Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

• A rare shot from a well-known 1978 Toyah photo session has appeared online. It was used as a “pin-up” in Issue 16 of the fanzine Ripped and Torn in January 1979. Photos from this session were most famously used on the cover of, and inside, ‘Record Mirror’, also in January 1979.

• Lärwi has compiled a great video to mark the 30th anniversary of ‘The Changeling’ and ‘Warrior Rock’, with music from 1982 and visuals from 2012. View it at You Tube.

• ‘Ieya’ is included in ‘The Epileptic Gibbon Podcast Music Show’ in their 77th podcast: “Episode 77: The Far Distant Dead”. View here.

• Tommy’s Garage: Toyah Willcox, Pioneer of Punk + New Wave: She’s an incredible woman and artist. We Love Toyah!

• The Changeling Resurrection 2012′: Autumn Tour: Numerous dates for the Autumn tour are already all over the internet. No point in mentioning them here until they are officially confirmed. This one, however, at Rechabite Hall, Telford (a new venue), is worth a look. Their flyer is full of great bands.

To mark what would have been director Derek Jarman’s 70th birthday, Nottingham Contemporary Arts Centre are showing Jubilee on 5th June at The Space.

Derek Jarman Jubilee (1978): Honouring the name behind the Jarman Award in what would have been his 70th year we are screening a film that many regard as Derek Jarman’s first masterpiece. In Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth I is transported to a bleak, broken Britain – where violence and anarchy reign and Buckingham Palace is a recording studio for punk musicians. Serving to upset and unnerve the conventional cinemagoer, Jubilee defines the confrontational abandon of punk cinema.

• View further info here and here.

Toyah, just arriving in Manchester, this morning ahead of tonight’s gig at The Ruby Lounge. Pictured with Paul Lomas and Michael O’Brien. (Thanks to Paul for the photos)

Amazing photos of Toyah from ‘The Changeling Resurrection’ Robin2, Wolverhampton gig on Saturday night. These have all been added to the TCR tour gallery. Toyah tweeted yesterday: “Wolverhampton….amazing! Loveliest crowd. Brave New World sent shivers down my spine“. This evening Toyah brings ‘The Changeling Resurrection’ to The Ruby Lounge in Manchester. It’ll be another great gig! (Thanks to PaulCrutchley/PAC Photography for the photos)

‘Bird in Flight’ at The Robin2, Wolverhampton on Saturday. (Thanks to popsikate)

Toyah was interviewed on ‘The Bridge 102.5’ on Saturday morning on The Nick Alatti Show.

Nick asked Toyah about Lady Gaga and that some have said she was the forerunner to her. Toyah said: “If you look at something in a compartment, nothing is new. Lady Gaga is completely different to what I’m doing, but I was doing it 30 years ago. I suppose I’ve always used image to go hand in hand with my music. It’s important to me. The music compliments the imagery as well. It’s something I’ve always been interested in. I don’t go onstage in a little black dress or a demure little cocktail dress, I’ve always gone onstage and made a statement”.

Toyah also said that ‘The Changeling Resurrection’ tour was structured with “four day breaks” to enable her to be able to sing the songs with her voice in peak condition.

• Not sure if Lady Gaga has been influenced by Toyah’s visuals, I’d say the creative team working with Katy Perry have plundered Toyah’s visuals far more. Has to be said, though, that the intro vocals to Gaga’s Government Hooker do sound more Toyah than Toyah.

Toyah is included in a new article by ‘Vogue’: 100 Definitive Hairstyles: From Cleopatra to Kate Moss, see the 100 most definitive hairstyles: TOYAH WILLCOX – The singer’s choppy and wildly-coloured hairstyles epitomised her rebel spirit.

‘The Changeling Resurrection 2012’ gallery is now online at Dreamscape. View it here.

Tonight Toyah plays Wolverhampton’s Robin 2, the fourth gig of the, highly acclaimed, UK tour.  Doors open at 7pm with first support on 7:05pm. There is no curfew at the venue, so after the gig you can stay for drinks up until 1am. It’s sure to be yet another great gig.

