The Crimson Queen herself, Toyah Willcox, has teased further information about Steve Oram‘s début directorial feature, Aaaaaaaah!
Since it was announced in January, news of the production has been thin on the ground. Filming was due to start in April, but was delayed for some unknown reason – potentially the top-notch cast and their hectic schedules!
The film, in which Oram, Willcox, Tom Meeten, Julian Barratt, Tony Way, Waen Shepherd, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Hannah Hoeskra will communicate entirely in ape-like grunts, shrieks and moans, promises to be a typically surreal treat from the unique mind of Steve Oram.
• Continue reading at The Velvet Onion.
Toyah plays Let’s Rock Bristol tomorrow. She tweeted earlier today: “Just popped 2 bristol, no rain! & good weather 4 sunday. I’m on at 12.15 lunch time 2rrow. New outfit too“. Others playing tomorrow include: Kim Wilde, ABC, Nik Kershaw, China Crisis and numerous others. Click below to stay updated via the festival’s official Facebook page.
Multi-talented 80s pop star Toyah Willcox comes to the Centenary Centre in Peel on Saturday, June 14.
This will be Toyah’s second visit to the island after she performed at Jaks in Douglas in 2011.
She has had 13 top 40 singles, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays, made 10 feature films and presented TV shows from ‘Songs of Praise’ to ‘The Good Sex Guide Late’.
Toyah’s biggest year musically was 1981 when she had three top ten hits, with her ‘Four from Toyah Ep’ and its lead track ‘It’s a Mystery’ reaching number four, follow-up ‘I want to be free’ reaching number eight, and ‘Thunder in the Mountains’ also peaking at number four.
• Continue reading at the Isle Of Man Today.
Toyah’s June blog is now available to read at The Official Toyah Willcox Website. It includes some photos from last night’s SohoCreate and an update on wonderful WillyFred. Click below to read.
After a sell-out success in its first year, Let’s Rock Bristol! returns to Ashton Court this weekend with a line-up of artists guaranteed to recapture the sounds of the 1980s.
The biggest festival of its type, Let’s Rock sees a huge line-up of chart-topping artists from the decade including Level 42, pictured, Bananarama, Rick Astley, Tony Hadley, ABC, Belinda Carlisle, Go West, Heaven 17, Midge Ure, China Crisis, Alexander O’Neal, Imagination, The Blow Monkeys, The Christians, Boney M, Toyah, Dr & The Medics, T’Pau, Sonia and Johnny Hates Jazz.
• Continue reading at Bristol Post.
The first series of Secret Diary Of A Call Girl, which originally aired in 2007, is being repeated on Sony TV from next week. Toyah appeared in Episodes Two and Eight of the first series, playing Gail, Mother of the lead character, Belle (played by Billie Piper).
Secret Diary Of A Call Girl: Sony TV: Tuesday 10th June: 10.40pm
Secret Diary Of A Call Girl: Sony TV: Sunday 15th June: 11.50pm
Series One. Episode Two. Belle finds herself in a difficult situation when she meets an attractive author at a sex party. He is not the man she came with – should she ditch the client who brought her, or remain professional? Starring: Billie Piper, Toyah Willcox, Aleksandar Mikic, Jamie Sives, Aislinn Sands and Scarlette O’Harlette.
The epsiode of Kavanagh Q.C. in which Toyah had a guest role, ‘A Family Affair’, originally broadcast on ITV in 1995, airs again next week, this time on the, just about to launch (on Monday 9th June) new channel, ITV Encore (Sky 123).
Kavanagh Q.C.: ITV Encore: Wednesday 11th June: 3.15pm
Kavanagh Q.C.: ITV Encore +1: Wednesday 11th June: 4.15pm
A Family Affair (1995). Kavanagh finds himself caught up in a bitter family feud when he represents a frustrated father who has kidnapped his son in a desperate attempt to win custody. On the home front, Kavanagh’s daughter wants to let her boyfriend stay overnight. Directed by Renny Rye. With John Thaw, Holly Aird, Robert Ashby, Toyah Willcox and Lisa Harrow.
A very busy week ahead for Toyah: This evening it’s SohoCreate; tomorrow a Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits…Live! date in Clacton-On-Sea; Saturday a PA in Minehead; on Sunday Toyah plays the Let’s Rock Bristol festival; and on Tuesday there’s An Evening With Toyah Willcox @ Say What? Waterstones, Manchester – Phew!
