Toyah is, again, the pictured artist on the BBC website for an upcoming re-airing of a retro Top Of The Pops. This will include Toyah’s studio performance of I Want To Be Free from May 1981.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Friday 4th March: 7.30pm Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Saturday 5th March: 00.30am Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Sunday 6th March: 2.25am 14/05/1981. Tommy Vance introduces the pop programme. Includes appearances from Toyah (I Want To Be Free), Thin Lizzy (Are You Ready?), Department S (Is Vic There?), Tenpole Tudor (Swords Of A Thousand Men), Sheena Easton (When He Shines), Kim Carnes (Bette Davis Eyes) and Adam & the Ants (Stand & Deliver), plus a dance performance by Legs and Co.
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Friday 11th March: 1pm Blue Marigold. Series 5, Episode 1. Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold’s mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback. Director: Giles Foster. Starring: Toyah Willcox, Ralph Bates, Sharon Duce, Helen Fraser, Billy Hamon, Edward Jewesbury.
It’s A Mystery from Tuesday night’s Toyah Unplugged at The Water Rats, London. The full acoustic concert will air on Vintage TV soon. (Thanks to Gigs/KrisLW)
Ready Steady Cook: Food Network: Tuesday 8th March: 4pm Toyah Willcox and Shauna Lowry. Singer Toyah Willcox and TV presenter Shauna Lowry battle it out to see who’ll be Christmas number one in the kitchen as Ainsley Harriott hosts another 20-minute cooking challenge. Also airing on Food Network +1.
There’s another retro 1981 Top Of The Pops appearance from Toyah on BBC Four in early March.
I *think* this is the edition that originally aired on 14th May 1981 and was a “Cup Final Special”, with Toyah performing I Want To Be Free in the studio. More detailed info should be available soon. (Update: BBC website have now confirmed it is!!)
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC4: Fri 4th March: 7.30pm / Sat 5th March: 00.30am Sunday 6th March: 2.25am
Tommy Vance introduces the pop programme. Includes appearances from Toyah, Thin Lizzy, Department S, Tenpole Tudor, Sheena Easton, Kim Carnes and Adam and the Ants, plus a dance performance by Legs and Co.
There are transcripts of a few recent Toyah radio and TV interviews now online at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive, including Sky High Radio, BBC Radio Wiltshire and Needle Time from Vintage TV. Click below to get reading.
Toyah, Live at the Unity Hall, Wakefield, halfway through the Ieya UK Tour, on 6th June 1980 has recently been uploaded to You Tube. Toyah Willcox (Vocals), Joel Bogen (Guitar), Charlie Francis (Bass), Steve Bray (Drums), Pete Bush (Keyboards). Thanks to Duncan Round.
Vivisection / Indecision / Race Through Space / Waiting / Danced / Ghosts / Love Me / Insects / Tiger! Tiger! / Tribal Look / Bird In Flight / Neon Womb / IEYA / Last Goodbye
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Really: Saturday 5th March: 5pm
Celebrities hunt for a new home. Gaby Roslin helps punk-pop princess Toyah Willcox search for a second home, in Richmond upon Thames, with a budget of £650,000.
Toyah Unplugged – a one-off gig being filmed for future broadcast on Vintage TV – takes place tonight at The Water Rats in Kings Cross, London.
The gig is, essentially, sold out but Vintage TV tweeted last night: “Missed our @toyahofficial tickets? We have 10 left on the door from 7pm at tomorrow’s @waterrats show – first come, first served!“. Toyah also tweeted about the gig: “so looking forward to @VintageTV recording at @Water_Rats tomorrow“. Click below for more info at toyahwillcox.com.
On this day – February 22 – in 1980, Toyah’s Sheep Farming in Barnet album was released. It began life as six-track EP (or AP – Alternate Play – as Safari Records called it), in August the previous year, but was expanded to full album status by Safari.
This website’s Gallery Home Page has, at last, had the update I’ve been meaning to do for a while – there’s now a direct link to the “Live 2015” page of photos, as well as to the newest addition to the gallery, “Live 2016”. Browse 1000’s of photos of Toyah, including numerous shots from many of the live concerts from the past few years, by clicking below…
Exactly 35 years ago this evening Toyah played their, now legendary, At The Rainbow concert, at The Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, London. Toyah Willcox (Vocals), Joel Bogen (Guitar), Phil Spalding (Bass), Nigel Glockler (Drums), Adrian Lee (Keyboards). See the Discography page at toyahwillcox.com and click below to read Dreamscape’s 2011 mini-feature. Watch the gig at You Tube and if anyone still has Breaking Through: The Official Toyah Newsletter #12 from July 2014 in their inbox, there’s a great At The Rainbow feature included in that also.
Tomorrow (Saturday 20th February), Toyah Willcox will grace the Bungay stage, with the full Toyah band. The uniquely gifted performer is outspoken, charismatic, impossible to categorise and one of Britain’s iconic household names, an award winning rock legend as well as a much loved stage and screen actress and music composer. This is a standing only show, at 8pm, with tickets £25.
• Continue reading at the Beccles & Bungay Journal. This is a full band Proud, Loud & Electric gig. Buy tickets here.
A new Kaleidoscope Man poster, painted by Matt Allsopp who recently did the concept art for Godzilla and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Kaleidoscope Man is a fantastic new sci-fi movie – currently being made in phases. For phases 1 to 7 they successfully crowd-funded over £40,000 and shot various scenes that fit around the main story and characters.
They now have some private investors on board and have just completed shooting for phase 7. This means that 93% of the movie has been completed. With another mix of private investment and some additional crowd funding the plan is to get the movie completely shot over the next few months.
If all goes to schedule Kaleidoscope Man should be released in the summer of 2016.
Toyah has a role in this forthcoming film, playing Clare Dove. Visit the Kaleidoscope Manwebsite. Browse Dreamscape’s KMan news archive here.
Headlining the second annual Graze Festival – Sunday 28 August – will be one of the most danceable live bands on the planet: The Beat. Featuring Ranking Roger and his son Ranking Junior, The Beat will entertain with hits such as Mirror In The Bathroom, Stand Down Margaret and Tears Of A Clown.
The first Graze Festival was held in Twyford, near Winchester, in August 2015 as a family day of music and fine food. As well as creating an entertainment high-spot for the village and visitors, the festival also raises money for local good causes.
Joining The Beat for this second outing will be Toyah and her band. Toyah Willcox is one of the UK’s most celebrated female hit-makers as well as a popular actor. Also on the bill is the inimitable John Otway, who has a strong following in Hampshire and has played in Twyford several times.
Graze is determined to repeat the format of last year’s inaugural festival, which raised over £10,000 for local causes as well as providing a hugely popular day’s entertainment.
• Continue reading at the Graze Festival website. Book tickets here.
There’s a new screening for Aaaaaaaah!, along with another Q&A session with Director/Actor Steve Oram, at the Club Haus Bar & Cafe in Bristol this Saturday.
Aaaaaaaah! We Are Not Men
Film Screening at Club Haus
Portable Pictures present Aaaaaaaah! We are not men, a film by Steve Oram. The screening begins at 8pm and will be followed by a Q&A session with Steve Oram. Tickets £5 in advance.
Steve tweeted earlier this week: “Aaaaaaaah! in Bristol next sat, can’t wait. I’ll be there talking ape nonsense and pissing in the corner, come down!”
• Continue reading at Visit Bristol. There’s also more info at Portable Pictures. Browse our comprehensive Aaaaaaaah! news archive here.
