Christmas 2022, and a mere 41 years after its original release, Four More From Toyah was rereleased – on expanded eight song neon violet colour vinyl mini LP. Boasting gorgeous artwork and unreleased tracks, the LP, which was remastered from the original master tapes, referenced that original release while bringing the glorious EP bang up-to-date for new and old fans alike.
The Four More From Toyah Extended EP/Mini Album was the latest in an impressive release schedule of colour Toyah vinyl LPs made available over the previous five years – and something which has also continued since, with more great releases in 2023 and ’24.
The Tracklist: Side One: 1. Good Morning Universe, 2. Urban Tribesmen, 3. In The Fairground, 4. The Furious Futures | Side Two: 1. Go Berserk (Tour Intro), 2. Stand Proud, 3. Clapham Junction, 4. I Want To Be Free (Roundhouse Session)
• Click below to browse the album’s page at toyahwillcox.com.
Toyah is guesting on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends this Christmas, joining Clive Anderson on Saturday 21st December. Listen live or at BBC Sounds post-airing.
Loose Ends: BBC Radio 4: Sat 21st Dec: 6.15pm
Loose Ends: BBC Radio 4: Boxing Day: 9pm
Toyah Willcox, Adam Riches and John Kearns, Barb Junger, 30 years of Stay Another Day. In a glorious fusion of 1990s boy and girl band nostalgia Loose Ends will celebrate the 30 years since boyband East 17 scaled the charts with Stay Another Day – songwriter Tony Mortimer will perform the song with Edele Lynch of B*Witched for a festive Loose Ends recorded with a live audience at the BBC Radio Theatre.
Clive talks to punk princess Toyah Willcox about her Xmas Party tour with King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and a blistering year that’s seen her perform at Glastonbury, take part in Strictly Come Dancing and join the cast of Now That’s What I Call Music, the musical.
We’re promised bromance, baubles and banter with Edinburgh Comedy Award winners Adam Riches and John Kearns who are collaborating on a “once in a lifetime, yuletide extravaganza” show at the Soho Theatre
Winter/Christmas 1983 was a very special, and memorable, festive season for Toyah fans…
In every waking hour I miss you, In my dreams I never kiss you, And in the shadows creatures want to hurt you, but in love and war I’ll never desert you…
Christmas 1983, Toyah was promoting The Vow, the final single for Safari Records, the Love Is The Law album, and travelling the UK on the Rebel Run Tour. Toyah, and the band, appeared on numerous TV shows in the UK and Europe through November and December, being interviewed as well as performing The Vow and Rebel Run.
The TV shows included; Pebble Mill, Did You See?, Pop Watch, Saturday Superstore, Breakfast Time, Razzmatazz, The Saturday Show, Harty, Crackerjack and Judgendbund. Other shows included in ‘The Vow’ promotion were; TVAM: Good Morning Britain and 60 Minutes.
Following Toyah playing 80s Calling in August of this year, she has been confirmed to play two 80s Calling dates, in Dundee and Darlington, in July & August 2025. These gigs are headlined by The Human League. Tickets go on sale in just a couple of days. Further info and ticket links available at toyahwillcox.com.
It’s 1st December, and that time of year again when Dreamscape gets it’s box of old, and not so old, decorations out of the virtual loft, and begins the annual Countdown To Christmas!
This year we’re feeling particularly festive and can’t wait to share Christmas memories-a-plenty through our favourite month of the year.
Christmas 2023, Toyah guests on BBC One’s The Great British Sewing Bee on 21st December, alongside actor and comedian Kerry Godliman, comedian and writer Jessica Knappett and actor Hammed Animashaun.
Toyah took part in a number of festive sewing challenges, creating a variety of outfits for Christmas! Toyah also reminisced with one of the show’s hosts, Esme Young, about Love Is The Law and Princess Diana. It was Esme’s fashion house, Swanky Modes, who concepted and designed Toyah’s iconic and memorable imagery for the 1983 album, Love Is The Law.
There was a tonne of pre-broadcast press for The Great British Sewing Bee, and the programme was a ratings hit for the build-up week to Christmas. Post-airing there was also an abundance of press – print and digital, reporting on Toyah winning the show!
• Revisit this seriously festive Toyah memory from 2023 – via numerous posts – at Dreamscape’s News Archive. (Photos © BBC)
Yeeeha!! I just received the prints for Toyah Fanzine‘s bumper celebration of the reissue of Love Is The Law, and I Believe In Father Christmas, as well as Toyah’s Album Discography. As you read this I’ll be festively packaging and postaging (!), while watching MTV Christmas… Ho ho ho!
Greatest Christmas TV Moments: Channel 5: Friday 6th December: 10pm
Countdown of 50 festive crackers past and present, including classic soap moments, dramatic endings, sitcom specials, comedy sketches and light entertainment highlights that have made the television set the focus of the holiday season for decades. Highlights include famous couples Den and Angie, Jack and Vera, and Gavin & Stacey; popular double acts Morecambe and Wise, the Trotter brothers and Wallace and Gromit; Doctor Who meeting Kylie Minogue; perennial music show Top of the Pops; and the ultimate irony of sitting down to watch the Royle Family sit down to watch TV for an hour. All small-screen life is here – with jingle bells on. Featuring interviews with cast, crew and assorted celebrity contributors. (This features a short appearance by Toyah, talking about The Gruffalo and Robbie Coltrane)
Following their interview with Toyah in 2021, and talking Toyah in September, Toyah & Robert guested on Word In Your Ear‘s latest Podcast – How Toyah & Robert’s kitchen show became an Xmas rock’n’roll ding-dong.
