Friday 12th December, 7.00pm – Toyah’s Vintage Christmas
Prepare to cosy up with our yuletide-loving pop princess presenter Toyah Willcox as she pulls out all the stops for your holiday viewing pleasure and takes us on a nostalgic journey through some of the most memorable Christmas videos of the 20th Century, sprinkled with a generous handful of fun festive facts.
Saturday 13th December, 10.00am – Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo
Presenter Toyah Willcox wraps up warm for a trip to London Zoo, where she gets up close and personal with the animals, tells Christmas stories and introduces a host of favourite festive songs. Take a wander with our punk princess and bring a little creature comfort to your celebrations.
• Continue reading at Vintage TV. Check out Toyah’s full, so far, Vintage TV schedule.
Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas aired on ‘BBC Radio 2′ on the 20th December 2012.
An interesting look back at the golden years of the magazine, including contributions from Toyah, talking about ‘Smash Hits’ in general as well as her iconic “Brave New World” cover from 1982. Listen to the full programme at You Tube.
Neil Tennant had a life as a journalist before he became famous as a Pet Shop Boy. In fact, it was on a Smash Hits trip to New York that he had his big breakthrough with the record producer Bobby O. Here, 30 years after his first stint on pop’s most successful and inventive magazine, Neil recalls the golden days of Smash Hits. We hear from founder and legendary magazine maker Nick Logan, editors David Hepworth and Mark Ellen, writers Miranda Sawyer and Sylvia Patterson, and from regular Smash Hits cover girl, Toyah.
• Toyah @ Twitter: Yesterday Toyah tweeted a lovely festive photo: “Our christmas wreath is up including white bunnies and now we r expecting snow…….where’s my sledge xxxx” – View a larger version of the photo… (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
• Toyah Live 2015: More live dates for next year, including an Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date on 9th May at Selby Town Hall – Visit the Official Gig Diary…
• Worcerstershire Life: An interview with Toyah from 2008, around the time of her 50th birthday, has recently been re-published – “Some women,” whispers the photographer discreetly, “just look better and better as they get older.” Read here…
• The Seattle Times: ‘Sub Pop USA’ book release party celebrates the independent music scene of the 1980s: As Johnson spun discs by post punk NW acts like the Beakers and the Blackouts, one could spot the Beakers’ George Romansic and the Blackouts’ Bill Rieflin chatting to each other (the always busy Rieflin, most recently playing with King Crimson, revealed he’s planning a new musical project with British singer Toyah Willcox) – Continue reading…
• Dorset Echo: Shock rockers plan to set the Pavilion alight: Vampires Rock: The show has attracted some famous names in its time on tour too. In 2007 Eddie Ojeda of hit rock band Twisted Sister played guitar in the show, and he was followed by Toyah Willcox, who toured in the show for two years as the Devil Queen, the long-suffering wife of Baron Von Rockula – Continue reading…
There’s already been lots of interesting content revealed daily at toyahwillcox.com’s Christmas Advent, including this glorious photo of Toyah, Joel Bogen and Phil Spalding from Hold Tight in 1982. The festive countdown continues right through until Christmas Eve… (Photo Source: The Official Toyah Willcox Website)
Great recent photos of, Toyah’s legendary warehouse, Mayhem, near Battersea in London. Please click below to view larger versions of these and more. (Thanks to Dan Greensmith for sharing these photos with Dreamscape’s readers)
Thanks to Andrew McDougall for letting Dreamscape know about his latest radio show, which aired on “Radio Today” in South Africa on Wednesday. Andrew included info on The Humans and a play of the wonderful Amnesia, and it’s available to listen to as a podcast.
Canon Piper responds to listeners requests. The short story “”Willem Prinsloos peach brandy”” by one of South Africa’s greatest writers, Herman Charles Bosman, is read, along with a short bio and a song of the English rock band The Humans. Kensington has Scottish and English roots. We are still blessed to have the Scottish Pipers practice every Sunday right within our midst, and of course we have the Kensington Castle. Radio Today broadcasts on 1485 AM in Johannesburg and nationally on DStv audio channel 869. Radio Today also streams on its website www.1485.org.za and on cell phones on 1485.mobi. Radio Today. Radio that delivers.
• Listen to the show at Podomatic.
100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross: Channel 4: Saturday 13th December: 6pm
100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross: 4Seven: Sunday 14th December: 4pm
A countdown of the nation’s favourite games, gadgets and playthings, as decided by a Channel 4 online poll. Inventors and toymakers tell the inside stories of their creations and successes – including Action Man, Yahtzee, Barbie and Trivial Pursuit – while the children of yesteryear, namely today’s celebrities, authors, actors and journalists, take a nostalgic look back at the toys they loved. Also revealed is the inspiration behind the design of the Raleigh Chopper, the unlikely individual responsible for the creation of one of the world’s toughest action figures, and why the Vietnam War almost brought Britain’s Matchbox car range to an end. (Toyah appears briefly, via 1981 “Rubik Cube” footage)
We like to call it our seasonal selection box – perfect Christmas TV to dip into for those melting musical moments. It’s pure indulgence but these are sweet treats to keep you entertained throughout the festivities. Unwrap and savour shows including Toyah’s Christmas at the Zoo, A Very Vintage Christmas, Christmas in the Studio – with Martine McCutcheon and Michael Ball introducing performing artists Nerina Pallot, Beverley Craven, Paul Carrack and Jive Bunny – Pat Sharp’s Christmas Top 20, Toyah’s Vintage Christmas and a host of Christmassy song selections. There are goodies galore for everyone to share in our programming pic ‘n’ mix!
