• Victoria & Albert Museum: Jubilee @ The V&A: A fantastic photo of Jordan is included in the prestigious museum’s collection.
• Penny Black Music: Cheek of Her: Megaphonic EP: Toyah is mentioned in this new review… There are even spoken lyrics over what could be the harmonies of a choir of flouncy girls lead by the love child of Siouxsie Sioux and Toyah Willcox.
• Unofficial Toyah Top 20 2103: The results of the first part of James and Lärwi’s Toyah Song Poll are in, and the second part is now online. Toyah’s full back catalogue, excluding collaborations, was included and has been voted down to a final 28. 100 people participated in the fun poll so it’s hardly definitive but still interesting (and thanks to James for taking the time to organise it all). Vote here.
• First-Thoughts: A huge forum thread “discussing” Patsy Kensit, which over the last six weeks also includes Weight Watchers, Toyah and ‘Sensational’. To save you the bother of trawling through the, seemingly endless, posts I’ve cherrypicked the best one :) – “Giving serious thought to joining Weight Watchers. Mostly because I want to dance to Toyah’s Sensational with Patsy Kensit.”
Toyah is included in a new Birmingham Mail article on the Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s 100th anniversary.
Birmingham Rep 100th birthday: Kenneth Branagh leads glowing tributes to venue
The Birmingham Rep celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. Famous names who have performed there pay tribute to the venue.
Birmingham’s own Toyah Willcox began her creative life at The Old Rep Theatre School, where she was a teenage drama student.
“My roots are firmly in Birmingham. As a teenager I always idealised the Birmingham Rep and its creative work,’’ she recalled. “I wish the Rep a fantastic centenary year and I look forward to seeing its brilliant new productions under the guidance of the new artistic director Roxana Silbert.”
• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.
The positive feedback for Imaginary Toyah Singles has been something of a surprise. I thought about doing it a while ago and then, like so many other things, promptly forgot about it again. I’m glad some of you are enjoying it. I’ve added another three: Voodoo Doll (especially for Lärwi); Martian Cowboy and Kiss The Devil.
Toyah’s My Vintage, which originally aired on ‘Vintage TV’ last March, is repeated this coming Tuesday.
My Vintage: Vintage TV: Tuesday 12th February: 11pm
Toyah Willcox. Toyah was a rebellious child, but the arrival of rock ‘n’ roll reinvented her life and gave her grounding. Here she shares with us the songs that brought her to where she is today.
• View all of Dreamscape’s previous My Vintage news here.
• It’s the final couple of days of, the first part of, James and Lärwi’s Toyah Song Poll. Voting closes tomorrow so there’s still time to get involved. The top two from each album will then be voted on to find fans current favourite song. It’s not going to be a Top 50 as I, incorrectly, previously mentioned, more likely to be either a Top 20 or 15! Vote here.
• Entertainment Focus: Hormonal Housewives returns to Woking: Hormonal Housewives is returning to Woking’s New Victoria Theatre for one night only on Monday 18th March. Toyah Willcox and Julie Coombe star in the hilarious show which will features all-new sketches and all the best bits from the successful 2012 tour. Written by Julie and her husband John McIsaac, Hormonal Housewives looks at everything that makes today’s women tick…
• You Tube: Two clips of Toyah, possibly from around 2008, in fine voice playing It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free with The Subs have just been uploaded to ‘You Tube’. These clips are filmed from various angles and edited professionally but I’m not sure where they originate from.
Check out the latest addition to Dreamscape: A page dedicated to Hormonal Housewives, the theatre show that Toyah will tour with through March, April and May.
Dreamscape’s page includes info, photos and the full tour dates. I’ve also added direct links to the Hormonal Housewives page at each theatre website (just click on the theatre’s name).
Hormonal Housewives 2013 opens at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on Tuesday 5th March and goes country wide over the following three months. The complete dates are also available at The Official Toyah Gigs page.
(Thanks to Valeria Carboni & Jamie Wilson Productions)
I’ve had a few great comments about the “imaginary” single cover for Snow Covers The Kiss (a wonderful song from 1985) so I thought I’d share the “ad” for it too. Please click to zoom.
