Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah’s classic track Neon Womb – the opening song from Sheep Farming In Barnet (EP and LP) is included on a new 5CD compilation, Moving Away From The Pulsebeat (Post-Punk Britain 1977-1981), released on Cherry Red Records on 29th March.

Neon Womb is track 8 on CD2. The collection also includes: The Human League, Joy Division, Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Clash, Teardrop Explodes, The Cure, Adam & The Ants, XTC and many more.

105 tracks charting the British Post-Punk explosion 1978-1981

A compendium of familiar names, underground oddities and freshly excavated historical nuggets

Featuring band-by-band biographies and detailed sleevenotes by Mark Paytrees

• Further info, full tracklist and order link at Cherry Red. NB. Browse our “Toyah on Compilations” news archive.

Toyah & Robert Fripp record Relax with Trevor Horn

Superproducer Trevor Horn presents Echoes – Ancient & Modern, his Deutsche Grammophon debut album, featuring fresh orchestral takes on 11 iconic tracks. The booklet notes feature an interview in which Paul Morley talks to his long-time friend and collaborator about how he picked the right artists to help him transform familiar songs into something magical and new.

Due for release on 1 December 2023, full release details will be announced shortly.

Horn himself sings vocals on the Roxy Music classic “Avalon”, as well as producing Marc Almond, Tori Amos, Rick Astley, Andrea Corr, Steve Hogarth, Lady Blackbird, Jack Lukeman, Iggy Pop, Seal and Toyah Willcox & Robert Fripp in tracks originally performed by Pat Benatar; The Cars; Depeche Mode; Frankie Goes to Hollywood; Billy Idol; Joe Jackson; Grace Jones; Kendrick Lamar; Nirvana and Yes.

Tracklist:

01. Swimming Pools (Drank) feat. Tori Amos
02. Steppin’ Out feat. Seal
03. Owner Of A Lonely Heart feat. Rick Astley
04. Slave To The Rhythm feat. Lady Blackbird
05. Love Is A Battlefield feat. Marc Almond
06. Personal Jesus feat. Iggy Pop
07. Drive feat. Steve Hogarth
08. Relax feat. Toyah Willcox & Robert Fripp
09. White Wedding Feat Andrea Corr with Jack Lukeman
10. Smells Like Teen Spirit feat. Jack Lukeman
11. Avalon

• Continue reading at toyahwillcox.com.

Now That’s What I Call…. Toyah!

Four classic Toyah singles appear on four CD album release from the legendary Now compilation brand. Brave New World features on the 84-track 4CD Now Yearbook ‘82 out on 4 February.

Ieya features on Now That’s What I Call Punk & New Wave, a 89-track 4CD, released on 21 January. ⁣

Already available, Rebel Run features on Now Yearbook ‘83 and The Vow features on Now Yearbook ‘83 Extra alongside hits from The Police, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, The Human League, The Cure, Eurythmics, Genesis and more. ⁣

• All CDs can be ordered from Amazon and HMV. (News Source: Official Toyah)

Toyah’s 1979 debut single, Victims Of The Riddle (Part 1), is included on the forthcoming 3CD Box Set, Revolt Into Style 1979. The compilation is released on 21st January 2022.

• Four exceptional hours of music that defines British pop at the end of a tumultuous decade

• Continuing Cherry Red’s yearly overview of the late ‘70s UK “new music” scene

• Housed in a stylish clamshell box, ‘Revolt Into Style’ features the best of a fast-splintering scene, rife with creativity

If 1977 was the year that punk broke, and 1978 saw the UK turn Day-Glo, then 1979 was all about the aftershock of punk, with the redrawn British musical landscape divided between various youth sub-cultures and factions. The release of the film Quadrophenia gave a focal point to the growing mod revival, power pop bands like The Jags similarly sought inspiration from the mid-‘60s, while 2-Tone recalibrated the ska sound of Prince Buster for a new generation of pork pie hat-wearing rude boys.

Running parallel to those developments, a plethora of bands – prominent among whom were Public Image Ltd, Siouxsie And The Banshees, The Fall and Joy Division – were demanding the future now with an uncompromising sound and nonconformist approach that would subsequently be labelled post-punk. They were joined by the likes of The Human League and Tubeway Army, who brought avant-garde electronic influences and dystopian lyrical themes into the pop charts.

With the more mainstream Spirit-of-’77 bands now rebranded by the radio-friendly marketing term New Wave, 1979 turned out to be an epic pot-pourri of sounds and styles. The likes of Madness, Echo And The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes, Pretenders and Dexy’s Midnight Runners all made their vinyl debuts, while the singles chart boasted instant three-minute classics from The Jam, The Clash, The Skids, Squeeze, The Ruts, XTC and The Undertones.

