• Mayhem: The 2013 reprint of the 2005 CD reissue of Toyah’s 1985 Safari album ‘Mayhem’ is included in the latest Burning Shed newsletter: This fascinating album gives an insight into late 70s/early 80s works in progress by Toyah and comprises finished songs not included on EPs and albums.
• TCM Turner Classic Movies: A Jarman double-bill aired on TCM over the weekend, including another showing of The Tempest, with Toyah as Miranda.
• This is Local London: Scarlett Fever: Rockabilly band launch debut album with free gig at New Wimbledon Studios: Kent trio Scarlett Rae and the Cherry Reds play original tracks from their album Crash Landing and a selection of cover songs at the gig. The band, formed in 2011, is made up of lead vocalist and double bassist Andee Price, drummer Chris Wong and guitarist Ben Green. Wong is also the musical director for 1980s star Toyah Willcox…
• WFMU: Dark Night of the Soul with Julie: Playlist from May 2, 2013: An emotional trainwreck in fluffy bunny slippers… ‘Out Of The Blue’ from Dreamchild was included on Julie’s show playlist on Thursday night.
• WFMU: Toyah Special: Julie’s A Celebration of the Crimson Queen from May 2011 is still available to listen to online. A transcript of the Toyah Special is available here.
A new interview with Toyah, published by the Hereford Times on Friday.
A great night out in prospect at The Courtyard as Toyah Willcox stars in Hormonal Housewives
Think of Toyah Willcox and “housewife” isn’t a word that immediately springs to mind – punk princess, yes, award-winning actress, certainly – but she’s currently relishing the role as she plays one of the eponymous Hormonal Housewives of Julie Coombe and John McIsaac’s hugely successful show, which arrives at The Courtyard in Hereford on Wednesday, May 15.
“I took the part because it’s a very funny script and I adore doing comedy,” she says. “Before this the only comedy I’d done was Shakespeare and Arthur Smith, which is very different.
It’s a genre I really love, and this show delivers a laugh at least every five lines. It’s one of the most outrageous pieces of theatre, very very naughty, but with a big smile on its face.”
• Continue reading at the Hereford Times.
A special update to In The Fairground: Andrew York’s Arternative Universe. Andrew has just completed the amazing “Anthemscape” and you can view it in the site’s Anthem gallery.
One of the famous “Toyah bonnets” by Gary Price. This was the first one (an MG) from 1981 and, apparently, he did numerous others over the next couple of years. He got stopped by a policeman in the early hours of Christmas Day 1981 while travelling home from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane ‘Good Morning Universe’ gig and when ‘I Want To Be Free’ was in the charts kids used to dance round the car at traffic lights. By Spring 1982 he was on the dole and working on a portfolio to apply to go to Chelsea Art College. At this time he couldn’t afford to run the car so it was kept in a garage.
By around mid 1982 Gary was working on a third bonnet and was planning another two – he was hoping when they were all complete that there would be a photo session done with Toyah. Unfortunately this didn’t happen. It sounds as though there were various artworks designed for subsequent bonnets. This first one was in loads of magazines (at least eight by early ’82) and on Nationwide and TISWAS!!!
• Click here to view a larger version. (Thanks to Andi | Photo by Tara Nowy)
Five more recent radio interviews with Toyah are now available, as transcripts, over at Lärwi’s fantastic fansite The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive: Radio Eagle, BBC Radio Derby, BBC Radio Leicester, BBC Radio Wiltshire and BBC Radio Humberside. Catch up on all of Toyah’s recent radio interviews and appearances in Dreamscape’s news feed here.
A Gallery update: A trio of great shots of Toyah live at Kremlin, Belfast in August 2004. Click below to view larger versions of these. (Thanks to Jonathan David Smyth)
A couple of screen caps from last night’s All Star Mr & Mrs end-credits preview of next week’s programme, featuring Toyah and Robert. The first programme of the new series had a viewing figure of 4 million. Click below to view larger versions.
All Star Mr & Mrs: ITV: Wednesday 8th May: 8.00pm
All Star Mr & Mrs: ITV +1: Wednesday 8th May: 9.00pm
Phillip Schofield presents a new series of the classic game show as three celebrity couples battle it out to win £30,000 for their chosen charity. Who knows the most about their other half? The couples hoping to win big this time are TV presenter Gabby Logan and husband Kenny Logan, singer Toyah Willcox and husband, guitarist Robert Fripp, and EastEnders actor Jake Wood and wife Alison Wood.
Toyah’s ‘The Changeling’ places at #100 in the Slicing Up Eyeballs Top 100 Albums Of 1982 poll, published today. This is the third consecutive appearance for Toyah albums; ‘Sheep Farming in Barnet’ was at #92 in the 1980 poll and ‘Anthem’ at #65 in the 1981 poll. I’m sure most of us are of the opinion that these great albums should be much higher but it’s good to see them being included. Voting in the 1983 poll opens next week.
Toyah guested on David Burns’ show on ‘BBC Radio Humberside’ today. The interview is available to listen to at BBC iPlayer. It will remain online until next Wednesday.
Toyah talks Quadrophenia and its enduring legacy, Hormonal Housewives and more.
• The interview begins at approximately 2hrs 7ms into the show and runs for around six minutes. Listen here.
• Scunthorpe Telegraph: Toyah Willcox starring at Scunthorpe Baths Hall on Thursday: A new interview with Toyah: Stepping inside the mind of a woman is a scary thought for some men. But if you want to imagine what it is like for us girls, this show will give you an idea.
• Chester Chronicle: Toyah Willcox to star in Hormonal Housewives at Crewe Lyceum: Pop icon Toyah Willcox will be in South Cheshire later this month when the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives head for Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre
• Instagram: Check out the latest photos Toyah has instagrammed!.
• The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive: Read full transcripts of Toyah’s interviews from Keith Middleton’s Late Show from BBC Radio Shropshire in early March and Justin Moorhouse on BBC Radio Manchester from the beginning of April.
• Rock the Stadium: Toyah, Five Star, Altered Images, Midge Ure, Paul Young and many others will “Rock The Stadium” in Falkirk on Saturday 22nd June.
• Dangerous Minds: Films and Filming: Original photo-spread for Derek Jarman’s Jubilee.