2013 is shaping up to be yet another eventful and busy year for Toyah, with Hormonal Housewives, The Humans and the Love Is The Law Autumn tour being just some of Toyah’s plans.
Dreamscape is looking forward to another busy year too. As well as the usual news updates we have just launched the Imaginary Toyah Singles feature, there’s the ongoing Remember ’83 and there are a few other interesting projects to come – including a brand new WEBSITE dedicated to Toyah – AND a substantial feature focusing on a specific time in her career.
I can’t say much about these right now as it would just spoil the surprise. If you are a Toyah fan I can assure you they are not to be missed!
Thanks to those of who you said they like the new feature. I’ve just updated with another four new, completely imaginary, single covers.
An article from today’s Birmingham Mail, on Toyah and Hormonal Housewives in Birmingham.
Toyah Willcox joins Hormonal Housewives at to the New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
TV and music star joins comedy show in Birmingham
The irrepressible Hormonal Housewives are back and return to the New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham with Toyah Willcox next month. The show for all the women out there whose man is more James May than Christian Grey, Hormonal Housewives is a comedy written by husband and wife team Julie Coombe and John McIsaac.
• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.
It’s the official flyer/leaflet for the Hormonal Housewives 2013 UK tour, featuring great photos and most of the later tour dates (in May). Please click on the photos to zoom.
Hormonal Housewives opens in just under a month’s time, on 5th March, and visits dozens of theatres and venues over the following three months. No doubt there will be tons of press and interviews in the build up to, and during, the tour.
• Visit the Hormonal Housewives website for more info. The complete list of dates is also available at The Official Toyah Gigs page at toyahwillcox.com. (Thanks to Sharon Dickson for the flyer)
Wishing a very Happy Birthday to Sugar Rush: The Humans Fansite. The site is one-year-old today – All the best to Paul, and congratulations. Here’s to future Humans days!
Here is the print version of Toyah’s interview with the ‘Mirror’ from Tuesday. It is, of course, the same interview that was published on their website. This edition also includes the great photo of Toyah from 1981.
‘For 40 years I’ve survived on three hours’ sleep a night’: Toyah Willcox on her battle with insomnia
Born with a twisted spine, a clubbed right foot and one leg shorter than the other, singer and actress Toyah Willcox has also suffered from chronic insomnia for 40 years.
Now the 54-year-old, who lives with her husband, musician Robert Fripp, 66, has finally found relief through having acupuncture.
I’ve suffered from chronic insomnia for 40 years. It started when I was a 14-year-old dyslexic schoolgirl revising for my exams in Birmingham. I experienced the typical teenage stress that the pressure of cramming for exams, and then sitting there for hours on end doing them brings.
• Continue reading at the Mirror. Read Dreamscape’s news post on this here. (Thanks to Richard Smith for the scan)
• The Changeling Resurrection II: Anyone For a T? If you didn’t manage to get a t-shirt from the autumn tour, there are now some limited stock for sale online. All T-shirts are signed too! Get in quick if you would like one.
• Slightly late for the panto season that has just gone, but Toyah’s panto-themed guest appearance on Gloria Hunniford’s Open House has just been uploaded to You Tube. This originally aired on Channel 5 in December 2002.
• Cumbria Crack: Hormonal Houswives: With previous Hormonal Housewives including Margi Clark and Carol Smillie, this year the ladies are led by British pop icon Toyah Willcox and writer Julie Coombe, with further casting to be announced.
• Toyah paid tribute to Reg Presley of The Troggs, who died on Monday: “Dear Reg Presley God Bless You. A true wonderful legend. U will b missed“.
• Birmingham Mail: Birmingham Cluedo inventor to be honoured on Kings Heath Walk of Fame: Another mention for Toyah and more news on plans for the KH WOF.
This new Dreamscape feature isn’t imaginary, but everything included in it is!!
I guess it’s just another way of creating something new and different with Toyah imagery, song titles and logos – all of which we are incredibly familiar with. I hope to add to this occasionally so it’s yet another work in progress, and if anyone has any suggestions for a song that they’d like included let me know.
