Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

That photo seems to have a life of its own!

The latest sighting is at the, excellent, ’80s Actual’ website, in an article from Saturday. The article is a look back on a July 1982 press report on the rise of compact discs, but also included in the ‘The Sun/Bizarre’ scan is the Simon Fowler photo accompanying news about the book ‘Toyah’ by Mike West (again!)

Toyah Can’t Bare It: This is pop star Toyah as she hoped her fans would never see her. The bare-breasted portrait was taken by photographer Simon Fowler for Mike West’s new biography of the singer published by Omnibus at £2.95. (Typically ‘The Sun’ is incorrect. The photo was taken in 1979 as Toyah details in the Sounds interview from 1982)

The 15-28 April, 1982 issue of ‘Smash Hits’ has just been added to the ‘Like Punk Never Happened – Smash Hits Archive’.

Toyah is included again this fortnight in a ‘Bitz!’ text article, by grumpy Rosalyn Chissick, on the newly published book ‘Toyah’ by Mike West.

Last night Toyah’s official website launched a dedicated ‘Changeling Resurrection’ page, with a fantastic Tour Gallery of photos, by Leigh Carter.

Toyah’s CHANGELING RESURRECTION TOUR kicked off to a resounding success last night with a sell-out show at Brighton’s Concorde 2 Club.

With material not performed in thirty years, including the hit single Brave New World, a new costume and head-dress, the blistering show was met with rapturous applause from buzzing fans who were keen to show their appreciation on Facebook and Twitter after the concert.

Visit our newly launched CHANGELING RESURRECTION TOUR page, which features an amazing official gallery of photographs by Leigh Carter taken at last night’s show. More official photography, along with exclusive video footage, coming soon.

Two fantastic photos, from last night’s gig, by Angus Turner. Click below to view larger versions. FTE has been incredibly busy today, definitely the busiest since the site started just over a month ago! There are probably more that I didn’t notice, but as of half an hour ago at ‘You Tube’ there are clips of Angel & Me, Warrior Rock, and It’s A Mystery. More amazing photos of Toyah by Angus, and that news round-up, tomorrow. (Thanks to Angus)

More great photos of Toyah from last night in Brighton. View larger versions of the first two here and here. (Thanks to Lärwi for these excellent shots)

What a gig! Wow!

The set list was pretty special. “Dawn Chorus” live … wow! And big up to Chris, he sang the backing vocals on “Warrior Rock” to perfection!

Toyah was in good humour all night with quips like “I’ve just heard you’re ALL running the marathon tomorrow!” It’s the London to Brighton run today.

She wore the new head dress first, then the Picasso coat with a brown headpiece and then the pink head dress with the samurai coat. Everybody was taking shots and video so there will be plenty in Youtube and Facebook I’d imagine.

Check out this amazing photo of gorgeous Toyah and gorgeous Lärwi at last night’s Concorde2, Brighton gig. The first concert of ‘The Changeling Resurrection’ tour was a massive success, with celebratory tweets from Toyah and roars of approval from fans all over Facebook. The set list, which, for fear of being lynched, I’m not going to reveal here in full, included six songs from ‘The Changeling’ (incl. the sublime ‘Castaways’, ‘Brave New World’, ‘Dawn Chorus’ and ‘The Packt’). Official photography from the gig will be added to toyahwillcox.com today. There’s also a great photo of Toyah with, ‘I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan’ author, Chris Limb at the book’s Facebook page. Please pay a visit to Falling To Earth again later for more great photos from last night, a mini review of the gig by Lärwi and a round-up of post-first gig news. Click below to view a larger version of this great photo.

Just a reminder that Celebrity Fantasty Homes with Toyah is showing again this evening on Home (and Home +1)

This originally aired on Home back in October 2010.

Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home: Sunday 15th April: 6.00pm
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home +1: Sunday 15th April: 7.00pm
Toyah Willcox. Celebrities hunt for a new home. Gaby Roslin helps punk-pop princess Toyah Willcox search for a second home, in Richmond upon Thames, with a budget of £650,000.

It’s almost time for the first gig to begin… The doors have, definitely, blown open.

The ultimate celebration of, the mighty, ‘The Changeling’! Are you sitting comfortably?

Some of the promo bits and pieces I created earlier this year for ‘The Changeling Resurrection’.

Toyah was interviewed in 1998 by Richard Evans. This included Toyah discussing the forthcoming CD reissues of ‘Anthem’ and ‘The Changeling’.

HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO KNOW THAT ‘ANTHEM’ AND ‘THE CHANGELING’ ARE COMING OUT AGAIN ON CD AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?

I’m relieved they’ve come out because for years people have been asking me to put them out and nothing’s been done about it, so I’m hugely relieved that they’ve been put out because there’s a demand. There’s a massive demand in the commercial world to use songs such as ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ on films and adverts which from a writers point of view I would really like to see happen as it gives the music a new audience.

What’s even better for me is that it’s ‘The Changeling’, which has been the most positively received… when we first released ‘The Changeling’ it was such a huge departure from ‘Anthem’ that it actually got slated in the press, it sold well, but not as well as ‘Anthem’ and it’s actually a better album. I mean it’s now getting better star-ratings in the reviews and that’s bloody brilliant, I’m really chuffed about that!

• Continue reading this great interview at ‘This Is Not Retro’ here.

Screen caps from the 1982 interview. Click on these to view larger versions.

This rare television interview is from that amazing Summer of 1982, the fantastic era of ‘The Changeling’. I’m not sure what the programme was called (possibly… It’ll Be A Laugh, Let’s Get The Office Junior To Do The Interviews This Week… just kidding, we love him really!). Toyah looks incredible here (how absolutely vibrant did Toyah look throughout 1982?) and talks ‘Brave New World’, making the video, ‘The Changeling’ tour dates and more.

Just hours before the first gig Toyah tweets: “NEW FACES, NEW WORDS, SEND MY KISSES TO THE OLD WORLD. C u at Brighton tonight or on tour to rock #changeling2012“. The Official Toyah Facebook also posted: Tonight is the night……. the doors blow open for @ THE CHANGELING RESURRECTION @ BRIGHTON with material not performed for 30 (and some 31) years at Brighton Concorde. Send your kisses to the old world and get ready to leave the approach……

This is an interesting interview from around the time of ‘The Changeling’ album and the UK tour. Toyah and Joel talk the music, the imagery, the fans, the songwriting, sex appeal and much more. Toyah also explains the origins of the “breast bared” photo(s) and why it was taken.

“I’d like to have Bo Derek’s body and someone else’s brain…”

It wasn’t until my third interview in nine weeks with Toyah that I felt confident enough to broach the subject of sex. As casually as I possibly could, I suggested to her that compared to other female artists ranging from Kim Wilde to Kate Bush to Souxsie, her image contains virtually no sex appeal, despite being a young, vivacious, attractive girl.

“I think, supposedly onstage, there’s much more sex appeal than in the photos” she counters. ” But I couldn’t do an Annabella (Lwin of Bow Wow Wow), I couldn’t show parts of my body…”

WHAAAT!! There’s that infamous pic of you with one breast bared and daubed with painted circles which has appeared almost everywhere from Sounds and Punk’s Not Dead to The Sun!

“Oh the ‘boob photo’ that’s the only one that exists, and no one knows why that was done” she offers matter of factly.

• Continue reading at the ‘Dreamscape Press Archive’ here.

Marking tonight’s premiere concert of ‘The Changeling Resurrection 2012’ UK tour: Available for one day only, ‘CASTAWAYS: Four (live) from Toyah’ EP.

1. Dawn Chorus/Moonlight Dancing (6.55 Special)
2. Brave New World (Get Set For Summer)
3. Street Creature (Get Set For Summer)
4. Castaways (Get Set For Summer)

Click on the artwork to view the EP at ‘Soundcloud’ or listen via the player below.

These tracks are all already available online, in video, at ‘You Tube’. As the new tour opens I thought creating an EP from them, showcasing four great live performances from ‘The Changeling’ era, would be a fitting way to celebrate this great occasion. Click here for a larger version of the artwork. (UPDATE: This is no longer available)

The full, and excellent, “Toyah Hits Brighton” art by Andrew York. Click for a larger version.

Yet another exciting Changeling tweet from Toyah yesterday: “6 songs from The Changeling gone into new set for Resurrection tour. Can’t wait. Love toyah“.

For those of you in, or heading to, Brighton for tonight’s first gig of ‘The Changeling Resurrection 2012’ tour… have a great time. For those of you not, please stay tuned to Falling To Earth throughout today for sporadic Changeling-related updates (to ease the pain just a little!). Wishing Toyah and the band an amazing first gig… (Thanks to Andrew York)