Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Five decades of British rock and pop music, told by the people who loved it most – the fans.

The BBC is crowdsourcing photos and audio/video of your cherished music memorabilia – ticket stubs, diary entries, teen band recordings, wrist bands, rare footage and more – to tell the stories of British rock and pop music from the 1950s to the noughties. Whether you were into skiffle, punk, hip hop or anything in between, we want to see your stuff and hear your stories!

What was the first record you bought? Do you still have the ticket stub to your all-time favourite gig?

What was the first record you bought? Do you still have the ticket stub to your all-time favourite gig? Were you in a teen band and do you still have the recordings?

• Continue reading at BBC People’s History of Pop.

There’s a great new project from the BBC who are crowdsourcing the People’s History of Pop. They asked Craig Astley, who manages The Official Toyah Willcox website, if they could use the well known photo of him, aged five first meeting Toyah, as their main website banner. The site launched last Friday. The crowdsourced memories will form the backbone of a new four-part series for future broadcast on BBC Four.

• Visit People’s History of Pop/HistoryPin. (Thanks to Craig)

Toyah is PA-ing at July Braai 2015 this Friday, in Elvaston, Derby.

Iconic 70’s Pop Diva Toyah Willcox will be performing at JB 2015 70’s night on Friday 24th July at 9.00pm.

In a career spanning more than thirty years, Toyah has had 8 Top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films, and voiced and presented numerous television shows. Between 1977 and 1983 she fronted the band Toyah, before embarking on a solo career in the mid-1980s. Her biggest hits include “It’s a Mystery”, “Thunder in the Mountains” and “I Want to Be Free

• Continue reading at Festival Team.

What a few months we’ve had! June began with an investment from two investors with an amount that would enable us to get a good two weeks’ worth of shooting in the can. So in mid-June, we assembled our cast and crew and got to work…

Firstly, we filmed in an old medieval priory called The CharterHouse in Coventry. This doubled up as a care centre in which our hero Tom works. It is here that we meet Floyd, Harriet and Samantha, some of the characters Tom take with him during the alien invasion and who will eventually help in saving the Earth. These were played by Simon Haycock (Tom), Danny Steele (Floyd), Julie Hoult (Harriet) and Sophie Anderson (Samantha). We also had the wonderful Toyah Willcox with us who plays the Senior Nurse, Claire Dove.

• Continue reading at kaleidoscopeman.com. (Photo © kaleidoscopeman.com)

Are you already planning what to do this August Bank Holiday? Well, plan no further as this year Aylesbury Town Council will bring you a full programme of free entertainment and live music throughout the bank holiday weekend in Vale Park. This exciting weekend is called Parklife and will encompass Live in the Park, Church in the Park, Fun in the Park and Proms in the Park brought to you jointly by Aylesbury Town Council and Aylesbury Church Network.

Live in the Park – FREE Saturday 29 August, Vale Park, 12noon until 9:30pm

Vale Park will be filled with continuous live music performed on a large outdoor stage by 80’s pop star TOYAH and a number of fantastic local bands playing an array of musical styles and genres from rockabilly, punk and new wave to well-known pop and rock covers, beside original local singers and songwriters

• Continue reading at Aylesbury Town Council.

Hundreds of voices in unison at Rotherham concert

Hundreds of young voices were singing in unison with pop idol Toyah Willcox as the curtain was brought down on Rotherham’s biggest annual youth event.

The One Voice concert at the New York Stadium marked the closing of this year’s Rotherham Children’s Festival. Thousands of children have taken part in talent shows, art, film and music projects during the summer programme based around Rotherham United’s town centre base.

Toyah, who has enjoyed a 30-year singing and acting career, was back in town for the third time to compere the massive choir made up of schools from around the borough.

• Continue reading at the Rotherham Advertiser. (Photos © Rotherham Advertiser)

A repeat airing for “Toyah’s episode” of Kavanagh Q. C. later this month on ITV Encore.

Kavanagh Q.C.: ITV Encore: Tue 28th July: 1.45pm
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.

Dirty Sexy Funny: Olivia Lee: Comedy Central Extra: Thursday 30th July: 3.25am
Dirty Sexy Funny: Olivia Lee: Comedy Central Extra: Sunday 2nd August: 3.30am
Olivia Lee stars in this hidden camera sketch show. Deaf Bubba makes a mess of things at the marina, Door Bitch takes a punt and Elaine Caine meets Toyah Willcox.

The 28th consecutive edition of the annual Bewdley Festival brings its traditional mix of local talent and national and international stars of stage, screen and concert halls, all packed into ten days in October and with something for everyone.

Evening events offer music from Leo Sayer, Mari Wilson, and Toyah Willcox plus comedy from Dr Phil Hammond. From your TV screens, Festival brings science presenter Professor Alice Roberts, food critic and writer Jay Rayner and Antiques Roadshow experts Hilary Kay and Paul Atterbury.