• Further info on this release at Cherry Red Records. (Thanks to Michael Murray)

Toyah’s iconic 1981 single, Thunder In The Mountains, is included on the 3CD compilation, Musik Music Musique 2.0 – The Rise Of Synth Pop. This was released in October.

• Sequel to the hugely successful ‘Musik Music Musique’, This time exploring 1981, The year synth pop broke into the mainstream.

• Over 50 tracks showcasing the innovation and exploration that gave rise to what would become the decade’s pre-eminent musical form.

• Featuring Ultravox, Duran Duran, OMD, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Devo, Gina X Performance, Fashion, Spandau Ballet, Soft Cell, Heaven 17, Hazel O’Connor, Yello, A Flock Of Seagulls, Toyah, Kim Wilde, The Passage, Chris and Cosey, Japan, John Foxx and countless other electronic luminaries.

• Packed with familiar classics and lesser known gems.

• Further info on this release at Cherry Red Records. (NB. Toyah was also included on Musik Music Musique – 1980 | The Dawn Of Synth Pop collection in 2020.

Toyah’s legendary 1980 single, Bird in Flight, is included on the new Make More Noise! 4CD compilation.

The set is sub-titled Women In Independent Music UK 1977 – 1987 and retails as a Bookpack. It is released on 25th September 2020.

• 4CD / 90 track set exploring the work of female artists in the decade following the punk explosion.

• From household names and legends – Alison Moyet, Toyah, Kirsty MacColl, Nico, Tracey Thorn, Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry, Pauline Murray, Sinead O’Connor, Tracey Ullman, Cosey Fanni Tutti – to underground figureheads and unsung pioneers.

• Spanning the genres – from the punk howl of X-Ray Spex and the NWOBHM stylings of Girlschool to Cosey Fanni Tutti’s post-TG electronica, the experimental dub of Vivien Goldman and the the High Street pop of Bananarama.

Hardback book format includes over 14,500 words of sleeve-notes (including artist-written pieces) and introductory essay. Produced by the team behind the critically acclaimed “Scared To Get Happy”, the “C86” series, “Electrical Language” and a number of other essential box sets.

• Further info and full tracklist at Cherry Red Records. Browse our recent “Toyah included on Compilations” news archive.

It’s not often, Toyah’s debut 1979 single, Victims Of The Riddle is included on a compilation!

It is one of 58 tracks on the forthcoming Musik Music Musique – 1980 | The Dawn Of Synth Pop, A new 3CD set exploring the arrival of synth pop and the dawn of a new musical era. Released by Cherry Red Records on 31st July 2020.

The set features music by OMD, The Human League, Ultravox, Toyah, Spandau Ballet, Kim Wilde, Philip Lynott, The Buggles, Fad Gadget, Suicide, John Foxx, DAF, Dalek I Love You, Visage, The Residents, Yello.

58 tracks marking the transition of electronic pop from the outer reaches of eccentricity and novelty to the very heart of a musical mainstream it would quickly dominate.

• Contine to the Cherry Red Records website for further info.

Toyah’s debut Top 10 hit It’s A Mystery (from the 1981 Four From Toyah EP) is included on the forthcoming The 80s Pop Annual 2 double-vinyl compilation album.

The 80s Pop Annual 2 is the Latest Exclusive to Vinyl release on Demon Records. 4 Sides of Vinyl containing 30 Tracks of Essential Classic Pop of The Eighties. Housed in a Gatefold Sleeve with Original Artwork & Pressed on 2x 180G Heavyweight Vinyl. Hits from artists such as; Cyndi Lauper, Belinda Carlisle, The Bangles, The Jacksons, Adam & The Ants and many more.

Release information Label: Demon Records
Format: Vinyl • Date: 09/11/2018
Cat#: DEMRECOMP020 • Genre: Pop

• Further info on The 80s Pop Annual 2 here. Last year I Want To be Free was included on the first vinyl release – The 80s Pop Annual.

Toyah, via one of her 80s chart hits, makes yet another appearance on a 100 Hits compilation CD set – It’s A Mystery is included on 100 Hits: The Best 80s Album which is scheduled for release on 2nd November.

100 Hits – The Best 80s Album contains the best hits from the decade from artists including Bonnie Tyler, Belinda Carlisle, The Bangles, Adam Ant, Nena, Five Star, Kenny Loggins, Run-DMC, Bronski Beat, The Communards, Aretha Franklin and many more.

Release information Label: 100 Hits
Format: CD • Date: 02/11/2018
Cat#: DMGN100227 • Genre: Pop

• Further info on 100 Hits: The Best 80s Album here.

Toyah’s legendary Ieya is included on the new compilation CD/Download Extend The 80s Alternative.

