Archive
BBC News: Hits On The Pitch Festival 2024
Stars give music fans ‘blast from the past’ at festival
Hundreds of music fans have enjoyed a “blast from the past” at a one-day festival celebrating some of the stars of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.
Pop acts such as Toyah, Haircut 100, Damage and Liberty X took to the stage at Hits On The Pitch at Stockport Rugby Club in Greater Manchester on Saturday.
The event saw many memorable moments, including singer Chesney Hawkes leading the crowd in a rendition of The Beatles’ Hey Jude, in tribute to England footballer Jude Bellingham before the nation’s appearance in the Euros 2024 final.
Organiser Paul Taylor said it had been a chance to go “back to the good old glory days” and enjoy “guilty pleasures and forgotten treasures spanning across three unforgettable decades”.
• Continue reading at BBC News.
Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: Sat Song/UM/Sunday Lunch
Toyah On TV: Minder (All Mod Cons)
Minder: ITV4: Thursday 25th July: 3.35pm
Minder: ITV4: Friday 26th July: 6.10am
Minder: ITV4: Thursday 1st August: 1.50am
All Mod Cons. Series 2, Episode 8. Terry tries to help his friend Kate evict some unwanted tenants, but comes to doubt her motives. Meanwhile, Arthur is desperate to get into the property market and tries to sell Terry’s flat without telling him. Guest starring Toyah Willcox and Simon Cadell. Director: Ian Sharp. Also starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Peter Childs, George Layton, Patrick Malahide, Michael Troughton. Also showing on ITV4 HD.
Dreamscape: Site Stats
I sometimes get asked why I still regularly update a website that’s been online for close to 25 years… Well, I’ve always saw this as, essentially, a great hobby and something I enjoy doing. I have a busy, and varied, life but I’ve always found time to update this website and having been a Toyah fan for the past 44 years, I’ve enjoyed reporting on Toyah’s career for the past 25… One other reason is that Dreamscape is still an incredibly popular, much visited website. The stats aren’t always as busy as they were in the past week but we do get a lot of visitors!
Yours: The Ultimate Royal Rocker?
A short Toyah press clip from Yours magazine, issue dated 9th July 2024.
If asked who you’d consider to be the ‘original punk rocker’ it’s unlikely that Princess Margaret would spring to mind. But after meeting Her Royal Highness and the Queen Mother at St James’ Palace many years ago, singer Toyah Willcox believes she was just that.
“We talked about the philosophy of punk rock and how it was opening doors for women and she was fascinated,” says Toyah. “I met her many times after that and she was a wicked and very sharp woman. I realised later that Princess Margaret was probably the original punk rocker as she just rebelled and rebelled and rebelled.”
• Yours magazine is on sale now. (Photo taken from Yours magazine).
Toyah At Home: More Announcements Coming!
Toyah during Saturday’s Toyah At Home: “Look out, as there are more announcements coming up over the next few months… Oh boy! Are there more announcements coming up! Yes!” Pre-order the Rebel Run EP.
Bishop’s Stortford Independent: Sign Of The Times
Sign of the Times music festival is a wet wet wet weekend saved by great music
The Waterboys were an apt first-night headline act for the Sign of the Times festival at Church End, Little Hadham.
If you add in a set by Toyah, complete with a guest appearance by husband and King Crimson guitar hero Robert Fripp, what more could you want?
• Continue reading at Bishop’s Stortford Independent.
Rebel Run/Minx 2024: More Rare/Unseen Toyah Photos
Two more rare photos of Toyah have been made available recently, from the Love Is The Law and Minx eras, in anticipation of the reissue of both albums, and the Rebel Run 2024 EP.
• See two other, previously unseen, shots here. Pre-order the Rebel Run EP, and Minx. (Photos © Cherry Red/Demon Music)
Official Toyah: July 2024 Blog
Toyah’s blog for June is available to read at toyahwillcox.com. Lots direct from Toyah, including the news that Cherry Red are keen to make a physical release of Roses In Chains available.
Films: Weightless – A Year Of Awards!
What a great year 2023 was for Weightless! See the collection of awards and nominations the short film received by clicking below.
Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: At Home/UM/Sunday Lunch
Toyah On TV: Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?!
Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Sunday 14th July: 10pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Visage, Five Star, Divine, Cher, The Jam, Bananarama, Dead Or Alive, Bucks Fizz, ABC, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Madonna, Adam & The Ants, A Flock Of Seagulls, Roxy Music, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Su Pollard, Toyah herself and more in this crazy countdown!
Thunder In The Mountains: Remixed & Extended (Unofficially)
Ever wondered what a remixed and mega-extended – almost nine minute – version of Thunder In The Mountains would sound like?
Releases: Rebel Run 10-Inch Colour Vinyl EP
Another exciting Toyah reissue. Rebel Run, Toyah’s penultimate physical single release on Safari Records, receives a 10″ colour vinyl EP release on 20th September 2024.
NB. This release features a number of previously unseen Rebel Run/Love Is The Law era Toyah photos, including the great new cover shot – See another at toyahwillcox.com.
