Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah is releasing coloured vinyl versions of five of her solo studio albums: Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell. They are released on Friday 13th March and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Prostitute is on translucent yellow vinyl, and this release is the first time the album has been available on vinyl since 1988.

Issued on vinyl for the first time since 1988, with a new inner sleeve, the album is pressed on 180 gram translucent yellow vinyl. “Prostitute” (1988) is toyah’s most experimental and bold album, highlighting her oppression once married and outdated expectations long before today’s woke narrative. Sonically it is also a radical departure comprising drums, vocal and guitar meshed with a scrapbook of samples and side two closing on a locked groove. The album was written and played entirely by Toyah and Steve Sidelynk who went on to record and play live with Madonna (Ray of light, music), Seal and Richard Ashcroft, amongst many others.

Toyah is releasing coloured vinyl versions of five of her solo studio albums: Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell. They are released on Friday 13th March and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Minx is on translucent red vinyl, and this release is the first time the album has been available on vinyl since 1985.

Issued on vinyl for the first time since 1985, the album is pressed on 180 gram translucent Red vinyl. In 1985, after five studio albums and two live albums with her band, Toyah decided to go solo, and signed to Sony’s portrait label. Produced by Christopher Neil, “Minx” Is Toyah’s first true solo album and includes writing collaborations with her band members as well as with Simon Darlow (“Slave To The Rhythm”), and two UK hit singles in “Don’t Fall in Love (I Said)” and “Soul Passing Through Soul”, as well as covers of Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” And Rare Bird’s “Sympathy”.

Just over three weeks until Toyah Solo is released, on 28th February. Toyah’s first retrospective box set release, with seven CDs, a DVD, bonus songs and booklet.

• Official Toyah: Toyah Solo 7-CD/DVD Box Set: Toyah Solo is a new 7 CD + DVD anthology of collected works by Toyah, released 28 February 2020 by Edsel Records – Continue reading…

• Super Deluxe Edition: Toyah Solo 7CD+DVD Box: A new box celebrating Toyah’s career is on its way • Signed set sold out | Toyah’s solo career is to be celebrated in a new box set due next month from Demon. Toyah Solo mops up the era from 1985 onwards when Willcox signed as a solo turn to Sony’s Portrait Records and then subsequent EG releases, and comprises of seven CDs and a DVD plus a 48 page book. (If you’re a cursory fan and a bit confused and wondering ‘hang on, wasn’t she always solo?’ it transpires that up until then, Toyah was the name of the band she fronted.) – Continue reading…

• DGM Live: Toyah Set Due Feb: Toyah Willcox has a major retrospective box set release due in February. The 7CD set also comes with a DVD includes the albums she released on the EG label. Robert Fripp is a frequent collaborator appearing on 1987’s Desire, 1988’s Prostitute and in 1991, along with Trey Gunn, Tony Geballe and drummer Paul Beavis, Ophelia’s Shadow – Continue reading…

• Demon Music Group: Toyah – Solo (Standard Edition): This 7 CD + DVD box set (the first Toyah box set ever) features six albums (Minx, Desire, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap, Velvet Lined Shell) and 44 bonus tracks – Continue reading…

• Dreamscape: Toyah Solo: Our news archive for Toyah’s new box set – Continue reading…

A previously unheard section of Richard Green’s interview with Toyah, which was originally broadcast in June 2019, aired on Saturday on Richard’s BBC Radio Devon show. There was also plays of It’s A Mystery and Dance In The Hurricane.

Toyah talks In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, the two Toyahs, In Extremis and more.

• Listen at BBC Sounds for the next four weeks. The interview and songs begin just a few minutes into the show.

The first of two rescheduled Crimson Queen Tour dates takes place tonight at The Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton. The original date was 18th October 2019 and all tickets remain valid. Further details and last minute ticket booking link is available here or by clicking below.

