It’s the beginning of a very busy week for Toyah, with the launch dates of, not one but, two tours. Acoustic, Up Close & Personal begins on Wednesday night, at Buxton Pavilion Arts Centre, and continues on Thursday at Lowther Pavilion. The following night, Friday 21st February sees Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! get underway with a gig at the Holmfirth Picturedome. This tour continues the following night also, at Queens Hall, Nuneaton. Both tours continue through 2014 with various dates over a number of months.
• New live dates have also just been confirmed: Acoustic, Up Close & Personal at The Duchess, York, and Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits… Live! at the Tivoli Theatre, Wales. There’s also a new “Live Track Of The Month” at The Official Gigs page – ‘We Are (Acoustic)’ from one of Toyah’s trio of great live dates at Bourbon Street, Glasgow in early 1997. A new Breaking Through newsletter has also been mailed out with more info on the tours and digital releases to coincide.
The Vintage TV Sessions: Vintage TV: Thursday 20th February: 8.00pm
The Vintage TV Sessions: Vintage TV: Sunday 23rd February: 10.00pm
New! We are proud to present our third Vintage TV Sessions, live from the Bedford pub in Balham, with Alvin Stardust, Leddra Chapman, Newton Faulkner, Gabrielle and The Jar Family. Hosted by Toyah Willcox.
In The Fairground: Andrew York’s Arternative Universe is celebrating being one year online today. Exactly a year ago Andrew’s website – www.toyahart.co.uk – made its virtual debut and has shared lots of fantastic Toyah artwork with its many visitors over the past 12 months. There’s a new update at the site now to mark this first year. Click below to visit.
Toyah’s interview from Saturday’s Sounds Of The 80s on BBC Radio 2 is now available in full as a standalone clip. Click below to listen. Browse all previous Sounds Of The 80s interviews here.
• My Vintage: Toyah and Robert’s My Vintage aired yesterday evening on ‘Vintage TV’. Featuring great recollections and stories from both and a selection of their favourite songs and artists. The programme is repeated on Thursday at 10pm and is also now available to watch at the station’s website. (Photos © Vintage TV)
• Vintage TV Sessions: We’ve taken five acts and one iconic venue to bring you a wonderful way of seeing established artists and up-and-coming talent in our Vintage TV Sessions. These monthly gems are filmed at the brilliant old Bedford pub in Balham in an intimate setting with a live audience and then broadcast to you. Hosted by Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…
• Acoustic Toyah: As previously mentioned here, and Toyah also talked about it in her latest blog, Vintage TV Sessions will air two new Toyah performances soon – acoustic versions of ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’.
• Fast Forward To Rewind: If you’re a fan of the festival to all things 80s, you won’t want to miss this unveiling of the performers at Rewind 2014 in our special playlist – View here…
• Vintage Toyah: Browse all of Dreamscape’s Toyah @ Vintage TV related news from the last couple of years here… You can also watch a selection of Toyah’s Vintage TV appearances by searching through their Library.
A short news article on Toyah, by the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, ahead of the Crimson Queen/ Greatest Hits…Live! gig in Holmfirth next Friday.
Seventies and 80s pop star Toyah is set to play a live show at the Picturedrome.
In a career spanning over 30 years she has amassed 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums and toured the world. She first emerged in 1977 and by 1979 Toyah’s band was gaining critical success with the debut single, Victims of the Riddle.
A platinum album Anthem followed and in 1981 she featured on the famous Old Grey Whistle Test Christmas Special. The following year saw her winning Best Female Singer at the Rock And Pop Awards.
• Continue reading at the Huddersfield Daily Examiner.
You can now hear the first taste of The Humans’ forthcoming album release. Get In Your Car can be listened to at Toyah’s official soundcloud.
