2015 was/is the 30th anniversary of the release of two, starkly different, Toyah albums: The big-budget, major label, studio album Minx, which Dreamscape celebrated/posted about sporadically this year; and the, final 80s release on indie label Safari, compilation album Mayhem (“A Special Collector’s Edition Album Of Rare and Archive Recordings”).
Mayhem was also released on expanded CD in 2005 and digitally in 2013. Somewhat ironically in this 30th anniversary year the “multi-media” warehouse which the album was named after, “Mayhem” in Battersea, London began to be demolished. Visit the album page at The Official Toyah Discography, and download the album/buy the CD by clicking on the Mayhem feature from Issue 17 of Dreamscape’s Toyah Fanzine.
In October 1983, Toyah’s album Love is The Law was released. It was issued on CD in 2005 and made available digitally for the first time ever in 2013 – thanks to toyahwillcox.com – to mark its 30th anniversary. The release was accompanied by a new digital booklet. You can now view/download the booklet at The Official Toyah website. Click on the original 1983 Japanese Love Is The Law press advert – colourised by Dreamscape – below to visit the album page.
• Browse Dreamscape’s recent Love Is The Law archive of posts here. View the related post at Instagram. The album is available to buy at iTunes and Amazon.
As has been posted about a fair bit recently… Toyah’s three quite different and, more than quite, brilliant albums: Desire – originally released in 1987, Prostitute – originally released in 1988, and Ophelia’s Shadow – originally released in 1991, were made available digitally, for the first time, earlier this month. There’s been a lot of related promotion…
Desire: Read Toyah’s Letter, first published in Tellurian One (Spring 1987); View info on Tenterhooks, Echo Beach (Acoustic) and Desirable; Visit the album page at toyahwillcox.com; Read a full transcript of Chris Limb’s 1987 interview with Toyah; Listen to the album at Spotify; Buy at Amazon or iTunes; Browse Dreamscape’s Desire news…
Prostitute: Read Toyah’s Letter (Summer 1988); Visit the album page at toyahwillcox.com; Read a reflection by Craig Astley; Listen to the album at Spotify; Buy at Amazon or iTunes; Browse Dreamscape’s Prostitute news…
Ophelia’s Shadow: Read Toyah’s Letter (Summer 1990); Visit the album page at toyahwillcox.com; Listen to the album at Spotify; Buy at Amazon or iTunes; Browse Dreamscape’s Ophelia’s Shadow news…
Explore Toyah’s Instagram for rarities related to all three albums (Thanks to Breaking Through).
Desire, Toyah’s second solo album, originally released in 1987 was issued digitally at the beginning of October.
As well as a new digital booklet to accompany the release a plethora of Desire-related extras have been made available by toyahwillcox.com to complement the album.
TENTERHOOKS | AN AUDIO SLEEVENOTE To accompany the recent digital release of Toyah’s 1987 album Desire comes an exclusive audio sleevenote. (Concept: Craig Astley | Execution: Chris Limb | Based on an original Toyah interview conducted and recorded by Chris Limb in London, 1987).
ECHO BEACH [ACOUSTIC] A previously unreleased and unavailable acoustic take on Echo Beach. Recorded live in 2014.
DESIRABLE EP compiling Echo Beach & Moonlight Dancing B-Sides in new sonically refreshed transfers. Tracklist: 1. Echo Beach (Surf Mix); 2. Plenty; 3. Sun Up; 4. Re-Entry Into Dance.
• Click on each of the covers below to download/stream the Desire goodies. (Thanks to Breaking Through)
More great news! Prostitute is currently in the Top 100 Alternative Chart at iTunes.
Desire has already charted earlier this week in the iTunes Rock Top 100, as well as at Amazon.
• Click for Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow at Amazon.
Desire | Prostitute | Ophelia’s Shadow | Digital releases available now.
Great news! Desire was placing at number 59 on the iTunes Rock Chart today. The album was released digitally on Friday, along with Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow.
These three albums are currently Toyah’s biggest sellers at iTunes. See the news posts below for further info on the releases, plus links to iTunes and more details at toyahwillcox.com.
**Update** Desire has also charted at Amazon.
Now available digitally, with great new booklets accompanying them (with album downloads via iTunes and Amazon), Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow.
In just a few hours Toyah’s trio – but not a trilogy – of late 80s/early 90s albums: Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow are released digitally for the first time. It really is fantastic that these will now be available for future generations to discover and enjoy.
I’ve always thought that these were, and are, three great albums. All completely different, and all showcasing Toyah’s true talent as a musician, songwriter and vocalist. She truly always has been a fascinating artist.