Wow! It’s release has only just been announced and already Toyah Solo is doing incredibly well at Amazon: #1 in New Wave & Post-Punk, #1 in Box Sets (CDs & Vinyl), #1 in Pop Rock and #2 in CDs & Vinyl. Pretty impressive. But that’s just half the story, as these stats are for the Limited Edition version (which appears to have already sold out) of the forthcoming box set. The other version of the set (without the signed print) is at #2 and #3 on these sales charts too!

Stay tuned to this website for a Toyah Solo Newsy Bits & Pieces! update soon. Browse further info on Toyah’s first box set release at toyahwillcox.com and the official order page.

Toyah Solo is a new 7 CD + DVD anthology of collected works by Toyah, released 28 February 2020 by Edsel Records

RELEASE DATE: 28 February 2020
CAT NO: TOYAHBOX01
FORMAT: 7 CD + DVD in wallets in 2-piece box with 48 page booklet

An Amazon Exclusive edition features a signed print and is strictly limited to 500 copies.

The first Toyah box set ever features six studio albums (Minx, Desire, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap!, Velvet Lined Shell) alongside 44 bonus tracks, including rarities, B-sides, collaborations, and several unreleased tracks, plus a DVD of promo videos and a brand new exclusive interview filmed in December 2019.

In 1985, after five studio albums and two live albums with her band, Toyah decided to go solo, and signed to Sony’s portrait label. The album Minx contained two hit singles, Don’t Fall In Love (I Said) and Soul Passing Through Soul, as well as covers of Alice Cooper’s School’s Out and Rare Bird’s Sympathy. 1987’s Desire, featured appearances from Robert Fripp and Ron Wood and Toyah’s cover of Echo Beach, and now contains the previously unreleased outtake “Mesmerised. Prostitute (1988) was an arresting and fascinating departure from the pop formula, a trend continued by 1991’s Ophelia’s Shadow. In 1994, Take The Leap” featured new songs and intriguing revisits of several of her earlier pop hits. 2003’s “Velvet Lined Shell took Toyah back to her guitar punk roots.

Amongst the bonus tracks are Toyah’s collaborations with Tony Banks, Trey Gunn, German band Kiss Of Reality, Family Of Noise and This Fragile Moment. The lavishly-illustrated 48 page booklet features annotation about each album written by Toyah herself. Also featured is an essay on the period covered by the box by Toyah’s official archivist and compiler of this box set, Craig Astley. As Craig says: “eclectic is an often-overused word but is an accurate description of this intriguing and revelatory body of work. From unashamed pop and avant-garde to progressive rock and back to punk, the Common factors throughout are Toyah’s voice and lyrics but moreover, a sense of forging and following her own creative solo path”.

• Continue reading about Toyah Solo at toyahwillcox.com.

A new box celebrating Toyah’s career is on its way • 500 with signed print

Toyah’s solo career is to be celebrated in a new box set due next month from Demon.

Toyah Solo mops up the era from 1985 onwards when Willcox signed as a solo turn to Sony’s Portrait Records and then subsequent EG releases, and comprises of seven CDs and a DVD plus a 48 page book. (If you’re a cursory fan and a bit confused and wondering ‘hang on, wasn’t she always solo?’ it transpires that up until then, Toyah was the name of the band she fronted.)

The box charts the Birmingham post-punk lungsmith’s progression from chart star – with hits such as ‘Soul Passing Through Soul’ and her cover of ‘Echo Beach’ – to increasingly experimental artist and back again, and features the six albums Minx (released 1985) Desire (1987), Prostitute (1988), Ophelia’s Shadow (1991), Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell (both 1994) alongside Remixed, Revisited & Rare 1992-98 which contains updates on some of her biggest hits.

• Continue reading at Super Deluxe Edition.

The fantastic cover art for Toyah’s first ever box set release – Toyah Solo. A new 7 CD/DVD anthology released 28 Feb by Edsel Records. Includes 6 studio album across 7 discs w/ 44 bonus tracks, B-Sides, rarities & collaborations.