• Watch/Listen at You Tube or at Apple Podcasts.
The Chase: Celebrity Special: Challenge: Saturday 7th December: 4pm
Series 6, Episode 2. Bradley Walsh hosts the quiz show as four celebrities take on the Chaser. Singer Toyah Willcox, ex-footballer John Barnes, writer Germaine Greer and heavyweight boxer Audley Harrison pit their wits against one of the country’s finest quiz brains in the hope of winning thousands of pounds for their chosen charities.
• Saturday Song: Out Of The Blue (Vintage Performance) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Living In America – Watch…
Press for Toyah & Robert’s new Sunday Lunch. This week covering James Brown. (Image © Toyah Willcox)
• Classic Rock/Louder: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp break out the star-spangled bunting to celebrate Thanksgiving: In which Britain’s top light entertainment couple cover a Cold War classic – Continue…
• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah & Robert Fripp cover James Brown’s “Living in America” for Thanksgiving – Continue…
• Brave Words: Robert Fripp and Toyah Celebrate American Thanksgiving With James Brown Classic For Sunday Lunch – Continue…
• DGM Live: Toyah & Robert’s Weekend – Continue…
Toyah is now confirmed to be playing four Rewind festivals in 2025: Dubai (22nd February), Dublin (1st June), Margate (14th June), and Cork (21st June).
• Further info and ticket links are available at the Rewind Dubai website, and the Rewind Festival website. NB: Toyah is also playing a trio of dates with The SAS Band in early December. Two are sold out but some tickets are available at Ticket Web for 4th December at The Brook, Southampton. The first time Toyah has appeared with Spike and his band since Wickham Festival 2021. Browse all of Toyah’s confirmed upcoming gigs at toyahwillcox.com.
The 1981 POWER Hour!: NOW 80s: Tuesday 26th November: 2pm
60 minutes of power pop & rock! Earplugs at the ready as we rewind to 1981 with Toyah, Genesis, Rick Springfield & Meat Loaf.
• Saturday Song: Danced (Unplugged) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Merry Christmas – Watch… (Image © Toyah Willcox)
Way Back When! 1981: NOW 80s: Tuesday 26th November: 4pm
60 minutes of lesser heard hits from 1981. Including The Pretenders, Spandau Ballet, George Harrison, Toyah & The Pointer Sisters.
A little late posting about Toyah’s blog this month – Apologies, been very busy the past few months!
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Really: Saturday 30th November: 9am
Toyah (Series 2, Episode 2). Celebrities hunt for a new home. Gaby Roslin helps the original punk-pop princess Toyah Willcox search for a second home, in Richmond upon Thames, with a budget of £650,000.
Toyah and Robert guested on yesterday’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh on ITV. A great interview with Toyah included clips from Top Of The Pops, The Corn Is Green and The Isle Of Wight Festival. Toyah talked Strictly, working with Katharine Hepburn and George Cukor and much more. Robert then joined the conversation to chat about David Bowie, touring, and more.
The show is repeated next Saturday morning on ITV.
Love Your Weekend: ITV: Saturday 23rd November: 7.30am
Series 6. Episode 30. Joining Alan at Manor Farm are entrepreneur James Middleton, singer Toyah Willcox and composer Debbie Wiseman. Garden designer Chris Hull has advice on hedging and there is a masterclass on what wine goes with what for Sunday roasts.
• Saturday Song: Rebel Run (Vintage TV Performance) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Cult Of Personality – Watch… • See also: TVAM Fantasy Time: Toyah at Liberty 1983 – Watch… (Image © Toyah Willcox)
The Quayside: Toyah Willcox praises Stourport restaurant
A famous couple has praised a restaurant for being “the heart of the Midlands” and bringing people together from across the Black Country and beyond.
Staff at The Quayside in Stourport have revealed their shock and delight after Birmingham-born singer Toyah Willcox and musician Robert Fripp described their food as “the best”.
Verity Alexander, who works as front of house, said the team couldn’t believe it when the musicians walked through the restaurant doors with some of their regular customers.
Describing the famous couple as “lovely”, Ms Alexander said the visit was made even better when they saw The Quayside had got a special mention on their YouTube channel.
Ms Alexander said: “Toyah and Robert came in really lowkey with a couple of our regulars. They came in first and sat and chilled with a drink. As soon as I heard Toyah’s voice, I knew exactly who she was. She is honestly so lovely and very humble.”
• Continue reading at Dudley News.
Celebrity Money For Nothing: Really: Tuesday 19th November: 1pm
Series 1, Episode 1. Sarah Moore and Jay Blades search the homes of celebrities to uncover unloved and unused gems for charity. Sarah and Jay look through the homes of 1980s pop stars Sinitta and Toyah Willcox in the hope of uncovering four pieces of junk to transform and sell on for a profit. Woodworking wizard Norman Wilkinson is tasked with taking on Toyah’s tired chairs, while robot-mad Mark Haig gives Sinitta’s broken fan a steampunk-inspired makeover. But will Sarah and Jay find new homes for their revamped items? (Photo © BBC)
• Toyah At Home: Love Is The Law Special – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Zombie – Watch… (Image © Toyah Willcox)