Click below to view the new page, and here or to the left to view an imaginary advert for one of the imaginary singles; “I’ll Serve You Well”.
Toyah’s February blog is available to read at toyahwillcox.com: Toyah talks Clare Balding, future plans, being glad to see the back of January and much more. Click below to read.
A new interview with Toyah, talking about her lifelong insomnia, in today’s Mirror, accompanied with some great photos.
‘For 40 years I’ve survived on three hours’ sleep a night’: Toyah Willcox on her battle with insomnia
Born with a twisted spine, a clubbed right foot and one leg shorter than the other, singer and actress Toyah Willcox has also suffered from chronic insomnia for 40 years.
Now the 54-year-old, who lives with her husband, musician Robert Fripp, 66, has finally found relief through having acupuncture.
I’ve suffered from chronic insomnia for 40 years. It started when I was a 14-year-old dyslexic schoolgirl revising for my exams in Birmingham. I experienced the typical teenage stress that the pressure of cramming for exams, and then sitting there for hours on end doing them brings.
During what felt like a solid month of exam papers, I just stopped sleeping. Once the pattern set in, it became a habit and I never really addressed it because back then no one really talked about insomnia. You’d just had a bad night’s sleep.
• Continue reading at the Mirror.
BBC Sport presenter Clare Balding and Pershore singer and actress Toyah Willcox were the special guests at Croome Court as they promoted its new walking book.
The historic National Trust mansion, situated near Pershore, was the host venue for an upcoming episode of BBC Radio 4 show ‘Ramblings’ on Thursday (January 31). Ramblings, which is presented by Ms Balding, features interviews with notable and interesting people during walks through the countryside.
Amy Forster, house and visitor services manager at Croome Court, said: “Toyah is a strong supporter of Croome and has been kind enough to promote our walking programme and walking events in the past. BBC Radio 4 interviewed Toyah because of the real need she has to walk in order to keep fit.”
• Continue reading at the Evesham Observer. Read all of our Ramblings news here.
Crackerjastic photos of Toyah and Joel at BBC Television Theatre (now the Shepherds Bush Empire), in late 1983, to film Crackerjack. They performed ‘The Vow’ (view the clip at You Tube), and appeared in the end-of-show line up, on the show which aired on 9th December 1983 on BBC1. Please click on the photos to zoom. (Thanks to Kev Tucker for these rare photos)
• Alloa Advertiser: Toyah & Co. take Central Scotland to the 80s: Get ready to backcomb your hair and go heavy on the eyeshadow as Falkirk is set to rock with an 80s extravaganza. (A short article featuring photos from Dreamscape, sent to the site by Ray Sears)
• Contact Music: Another photo of Toyah at RTÉ in Dublin last Monday, prior to guesting on Katherine Lynch’s Wagon’s Den, which aired last Thursday night.
• Acupuncture Awareness Week, which takes place from 25 February to 3 March 2013 aims to educate people about how traditional acupuncture can help improve sleep and aid relaxation. Supporting Acupuncture Awareness Week is actress and singer Toyah Willcox who, like many others, feels that acupuncture has made a huge impact to her life. View an article on this here.
• BBC Hereford & Worcester: Toyah Willcox talks about living in Pershore: The star of stage and screen talks passionately about her Worcestershire hometown. She says she’s flattered to see a sudden surge in the number of younger people coming to her gigs after Florence & The Machine and Marina & The Diamonds cited her as a major influence. This radio interview with Toyah, from September 2010, was added to the ‘BBC H&W News’ page yesterday.
• Valentine Entertainments: The Karnival of Kitsch!: Toyah is mentioned in Andi Fragg’s bio on this site’s festival line-up page. (they also use one of Andi’s banners that I designed :))
• 2-Toyah: The idea of a Toyah “tribute” act/band is possibly a good one, especially as there is so much great music and imagery to pay homage to. I’m not sure advertising for auditionees on Gumtree is the best way to go about it. Who knows!
Photos of Toyah taken in 1979 during the soundcheck/rehearsal for the gig at Hammersmith Riverside Studios, West London, on 18th July. Thanks to Craig Watkins. (Photos © Philip Grey)