Thanks to everyone who generously sent photos to be included in the new gallery page. I’ve added over 200 and there are some fantastic shots in there, including set lists for each gig so far (Spoilers! don’t click on them if you don’t want to know what’s been played), some fun and quirky London photos (Thanks Damon:)) and lots and lots and lots of… Toyah!

These amazing photos below are by Mark Evans. View these and many more by clicking below. (Thanks to Lärwi for her help with photos, and to all the cups of coffee that helped keep me awake to compile the TCR gallery)

Toyah will be talking to Nick Alatti on Midlands radio 102.5 The Bridge tomorrow morning at 10am ahead of tomorrow night’s Robin 2 Wolverhampton gig.

Nick’s here with a blend of music, news and chat to make sure your day goes quickly and the weekend comes sooner!

Listen to the interview live at the website. (News Source: The Official Toyah Facebook)

Quadrophenia is showing on STV in May. The channel airs in Scotland but is available UK wide via Sky.

Quadrophenia: STV: Tuesday 8th May: 00.10am
Quadrophenia: STV +1: Tuesday 8th May: 1.10am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone. Also airing on STV HD.

The complete four-part radio version of J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, with Toyah in the title role, will re-air on ‘BBC Radio 4 Extra’ in May. This was originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 1995.

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of J. M. Barrie’s tale of childhood adventure starring Toyah Willcox as Peter Pan and Ron Moody as Captain Hook. These audio editions, especially dramatised for BBC Radio, are of timeless stories that have enchanted generations of readers both young and old.

Also starring Roy Hudd as Smee and June Whitfield as Mrs Darling, this sparkling production is directed by award-winning producer Dirk Maggs, with an original music score and stunning sound effects.

J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Sunday 6th May: 9.00am/4.30pm
J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Monday 7th May: 5.00am
Away to Neverland. A strange visitor transforms the Darling household one bedtime. Stars Toyah Willcox, Ron Moody and June Whitfield. Episode 1 of 4.

Time Flies! On this day, 27th April 1985 (yup), 27 years ago Toyah’s 15th single, and first ‘solo’ release, ‘Don’t Fall In Love (I Said)’ entered the UK singles chart. In retrospect, it’s a great pop song, written by Toyah and Simon Darlow, with an incredible b-side, ‘Snow Covers The Kiss’ (written by Toyah, Joel Bogen & Christopher Neil). Then there’s the unforgettable video. Personally, I can’t wait to hear it live on the ‘Minx: Trash & Tease 2015’ tour ;-))

I’m working on The Changeling Resurrection gallery and hoping to have it online before the fourth gig of the tour on Saturday. Here’s a few more photos from the Bush Hall concert. Please click on each to zoom. (Thanks to Francesco Carli, Lärwi & Damon King)

‘PAC Photography’, who will be at The Robin, Wolverhampton this Saturday to photograph Toyah’s ‘Changeling Resurrection’ gig, have an excellent selection of archive photos of Toyah and The Humans at their website.

The website includes photos of Toyah from the ‘From Sheep Farming To Anthem’ gig at the Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton last October and photos from two of The Humans concerts, at The Public, West Bromwich and HMV Institute, Birmingham, both also from last October. (access via: View your pictures – Live Music)

There are also photos taken at The Power of Three film premiere at the Everyman Theatre in Hampstead, London in November last year. (access via: View your pictures – events)

• Visit ‘PAC Photography’ here.

• The rare promo poster for the American video release of Murder: Ultimate Grounds for Divorce from the mid-80s. View a larger version here. (Thanks to Sean Green)

• According to a tweet today by ‘The Showbusiness Co’: “Joe Pasquale, Bobby Davro, Toyah Willcox, Richard Digance and many more appear in the Dave Lee tribute show at Marlowe, Canterbury on 6 May.”

• View more details about Dave Lee A Celebration at The Marlowe theatre website. There are other news reports  today about the show. None of these mention Toyah.

