Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue of Best magazine (15th February 2022, Issue 07).

Toyah’s Potty-Mouthed Ghost!

Singer Toyah Willcox talks sweary spirits, sage and loving being scared, as she appears on Celebrity Help! My House Is Haunted…

Fans of creepy TV shows will be loving the return of Help! My House Is Haunted – its spin-off show hunts down unwanted spirits haunting the stunning homes of UK celebrities. Ordained exorcist Ian Lawman, ghost-hunter/investigator Barri Ghai and paranormal researcher and historian Jayne Harris return to tackle their most notable cases to date and exorcise the haunted properties of some famous faces – as they enter the homes of among others, Alex Best, reality star Charlotte Crosby and musician Toyah Willcox. Here, the 63-year-old singer from King’s Heath, Birmingham – famed for hits like It’s A Mystery and Thunder In The Mountains – tells us about life in her haunted Midlands home with her musician hubby, Robert Fripp.

“Our last house was so haunted we had to leave”

Toyah, what made you want to do this? It’s as far from making music as you could imagine…
My house is very old and one of the most extraordinary things about it is that my husband and I only went to view it to be nosy – but as we walked through the door, I burst into tears, We both knew immediately it was meant to be our home. It was as if the house had invited us to live there. I’ve always experienced haunted properties because I’ve constantly lived in old places – but this house, for me, has just been glorious.

What surprised you the most about this experience?
I’m very proud that my house has friendly feeling. My guests see something all the time! I always say, ‘It’s friendly, don’t worry, it’s just proof of life after death.’ But when the team told me there was something here meaning harm, that threw me. It was as if it only wanted me in this house, not outsiders. I’ve never felt compromised in any way in this house, but the team started getting attacked!

What happened?
Barry, one of the crew, got strangled by one of the spirits – and they think it’s because I wasn’t there! That made the hair on my arms stand up. But I’m afraid I loved every minute. I kind of enjoyed the team being scared too, because it was really reaffirming for experiences we’ve had elsewhere. Our last house was so haunted that we had to move – it shows you’re not alone in this.

Has all this made you want to explore paranormal activity more?
It’s made me very aware of history. I live in an abbey town, where parts of the Battle Of Worcester were fought during the English Civil War. So over the river where I live, people died in battle. Out of respect, I would want to know more about it. A deserter spirit came forward in my home, who was running away from that battle. If you tuned in and know the history of a place, you have a sympathetic leaning towards whatever spirit may still be there.

Have you always believed in the supernatural?
Yes, I think I have. And I firmly believe that we lead such busy lives we only see the obvious, you know? I think there’s a lot that goes on around us that we would never notice, because it’s so subtle.

• Continue reading in the latest issue of Best magazine, on sale now!

Toyah is the latest guest on the My Time Capsule podcast.

Ep. 158 – Toyah Willcox

Toyah Willcox or “Toyah” is a musician, actor, and presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Toyah has had 8 top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays and 10 feature films, and voiced and presented numerous television shows.

Toyah Willcox is guest number 158 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she’d like to put in a time capsule; four she’d like to preserve and one she’d like to bury and never have to think about again.

• Listen at My Time Capsule.

Toyah Willcox needs little introduction; musician, actress, author and presenter….and latterly in lockdowns – internet sensation.

In a pop career spanning more than 40 years, Toyah has released circa 20 albums and scored 13 Top 40 hits, including the 1980s anthems “It’s a Mystery” and “I Want To Be Free”.

Toyah secured her place in the UK’s acting pantheon in the 1970s, starring in at least 40 plays and 10 feature films – perhaps most notably in Derek Jarman’s cult punk movie “Jubilee” (1978) and the iconic mods‘n’rockers film “Quadrophenia” (1979), while at the same time demonstrating her diverse talent by playing Miranda in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”.

Legends… Since then, Toyah’s acting credits have seen her billed alongside the likes of Katherine Hepburn, Sir Laurence Olivier, Greta Scaachi and Harvey Keitel…and even seen her enter the world of children’s TV presenting.

