‘Live At Kings Place’ by Weekend Guitar Trio, Toyah & Jan Bang was released yesterday on CD and Download.
The six songs on the album were recorded in London in February 2011 and each is co-written by Toyah.
Tracklist: 1. Let’s Make A Bomb, 2. Don’t Even Try, 3. Break The Mould, 4. Toyah Bang, 5. How A Group Is Born, 6. Boredom Is A Killer.
• Listen to samples and download the album here (at a very reasonable $7)
There’s a new update to Andrew’s website, In The Fairground: Andrew York’s Arternative Universe. View his latest fantastic Toyah creations by clicking below.
According to “Live Music Review”, the 2005 edition of Mayhem has just been added to iTunes.
The CD, ‘Live at Kings Place’, a Weekend Guitar Trio and Toyah collaboration, is launched via two concerts in Estonia this month.
The live CD is the 8th album by WGT, celebrating their 20th birthday this year. It contains the second set of the concert, plus “Boredom Is A Killer” from the first set. The 2-track live recording was restored and mastered by Markus Reuter & Lee Fletcher (Unsung Productions).
The album will be presented in Tallinn (9th of May) and Tartu (15th of May). At these concerts, WGT will be joined on stage by the Estonian poet/singer/rapper/producer Jarek Kasar.
• Further information on the genesis of this collaboration, the new live album and launch gigs at Weekend Guitar Trio’s website.
Toyah announced info about the upcoming tour in her May blog yesterday: The autumn tour is shaping up and we should be announcing the dates any day now. London, Manchester and Bristol are solid, we are now awaiting confirmation on a few other dates before we announce. We have decided to keep it selective and to main venues as I have a TV series to shoot in the autumn, but there will be enough venues for everyone to reach and to follow us around the country. The tour set will include songs from LOVE IS THE LAW, CRIMSON QUEEN, ANTHEM, CHANGELING and SHEEP FARMING, in that order of priority.
Toyah also mentions the possibility of a tour in 2014: Next year I might tour CRIMSON QUEEN, in it’s own right, especially if I can pin SIMON DARLOW down to record the follow up and to come and do some dates too. CQ is a fantastic album and it has had such a great response in the industry I’d like to give it the time it deserves. But this isn’t my priority just yet.
• View a larger version of Dreamscape’s LITL Tour teaser here or by clicking on the image.
One of Toyah’s greatest ballads, and a standout song on the Love Is The Law album… Martian Cowboy… Will it be included in the set list of the Autumn anniversary tour? View a larger version of Dreamscape’s MC image here. (Thanks to Andi for the HQ photo)
Vote for your top albums of 1983 in the fourth Slicing Up Eyeballs poll. ‘Love Is The Law’, celebrating its 30th anniversary, is included as an option. Voting closes on 24th May and the results will be announced at the beginning of June. Click below to participate in the poll.
• Mayhem: The 2013 reprint of the 2005 CD reissue of Toyah’s 1985 Safari album ‘Mayhem’ is included in the latest Burning Shed newsletter: This fascinating album gives an insight into late 70s/early 80s works in progress by Toyah and comprises finished songs not included on EPs and albums.
• TCM Turner Classic Movies: A Jarman double-bill aired on TCM over the weekend, including another showing of The Tempest, with Toyah as Miranda.
• This is Local London: Scarlett Fever: Rockabilly band launch debut album with free gig at New Wimbledon Studios: Kent trio Scarlett Rae and the Cherry Reds play original tracks from their album Crash Landing and a selection of cover songs at the gig. The band, formed in 2011, is made up of lead vocalist and double bassist Andee Price, drummer Chris Wong and guitarist Ben Green. Wong is also the musical director for 1980s star Toyah Willcox…
• WFMU: Dark Night of the Soul with Julie: Playlist from May 2, 2013: An emotional trainwreck in fluffy bunny slippers… ‘Out Of The Blue’ from Dreamchild was included on Julie’s show playlist on Thursday night.
• WFMU: Toyah Special: Julie’s A Celebration of the Crimson Queen from May 2011 is still available to listen to online. A transcript of the Toyah Special is available here.
A special update to In The Fairground: Andrew York’s Arternative Universe. Andrew has just completed the amazing “Anthemscape” and you can view it in the site’s Anthem gallery.
One of the famous “Toyah bonnets” by Gary Price. This was the first one (an MG) from 1981 and, apparently, he did numerous others over the next couple of years. He got stopped by a policeman in the early hours of Christmas Day 1981 while travelling home from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane ‘Good Morning Universe’ gig and when ‘I Want To Be Free’ was in the charts kids used to dance round the car at traffic lights. By Spring 1982 he was on the dole and working on a portfolio to apply to go to Chelsea Art College. At this time he couldn’t afford to run the car so it was kept in a garage.
By around mid 1982 Gary was working on a third bonnet and was planning another two – he was hoping when they were all complete that there would be a photo session done with Toyah. Unfortunately this didn’t happen. It sounds as though there were various artworks designed for subsequent bonnets. This first one was in loads of magazines (at least eight by early ’82) and on Nationwide and TISWAS!!!
• Click here to view a larger version. (Thanks to Andi | Photo by Tara Nowy)
Toyah’s ‘The Changeling’ places at #100 in the Slicing Up Eyeballs Top 100 Albums Of 1982 poll, published today. This is the third consecutive appearance for Toyah albums; ‘Sheep Farming in Barnet’ was at #92 in the 1980 poll and ‘Anthem’ at #65 in the 1981 poll. I’m sure most of us are of the opinion that these great albums should be much higher but it’s good to see them being included. Voting in the 1983 poll opens next week.