The full contents of the aforementioned Limited Edition version of the Toyah Solo box set. Toyah tweeted: Sssooooooo Very Excited! Toyah Solo has been 3 years in the making. It’s a beautiful box set of some of my most adventurous music plus previously unheard material. ENJOY XXXX

The pieces are coming together! Toyah Solo… is coming soon! (28.02.2020 to be precise)

Expect an official release announcement soon on this very exciting collection – An eight-disc set – Toyah’s first ever box set release. The very limited edition signed version has been spotted. Get it before it sells out!

(Amazon Exclusive Signed Edition): Signed Edition, Limited Edition, Box Set, Extra Tracks.

This Amazon Exclusive comes with a print signed by Toyah and is limited to 500 copies. This 7 CD + DVD box set (the first Toyah box set ever) features six albums (Minx, Desire, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap, Velvet Lined Shell) and 44 bonus tracks, including rarities, b-sides, collaborations, and several unreleased tracks, plus a DVD of promo videos and a brand new exclusive interview filmed in December 2019.

Photo © Toyah Willcox/Dean Stockings – Official Toyah have been sharing archive photos from Toyah’s Solo career era (post 1984) over the past few weeks, including this very rare jigsaw.

Christmas 2008, Good Times magazine – published in the US – named In The Court Of The Crimson Queen their “CD Of The Year”.

I must devote some space to what is, for me, the event of the year, a new CD, “In The Court Of The Crimson Queen” by UK pop/rock icon Toyah. She’s been married to King Crimson founder/guitarist Robert Fripp since 1985, and the CD title is a play on Crimson’s ‘Court Of the Crimson King”, a late 60s timepiece. Let’s take a look, track by track.

• Read the full review, by Jimi LaLumia, here.

A little, albeit unconventional, retail therapy at one of London’s top department stores made the fourth festive season of the 80s a very memorable one for Toyah fans and viewers of Good Morning Britain on TVAM.

Christmas 1983, Toyah, and her Brave New World video co-star Messenger, went early Christmas shopping in November… Pop singer and actress Toyah Willcox has always wanted to do her Christmas shopping on horseback! With a little help from TV-am’s ‘Fantasy Time’, and Liberty London in Regent Street, Toyah rode a white horse called Messenger through the store.

• Watch the full TVAM clip at Toyah’s Official You Tube channel and click below to see larger versions of the screen captures of Toyah and Messenger.

Confirmed news, on the Crimson Queen Tour dates in 2020, by Official Toyah: We are delighted to announce Toyah has agreed to do a short, free Meet & Greet’s at the Wolverhampton & London January 2020 shows but you need to arrive early for doors open. The M&Gs are on a first come, first served basis for a limited time. Click below for ticket links for these two dates.

A soundtrack album will be released for the British indie sci-fi adventure Invasion Planet Earth. The album features the film’s original music composed by Benjamin Symons. The soundtrack will be released digitally this Friday, November 22 and is now available for pre-order on Amazon, where you can also check out audio clips.

Invasion Planet Earth is co-written and directed by Simon Cox and stars Simon Haycock, Lucy Drive, Julie Hoult, Danny Steele, Toyah Willcox and Michael Bott. The movie follows a couple’s struggle to survive as the UK comes under attack from an alien mothership.

The film will be released in the UK in early December. No word on a domestic distribution deal.

1. This Is Kaleidoscope Man (3:03), 2. Our New Hope (1:31), 3. Vision of the Apocalypse (2:04), 4. Is This God? (1:24), 5. It Wasn’t a Dream (2:18), 6. Russian (2:47), 7. The Crash (1:43), 8. Washed Up (0:43), 9. It’s Beautiful Isn’t It (2:48), 10. I’ve Hated Every Man (1:59), 11. A Heroic Leap (3:20), 12. Point and Shoot (1:11), 13. I Am Kaleidoscope Man (3:14), 14. 20 Minutes (1:12), 15. The ISS (0:57), 16. They Are Attacking (4:03), 17. The Battle of Birmingham (5:32), 18. Nuclear Strike (1:27), 19. The End of the World (1:17), 20. Sending a Message (2:24), 21. I’ll Never Be Alone (8:14)

• Continue reading at Film Music Reporter.

