30 years ago this week ‘The Changeling’, arguably Toyah’s finest album, was released. It entered the UK album charts, at number six, on 19th June 1982 and stayed on the chart till September. Here’s Falling To Earth‘s *wishful thinking* 30th birthday pressie…
Coming Soon! An interview with Melissa Mailer-Yates. Discussing art, her career and Toyah!
An update on ‘The Changeling’ prints by Melissa Mailer-Yates.
Melissa has revealed that these will be a limited edition run: There will be just 312 prints made available, marking the 30th anniversary of ‘The Changeling’ in 2012. More info on the prints here.
The incredible The Changeling/Brave New World art by Melissa Mailer-Yates is now available to purchase by print: When asked by the artist for her favourite photograph from the 1980s Toyah chose the wonderful image from ‘The Changeling’. The resultant painting inspired by this awesome picture was displayed at the premiere of ‘The Power Of Three’ movie in London, November 2011. The production of a print was discussed, and Toyah chose the hospice which cared for her mother, St Richard Hospice, as a beneficiary from the sales.
This giclee print is the result of that discussion and is available in two sizes, 18″ x 18″ and 26″ x 26″. It is printed on a thick, heavyweight watercolour paper (190 gsm), with a textured matte surface giving it the look and feel of a stunning original work of art. Both inks and paper are archival quality. Each print is produced to order, and is individually signed by the artist. Postage and packing is included in the price, and will be dispatched as soon as it is ready.
The fourth monthly online live track has been added to Toyah’s official website. It’s ‘Rebel Run’, recorded live at The Oxford Regal soundcheck in July 2011, on the ‘From Sheep Farming To Anthem’ tour.
Toyah’s official website will be offering visitors exclusive live tracks each month as Toyah’s Changeling Tour and summer festival/concert dates approach. At the beginning of each month an exclusive live track recorded from Toyah’s extensive 2011 tour dates will feature on the Gigs page.
The live tracks will be available to listen to for a limited time only with a new track replacing it each month. These live tracks are a taster for a special live album release planned for digital release in autumn/winter of 2012.
• Listen to ‘Rebel Run’, live at The Oxford Regal, here.
BBC Radio 2 DJ, Janice Long, welcomes a stellar guest list to review classic albums and hot new releases, nodding to masterful musicianship, recounting first experiences of musical milestones and entertaining with frank but friendly debates about what we all know and love: music. Filmed at Soho’s intimate Tin Pan Alley …
Toyah tweeted today that herself and Trevor Horn are reviewing ‘The Changeling’ for a forthcoming edition of The Janice Long Review Show which will air on ‘Vintage TV’. “Scary but fun“, Toyah said and also included this photo of a well worn vinyl copy of the album.
NB: The first edition, featuring Holly Johnson, airs on Sunday 24th June at 8.30pm: The Janice Long Review Show: Put four music lovers into one room and you’re sure to capture something special: stories of childhoods spent in record shops, first gigs in tiny venues and meeting idols. Not to mention when there are close connections to the albums at hand.
• Something to look forward to: It looks likely that Toyah’s 1987 album ‘Desire’ will be reissued, on download, later this year. Toyah’s Official Facebook said on Sunday: “There are no plans for a CD reissue of Desire. Plans for a digital release later in 2012 however.”
• Thanks for the feedback on Stevie Bray’s interview, and to everyone who has visited the feature so far.
• ‘I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan’ has now been available for over six months. The Kindle version, from Amazon, can be bought for the very bargainesque 80p. You don’t even need a Kindle to read it! View all of our IWATTF news here.
• Stylish Elegance: Toyah Willcox is 54 today…
Original member of TOYAH, drummer on the iconic albums ‘Sheep Farming In Barnet’ and ‘The Blue Meaning’… Stevie Bray. Check out FTE’s interview with him…
Interesting tweets from Toyah over the last couple of days. Aside from the tantalising (sorry, I hate that word too lol) “Crimson Queen 2” one earlier, last night Toyah tweeted a fantastic photo along with the message: “Just picked my guitar up 4 first time in 20 yrs! Bit rusty, but written UP 4 the Humans“.
Today, via another tweet, Toyah revealed ‘Rebel Run’ will be part of the Let’s Rock The Moor 2012 set tomorrow: “”its just a power game” Just rehearsing Rebel Run 4 Let’s Rock The Moor“.
Gulp!! Very exciting news today, via a tweet from Toyah: “Dear Crimson Queen fans, many exciting things happening with Simon Darlow. Watch this space 4 C.Q. 2“. A lot of Toyah fans have been waiting for this. In the meantime, please visit Dreamscape’s ‘In The Court Of The Crimson Queen’ 2009 feature and comprehensive news feed.
I have a couple of anniversary posts for tonight, but I thought I’d start with this one, which is of no real relevance to anyone but me. Sorry!
Tonight, Toyah is playing down the road (10 minutes walk) in Bishops Stortford. The occasion is ‘The Changeling The Resurrection 2012 – Celebrating The 30th Anniversary of The Changeling and Warrior Rock (Toyah On Tour)’
This made me smile, seeing Toyah was one of my first gigs. Brighton Centre 29th June 1982. This was the original Changeling tour.
I loved ‘Anthem’ at the time, but even moreso the more punky ‘Sheep Farming In Barnet’, but this was my first opportunity to see the band. I was 13 and a bit wee!