9th to 18th October 2015: Tickets for the 2015 Festival are on sale for all events from Saturday 25th July 2015. Tickets can be purchased either by phone or post (many events sell very quickly so please check availability first) from Worcester Live

A talented duo of guitarists, Chris Wong and Colin Hinds, accompany Toyah on meticulous and melodic acoustic versions of the hits It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free and Good Morning Universe through to Sensational, a track used recently on a national TV advertising campaign starring Patsy Kensit.

• Continue reading at the Bewdley Festival website. Visit Toyah’s event page here.

• Barbican: The Raft of the Medusa (15*) + ScreenTalk with Richard Heslop, Jeremy Mortimer and Toyah Willcox: After the film, we’re excited to hear Richard Heslop discuss his work, alongside the independent audio producer Jeremy Mortimer in a ScreenTalk hosted by Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…

• Live 2015: Tours, Gigs, Festivals, Events, PAs… Browse Toyah’s official Gig Diary for 2015 at toyahwillcox.com…

• The Guardian: Actor Roger Rees dies aged 71: Fans and friends pay tribute to Tony award-winning actor known for roles in The West Wing, Cheers and What You Will – Continue reading…

• Heart Of England: Dramatic Looking Women Of Music: Below is Toyah Willcox, who made new-wave punk music in the 1980s. She is from Birmingham, which is a city of a million in the English midlands – Continue reading…

Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal tour played Nantwich Civic Hall last night. The Mayor of Nantwich met up, pre-gig, with Toyah – Looking amazing in red! View the full photo, at Twitter, by clicking below. (Photo © Nantwich Civic)

The actor Roger Rees, who starred with Toyah, Sir Laurence Olivier and Greta Scacchi in The Ebony Tower in 1983, has died aged 71.

BBC News: Welsh actor Roger Rees, star of Cheers and The West Wing, has died aged 71

Mr Rees, who was born in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, won Tony and Olivier awards in 1982 for his title role in the The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. He played millionaire Robin Colcord in 1980s comedy Cheers and Lord John Marbury in US political drama The West Wing from 2000 to 2005. Mr Rees had lived in America for 25 years and died after a short illness.

• Continue reading at BBC News.

Acoustic, Up Close & Personal with Toyah at Enginuity Friday evening 2nd October

Household name, pop icon, TV presenter and actress Toyah is coming to the Engine Shop at Enginuity in Coalbrookdale on Friday evening, 2nd October. ‘Acoustic, Up Close & Personal with Toyah’ is a wonderful chance to experience the 1980s pop superstar up close and personal at a lively song and storytelling style gig.

Toyah will be entertaining the audience with a selection of her much loved hit singles. Supported by musicians Chris Wong and Colin Hinds, her performance will include It’s a Mystery, Thunder in the Mountains, I Want to be Free and Good Morning Universe.

• Continue reading at the The Best of Telford and Wrekin.

Best of the fests: Our guide to 11 top summer festivals

Pull on your wellies and dig out your tent! It’s summer festival season and there’s everything from 1980s retro to world music to entertain you. Flicky Harrison reports

Fairport’s Cropredy Convention

Toyah Willcox joins the merry men and women invited to perform at this year’s Fairport’s Cropredy Convention. The former punk princess has now won her place among the music luminaries selected by folk rock legends Fairport Convention at the Oxfordshire festival.

She joins a line-up including Fish, the former lead singer of Marillion, The Proclaimers, Level 42, Dreadzone and a number of special surprise guests who simply ‘pop up’ in traditional Cropredy style. As host band, Fairport will open the festival which runs from Thursday, August 13, to Saturday, August 15. For more details visit fairportconvention.com/cropredy.php

• Continue reading at the Swindon Advertiser. Browse Toyah’s full gig diary, including all her upcoming 2015 festival appearances, at toyahwillcox.com.

Last week Toyah guested on Tracks Of My Years on Ken Bruce’s BBC Radio Two show – Here’s a catch-up of some extra related newsy bits…

• Official Toyah: Toyah Selects The ‘Tracks Of My Years’: Toyah has selected the Tracks of My Years for BBC Radio 2’s Ken Bruce Show which airs all of this week – Visit toyahwillcox.com…

• The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive: Read a full transcript of Toyah’s Tracks Of My Years week – including all her song choices and chat – at Lärwi’s site…

• Ken Bruce @ Twitter: Ken tweeted: “toyahofficial is choosing the #Tracksofmyyears all week with @realkenbruce starting with T Rex and Kate Bush…“.

• Tasmin Archer @ Twitter: Tasmin tweeted: “Toyah Willcox picks the Tracks of My Years,with songs from David Bowie & Tasmin Archer“.

• BBC Radio 2 Facebook: A listener posted: “Glad I listened to Toyah Willcox yesterday explain the meaning of Nights in White Satin. For the past 30 odd years I’ve been clueless as to its meaning…!”

• Shadow.com: Want to see what people say about Lana Del Rey? – Not sure if this is a Lana Del Rey website but they mentioned Toyah choosing Videogames on Ken’s show.

• Listen Again: The full week of programmes are available at BBC iPlayer until the end of July.