Desire includes some of Toyah’s best lyrics and emotive vocals. Prostitute still fascinates and disturbs listeners as much now as it did in 1988. Ophelia’s Shadow is to Toyah what The Dreaming is to Kate Bush…
So to mark the release(s), here are links to a few bits and pieces from over the years related to the trio:
Visit Dreamscape’s feature on Desire from 2012 – Marking the 25th Anniversary of its release… There’s also a mini-feature on Prostitute.. Read an interview with Toyah from around the time of Ophelia’s Shadow release, plus some related clippings (scanned from Tellurian Newsletter)…
Ophelia’s Shadow: Happy 21st – A short tribute… Prostitute was our first, and only, album of the month in 2012… View the results of a “just for fun” Desire poll from 2013… and some Desire fan art by Dreamscape from a few years ago… There was also, of course, an imaginary advert…
View a selection of Desire-era photos… and Toyah appearing on Neno in 1987… An unimaginary Desire press advert… And finally – The Curious Tale of The Moonlight Chorus :)
Browse further info on all three albums at The Official Toyah Discography. Read details about the digital releases and listen to the “new” Toyah EP Desirable.
Browse related photos and info on Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow at Toyah’s Official Instagram. All three albums are released digitally tomorrow. “This album was an exorcism for me, an exercise in self-worth” Toyah on Prostitute.
Long deleted and never available on any digital platforms, toyahwillcox.com is delighted to announce an October digital release of the catalogue albums Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow. Whilst the latter two have been deleted for over a decade, Desire has been unavailable since the early 1990s. The three catalogue titles are released digitally on Friday 2 October 2015.
1987’s Desire was produced by Mike Hedges and engineered by Haydn Bendall at Abbey Road Studios where Bendall (at the time) had recently engineered Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love… 1988’s acclaimed album Prostitute is an uncompromising work which was composed by Toyah and drummer Steve Sidelnyk who would later to play on Madonna’s Ray of Light album… 1991’s Ophelia’s Shadow is the album which Toyah feels most represents her personally. Recorded in 1990 it utilises the same band line-up of the Toyah/Fripp-helmed band Sunday All Over The World…
On iTunes, all three albums come with a meticulously presented digital booklet to expand the experience of listening to the album. Compiling sleevenotes, production credits and full lyrics they also bring together almost all associated imagery created for each album. Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow are foregrounded by an introductory note from Toyah; Desire contains a new reflection on the album by Chris Limb.
All three albums will be available digitally to buy or stream from Friday 2 October including iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music. Some digital vendors may follow on from the 2 October date and may appear at different times. The digital booklets will only be available when purchasing the entire album from iTunes. They will however be made available from The Official Toyah Website for all fans to enjoy.
Look out for some other related surprises too, courtesy of toyahwillcox.com!
• Continue reading at The Official Toyah Willcox website.
To mark the digital release of Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow a selection of “Bonus Features” – retro letters, interviews and performances, see the latest Breaking Through newsletter for full details – have been made available by Toyah’s official website. This includes a “new” EP, Desirable, compiling all other previously released Desire-era songs not included on the album.
Four songs from the Desire sessions, from Echo Beach and Moonlight Dancing b-sides, are on this free digital EP, with great new cover art, nicely referencing the original Desire album.
• Download or stream Desirable at The Official Toyah Discography. The full tracklist for the EP is as follows:
1. Echo Beach [Surf Mix] (Gane) | Originates from the 12″ single of Echo Beach
2. Plenty (Willcox) | Originates from the 7″/12″ single of Echo Beach
3. Sun Up (Willcox) | Originates from the 7″/12″ single of Moonlight Dancing
4. Re-Entry Into Dance (Willcox/Geballe) | Originates from the 7″/12″ single of Moonlight Dancing
Tenter hooks so gentle so sharp | Be on tenter hooks for not much longer. Digital reissue details coming soon…. #desire #pro #ophelia
On 2nd September 1985, World in Action, Toyah’s third single from Minx was released. This would be the last single from the album and Toyah’s final release on Portrait/CBS Records.
World in Action was the first single of Toyah’s career that she didn’t co-write. It was also the first release since pre-Four From Toyah not to make an appearance in the UK Singles Chart. As with the previous two singles from the album, the 7” and 12” had different sleeves. The 12” sleeve is probably the best of all six of the Portrait single sleeves, featuring a stunning, Terence Donovan, photo of Toyah. This was also the only single from the Portrait trio not to have a promo video made to accompany it. B-Side song Soldier Of Fortune, Terrorist Of Love was written by Willcox/Lee. Both were produced by Christopher Neil. The 12″ included the extra “Action Mix” of WIA.