The track was recorded in Seattle and is one of seven tracks which make up the third album to be released by the transatlantic band comprising Toyah Willcox, Chris Wong and Bill Rieflin. Full details of the digital album release will be announced in the next week. The band will play two live dates at Seattle’s Triple Door Club on 15 and 15 April 2014.
Bill Rieflin also features in the band Slow Music who will perform at the same dates in at the Triple Door Club. Rieflin is currently rehearsing as part of the new King Crimson line-up who will play concerts for the first time in over a decade.
• Source: The Official Toyah Website. Listen to the song at the Official Toyah Soundcloud.
Toyah returned to Splash! last night for the 2014 final. Alongside other competitors from the series she was in the audience to see Perri Kiely, of Diversity, win the competition, Watch the final at ITV Player or STV Player. Browse all of Dreamscape’s Splash! Toyah News.
A reminder that Toyah guests on BBC Radio 2’s Sounds Of The 80s tonight. The show, hosted by Sara Cox, airs between 10pm and Midnight. You can listen live at the website or catch up, post-broadcast, at BBC iPlayer. Toyah’s interview will also likely be made available separately at the site, as has been the case with all previous guests, including Nick Heyward, Adam Ant, Carol Decker and Marc Almond. (Photos © BBC / Toyah Willcox Ltd)
The Corn is Green: True Movies 1: Wednesday 26th February: 11.00am
Academy Award winner Katharine Hepburn stars as a schoolteacher determined to help the people of a turn-of-the-century Welsh mining town. With Ian Saynor, Bill Fraser, Patricia Hayes, Anna Massey, Artro Morris, Dorothea Phillips, Toyah Willcox, Huw Richards, Bryn Fon, Dyfan Roberts and Robin John. Directed by: George Cukor (1979).
Toyah and The Humans are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a preview of the band’s forthcoming third album in the form of a brand new song.
♫ Get In Your Car ♫ Happy new music day (valentine’s) from Toyah and The Humans… the first taste of The Humans’ forthcoming album release. Listen to this new song at Soundcloud.
The Humans are Toyah Willcox, Bill Rieflin & Chris Wong.
The collaboration celebrates the life and work of Jarman in a year that marks the 20th anniversary of his death.
Jarman died in 1994, aged just 52, but his legacy lives on. In the 20 years since, his films have lost none of their relevance and remain influential, with public interest increasing substantially in recent years.
Edinburgh also plays a key role in Jarman’s fascinating story, as he brought several films – starting with The Tempest – to the Edinburgh’s International Film Festival.
With the help of the British Film Institute, the film season will include features such as Caravaggio, The Tempest, The Angelic Conversation, War Requiem, Jubilee, Wittgenstein, The Garden, Blue, The Last of England, Edward II and Glitterbug, alongside more experimental films and rarely seen shorts.
• Continue reading at the Edinburgh Evening News.
New science fiction film shot in Birmingham city centre features humans being zapped in Victoria Square
It’s like a scene from a Hollywood blockbuster, with screaming crowds running for their lives from alien spaceships. But look closer and the out-of-this world invaders zapping fleeing terrified humans are flying above the streets of Birmingham.
Simon Cox has written and directs Kaleidoscope Man, which is being shot in the city – and stars Kings Heath-born Toyah Willcox. The movie features Victoria Square as the backdrop for one scene where 700 extras flee the alien laser strike.
• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.
The Lee Mack Show: BBC Radio 4 Extra
Saturday 22nd February: 10.30pm
Episode 6 of 6. Toyah Willcox joins the sharp comedian for stand-up, sketches and music. With Angela McHale and Steve Brown. From April 2005. Includes a great performance of Guns N’ Roses ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ by Toyah.
• Listen online at the BBC website. The programme will also be available, post-broadcast, at BBC iPlayer.
The Official Toyah Facebook has posted intriguing lyrics updates over the last couple of days. Wondering if these are from a new song, or songs, on The Humans’ third album?