• Continue reading at Music Republic Magazine.

How I Spend It: Toyah Willcox on rocks, hag stones and meteorites

The musician reveals what lies behind her lifelong fascination with crystals

I collect crystals, and I’m not talking about crystals you keep in your pocket. These are museum-quality collectors’ pieces. My fascination is that these are timeless things. They have been there since the Big Bang. All around the house we have crystals, along the skirting boards, in cupboards, in the cutlery drawers. My computer sits on a piece of rose quartz that is at least 10kg in weight. It’s the size of a Bible you’d see in a church.

Meteorites are full of potential. They’re what’s put us here

I remember clearly the first stone that meant something to me. I was about seven years old. I was on a sandbank on the River Avon and picked up a pebble with a hole in it. My father said it was a “hag stone”, one with a naturally formed hole in it. I could not put it down. I was instantly in love with it, the smoothness of it, the history of it, what it’s been through, what it’s survived, that it’s outlived all of us and will outlive all of us. I’ve had this particular hag stone since I was seven – I’m now 63, and it’s been a point of conversation with virtually everyone I’ve known. A lot of musicians feel the same way about stones; we collect pebbles and send them to each other.

• Continue reading at ft.com. (Thanks to Kelly and Michael)

Toyah is interviewed in this week’s OK! magazine (Issue 1315, 22nd November 2021). Talking about Proud Cabaret, her career, the Sunday Lunch/You Tube videos and more.

• Read the interview at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive. (Thanks to Minna and Kelly)

From Punk Princess To Cabaret Queen, Toyah Willcox On Joining Proud Embankment | This Morning

She first burst onto the music scene in the 80s. But forty years on, Toyah Willcox is going from punk princess to cabaret queen as she joins the impressive line-up at Proud Embankment. Following in the footsteps of Julian Clary, Bill Bailey and Denise Van Outen, Toyah will be treating fans to a spectacular evening of music, burlesque artists, and award-winning acrobatics. Toyah also discusses becoming a viral lockdown sensation.

Toyah was interviewed in Tuesday’s Metro, in their “Sixty Seconds” feature, talking about Posh Pop, Proud Cabaret, Sunday Lunch, Robert Fripp, Billie Piper and more.

• Read the full interview at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive. (Thanks to Minna)

A reminder Toyah is guesting on Rylan On Saturday on BBC Radio 2 this afternoon. The show begins at 3pm.

Toyah said this week: “Hear me chatting to the wonderful Rylan on BBC Radio 2 on Sat 23 Oct. I’ll be talking all things Posh Pop and Proud Cabaret from the middle of the Atlantic in a storm!”

Rylan On Saturday: BBC Radio 2: Saturday 23rd October: 3pm
Pop Prince Craig David, Pop Icon Toyah plus Shelia the Wookie. Craig David discusses his new single with MNEK plus national treasure Toyah chats to Rylan. Email rylan@bbc.co.uk if you want to play along to the film & TV Quiz Couch Potatoes quiz or suggest a song on the White Isle of Rybiza. Plus mummy Linda is back to share her dinner ideas.

The Dyspraxic Help 4U Podcast had the honour of interviewing Toyah to celebrate Dyspraxia Awareness Week 2021.

The legendary entertainer has Dyspraxia and took the time to speak with us in the hope of inspiring others to follow in her footsteps.

Dyspraxic Help 4U is delighted to have teamed up with Dyspraxic Alliance and Dyspraxia Magazine for Dyspraxia Awareness Week 2021.

For album and tour details please visit www.toyahwillcox.com – Special thanks to Mike Nelson.

• Click below to listen at You Tube. The podcast can also be downloaded at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts. Spotify and Anchor FM.

Toyah will guest on Rylan’s Saturday afternoon BBC Radio 2 show in a fortnight’s time – Saturday 23rd October.

Rylan on Saturday
Pop legends Craig David and Toyah chat to Rylan
Pop legends Craig David and Toyah chat to Rylan about their new music.