Pay a visit to Mark Satchwill’s Instagram to view some incredible new Toyah art from him.
• Smash Hits: July 31 – August 13: Uploaded yesterday to Like Punk Never Happened: Smash Hits Archive – The “latest” issue of Smash Hits, 30 years on from the original day it was published – Read the issue…
• Minx at 30: The issue of Smash Hits includes the full-page advert for Minx. Toyah’s first solo album entered the UK Album Chart this very week (03.08.1985) 30 years ago. Browse all of Dreamscape’s recent Minx related posts here…
• Toyah @ Twitter: Toyah is filming a daytime drama for the BBC: “Up at 5am today filming in Birmingham BBC. daytime drama, lots of dialogue…..great character” – Follow Toyah @ Twitter…
• Derbyshire Times: Flashback fun at Clumber Park: Clumber Park hosts the sixth annual Flashback Festival next month. Saturday sees the return of all things 80s, with a line-up that will take you back to the coolest decade in pop. Sheffield band The Human League are set to headline the festival playing 80s hits such as Don’t you want me, Human and Together in Electric Dreams. Joining The Human League will be Tainted Love singer Marc Almond, Jason Donovan, 5 Star, Toyah and Flashback’s favourite compere The Doctor of Doctor & The Medics – Continue reading…
• Eastbourne Herald: August in Eastbourne: Eastbourne’s iconic Bandstand reaches peak season in August with events taking place every day. Another highlight of Airbourne weekend, ‘Toyah in Concert’ on August 14 promises a dynamic concert from the punk princess, Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…
• Minx at 30: This very weekend in 1985 Minx first entered the UK Album Chart…
This week in 1985 Soul Passing Through Soul – Toyah’s second single as a solo artist, stats fans – was in the lower reaches of the UK Singles Chart. It was written by “Willcox/St James” and taken from the album Minx, which would go on to be released at the end of July. Some (not me) say it was influenced by/is reminiscent of David Bowie’s Heroes.
Soul Passing Through Soul was released on 7″, 12″ and 7″ Picture Disc, and was accompanied by a great video, with fantastic visuals – something Toyah always was, and indeed still is, known for…
Hot – yup it is exceedingly hot at the moment etc. ;) – on the heels of last month’s Breaking Through newsletter, comes another! With juicy Toyah updates on Aaaaaaaah! and more… including:
• Toyah will host a screening of, the Derek Jarman inspired, The Raft of the Medusa at Barbican, London on Thursday 16th July – Further details/tickets here…
• Toyah will appear at the Celebrity Autograph Convention event at Viva Blackpool on 24 October along with other cast members from Quadrophenia – Further details/tickets here…
• A trio of classic Toyah albums – Desire, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow – will be available digitally in August. Full details to follow.
• Subscribe: Sign up to ‘Breaking Through’, to receive regular newsletter updates, here.
Like Punk Never Happened: Smash Hits Archive has been continuing to upload retro issues of ‘Smash Hits’ magazine 30 years to the day they were originally published in the UK.
Various “recent” issues have included Toyah – Minx and its related singles were being released around this time back in 1985.
• Smash Hits, June 19 – July 2, 1985: This issue includes a full-page advert for the single Soul Passing Through Soul. Toyah is also included in the feature – “Who Is Pop’s Mr Clever Trousers?” – Read the issue here…
• Smash Hits, June 5 – 18, 1985: Toyah is included in the feature – “Oh! You’re Not As Tall As You Are On The Telly!” – Read the issue here…
• Smash Hits, May 22 – June 4, 1985: This issue includes the feature – “Toyah: Personal File” – Toyah answers lots of slightly odd questions, such as “When was the last time you saw a spirit?“. This was Toyah’s second “Personal File” for ‘Smash Hits’, the other was in early 1983 – Read the issue here…
• Smash Hits, May 8 – 21, 1985: This issue includes the songwords for the single Don’t Fall in Love (I Said) – Read the issue here…
• Smash Hits, April 24 – May 7, 1985: This issue includes a full-page advert for the single Don’t Fall in Love (I Said) – Read the issue here…
Celebrating the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the release of Toyah’s debut solo album MINX. View a larger version of Dreamscape’s fan art by clicking on it and another image here.
Toyah’s brilliant 2003 mini-album, Velvet Lined Shell, is now available digitally…
