho killer. The joke is suddenly very much on them though, as in turn they reach their grisly demise at the hands of The Heckler, an uninvited guest out to turn their nostalgic horror movie fantasy into a terrifying reality, before delivering an unforgettable punchline…
Holiday of My Lifetime: BBC2: Wednesday 4th November: 1.45pm
Series 2, Episode 10. Len Goodman takes celebrities back in time to recreate their childhood holidays. Len takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal in North Wales to reminisce about a wonderful narrow boat holiday she had back in 1968. (Photos © Toyah Willcox/BBC)
Look out for Toyah on Edition 1 of That Was Then… This Is Now! on Thursday 5th November , with The Fizz and Chesney Hawkes. Tickets available here. See the Toyah trailer below!
Frightfest goes virtual: Our pick of the UK film festival, which runs this week
Heckle – A 1980s-themed Halloween weekender attracts an unwelcome guest in a horror featuring Toyah Willcox and Steve Guttenberg.
• Continue reading at the Metro. (Photo of Toyah in Heckle © Voodoo Productions)
That Was Then… This Is Now! is a new and innovative Online Music Show. Featuring huge acts of the last sixty years with exclusive live studio performances filmed in the highest visual and audio quality and introduced by broadcasting legend Mike Read & Sky TV’s Hayley Palmer. This innovative show can be pre-ordered as a paid online stream.
Edition One, featuring performances from The Fizz, Toyah and Chesney Hawkes, premieres on Thursday 5th November at 7pm, purchase your ticket now for only £10! Tickets are on sale now here. Watch the official launch trailer below! Visit the official website.
A Brand New, Innovative Online Music Streaming Show
80s Artists Unite For Series Featuring Brand New Live Studio Performances and Exclusive Interviews
Show Will Provide Income for Heritage Artists Affected By Lockdown
Some of the biggest British popstars of the 80s will take part in a brand new online weekly series, featuring performances and interviews, with an innovative business model that helps touring artists affected by the current lack of live shows generate income.
That Was Then… This Is Now! will arrive next month in a pay per view format hosted online, allowing for artists to share equally in the revenue. For full details on the broadcast visit www.thisisnow.tv.
The series, consisting of 5 editions, will be broadcast live at 7pm on Thursday evenings (a nod to the classic Top Of The Pops timeslot), and deliver a modern twist on the quintessential living room comfort watch of popular music television that has been missing from screens for generations.
Each episode of the series will feature multi-artist line-ups consisting of brand new and exclusive live studio performances shot in the highest 5k resolution, with presenters Mike Read and Sky TV’s Hayley Palmer, as well as interviews.
That Was Then… This Is Now! was produced independently by Mike Stock, who is best known for his work in the incredible hit-making team Stock, Aitken and Waterman in the 80’s and 90’s. Alongside hosting the series, Mike Read joins Mike Stock in an executive role in the show’s creation. Having been a broadcaster since 1976, best known for being a DJ with BBC Radio 1, and television host for music chart series Top of the Pops, children’s show Saturday Superstore, and music panel game Pop Quiz.
On creating the show in order to support artists who rely every year on touring, Mike Stock said: “ These artists are still making great music and we wish to showcase their classic hits alongside their still exciting new material. These are Heritage acts who have been largely ignored by the Government and have been cut off from any income this year. We hope to provide some financial assistance as well as giving audiences something of real high quality to enjoy.”
The first series of the show will feature artists such as Paul Young, Kim & Marty Wilde, Toyah, Steve Harley, Chesney Hawkes, The Fizz and many more.
• Continue reading at Cardiff Times. Visit the official That Was Then… This Is Now! website. See our That Was Then… This Is Now! News Archive.
Heckle. A stand up comedian encounters a seemingly insane heckler, who becomes his stalker. This is a heckle on a whole new level… Starring: Steve Guttenberg, Clark Gable III, Guy Combes, Madison Clare, Dani Dyer, Toyah Willcox. Director: Martyn Pick, Writer: Airell Anthony Hayles.