• SohoCreate: “Chaos at #SohoCreate HQ!” – Getting organised yesterday – View here…
• The New York Times: Latest Incarnation of King Crimson Plans U.S. Tour: Robert Fripp, the founding guitarist and driving creative force of the British progressive rock band King Crimson, has declared the band dead several times since 1974, but this week he allowed that there was life in it yet – Continue reading…
• Rotherham Council: Children’s Festival returns to Rotherham: The Once Voice concert returns on Friday 11 July and welcomes back the dazzling guest appearance of Toyah Wilcox, who will be singing two specially arranged songs to perform with the children – Continue reading…
• Radio Times: Peter Pan: Episode Two – In The Mermaid’s Lagoon: The mischievous boy and the children arrive in Neverland. Dramatisation of JM Barrie’s classic tale, with Toyah Willcox. Ron Moody, Georgina Cates and Roy Hudd. Originally broadcast in 1995 – Visit here…
• Pets At Home: Apparently there is a one page article on Toyah and Willyfred the rabbit in the latest issue of ‘Pets At Home’ magazine. I haven’t saw it but look out for it if you visit that store (Thanks to Jeff Agar)
• New Wave & Beyond: Toyah: Rebel Run / To The Mountains High / Baptised in Fire: I give Toyah props for having the creativity to constantly reinvent herself. This post-apocalyptic skater look wasn’t one of her more memorable guises, however – Continue reading…
Look: Toyah Willcox’s Kings Heath walk of fame star is dug up
Only plaque laid on tribute pavement put into storage as Ritz Ballroom site is redeveloped
The only star laid on Kings Heath’s walk of fame has been dug up and put into storage. The tribute, to singer Toyah Willcox, was removed from its spot outside the old Ritz Ballroom in York Road after the iconic venue was gutted in a fire.
And two other stars, commissioned in honour of musician Trevor Burton and the late Olympic cyclist Tommy Godwin, have never been laid at all. Bob Prew, from the Walk of Stars scheme, said: “We were advised to remove Toyah’s star for safekeeping after the fire.
• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail. Toyah was included in their main page slideshow.
• Canal St: An evening with Toyah Willcox: Say What? Presents: An evening with Toyah Willcox: Toyah Willcox is one of the UK’s most innovative pop stars. Emerging from the punk scene in the late 70’s – with a wildly unique style – she went on to sell millions of records… To book tickets call The Grand Café – Waterstones Deansgate: 0161 8317156 – Continue reading…
• Say What?: The Facebook Event page for Toyah at Waterstones, Deansgate on 10th June – View here…
• Festivals For All: Paloma Faith, Hoosiers, From the jam, Bay City Rollers & Toyah Willcox added to OsFest – Continue reading…
• Aesthetica: SohoCreate, 4-6 June, London SohoCreate opens next week, 4-6 June, for its inaugural creative festival. With an outstanding line-up of guests… There will also be appearances from singer songwriters Gary Kemp and Tim Arnold, Toyah Willcox, Lauren Laverne, Helen David and many more – Continue reading…
• King Crimson 2014: Toyah is mentioned in various recent online articles reporting on King Crimson announcing dates for September/October, including Uncut and VVN Music.
There’s a, very, short interview clip with Toyah in the Plymouth Volksfest 2014: Highlights video report uploaded recently to the Chatterbox Productions You Tube channel. View by clicking on the screen caps.
The latest post at Fragments is a Simon Darlow special, with lots of rare info and photos (the screencap below is a “blink and you’ll miss her” appearance by Toyah from Simon’s late 80s solo single ‘Hot’). Read the full feature by clicking below.
Toyah is also celebrating Simon Darlow’s birthday. She posted a fantastic 1983 shot of them together at Instagram today.
Punk princess Toyah Willcox’s greatest hits live show is in Clacton next week.
The It’s A Mystery and I Want to Be Free singer is at the West Cliff Theatre on Friday, June 6, performing a full set including tracks from smash albums The Court and Crimson Queen
As well as a being an accomplished singer and multi-award winner, Toyah has starred in cult movies Epic and Quadrophenia and was even the voice who introduced the Teletubbies at the height of their popularity. With gravity-defying bright orange hairstyles and a career which turned her from punk pop idol to priestess of television Toyah is sure to have something for everyone.
• Continue reading at the Clacton Gazette.
The edition of All Star Mr & Mrs which featured Toyah and Robert is airing on TV3 (Ireland) in mid-June.
All Star Mr & Mrs: TV3: Sunday 15th June: 8pm
All Star Mr & Mrs: TV3: Saturday 21st June: 5pm
Toyah Willcox, Gabby Logan and Jake Wood. TV presenter Gabby Logan and former Scottish rugby international Kenny Logan, singer Toyah Willcox and her husband, guitarist Robert Fripp, and EastEnders star Jake Wood (Max Branning) and his wife Alison find out how much they really know about each other. The couple who give the most correct answers to a series of questions about each other get the chance to win £30,000 for their chosen charity. Hosted by Phillip Schofield.
• Browse all of Dreamscape’s All Star Mr & Mrs news here.
Another couple of airings of, the legendary, Quadrophenia this week, and next!
Quadrophenia: ITV4: Wed 4th June: 11pm
Quadrophenia: ITV4: Tue 10th June: 11.05pm
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.
• View all of Dreamscape’s more recent Quadrophenia news updates here. Difficult to believe this movie was shot 35 years ago now.
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 Willcox is performing at a Bristol venue in November.
The ‘high priestess of punk’ and TV personality has a career spanning 30 years. She has had 13 top 40 singles, including I Want To Be Free, It’s A Mystery and Thunder In The Mountains, and recorded 20 albums.
During this time she has presented a variety of television programmes including Watchdog and Songs Of Praise.
She will be performing a set list featuring many of her classic songs and rarities from the Safari catalogue through to Crimson Queen.
• Continue reading at Mercury 24.