♫ all is not as it seems / stuck by the glue of destiny ♫
♫ Changing playmates, changing playgrounds / paint a better backdrop, submerged in city sounds / Stop your excuses, don’t you feel useless / Feel the attractions, start a chain reaction ♫
♫ sleep tight, dream a thousand dreams where you’re swallowed by the sea / sleep tight, dream a thousand dreams dancing on moonbeams ♫
• Queer Pagan Punk: BFI Derek Jarman retrospective: As mentioned yesterday, Toyah guested at this event last night. She tweeted: “fabulous night at @BFI Southbank Jarman retrospective. Loved it. The audience really liked The Tempest“.
• My Vintage: It’s a great upcoming weekend for Toyah fans, not only is she guesting on Sounds Of The 80s (see below) but Sunday sees the premiere of the My Vintage, Toyah and Robert special, which I know a lot of people are looking forward to seeing.
• Sounds Of The 80s: BBC Radio 2: Toyah guests on this show on Saturday night. Toyah tweeted on Tuesday: “I’m Sara cox’s special guest on this sat’s sounds of the 80s @BBCRadio2 10pm“. Listen live at the Radio 2 website or catch up at BBC iPlayer post-broadcast.
• Live 2014: Toyah played her first live date of the year on Sunday. A PA at the Ultimate 80s show in Skegness, with a host of other 80s bands. She tweeted: “In skeggy. Just met Annabelle from Bow Wow Wow 4 1st time! Musical Youth think im a Toyah Impersonator. BOYS! Lol“.
• Busy Toyah!: This “newsy bits” update wouldn’t have been possible without Twitter. Our penultimate post is this tweet from Toyah on how busy she is: “Crazy 2 weeks. Feel like I’m on a bob sleigh run with no shoes on! Acoustic rehearsal\press\tv\scripts\talks….Aaaahhhhhhhhhh“.
• Photos: View larger versions of each of the photos above at Twitter, Instagram and The Official Toyah Website, respectively. (Photos 1&3 © Toyah Willcox Ltd, 2 © Vintage TV)
She’s our Vintage TV presenter and princess of punk and he’s played with Bowie and Blondie and is one of the world’s greatest guitarists. Now Toyah Willcox and her musician, composer and record producer husband Robert Fripp, of prog rockers King Crimson, invite us into their Worcestershire home for a joint My Vintage (16th Feb, 5pm), giving a fascinating and intimate insight into the records they are both passionate about and telling the tales behind their top tracks. What a couple! What a coup for My Vintage!
• Visit the Vintage TV website. Toyah and Robert are also currently pictured on their Home page. (Photo © Vintage TV)
Toyah is a special guest this evening at the British Film Institute (BFI Southbank), as part of their two-month Derek Jarman retrospective season, marking the 20th anniversary of the Director/Writer’s death. Toyah will discuss Jarman’s 1979 adaptation of The Tempest, in which she starred as Miranda and was subsequently nominated for Best Newcomer at the 1980 Evening Standard Awards for her performance in the role. The film has become another landmark in Toyah’s long and varied career. Click below for further info at www.toyahwillcox.com.
Vintage TV have uploaded the new advert for the forthcoming Toyah Willcox & Robert Fripp special of My Vintage which premieres this Sunday at 5pm. The advert has been airing on the music channel over the last week. View it at You Tube by clicking on the screen caps below,
Toyah’s February blog is now available to read at The Official Toyah Willcox Website. There’s news on The Humans, Derek Jarman and The Tempest, Splash!, Steve Oram’s new film, the upcoming live dates and more. Click below to read.
New live dates have just been confirmed by Toyah’s Official Gigs page: An ACOUSTIC, UP CLOSE & PERSONAL concert at Harlequin Theatre & Cinema, Surrey on 2nd October, and a full-band gig at New Quay Music Festival 2014, taking place near Cardigan Bay in West Wales, on 2nd August. View Toyah’s full 2014 Gig Diary by clicking below.