• Three musicians, who have all worked with Toyah at various stages of her music career, play at ‘Jammin Java’, Vienna tomorrow. STICK MEN ft. Tony Levin, Pat Mastelotto and Markus Reuter. More info here.

• Manchester Pride Twitter today: “The Women’s Stage will return to Sackville Gardens for this year’s event. We’ll welcome Toyah as the headline act!”

• Canal Street (Manchester) Twitter today: “Look who is headlining the Women’s stage at Manchester Pride this year.. Toyah”

• Collapse Board: How I lost my love for music (and how I found it again): The first record I think was mine was ‘I Want To Be Free’ by Toyah…

• So So Gay: Blue To Headline Blackpool Pride 2012. Toyah is also mentioned in this article published today.

• Toyah Montaging: I’ve, quite literally, thrown together a couple of Toyah video montages. At The Rainbow and some career clips. I’d love to do a more professional and substantial career montage at some point, with lots of interview and music clips, almost like a documentary type retrospective.

A new live date for 2012 has been added to Toyah’s official Gigs page at toyahwillcox.com.

Toyah will be playing a “Hits & Surprises”, full band, gig at Mylor Sessions, Mylor, Cornwall on Saturday 23rd June. Tickets go on sale on Monday 21st May.

Mylor Sessions: Dedicated to deliver an eclectic mix of music, comedy and the arts in an intimate environment. All profits to local charities and projects.

Toyah tweeted yesterday: “Humans dates, humans album & TOYAH autumn tour schedule all shaping up beautifully :-)“.

Lots to look forward to for fans of Toyah and The Humans. One of the Autumn dates (aside from the rescheduled Glasgow gig) has already been posted on a support band’s Facebook. The full Autumn dates will be officially announced soon.

Just a reminder that Rajan And His Evil Hypnotists, which originally aired on E4 in 2005, is repeated tonight.

Rajan And His Evil Hypnotists: 4Music
Wed 25th April: 11.35pm
Rajan and his evil team make a grown man petrified of Santa Claus, while 80s pop star Toyah has a most unusual chat show experience – with no idea that her host is a hypnotised member of the public. Other trance subjects drink vinegar, pour ice down their trousers, arrest the over-60s for underage drinking, and regress to being a three-year-old child in a supermarket.

Yes ‘It’s A Mystery’ has possibly been uploaded to ‘You Tube’ more times than is necessary but this addition today is quite cool. The video clip looks great thanks to a clever montage of photos and clips from one of the Top Of The Pops appearances. Click below to view.

Toyah was one of a bunch of presenters of Look! Hear! for three series between 1979 and 1981. The programme, covering music and the arts in The Midlands, was made at BBC Pebble Mill and gave bands like Duran Duran, The Beat and The Selector their first tv exposure.

The first series of Look! Hear! aired weekly in early 1979. Chris Phipps, Ann Butler, Liz Cotton and John Holmes, who were all ‘Radio Wolverhampton’ DJs, were the other presenters.

• As expected with a sold out London gig, a lot of footage has been uploaded to ‘You Tube’ over the last couple of days. Check out Steve Day’s, up close and personal, Warrior Rock. It has the distinction of being the very first clip made available online, from a gig that is already being compared to some of the legendary Toyah concerts.

• The Birmingham Press: What’s On At The Robin: On Saturday there’s the return of eighties icon Toyah, who since her chart days has honed her act into a top-line live performance. She’ll be celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of her influential album The Changeling, which itself spawned the live follow-up Warrior Rock. There are four support acts and the fun starts at 7pm. Tickets £19.50,

• Lost Turntable: Tony Banks’ Soundtracks: In 1984 he composed the score for a low-budget sci-fi flick called Lorca And The Outlaws (it was released as Starship on VHS). In addition to the score, he also composed the original songs, “You Call This Victory” featuring vocalist Jim Diamond and “Lion of Symmetry” featuring vocals by the amazing Toyah Willcox.