Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

• Sounds Of The 80s: Toyah’s ‘I Want To Be Free’ was included on the playlist of Sounds Of The 80s on BBC Radio 2 at the weekend, and repeated in the early hours of today – Listen to the show, for the next four weeks (BBC iPlayer, the TV and radio catch-up service, has just extended its programme availability from one week to 30 days), at BBC iPlayer…

• The Talent Zone: Toyah Willcox showcased her home on Through The Keyhole: The actress and eighties music legend, allowed Lemon to roam around her home getting up to all sorts including allowing Toyah’s pet rabbit to break her rather expensive guitar – Continue reading…

• Music For Stowaways: British Rock & Pop Awards 1979-1981: From 1982 (confusingly the 1981 ceremony thanks to the year numbering) onwards, the British Rock & Pop Awards were happening concurrently with the British Record Industry Awards (later the BPI Awards, and even later the BRIT Awards) – Continue reading…

• John’s Look-Out: Reboot…1981 No.49… Here you go with another issue, it’s No.49 – A classic Toyah ‘Look-In’ cover from 1981 – View here…

Toyah is guesting on Sky News this morning, most likely for the Newspaper Review, which takes place at approximately 6.40am and 7.40am (though don’t quote me on that!).

“The acoustic gigs have been so successful that I really need to consider doing another acoustic album.” said Toyah in a recent interview with The Argus. I would love to hear songs from Minx and In The Court Of The Crimson Queen recorded acoustically. In the meantime The Acoustic Album is available at iTunes.

Willyfred, the wonder rabbit and now star of primetime Saturday night TV, has unearthed Toyah’s original Soul Passing Through Soul video outfit… Click below to see the photo at Twitter.

Day 14 of the countdown to Toyah’s IRH Tour saw a new Jubilee page/section added to toyahwillcox.com – Open door 14 by clicking below.

Pershore appeared on prime time TV this weekend as Through the Keyhole explored the home of town resident, Toyah Willcox. The 80s singer and voice of the Telly Tubbies lives in the centre of the town in a large Georgian home. She became the latest victim of funny man Keith Lemon as he explored her large home, which she shares with husband Robert Fripp.

He originally filmed the segment back in May, when he was spotted in Pershore by some locals.

• Continue reading at Worcester News.

It’s Day 13 of the countdown to Toyah’s Songs From the Intergalactic Ranch House tour, and the first date, taking place at the HMV Institute in Birmingham this Saturday.

Day 11 of the countdown saw some fantastic rare photos of Toyah from 1980 added to the official site. Yesterday the ‘Five Live | Vol One: Rarities’, a selection of live songs from various 1981/82 Toyah tours, was made available.

Today there’s an archive of press adverts and posters for Toyah tours and gigs, including some rare early clippings.

• Visit the countdown/Open door 13 here.

A great new interview with Toyah, published yesterday, by The Argus.

Hannah Collisson talks to singer Toyah Willcox about her music and more

To say Toyah is busy is an understatement. She is touring the UK with her acoustic and electric shows, writing two new albums, and has just finished work on a feature film.

Somewhere in between she finds time for meet and greets, learning three musical instruments, and interacting with her fans online.

The singer and actress rose to fame in the 1970s and 1980s with an appearance in the film Quadrophenia, and hits including It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free, and she has not stopped since.

Over the course of 30 years, she has released 20 albums, had 13 top 40 hits, and appeared widely in film, theatre and television. Recent musical appearances for Toyah include a sell-out acoustic date at Shoreham’s Ropetackle Arts Centre earlier this month, and she will be in Brighton for a full-on electric show, Songs From The Intergalactic Ranch House, at The Haunt on November 7.

“At the moment, this year is blowing 35 years away,” reflects Toyah. “It has been incredible; we are getting standing ovations every night…”

• Continue reading at The Argus.

Last night’s Through The Keyhole, which included Toyah and the amazing Willyfred the rabbit, is now available to watch online at ITV Player (and STV, RTE etc). 2.93m (17.5% of the available audience) watched Through The Keyhole (overnight viewing figure by overnights.tv/Digital Spy).

The final edition of Series Two of the revamped Through The Keyhole airs tonight on ITV. It’s repeated on Wednesday and will also be available at ITV Player post-broadcast. Might be an idea to tune in or set your record button…

Through The Keyhole: ITV: Saturday 11th October: 10pm
Through The Keyhole: ITV: Wednesday 15th October: 11pm
Series 2, Episode 7: Keith Lemon snoops around more homes of mystery celebrities and unearths clues as to the identity of the inhabitants, which the studio panel then have to work out themselves. Keith’s guests are entertainment legend Des O’Connor, presenter and musician Myleene Klass and DJ and TV host Dave Berry.

Yesterday was day nine of toyahwillcox.com’s, excellent and eclectic, countdown to the start of the Songs From The Intergalactic Ranch House tour, with an acoustic version of ‘Dreamscape’ being made available. Today a Sheep Farming In Barnet archive has been added to Toyah’s Official Website. Open door ten by clicking below…

• Toyah has been tweeting over the last few days about possible outfit ideas for the Intergalactic Ranch House tour, saying she may wear something different for each date, and posting a photo of a previously unseen design by Melissa Caplan.

