Today’s Toyah At Home was a one-hour special dedicated to The Blue Meaning, which is reissued in deluxe CD/DVD format and colour vinyl next week! Watch at You Tube by clicking below.
Toyah features in the new book, Bill Smith Studio: Cover Stories.
A beautiful 12-inch square hardback book featuring the influential album art produced by Bill Smith Studio and the stories behind them.
Across five decades Bill Smith Studio worked on countless covers for the likes of Kate Bush, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Toyah, Marillion, Genesis, No-Man, Thomas Dolby, Richard Barbieri, Mike Oldfield and others.
In Cover Stories you’ll find the stories of over 70 albums, featuring contributions from the bands, artists, photographers and painters involved, all offering a unique insight into the creation of several iconic sleeves.
Includes 40 album covers at original 12-inch size. Cover Stories offers a unique insight into the creation of several iconic sleeves and includes 40 album covers at original 12-inch size.
• Further info/Order the book at Burning Shed.
Episode 21 – Toyah Willcox
Season 4, Ep. 21
I have always been a huge fan of Toyah’s so to have the chance to chat to her about everything that keeps her creative was incredible for me!
Toyah shared some of the secrets of her boundless energy, her musical inspirations and how to survive a lockdown with a husband of 35 years without throwing the kettle at him! So let’s get listening!
In loving memory of Isobel Glennie.
• Listen to The Evelyn Glennie Podcast here.
Toyah returns to Pointless Celebrities next weekend for a fifth guest appearance on the ever popular teatime quiz show. This time pairing up with Mike Nolan of Bucks Fizz/The Fizz.
Toyah was previously on the quiz show with Cheryl Baker (of Bucks Fizz) in December 2012, Mark King (of Level 42) in August 2014, Nick Heyward in September 2016, and most recently with Sonique in November 2018.
Pointless Celebrities: BBC1: Saturday 29th May: 7.15pm
Special Episode (Series 14). A celebrity special edition of the general knowledge quiz in which four teams try to come up with the answers that no-one else could think of. Presented by Alexander Armstrong and co-host Richard Osman, with contestants Mike Nolan, Toyah Willcox, Dr Linda Papadopolous, Dr Zoe Williams, Nathan Caton, Suzi Ruffell, Anthony Costa and Shaun Williamson.
A review of The Blue Meaning by We Are Cult.
Toyah: ‘The Blue Meaning’
“Cherry Red’s second re-release of Toyah’s early output, The Blue Meaning is full of lyrics that reflect her interest in sci fi, occultism and Nostradamus… Self-admittedly pretentious in a good way, Toyah’s lyrics and singing style often also seem to be influenced by Broken English-era Marianne Faithful and Patti Smith.”
1980 was a busy year for Toyah. Working as both an actress and a musician she was only 22 but had already appeared in films such as Quadrophenia, Derek Jarman’s Jubilee and The Tempest and George Cukor’s remake of The Corn Is Green with Katherine Hepburn and Patricia Hayes. As well as television work in Shoestring, Second City Firsts and the TV remake of Quatermass, Toyah had also already acted in productions at the National Theatre.
In this short one-year period Toyah starred in a Royal Court production of the controversial Nigel Williams play Sugar and Spice, filmed over the course of three months for an hour-long ATV documentary, appeared in the TV series A Question of Guilt and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and guest-hosted the talk show Friday Night, Saturday Morning in which she interviewed (and played Space Invaders with!) Steve Strange, Derek Jarman and Vivian Stanshall. The year was also the prelude to her chart success of 1981, which occasioned hit singles It’s A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Thunder in the mountains and numerous Smash Hits and Look-In covers.
• Continue reading at We Are Cult.
The trailer for the forthcoming To Be Someone film was recently made available.
A feel-good tale of modern-day mods, music, and scooter culture from the creator of The Krays, The Wee Man and Love, Honor and Obey and starring the original cast of the iconic, cult mods n’ rockers film, Quadrophenia.
The co-owner of a popular Mods nightclub and with a successful scooter shop business on the side, life couldn’t be better for entrepreneur and British Mod, Danny.
That is until he’s introduced to the club’s secret financier, Mad Mike, an unhinged underworld mobster who is determined to coerce Danny into pulling off an illegal drugs run to The Isle of Wight in return for his shares in the club.
Seeing their friend at an all-time low, Danny’s friends step in with an ingenious plan – they will all go to The Isle of Wight’s annual Mod festival and use the thousands of Mod enthusiasts descending onto the island as a cover!
• Watch the trailer at You Tube.
A new video to previously unreleased Jack & Jill including footage of Toyah in Park Gates Studio with producer Steve James. This track is a bonus track on the deluxe edition of The Blue Meaning, out 28 May. Pre-order the three-disc set here. Click below to watch the video.
80s Stars – Then & Now!: NOW 80s: Sunday 23rd May: 9am
Where are they now? Classic hits, followed by some recent songs – Including Pet Shop Boys, Kylie, Toyah, The Stones, Gary Numan, The Pretenders, New Order, Rick Astley & T’Pau!
A great review of Give Them Wings:
Give Them Wings screens as part of the online London Independent Film Festival 2021.