Praying to the silent man…
‘Rebel Run’, released in September 1983, was Toyah’s 13th single in the UK. It’s fitting that the song is celebrating it’s 30th anniversary in 2013.
This was one of only two singles to be released by Toyah in 1983 and was the debut from the album ‘Love Is The Law’. It was written by Toyah and Simon Darlow and reached number 24 in the UK Top 40.
Toyah made a memorable video for the single and promoted it with numerous appearances and interviews on shows including TVAM’s Summer Run, Hold Tight, The Saturday Show, Saturday Superstore, and German TV show Jugendabend. The video was also played on Top Of The Pops.
Toyah said of the imagery: “This is the Rebel Run look. I was into armour. A friend, Simon, made a bronze headdress based on the skeletal structure of American football players.”
• Download ‘Rebel Run’ at iTunes, view the promo video, and the airing on Top Of The Pops. Watch Toyah perform the single on Hold Tight and Saturday Superstore. Listen to the song live at Hammersmith Odeon on the ‘Rebel Run’ Tour in December 1983. Andromeda Rising covered the song in 2005. Listen to their version here.
• Heaven Is An Incubator: Found Vinyl: Toyah – Love Is The Law: Up first is the 1983 album “Love Is the Law,” from English performer Toyah. Look at that album cover. Seriously, look at it. It’s got a bunch of fencers and a girl that looks like an extra from the 80’s movie “Solarbabies.”
• Weston, Worle & Somerset Mercury 24: Toyah Willcox causes mayhem in Hormonal Housewives: Toyah Willcox and Julie Coombe are back on stage causing mayhem as the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives.
• Justin Moorhouse: Toyah’s recent interview, which aired on BBC Radio Manchester, is now available to listen to at Audio Boo.
• Staffs Live: Hormonal Housewives returning to Lichfield: The Hormonal Housewives are returning to the Lichfield Garrick. Their new show, starring Toyah Willcox alongside Julie Coombe, will take a look at what really makes the modern housewife tick.
The 2013 edition of Toyah’s most recent studio album, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, is available to buy online from Burning Shed. Originally released in September 2008, the new version includes an extra song, ’21st Century Supersister’, revised cover art and changes to the images included in the CD booklet. Click below to buy.
The last remaining stock of The Changeling Resurrection II Tour t-shirts are also now on sale online from the Toyah shop at Burning Shed alongside some Sugar Rush/The Humans t-shirts. These limited edition t-shirts will not be re-printed and are all signed by Toyah too. Copies of The Humans album Sugar Rush and the collaboration album This Fragile Moment is also available at the Burning Shed Toyah store.
A selection of rare photos, none of which were subsequently used, from the ‘Anthem’ album photo sessions in early 1981. These great shots were taken by photographer Jay Myrdal. Click below to view larger versions. (Thanks to Andi | All photos © Jay Myrdal)
Vote for your top albums of 1982 in the third Slicing Up Eyeballs poll. ‘The Changeling’ is included as an option. Voting closes on 26th April and the results will be announced at the beginning of May. Click below to participate in the poll.
The results of the Slicing Up Eyeballs‘ 1981 Albums Poll was announced at the beginning of the month – ‘Anthem’ placed at number 65!! Click below to view the Top 100.
Happy Easter! It’s the end of March, and by this time in 1983 Trafford Tanzi was in residence at The Mermaid Theatre in London with Toyah in the lead role. She was also just about to start recording the album ‘Love Is The Law’. Dreamscape is Remembering 1983 all this year… here is the full set of LITL imaginary singles. Please click below to zoom.
A short teaser of Weekend Guitar Trio’s forthcoming live album with Toyah Willcox and Jan Bang. Recorded at Kings Place, London on 26 February 2011.
1. Let’s Make A Bomb
2. Don’t Even Try
3. Break The Mould
4. Toyah Bang
5. How A Group Is Born
6. Boredom Is A Killer
Toyah co-wrote all six of the songs. Listen to the preview at You Tube or Soundcloud.
In the Court of the Crimson Queen was Toyah’s fifteenth solo studio album
Originally released in 2008, the album title (referencing King Crimson’s debut album) was suggested by producer/co-author Simon Darlow and was endorsed by Crimso head honcho (and Toyah’s husband) Robert Fripp. “At last my husband’s done something for my career!” Toyah commented.
A powerful Bowie-esque Art Rock statement, the album was New York Good Times ‘Album Of The Year’.
This is the 2013 reissue with bonus track, 21st Century Supersister. Preorder now for 1st April shipping date
1. Sensational, 2. Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel In You), 3. Heal Ourselves, 4. Lesser God, 5. Angel In You, 6. Love Crazy, 7. Bad Man, 8. Hyperventilate, 9. Come, 10. Legacy. Bonus Track: 11. 21st Century Supersister
Toyah: Lead Vocals, Simon Darlow: Instruments, Backing Vocals, Production, Mix. Arranged and written by Toyah/Darlow. (Thanks to Brian Marsh)
There’s just two days to go until voting in the Slicing Up Eyeballs Best Albums Of 1981 poll closes. If you haven’t already voted please visit and add your voice to the sound of the crowd… (PS. Toyah’s 1981 masterpiece ‘Anthem’ is included as a choice)