Essential 12″ and Extended Mixes of 80s Alternative Tracks.

The 30-track album is released by BMG tomorrow and also includes extended versions of:

Club Country, and Party Fears Two by The Associates, The More You Live The More You Love by A Flock Of Seagulls, No Mercy by The Stranglers, Can’t Get Used To Losing You by The Beat, She Blinded Me With Science by Thomas Dolby,  Waiting For A Train by Flash & The Pan, Absolutely Immune by Act, Going Left Right by Department S, Amour Amour by The Mobiles, Duel by Propaganda, Terry by Kirsty MacColl and many more.

• Further info at Amazon.

Following its inclusion on last year’s The 80s Pop Annual, Toyah’s classic 1981 pop anthem I Want To Be Free is featured on another double-vinyl compilation set to be released this Summer.

Eighties Alternative is released on Demon Records – the label who are also releasing Desire on red vinyl tomorrow – on 1st June 2018.

Available exclusively on vinyl – 4 Sides of Defining Eighties Hits.

The album also includes songs by Scritti Politti, Propoganda, Pixies, Dead or Alive, The Lotus Eaters, The Primitives, Adam & The Ants, Bow Wow Wow, Altered Images, John Foxx and numerous others, so Toyah is in great company.

• Further info on/Pre-order this release at Amazon.

Toyah’s fantastic poptastic 1985 single Don’t Fall in Love (I Said) is included on, the just released, 100 Hits – The Best Eighties Album.

The collection is available on 5CD set or MP3 download.

CD3: Kim Wilde – Kids In America, Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver, Aneka – Japanese Boy, King – Love & Pride, Howard Jones – New Song, Altered Images – Happy Birthday, The Bangles – Walk Like an Egyptian, Men Without Hats – Safety Dance, Haircut 100 – Love Plus One, Bow Wow Wow – I Want Cand, Fiction Factory – (Feels Like) Heaven, The Lotus Eaters – The First Picture of You, Spandau Ballet – Fight for Ourselves, H2O – Dream to Sleep, The Psychedelic Furs – Pretty in Pink, Toyah – Don’t Fall in Love (I Said), Big Audio Dynamite – E=MC2, Haysi Fantayzee – John Wayne Is Big Leggy, Bill Wyman – (Si Si) Je Suis Un Rock Star, Matthew Wilder – Break My Stride.

Toyah’s iconic 1981 Top 10 hit I Want To Be Free is included on, the just released, The 80s Pop Annual double-vinyl compilation album.

Continuing the tributes to certain decades, this selection concludes with 80s POP ANNUAL. The definitive sound of the 80s, it collects together some of the greatest songs of the decade. Presented in a gatefold sleeve with original artwork and pressed on 2x 180g Heavyweight black vinyl, featuring huge hits: Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Wham!), Footloose (Kenny Loggins), Kids In America (Kim Wilde), Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper), Heaven Is A Place On Earth (Belinda Carlisle ), and many more.

The 80s Pop Annual is available exclusively on vinyl.

SIDE C: Adam & The Ants – Stand And Deliver, Bow Wow Wow – Go Wild In The Country, Haysi Fantayzee – John Wayne Is Big Leggy, Toyah – I Want To Be Free, Altered Images – Don’t Talk To Me About Love, Ultravox – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes, Howard Jones – What Is Love?, The Lotus Eaters – The First Picture of You.

The extended version of Toyah’s debut solo single, released in 1985, Don’t Fall in Love (I Said), is included on the forthcoming 3CD Twelve Inch Eighties: Digging Your Scene box set.

The 30-song collection will also be available digitally via iTunes and other online music retailers.

Twelve Inch Eighties is the successful 3CD range by Crimson Productions, compiling extended alternate mixes of some of the biggest hit singles of the 80s. Each themed release is housed in a sleek 3CD digipak with abstract imagery representative of early dance label releases. These carefully selected titles across the range bring together the finest eighties pop, dance and disco, amongst other genres, in all their full 12” single glory.

Digging Your Scene is a collection of classic 12” remixes straight from the edge of the 80s. Other artists on the set include Japan, Fiction Factory, Thompson Twins, Adam Ant and Altered Images.

• In May of this year the original version of Don’t Fall in Love (I Said) was also included on “100 Hits” 5CD compilation Pure 80s. (Thanks to Michael Cooney for the Twelve Inch Eighties info)

Toyah’s 1985 single Don’t Fall in Love (I Said), from her debut solo album Minx, is included on the latest “100 Hits” 5CD compilation Pure 80s.

The much loved 100 Hits range is back in a brand new sleek slim digipak housing 5 discs of your favourite songs of the 80s to enjoy featuring incredible tracks from the finest pop artists such as Wham!, Cyndi Lauper, Adam Ant and many more in this timeless collection.