• Masters Of Horror: Arrow Video FrightFest announces bumper line-up for its October 2020 Digital Edition: Two more Brit entries with powerful punchlines are Heckle, which stars Steve Guttenberg, Toyah Willcox, Nicholas Vince and Dani Dyer, and The World We Knew, where gangsters battle demons in a Neo Film Noir with a dark, existentialist twist – Continue reading…
• Britflicks: Arrow Video FrightFest 2nd Digital Edition, Feature Film Line-Up, Ticket Links, Images & Some Bloody Great Trailers!: We’re in strange times right now and whilst we can’t do all things we want to, we can still watch films and enjoy a little escapism – Heckle (World Premiere) Friday 23 October – Zavvi Discovery Screen. 12:00. Director: Martyn Pick. With: Steve Guttenberg, Clark Gable III, Toyah Willcox, Nicholas Vince, Dani Dyer. UK 2020. 81 mins – Continue reading…
• Screen Daily: UK’s Frightfest boosts 2020 line-up following shift online: These include UK feature Heckle, directed by Martyn Pick and starring Steve Guttenberg, in which a stand-up comic hosts an 80s-themed Halloween party that attracts a psycho slasher – Continue reading….
• Zavvi: Top Five Films To See At Arrow Video’s October FrightFest 2020: Heckle – We only really need to say two words to tell you why this is a FrightFest must see. And those two words of course are ‘Steve Guttenberg’. The Three Men And A Baby and Police Academy actor stars in this new horror which will surely deliver an unforgettable punchline, following a stand-up comedian as he is stalked by a heckler. Receiving its world premiere on the Zavvi Discovery Screen, this is one not to miss! – Continue reading…
Retail joy as National Album Day makes biggest impact yet
National Album Day’s 2020 edition has been celebrated as the most successful yet, with the BPI’s Geoff Taylor leading the celebrations.
Taylor said the team behind the event has “taken it to the next level” as National Album Day releases claimed three places in the albums Top 20 and contributed to a 24% lift in sales for Saturday, October 10.
National Album Day ambassador, Toyah Willcox, said: “It has been a huge privilege to be a NAD ambassador this year. Celebrating the music of the ’80s, a decade that is loved by generation after generation. The art in making an entire album is a journey the artist wants to take the audience on, personally I have treated all my albums as an audio journey. This year’s re-releases encouraged music lovers to buy timeless music. I like to think NAD has also encouraged new up-coming artists to think about making full albums as their right of expression, thus keeping the high street retailers stocked and trading in decades to come. It has been a really lovely experience in a crazy year!”
• Continue reading at Music Week.
National Album Day Organisers Hail Impact Of 2020 Event
The third edition of National Album Day, held last Saturday, 10th October, has been hailed the most successful yet by industry figures and by its joint organisers, the BPI and The Entertainment Retailers Association, with the impact reflected in the Official Vinyl Charts, the Official Album Charts and sales overall as well as across media and socials.
Presented in association with broadcast partner BBC Sounds and audio partner Bowers & Wilkins, National Album Day celebrates our love of the album, the continuing importance of the format, and the personal stories artists can share through the artform. This year the day paid tribute to the musically rich decade of the 1980s, supported by a host of artist ambassadors and album platforms such as Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties and Classic Album Sundays.
• Continue reading at bpi.co.uk.
National Album Day: 80s theme helps boost sales of classic albums
Several popular titles were reissued to coincide with this year’s 80s-themed National Album Day.
This year’s National Album Day resulted in a boost in album sales last week, new figures have revealed.
The UK-wide event – a celebration of the album format organised by The BPI and the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) – took place on Saturday, October 10 and was themed around the 1980s.
The BPI reports that of all the albums released to coincide with National Album Day, 25,000 copies were sold on vinyl, contributing to a total of just under 112,000 vinyl albums sold that week – a week-on-week uplift of 9.2%.
The Saturday of National Album Day itself (Oct. 10) saw vinyl sales rise by 24% on the previous Saturday (and 19% year-on-year), while the Friday – the day the albums were largely all released – saw a 44% year-on-year spike.
One of this year’s National Album Day ambassadors, Toyah Willcox said: “This year’s re-releases encouraged music lovers to buy timeless music. I like to think NAD has also encouraged new up-coming artists to think about making full albums as their right of expression, thus keeping the high street retailers stocked and trading in decades to come.”
• Continue reading at Official Charts.