A short, but glowing, four-star review of Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal concert at Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham, by The Latest.

While everyone has been raving about Kate Bush’s recent gigs, another female singing national treasure, Toyah, has been on tour. Mixing her acoustic set with amusing anecdotes and asides from a pop and acting career spanning 37 years, Ms. Willcox proved more than capable of enrapturing a capacity crowd, with classic numbers like ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘It’s A Mystery’, alongside impressive cover versions of Guns ‘n’ Roses’ ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’ and Billy Idol’s ‘Rebel Yell’. “The Lisping Rebel” may look more middle England than hardcore punk these days, but she’s lost none of her impressive vocal range or zeal.

• Continue reading at The Latest. View their previous reviews of recent Toyah tours, and browse the remaining 2014 Acoustic, Up Close & Personal tour dates at toyahwillcox.com.

A repeat airing for “Toyah’s episode” of Kavanagh Q. C. later this month on, the still shiny and relatively new, ITV Encore.

Kavanagh Q.C.: ITV Encore: Tue 21st October: 2.55pm
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. Also airing on ITV Encore HD and Plus 1.

Yesterday there was another instalment of “Ask Toyah” via door seven at toyahwillcox.com’s countdown to the start of the Songs From The Intergalactic Ranch House tour, and today “The Live Archive 1978 – 1983” has been launched. Open door eight by clicking below…

I must confess, I haven’t looked at Dreamscape’s stats for a good while. Just been too busy with other things.

I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the stats at Stat Counter tonight (just 20 minutes ago to be precise) – In these times of Facebook, social media and everything else but the kitchen sink, this site is still very busy and continues to receive 100’s of unique visitors each and every day. Even on the quietest day of the last couple of months, which was Sunday 14th September, there was still 190 unique visitors.

In the last day alone there have been visits to Dreamscape from: UK, USA, Australia, France, Ireland, Germany, Turkey, Netherlands, Spain, Kenya, Sweden, Italy, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Finland. Russian Federation, Singapore, Poland and Latvia.

Interest in Toyah is truly global – View a larger version of the stats graphic here.

It’s day six of toyahwillcox.com’s countdown to the Intergalactic tour and today things have went all Sugar and Spice. Click below to open door six.

Phil Spalding’s Official Website has recently been updated with more content, including his memories of working on Warrior Rock and Love Is The Law. Read by clicking below.

More photos from Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal UK Tour. These are from Friday night’s sold out concert at Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham. Click below to view these, and more, at Dreamscape’s Gallery. Browse all of our Acoustic, Up Close & Personal news… (Thanks again to Angus | Photos © Angus Turner)

The tour countdown continues, today it’s a look at one of the most legendary points of Toyah’s career (for me anyway): The 1980 ATV documentary TOYAH. Open door five by clicking below…

• ToyahTV: More webisodes have been uploaded over the last week: Soundchecks, birthdays, cake, Toyah vinyl and much more – View them all at The Official Toyah Vimeo page…

• Cinema Sojourns: God Stave The Queen: One of the few films to emerge from Britain’s punk rock movement of the mid-seventies that succinctly expressed the anger and anarchic spirit of the times, Jubilee (1978) – Continue reading…

• Open Culture: Derek Jarman’s Jubilee: “It’s the Best Film about Punk” (1978): Derek Jarman was too old and too accomplished to be a punk. By 1977, the openly gay filmmaker and artist was already 36 and had an impressive CV – Continue reading…

• Vintage TV: It’s Personal: Keeping it up close and personal for us this month is another fabulous four on My Vintage. You can relax as Frankie Goes to Hollywood’s Holly Johnson (19th October, 5.00pm) singles out the songs that speak to him, and tells us why, in his show debut. Also on our eclectic guest list is singer Shirlie Kemp (5th October, 5.00pm), of 80s duo Pepsi and Shirlie, punk princess Toyah Willcox with her legendary guitarist husband Robert Fripp of King Crimson fame (13th October, 10.30pm), and the beehived chanteuse Mari Wilson (20th October, 10.30pm) – Visit the website here…

• Bent: BAMcinématek To Screen Complete Retrospective of Derek Jarman’s Films!: Get ready Brooklyn: BAMcinématek has announced they will be presenting the most comprehensive NYC Derek Jarman retrospective in nearly two decades. “Queer Pagan Punk: The Films of Derek Jarman” will screen October 30-November 11, featuring all of his feature films – Continue reading…

• Ultimate Classic Rock: 35 Years Ago: The Who’s ‘Quadrophenia’ Film Adaptation Becomes a Cult Classic – Continue reading…

• Fred Perry: Quadrophenia: A Way of Life (Inside the Making of Britain’s Greatest Youth Film): It’s 35 years since Quadrophenia, the iconic Mod cult film, hit the world’s cinema screens – Continue reading…

• British Council: Derek Jarman retrospective: This took place at the Fakel Cinema in Russia, between 15th and 25th September – Further info here…

Day Four of the official countdown to Toyah’s Songs From The Intergalactic Ranch House UK Tour. The sheet music that was available for a selection of Toyah’s early 80s singles has been added to the new toyahwillcox.com archive. Open door four by clicking below…