• Continue reading at Vintage TV. Check out our recent Vintage TV Toyah news.
A new date has been confirmed for The Humans Telling Strange Tales 2015 UK Tour. The band will play Gloucester Guildhall on Tuesday 14th April.
• View more details on the tour and ticket links here.
Christmas Eve 2012, Toyah guested on Marlow FM’s “Musical Milestones” on The Eclectic Light Show. She discussed her life and career and chose six songs along the way.
As this aired on Christmas Eve and the station didn’t have a Listen Again function I recorded it and uploaded to Dreamscape a low quality mp3 of the 30-minute special. Click below to listen/download.
More upcoming air times/dates for Toyah’s Vintage TV festive specials. (Photo © Vintage TV)
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Sunday 7th December: 1am
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Wednesday 10th December: 11pm
Cosy up with family and friends as Toyah Willcox brings you a selection of fine Christmas songs and a sprinkling of festive stories, surrounded by a variety of creatures great and small. (This originally aired as a two-hour special. These are cut-down one hour programmes)
Toyah’s Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Friday 5th December: 1pm
Toyah’s Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Friday 12th December: 7pm
Snuggle down by the fire with the family as punk princess, Toyah Willcox, introduces some of the finest Christmas videos of the 20th Century, sprinkled with a generous handful of fun festive facts.
Toyah is mentioned in a recent Daily Mail article, on the past century of hairstyles being captured in a time lapse video.
1970s: “At the beginning of the 1970’s a dark natural blonde look remained popular, inspired by Farrah Fawcett from the cult series ‘Charlies Angels’. Hair was all about manes of free-falling curls, soft partings and long fringes completed by bronzed skin. However by the end of the era with the ‘Punk’ movement, women like Toyah Willcox started to experiment with hair colour. For the first time we saw vivid primary or fluorescent hair colours emerging.”
• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.
Two retro radio interviews with Toyah from the early 1980s have just been transcribed by The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive: Radio Reading (1982) and Piccadilly Radio (1983). (Thanks to Lärwi for making these available)
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip: Yesterday: Wednesday 17th December: 9am
Celebrity Antiques Road Trip: Yesterday: Wednesday 17th December: 4pm
DJ Tony Blackburn and punk rocker Toyah Willcox take to the road, scouring the shops of York and Pickering in the hope of finding some poptastic period pieces to flog at auction. (Also airing on Yesterday +1)
More festive Toyah viewing from the fantastic Vintage TV channel. (Photo © Vintage TV)
A Very Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Sunday 14th December: 1am
Presenters Toyah Willcox and Wizzard’s Roy Wood are cosying up by the fireplace with two guest artists on our new show as they talk Christmas and sing favourite festive songs. (Part 1)
A Very Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Sunday 14th December: 10am
Snuggling up by the fireside with Toyah Willcox and Roy Wood for some Christmas chat and festive songs are pop rock act The Feeling and Imagination’s Leee John. (Part 2)
Toyah didn’t release any new music in 1984 but ‘Smash Hits’ still included her in their special extra issue – The Smash Hits Christmas Party, published in association with Woolworth – in December 1984: Will You Be Watching The Queen’s Speech? When you jump up after the Christmas Top Of The Pops, is it to stand to attention for Her Majesty or a mad dash to switch off the TV? We asked a selection of pop stars if they’d be tuning in to that speech… Click below to view a larger version – Read the full issue here. (Thanks to Like Punk Never Happened – Smash Hits Archive)
The Digital Advent at The Official Toyah Willcox Website has started today. Check every day in the lead up to Christmas – “Surprises in store”.
The Breaking Through newsletter has today confirmed more live dates for Toyah. These are in addition to the Acoustic and Humans tours and includes festivals and multi-artist concerts.
• Subscribe: For full info on all of the above, and to receive future issues of the newsletter, sign up to ‘Breaking Through’ here.
Welcome to December! It’s the first of our build-up/countdown to Christmas posts. There’s no particular theme this year, other than each entry will be Christmas/Toyah related. Beginning with a look back at some of Dreamscape’s previous Christmas “cards” posted on the site on various Christmas Eve’s over the years. Ah the memories. I particularly enjoyed updating Dreamscape at Christmas… December was always a ridiculously busy month and updating each day seemed to add to the excitement of the countdown to the 25th!
More upcoming air times/dates for Toyah’s Vintage TV festive special.
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Wednesday 3rd December: 5pm
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Sunday 7th December: 1am
Cosy up with family and friends as Toyah Willcox brings you a selection of fine Christmas songs and a sprinkling of festive stories, surrounded by a variety of creatures great and small. (This originally aired as a two-hour special. These are cut-down one hour programmes)
FM: 4Music: Thursday 4th December: 10.30pm
System Addict. Jane dares Dom to quit drinking, he challenges her to stop smoking and Lyndsay is set the task of finding a girlfriend. Including guest appearances by the Toyah Willcox and the Wombats, who perform My Circuitboard City. Comedy, starring Chris O’Dowd, Kevin Bishop and Nina Sosanya.
