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…
Toyah’s brilliant 2003 mini-album, Velvet Lined Shell, is now available digitally…
Toyah’s iconic imagery from 1980/The Blue Meaning is currently being referenced as an influence on Tesco’s new womenswear trend/range at their F&F clothing/fashion webstore.
AW13 Depeche Mode: 80s chic meets modern attitude in our edgy new collection, Depeche Mode. Sportswear styles and couture silhouettes in a fresh colour palette make for a look that’s luxe yet easy to wear.
Key Pieces: Take inspiration from the 80s. Singer and actress Toyah Willcox mastered edgy chic.
• Click below to visit Clothing at Tesco/F&F.
The 2014 edition of The Acoustic Album and last year’s third album by The Humans, Strange Tales, are both now available to order/buy online on CD. Further info at toyahwillcox.com. Click below to go directly to the Burning Shed store.
• Angel and Me: Tears Of An Angel: A couple of lines of lyrics from Toyah’s iconic Angel and Me, from the 1982 album The Changeling, have been used in this Harry Potter fan story at fanfiction.net – See here…
• The Letters of Derek Philpott (and Wilf Turnbull): The Crowd Fund Kickstarter Campaign For The Book has succeeded!! The deadline to secure a copy is Sunday May 3rd at 3.40pm. I am only printing sufficient copies to provide for everyone that has pledged because I am one ordinary fellow who will be sending these out from where they are being delivered to .. my front room! The book will not be in the shops or available anywhere else – Continue reading…
• Get it On… With Bryan Burnett: It’s A Mystery, from The Safari Records Singles Collection Part 1: 1979 – 1981, was included in Bryan’s BBC Radio Scotland show playlist yesterday evening. I only mention it because I was listening at the time, and coincidentally I’ve also been playing both the Safari Collection CDs this week! #stillgetexcitedwhentoyahgetsplayedontheradio – Visit Bryan’s page…
• Kiss & Make Up – Carl Stanley: Yesterday I posted about Carl’s forthcoming book. Today I received an email from him saying thank you. A rare occurrence. Thanks Carl, wishing you every success with your book.
• FlexiPop! The Book: There’s still time to pledge and help get this fantastic book published – Further info here…
Incredible but true. Don’t Fall in Love (I Said), Toyah’s first bona fide solo single, entered the UK singles chart exactly 30 years ago tomorrow! Written by Toyah and Simon Darlow, and backed by, if truth be told, the far superior, Snow Covers The Kiss, it was taken from the album Minx, which would go on to be released in late July of 1985. Don’t Fall in Love (I Said) – A great pop single that brings back memories of happy times.
• Visit the DFIL page at Toyah’s official website, view an iconic appearance by Toyah on Formel Eins, listen to/watch Toyah performing the song live in 2014 at You Tube, view the single’s chart info at The Official Charts Company, browse some of Dreamscape’s previous posts relating to the song, and view photos from that era at our Gallery.
2015 is the 30th anniversary of Minx. One of the best songs on Toyah’s 1985 album was America For Beginners. Steve Skaith of Latin Quarter, who wrote and originally recorded the song, is just about to release a new version of the song on the album Bare Bones. More info by clicking below.
Two live Toyah classics, Thunder In The Mountains and I Want To Be Free, both from the 1982 Safari Records album Warrior Rock, are included in the new Vintage TV/HMV Digital link-up. Toyah played acoustic versions of both on The Vintage TV Sessions (Episode 4) in early 2014. That show is airing again soon.
Vintage TV is delighted to announce an exciting new relationship with HMV Digital!
Vintage TV music-lovers, you can now listen to all your favourite tracks from The Vintage TV Sessions, courtesy of HMV Digital. From Steve Harley to Lulu, Marc Almond to Lisa Stansfield, simply head over to HMV Digital to download your top songs and listen to them over and over again! There are over a 100 songs for you to add to your music library, so what are you waiting for?
• Continue reading at Vintage TV. Visit Vintage at HMV Digital.
The edition of The Janice Long Review Show which featured a second guest appearance from Toyah, and a look back at the 1982 album ‘The Changeling’, is also being repeated next month. This originally aired in August 2012.
The Janice Long Review Show: Vintage TV
Tuesday 13th January: 3am
Toyah and Sex Pistols. Broadcaster Paul Sexton returns, alongside producer Trevor Horn and 80s starlet Toyah, to discuss her 1982 gothic release ‘The Changeling’ and Sex Pistols’ ground-breaking ‘Never Mind The Bollocks’.