• Tracks Of My Years @ Dreamscape: Browse all of our news here…

• Film4: FrightFest 2015: Thursday 27th August – Monday 31st August: Film4 FrightFest 2015 marks its 16th year with its largest line-up ever. Over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the UK’s leading event for genre fans will return to the Vue West End, Leicester Square to present 76 films across five screens, plus a host of special events – Continue reading…

• End of The Road: Cinema: We’re delighted to announce that Will Hodgkinson will be taking over the film tent at this year’s End of The Road Festival – As well as presenting a “Country Life” themed Friday, a “Rock ‘n’ Roll” Saturday and a Sunday of “Glamour”, he’ll be bringing actor Steve Oram along to discuss and screen his directorial debut Aaaaaaaah! with actors Alice Lowe and Julian Barratt – Continue reading…

• Hollywood Reporter: U.K.’s FrightFest Genre Festival Unveils Biggest Ever Lineup: FrightFest is set to screen the world premiere of comedy shocker Aaaaaaaah! by Steve Oram, star and co-writer of Ben Wheatley’s 2012 comedy Sightseers – Continue reading…

• IGN: Howl, The Hallow and More Play at FrightFest 2015: We’re looking forward to Deathgasm, Turbo Kid and AAAAAAAAH!, which looks weird, wonderful and deeply disturbing – Continue reading…

• British Horror Revival: Baker’s dozen British features at Frightfest: Frightfest have announced their line-up for 2015 and as usual it includes a good selection of British features. Thirteen in total – Continue reading…

• Games Radar: Film4 FrightFest 2015 reveals full line-up of films: Film4 FrightFest 2015 has unveiled its largest line-up ever, with the festival set to present seventy-six films across five screens, plus a host of special events… Home-grown highlights include Steve Oram’s darkly comic Aaaaaaaah! – Continue reading…

• Aaaaaaaah! @ Dreamscape: Browse all of our Aaaaaaaah! news here…

Following the recent news that the 1979 series of Quatermass is to be reissued on DVD… It will also be available, for the first time, on Blu-ray too – With a Limited Edition first run to be available in four different coloured sleeves, based on the title colour scheme of each episode.

• Visit the Blu-ray info/product page at the Network DVD website. The Blu-ray is also available to pre-order at Amazon. (Thanks to Stephen Bennett Troake for the update, and thanks again to Giddy Gavin for the original info)

Toyah tweeted a photo from yesterday’s One Voice concert – This is the third year running she has guested at the event at Rotherham’s New York Stadium. Click below to visit Toyah at Twitter. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

• This photo reminded me of that fantastic National Trust shot from Autumn 2012.

Steve Oram’s directorial debut comedy horror, about a world inhabited by apes in human form

Starring: Steve Oram, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Noel Fielding, Alice Lowe, Julian Barratt, Tony Way, Toyah Willcox, Lucy Honigman, Shelley Longworth, Tom Meeten, Waen Shepherd.

Alpha Male Smith and his Beta, Keith, move to take over a local community. They hook up with restless Female, Denise, igniting a deadly feud in which emotions run high and deep-seated grudges resurface amongst the tribe. Are we not men? Or are we simply beasts?

Steve Oram, the actor/writer from Sightseers and Kill List stars in his long-awaited debut feature with a host of his friends. Get ready for the most unusual celluloid primal scream – an anarchic, hilarious, disturbing and touching look at the human condition.

• Continue reading at the British Comedy Guide.

Princess of Punk Toyah Willcox to perform in Nantwich

The original Princess of Punk Toyah Willcox will be performing in Nantwich with her Close Up and Personal Tour.

Toyah will be in town for one night only this Friday July 10, from 8pm.

This is a unique chance to experience Toyah up close and personal. A lively unplugged/storytellers style gig, it will include Toyah performing an acoustic set of her loved hit singles and classic songs, alongside recalling stories from her colourful, 35-year career.

Toyah will be performing alongside musicians Chris Wong and Colin Hinds and hits include It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free and Good Morning Universe.

Tickets are £17 available from Nantwich Civic Hall on 01270 628633 or online at www.nantwichtowncouncil.gov.uk

• Continue reading at the Nantwich News. View the complete upcoming Acoustic, Up Close & Personal dates. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Acoustic… related news by clicking below.

It appears the Irish Daily Star have taken a quote from Toyah’s Tracks Of My Years – which aired all last week on BBC Radio Two – and blown it out of proportion to create a news story – Here it is anyway…

Eighties pop star blasts U2 for ‘manipulating fans’

Eighties pop star Toyah Willcox (57) has blasted U2 — claiming the Dublin band are using social media to manipulate fans in a bid to keep their career going.

The singer is married to prog rock legend Robert Fripp, best known for being a member of King Crimson and releasing a series of albums with former U2 producer Brian Eno.

Willcox made the comments on BBC Radio 2 when, ironically, she selected the band’s 1987 hit Where The Streets Have No Name, as one of her all-time favourite songs.

“What fascinates me about U2 is the curve of their career. I love all their early stuff.

“And I worked with Steve Lillywhite, he produced an album I did called Changeling, which has been cited as the beginning of the Goth movement,” said Toyah whose 80s hits include I Want To Be Free, It’s A Mystery and Thunder In The Mountains.

• Continue reading at the Irish Daily Star.