Don’t Fall in Love (I Said) is song 14 on CD5. The collection is also available digitally from iTunes, Amazon.

• Further info here. Win all five of the latest “100 Hits” CDs at Classic Pop.

Tony Banks will release a four CD restrospective box set, A Chord Too Far, on 31st July.

With a tracklist personally selected by Tony, the collection features 49 songs from his seven solo albums: A Curious Feeling (1979), The Fugitive (1983), The Wicked Lady (1983) (film score), Soundtracks (1986) (a combination of original scores Tony wrote for films Starship and Quicksilver), Bankstatement (1989), Still (1991), Strictly Inc (1995), and his orchestral albums Seven: A Suite for Orchestra (2004) and SIX Pieces for Orchestra (2012)

The great news is that the wonderful Lion Of Symmetry, Tony and Toyah’s collaboration from 1985, originally from his album Soundtracks, which also featured in the film Lorca & The Outlaws, will be included in the collection – The fourth song on CD1.

• Read further details on the release at Chipster. Click below to visit the Lion Of Symmetry page at the Official Toyah Discography.

Toyah is included on the, just released, Smash Hits 80s Annual 3CD Set.

‘It’s A Mystery’ is track 14 on the second CD of the 66 song collection, released by Warner/Universal Music.

Other artists include: Wham!, Bananarama, Duran Duran, Adam & The Ants, Madness, Soft Cell, Kim Wilde, The Human League, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Specials, Belinda Carlisle, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Yazoo. Echo & The Bunnymen, Tears For Fears and many more.

• View the full tracklist here, and a larger version of the cover here. The CD is available to buy at Amazon.

Thunder In The Mountains is included on a new three-disc CD (and download) compilation, Rewind – The 80s Album, released this Monday, 4th August.

The soundtrack to you Rewind Festival filled summer is here… This 3CD collection features a decade of classic pop hits from some of the most talented acts and Rewind performers past and present, all laced with nothing but pure nostalgia. Including Rick Astley, Chesney Hawkes, Jason Donovan, The Human League, Go West, Kool & The Gang, Earth, Wind & Fire plus loads more.

The enduring, and classic, Thunder In The Mountains, which thanks to Nick Tauber’s amazing production skills still sounds as fresh today as it did 33 years ago, is the final track on Disc Two of the collection.

• View further info on the CD set, at the Rewind Festival website. It’s available to order/buy at Amazon.

As previously posted there are two Toyah songs on the new 2CD compilation Let’s Rock: Ultimate 80s Festival. It’s now been confirmed which versions of the songs these are:

On CD1: It’s A Mystery (Orchestral Version) – featuring strings from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and originally released on The Acoustic Album in 1996.

On CD2: Thunder In The Mountains (1994 Re-recorded Version) – rock version from 1994, originally re-recorded for the album Take The Leap!.

• Toyah plays Let’s Rock Bristol this coming Sunday (8th June). Buy the Let’s Rock: Ultimate 80s Festival CD here.

Toyah is included on the new 2CD compilation Let’s Rock 80’s which was released on Monday. ‘It’s A Mystery’ is one of the songs on CD1 and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ on CD2.

The full tracklist is: Disc One: 1 ABC – The Look of Love, 2 Tony Hadley – Gold, 3 Howard Jones – New Song, 4 Rick Astley – Lights Out, 5 Bananarama – Now or Never, 6 Nik Kershaw – Wouldn’t It Be Good, 7 Toyah – It’s a Mystery, 8 Go West – Call Me, 9 Kim Wilde – Kids in America, 10 Billy Ocean – When The Going Get’s Tough, 11 Dr & The Medics – Spirit In The Sky, 12 Modern Romance – Everybody Salsa, 13 Matt Bianco – Lost In You, 14 Owen Paul – Favourite Waste of Time, 15 ABC – When Smokey Sings, 16 Tony Hadley – True

Disc Two: 1 Go West – We Close Our Eyes, 2 Nik Kershaw – The Sky’s The Limit, 3 Billy Ocean – No Woman No Cry, 4 Tony Hadley – Take Back Everything, 5 Go West – Skin Deep, 6 ABC – Ride, 7 Toyah – Thunder In The Mountains, 8 Imagination – Flashback, 9 Brother Beyond – The Harder I Try. 10 Then Jerico – Big Area, 11 Modern Romance – Best Years of Our Lives, 12 T’Pau – China In Your Hand, 13 T’Pau – Heart And Soul, 14 The Real Thing – You To Me Are Everything, 15 The Real Thing – Can You Feel The Force

• Further info on the CD at the Let’s Rock 80’s website. There’s also a CD/Programme bundle. Toyah plays the Let’s Rock Bristol festival in June.