The Kiss Of Reality album, originally released in 1993 and featuring Toyah performing on, and co-writer of, six of the songs, is now available digitally worldwide.

This was the only album from the experimental German band. Toyah also performed live with them in the early 1990s.

Info below from Official Toyah on Kiss Of Reality and the new digital release:

For the very first time the long deleted (and scarcely available when in print) album by Kiss Of Reality is available digitally worldwide. This album was recorded in 1993 and features 11 tracks by Kiss Of Reality who are David Pittaway, Volker Rehn & Jörg Schwickerath, joined by Toyah Willcox on 6 tracks which she also wrote lyrics for. The album has also been remastered for the first time. Search Kiss of Reality on itunes, spotify, amazon, googleplay music or your favourite digital provider to download or stream.

We danced in the hurricane at Toyah’s Brighton concert.

TOYAH + THE LAST CRY – CHALK, BRIGHTON 02.11.19

There certainly was ‘Thunder in the Mountains’ in Brighton on this wet and windy Saturday night. The wind was strong on the seafront and almost blew the bristles clean off my head. Even Toyah said onstage, that upon arriving in her chariot (car) she got blown off her feet. However, the weather wasn’t going to keep her fans from watching her perform tonight at new Brighton venue ‘Chalk‘, that’s for sure.

Anyone that was around in the 80’s will need no Toyah introduction as she was permanently on our TV screens and fully ingrained in our pop culture. She’s enjoyed a career that spans over forty years and she’s still going strong. She’s been nominated for four Brit awards, been involved in over twenty albums, written books, acted in stage-plays and appeared in TV shows and films, including of course, the legendary ‘Quadrophenia’. For the younger readers benefit, she has also provided voices for Teletubbies characters. You could say that she’s been busy.

• Continue reading at Brighton and Hove News.

Nigel Glockler – drummer on Anthem, College Tour/At The Rainbow, Four From Toyah, Anthem Tour, I Want To Be Free, Sphinx/For You, Thunder In The Mountains (yeah, like I needed to detail that but he is a legend!) – was in attendance at Toyah’s final 2019 Crimson Queen Tour date at Brighton Chalk last night. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

Toyah plays the final band gig of the year tonight. It’s also a Crimson Queen Tour date. There are two further tour dates in January. Toyah said: “What a brilliant year. Thank u everyone xxx“.

I was barely familiar with Toyah from seeing a review of “Anthem” in the pages of “Dogfood,” our local New Wave newspaper that was published by Record Mart chain in Orlando in the late 70s/early 80s. The positive review piqued by interest as it was written by Robin Shurtz; a guy I knew from teaching English at my junior high school. Robin had interesting music tastes.

Then, in 1981, I bought an issue of Flexipop that had an ad for Toyah’s “Thunder In The Mountains” single. The extreme styling and pose of the photo was sort of like a femme take on “Aladdin Sane” but the eerie calmness of the singer’s pose looked interesting.

• Continue reading at Post Punk Monk.

Toyah played two further dates of the Crimson Queen Tour this weekend, in Manchester on Friday and Nottingham last night. There’s just one more Crimson Queen gig this year, in Brighton on Saturday 2nd November, with two final dates in January.

Here’s a selection of shots from last weekend’s Southampton and Bristol gigs. The set list includes songs from Sheep Farming in Barnet, in celebration of it’s 40th Anniversary this year. Click below to view more photos at Dreamscape’s Toyah Gallery. (Photos © Ian Davis)