Amidst the challenges of the recent pandemic, a shining light emerged in the form of centennial hero (and sadly recently departed) Captain Sir Tom Moore, whose mega-effort to raise millions through his walking laps around his garden made him the hero of the status quo and a legend of 2020.
Now, a new film from multi-hyphenate talent Sean Cronin celebrates the life of a disabled football fan called Paul Hodgson – and is pretty incredible on its’ own terms.
Adapted by Hodgson from his 2000 novel Flipper’s Side (with additional writing from Cronin, Ian Carter and Tony Waddington) Give Them Wings chronicles events starting in 1989, when Darlington fan Paul (Daniel Watson) , diagnosed with meningitis from ten months – and given two hopes – is using a wheelchair to move around. His mother, Alice (Toyah Willcox in a career-best appearance), is struggling to cope with struggling husband and Paul’s father, Norman (Bill Fellows) who has signed on again for the umpteenth time and prone to bouts of depressive laziness.
• Continue reading at Film And TV Now.
Toyah’s Birthday Photo: The guitar is a custom by Sidney Jake, a birthday present for Toyah from her husband, Robert. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
All the very best to, the always inspirational, Toyah on her Birthday!
Weekend Press: NME: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox joined by horned guitarist for Iron Maiden cover; Louder: Toyah and Robert Fripp joined by ominous Satanic figure for Number Of The Beast; Kerrang!: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox cover The Number Of The Beast: “An Easter twist on this Maiden classic”; Consequence Of Sound: Robert Fripp and Toyah Celebrate Easter Sunday with Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast””. (Image © Toyah Willcox)
Toyah & Robert’s Easter weekend: Toyah At Home; Season 2, Episode 13, the latest Agony Aunts; and Sunday Lunch, An Easter twist on this Maiden classic – Number Of The Beast. Be afraid – Very Afraid!!!
Minder: ITV4: Friday 16th April: 4.50pm
All Mod Cons. Arthur decides to sell Terry’s flat without his permission. Meanwhile, Terry gets a job minding at a local club and ends up getting into more trouble than he had planned for when he realises the club’s manager is on the fiddle. Starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Toyah Willcox, Simon Cadell, James Ottaway, and Tony Osaba. (Series 2, Episode 8, 1980). Also showing on ITV4 HD. (Photos © ITV)
Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp’s 10 best lockdown covers – ranked!
Look, we’ve all been doing what we can to get by in the past 12 months, haven’t we?
When quarantine hit, many artists responded by covering songs that tried to reflect the solemnity of the situation. Gal Gadot put together an all-star tone-deaf Band Aid take on John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’, which was about as welcome as a Winston Mumford’s Book Of The Month club.
So you have to admire pop star and actor Toyah Willcox, who channelled the Blitz (Kid) spirit, raided the dressing up box and persuaded her husband, King Crimson prog-rock totem Robert Fripp, into performing increasingly outlandish 90-second versions of classic hits such as Alice Cooper’s ‘Poison’ and Guns ‘N Roses‘ ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, accessorising with nurse outfits or dinosaur costumes for their weekly Sunday Lockdown Lunch series.
• Continue reading at the NME.
Britain’s Favourite 80s Songs: Channel 5: Friday 9th April: 10pm
Britain’s Favourite 80s Songs: Channel 5: Sunday 11th April: 10.55pm
1985. Series 1, episode 6. A look at the biggest-selling singles of 1985, the best pop videos, the artists who appeared in them, and the stories behind the songs. A-ha’s Take On Me, and I Know Him So Well, by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson are two of the classic tracks under discussion. Contributors include Toyah Willcox, Paul Gambaccini, Cheryl Baker and Carol Decker. Jenny Powell narrates.
Toyah to headline village’s first-ever music festival
Punk princess Toyah Willcox is the Saturday night headliner at the first-ever music festival to be held in the village of Aston.
Astonbury will take place from Friday 20 to Sunday August 22.
There will be two stages, a full bar with real ale and cider, and food. Parking is free, and there will be free children’s activities with camping available near by.
Organisers, who are looking for volunteers, will be donating to Cancer Research, Aston and Cote Community Trust and MIND.
• Continue reading at the Oxford Mail.
There’s a repeat airing of the Toyah Special of Video Killed The Radio Star on Sky Arts later this month. This great half hour programme originally premiered in August 2018.
Video Killed The Radio Star: Sky Arts: Tuesday 13th April: 4.30pm
Toyah Willcox. (Series 7, Episode 6) An insight into the making of videos by Toyah Willcox, whose hits included It’s A Mystery, Thunder in the Mountains and I Want To Be Free.
Weekend Press: NME: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox share cover of ZZ Top’s ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’; Louder: Toyah and Robert Fripp add beards, scissors and mystery guitarist on maniacal ZZ Top cover; Guitar.Com: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox take on ZZ Top’s Gimme All Your Lovin’; Metal Sucks: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp & Toyah Willcox Cover ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’”; Consequence Of Sound: Robert Fripp and Toyah Slice Their Way Through ZZ Top’s “Gimme All Your Lovin’”. (Image © Toyah Willcox)
Toyah & Robert’s weekend of wonder: Toyah At Home; Season 2, Episode 12, the latest Agony Aunts; and Sunday Lunch, Toyah, Robert and a mysterious stranger ask for ” All Your Lovin”.