TOYAH: REBEL RUN, 10-INCH COLOURED VINYL EXPANDED EP
Newly expanded and remastered EP version of Toyah’s 1983 Top 30 single ‘Rebel Run’. This specially expanded EP is a pre-cursor to the forthcoming Cherry Red reissue of the Toyah band’s final studio album ‘Love Is The Law’.
Recorded in July 1983 at the Marquee Studios, Rebel Run was produced by Nick Tauber, and saw Toyah and Joel Bogen joined by songwriter and keyboardist Simon Darlow to create new material following the silver- certified album ‘The Changeling’.
Pressed on grey-coloured 10” vinyl, the EP is led by a previously unreleased extended version of ‘Rebel Run’, mixed during the original album recording sessions in 1983, but which remained in the vaults. Also making its debut from the archives is an Alternate version of the album title track ‘Love Is The Law’ featuring alternate lyrics. Side Two presents new remasters of the two original B-Sides of ‘Rebel Run’ and an unheard Instrumental version of the EP’s title track.
The tracks have been remastered by Nick Watson from the original master tapes and approved by Joel Bogen.
The EP features stunning previously unseen photography from the album photo sessions, depicting a futuristic aesthetic with Toyah in red body armour custom-designed by Swanky Modes. The outfit was worn by Toyah in the single’s promo video inspired by sci-fi movie Tron. A colour inner bag features yet further rare imagery.
A limited edition postcard of a previously-unseen image of Toyah will come with every 10” vinyl EP.
TRACK LISTING
REBEL SIDE (SIDE ONE)
1. Rebel Run (Extended)*
2. Love Is The Law (Alternate)*
RUN SIDE (SIDE TWO)
1. Rebel Run (Instrumental)*
2. To The Mountains High
3. Baptised In Fire
* previously unreleased
• Pre-order at Cherry Red Records. See further info at toyahwillcox.com. See Toyah announce the release at this morning’s Toyah At Home.
Live 2024: Toyah & Robert – Heroes @ Glastonbury
Heroes – Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp – Avalon Stage – Glastonbury Festival 2024.
Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: Sat Song/UM/Sunday Lunch
Toyah On TV: Quadrophenia Our Generation/Reunited
Quadrophenia – Our Generation: Sky Arts: Sunday 14th July: 0.25am
Celebrity fans and cast members come together to shed light on the making of Quadrophenia and explore the legacy that the cult film has left behind, 40 years after its release.
Quadrophenia Reunited – 40 Years On: Sky Arts: Sunday 14th July: 1.25am
Lauren Laverne hosts a one-off special bringing the stars of Quadrophenia together. Featuring reminiscing, interviews, a table-read of the script and plenty of surprises. (Photo © Sky Arts)
Toyah On TV: Tales Of The Unexpected
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Thursday 18th July: 6pm
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Sunday 21st July: 9am
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Monday 22nd July: 8.55am
Blue Marigold. Series 5, Episode 1. Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold’s mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback. Director: Giles Foster. Starring: Toyah Willcox, Ralph Bates, Sharon Duce, Helen Fraser, Billy Hamon, Edward Jewesbury.
Huff Post: Strictly Celebrity Rumours 2024
These Are All The Celebrities Who’ve Been Rumoured For Strictly Come Dancing 2024 So Far
Stars from across the world of TV, sport, music and beyond have already been tipped to be taking part this year.
With the summer only just starting to get underway, it might seem like the new series of Strictly Come Dancing is still aaaaages away – but we’re actually only just over a month away from the first of this year’s celebrities being revealed. In the past few weeks, rumours have been coming in thick and fast about which stars will be getting their dancing shoes on for a very special series of Strictly, commemorating 20 years since the show first began airing on BBC One.
Celebrities from across the world of TV, sport, music and beyond have already being tipped to be in the pipeline, ahead of the first announcements in August. So, to get you in the Strictly spirit, here are all the rumours about the 2024 line-up that have been reported so far…
Toyah Willcox: In June, The Sun reported that British music legend Toyah Wilcox had signed up for Strictly, after being impressed by her friend and colleague Angela Rippon’s performance a year earlier.
She previously joked to The Mirror: “I’d have to do it sooner rather than later, because I’m not gonna be able to move. I do understand how hard they work. I’m friends with Angela Rippon and she was extraordinary,” she continued. “But they’re rehearsing 10 hours a day every day. And then on Saturday, they do two shows.”
She added: “If I’m going to do it, it’s gonna have to happen within the next few years because I don’t think I’ll be able to move like that in two years’ time. But, you know, the whole world wants to do Strictly, I wouldn’t say no.”
• Continue reading at the Huff Post. See also Yahoo! News.
Toyah On TV: Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?!
Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Tuesday 9th July: 9pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Visage, Five Star, Divine, Cher, The Jam, Bananarama, Dead Or Alive, Bucks Fizz, ABC, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Madonna, Adam & The Ants, A Flock Of Seagulls, Roxy Music, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Su Pollard, Toyah herself and more in this crazy countdown!