Email rylan@bbc.co.uk if you want to play along to the film & TV Quiz Couch Potatoes quiz or play a song on the White Isle of Rybiza. Plus mummy Linda is back to share her dinner ideas.

• Listen live or on Catch Up at BBC Sounds after the show airs.

A preview of the amazing six-page Toyah interview feature from the new issue of Record Collector magazine. This is a must have as it’s such a substantial feature. In this great interview, Toyah talks Posh Pop, her discography, punk, childhood, early career years, meeting Robert, lockdown, Sunday Lunch and much more. RC523/October 2021 is on sale now! (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive)

Toyah guested on Richard Green’s BBC Radio Devon show on Saturday.

Faye from Steps, The Retro Hour features Howard Jones, Toyah and Brother Beyond.

Toyah talks Posh Pop and more, with the interview beginning around 2hr 10m into the show and runs for around 10 minutes. There were plays of I Want To Be Free and Space Dance, the latter of which Toyah chose to be played on the show.

• Listen to the show/interview for the next four weeks at BBC Sounds.

Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue (523, October 2021) of Record Collector magazine.

“I thought I was part of the movement, but the movement never accepted me.”

Re-energised by a long overdue reissue campaign of her early music and the release of Posh Pop, her first album for 13 years, Toyah talks to RC523 issue

ISSUE NO: 523
Exclusive features include:

THE TOP 200 RARITIES IN THE WORLD TODAY – You read about the 200 rarest and most valuable collectable records in the UK in these pages last year. Now we’re looking further afield for hard-to-find vinyl,
this time scattered across the globe. Warning: may require second mortgages
TOYAH – As her early albums are finally reissued, Ms Willcox talks punk, punching Adam Ant and lockdown celebrity
THE WHO – A pictorial potted history of the mod pioneers, from beat pop riot boys to still-windmilling Britrock royalty
WANDA JACKSON – The queen of 50s rockabilly and contemporary of Elvis and Johnny Cash is still going strong – but is her new album to be her swansong?
STEPHEN DUFFY – The mercurial folk-pop songwriter retraces his early days in neglected Brum post-punks The Hawks
FAUST – The “Dada Beatles” early output still sounds thrillingly unhinged 50 years on. We hear about its suitably anarchic evolution from four of those who lived to tell the tale

• Record Collector magazine, Issue 523 is on sale now!

Toyah on dyslexia breakthrough: ‘Learning an instrument broadened and deepened my communicative skills’

According to the singer, music lessons helped “rewire” her brain and have helped improve “broaden and deepen” her communicative skills.

Learning to play guitar and keyboards led to a huge breakthrough in Toyah’s lifelong struggle with dyslexia.

The Summer of Love hitmaker was diagnosed with the learning difficulty at a young age, which can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling.

Speaking exclusively with Retro Pop ahead of the release of her latest album ‘Posh Pop’, Toyah reflects on the profound impact lockdown had on her, both personally and professionally, and reveals lessons in piano and guitar have enhanced her life in numerous ways.

“I can now play guitar, I can now play keyboards, and it means that my communicative skills are much broader and much deeper,” she explains.

• Continue reading at Retro Pop. Read Retro Pop’s review of Posh Pop.

Toyah guested on Mike Sweeney’s BBC Radio Manchester show earlier today, talking about Posh Pop, Sunday Lunch and more.

There were plays of I Want To Be Free and Levitate during the interview, which aired in two parts.

Toyah Willcox (01/09/2021)
Mike chats to singer, Toyah Willcox, about her Posh Pop Tour 2021.

• Listen on Catch Up at BBC Sounds for the next few weeks.

A few screen caps from Toyah’s guest appearance on BBC Breakfast this morning. There were bursts of It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains (both Top Of The Pops performances), Levitate, and Zoom Zoom. Toyah talked about Posh Pop, You Tube, Sunday Lunch and much more! See a clip from the interview at BBC Breakfast‘s Twitter.