• Continue reading at Aural Sculptors (The Stranglers Live Archive).
The third monthly online live track has been added to Toyah’s official website. It’s the incredible ‘Castaways’, recorded live at Bush Hall, London on 22nd April 2012
Toyah’s official website will be offering visitors exclusive live tracks each month as Toyah’s Changeling Tour and summer festival/concert dates approach. At the beginning of each month an exclusive live track recorded from Toyah’s extensive 2011 tour dates will feature on the Gigs page.
The live tracks will be available to listen to for a limited time only with a new track replacing it each month. These live tracks are a taster for a special live album release planned for digital release in autumn/winter of 2012.
• Listen to ‘Castaways’, live at Bush Hall, London, here.
Time Flies! On this day, 27th April 1985 (yup), 27 years ago Toyah’s 15th single, and first ‘solo’ release, ‘Don’t Fall In Love (I Said)’ entered the UK singles chart. In retrospect, it’s a great pop song, written by Toyah and Simon Darlow, with an incredible b-side, ‘Snow Covers The Kiss’ (written by Toyah, Joel Bogen & Christopher Neil). Then there’s the unforgettable video. Personally, I can’t wait to hear it live on the ‘Minx: Trash & Tease 2015’ tour ;-))
‘BBC Hereford & Worcester’ have rejigged a recent Toyah BBC radio interview, mixed in lashings of great Toyah songs as the soundtrack, and added it to their “BBC Introducing…” page last night. Toyah talks ‘The Changeling’, the tour, the supernatural, punk and more.
Songs played: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Brave New World, Don’t Fall In Love (I Said), I Want To Be Free, Rebel Run. Running Time: 7m 38s.
Reissue! Repackage! (Hello to any fans of The Smiths who visit here. Still my favourite band after 30 years)
I’ve received some emails asking if I’d make this available again. So, for those who missed it on Saturday… for a limited time only (humour me, please)…
Marking the beginning of ‘The Changeling Resurrection 2012’ UK tour: ‘CASTAWAYS: Four (live) from Toyah’ EP.
1. Dawn Chorus/Moonlight Dancing (6.55 Special)
2. Brave New World (Get Set For Summer)
3. Street Creature (Get Set For Summer)
4. Castaways (Get Set For Summer)
Click on the artwork to view the “EP” at ‘Soundcloud’.
These tracks are all already available online, in video, at ‘You Tube’. As the new tour opens I thought creating an “EP” from them, showcasing four great live performances from ‘The Changeling’ era, would be a fitting way to celebrate this great occasion. Click here for a larger version of the artwork.
NB: Three of these songs were included in the set list of last Saturday’s gig in Brighton.
The ultimate celebration of, the mighty, ‘The Changeling’! Are you sitting comfortably?
Toyah was interviewed in 1998 by Richard Evans. This included Toyah discussing the forthcoming CD reissues of ‘Anthem’ and ‘The Changeling’.
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL TO KNOW THAT ‘ANTHEM’ AND ‘THE CHANGELING’ ARE COMING OUT AGAIN ON CD AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?
I’m relieved they’ve come out because for years people have been asking me to put them out and nothing’s been done about it, so I’m hugely relieved that they’ve been put out because there’s a demand. There’s a massive demand in the commercial world to use songs such as ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ on films and adverts which from a writers point of view I would really like to see happen as it gives the music a new audience.
What’s even better for me is that it’s ‘The Changeling’, which has been the most positively received… when we first released ‘The Changeling’ it was such a huge departure from ‘Anthem’ that it actually got slated in the press, it sold well, but not as well as ‘Anthem’ and it’s actually a better album. I mean it’s now getting better star-ratings in the reviews and that’s bloody brilliant, I’m really chuffed about that!
• Continue reading this great interview at ‘This Is Not Retro’ here.
Screen caps from the 1982 interview. Click on these to view larger versions.
This rare television interview is from that amazing Summer of 1982, the fantastic era of ‘The Changeling’. I’m not sure what the programme was called (possibly… It’ll Be A Laugh, Let’s Get The Office Junior To Do The Interviews This Week… just kidding, we love him really!). Toyah looks incredible here (how absolutely vibrant did Toyah look throughout 1982?) and talks ‘Brave New World’, making the video, ‘The Changeling’ tour dates and more.
This is an interesting interview from around the time of ‘The Changeling’ album and the UK tour. Toyah and Joel talk the music, the imagery, the fans, the songwriting, sex appeal and much more. Toyah also explains the origins of the “breast bared” photo(s) and why it was taken.
“I’d like to have Bo Derek’s body and someone else’s brain…”
It wasn’t until my third interview in nine weeks with Toyah that I felt confident enough to broach the subject of sex. As casually as I possibly could, I suggested to her that compared to other female artists ranging from Kim Wilde to Kate Bush to Souxsie, her image contains virtually no sex appeal, despite being a young, vivacious, attractive girl.
“I think, supposedly onstage, there’s much more sex appeal than in the photos” she counters. ” But I couldn’t do an Annabella (Lwin of Bow Wow Wow), I couldn’t show parts of my body…”
WHAAAT!! There’s that infamous pic of you with one breast bared and daubed with painted circles which has appeared almost everywhere from Sounds and Punk’s Not Dead to The Sun!
“Oh the ‘boob photo’ that’s the only one that exists, and no one knows why that was done” she offers matter of factly.
• Continue reading at the ‘Dreamscape Press Archive’ here.