Toyah guests on Janice Long’s BBC Radio Wales show this Bank Holiday Monday evening. For an exclusive chat about the album Posh Pop. The show airs from 7pm.

BBC Radio Wales: Janice Long: Monday 30th Aug: 7pm
Join Janice for brilliant songs from the 60’s right through to today. Janice also introduces fresh new music and artists from Wales.

• Listen online at the BBC Radio Wales website, and on Catch Up, post-airing, at BBC Sounds. **Update: BBC Radio Wales just tweeted: Tonight Janice’s special guest is singer, actor and writer Toyah. Toyah will be in after 8 to talk about her excellent new album Posh Pop.

Toyah guests on BBC Breakfast tomorrow to talk about the album Posh Pop. The programme airs on BBC1 from 6am, and runs for just over three hours.

BBC Breakfast: BBC1: Tuesday 31st August: 6am
The latest news, sport, business and weather from the BBC’s Breakfast team.

• Watch as it airs on BBC1, or post-broadcast, on Catch Up at BBC iPlayer.

NB. This news was announced by Official Toyah with another, previously unseen online, new Posh Pop photo. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

“This issue, we also talk to Toyah who is back with a career-best LP, the brilliant Posh Pop.”

The latest issue of Classic Pop magazine (Sep/Oct 2021 – Issue 71) is out now, and features Toyah on the cover and a new Posh Pop interview… “I was just exploding with ideas”.

The issue also includes Soft Cell, Toyah, Shaun Ryder, Blondie, Goldfrapp, Tony Hadley, Saint Etienne, Tony Arnold, The Blue Nile (from Glasgow and one of my favourite bands!) and much more!

• See the promo tweet here, and full details on how to buy Classic Pop are here.

Toyah: ‘In the ‘80s I was treated like an icon, now I know what it’s like living pay packet to pay packet’

Toyah is back with ‘Posh Pop’, her 16th album and first since 2008’s ‘In The Court of the Crimson Queen’

The record features 10 brand new compositions, co-written and produced by Simon Darlow, after the singer and her husband, King Crimson’s Robert Fripp, found themselves without work during lockdown.

Ahead of her latest release, the ’80s superstar opens up on her new music and accompanying visual project, revealing how the album was born, becoming a YouTube sensation with ‘Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch’, and how living “pay packet to pay packet” has brought the singer closer than ever to her fans.

It’s been 13 years since you released your last album ‘In The Court of the Crimson Queen’. How did ‘Posh Pop’ come about?

To give it context, the majority of ‘In The Court of the Crimson Queen’ was written in 2007. Around 2017, every song on that album was placed in a musical called ‘Crime and Punishment’ at London’s Tower Bridge Scoop Theatre. This allowed us to get an official release in 2018 and that’s when Simon Darlow and I added Dance in the Hurricane and Who Let the Beast Out?.

What happened with ‘Posh Pop’ is the extraordinary experience of all of our live shows being cancelled or postponed until a later date. Having all this time doesn’t mean that you stop being a creative human being. So we found a way of being able to write and to do the next album, and lockdown enabled us to do that in a very strange way.

• Continue reading at Retro Pop. Posh Pop is released on Friday. Pre-order the album here.

A great interview with Toyah on today’s Steve Wright In The Afternoon show on BBC Radio 2. This included plays of two previously unheard songs from Posh Pop.

Toyah talked about the recording process of Posh Pop, what inspired the album, and about loving being back on the road touring, playing festivals and gigs.

There were plays of I Want To Be Free, It’s A Mystery, Levitate, The Bride Will Return, and a short burst of Rhythm In My House at the close of the chat.

Steve enthused about Toyah having such a longtime career yet still releasing such quality music. He also mentioned Toyah’s legendary warehouse, Mayhem!

Toyah also talked about her latest film work, on, the just released, To Be Someone and, the to be released in October, The Ghosts Of Borley Rectory.

• Listen to the show/interview at BBC Sounds. Toyah appears approximately 2hrs 30m into the show. (Photos © Toyah Willcox)