Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

This new Dreamscape feature isn’t imaginary, but everything included in it is!!

I guess it’s just another way of creating something new and different with Toyah imagery, song titles and logos – all of which we are incredibly familiar with. I hope to add to this occasionally so it’s yet another work in progress, and if anyone has any suggestions for a song that they’d like included let me know.

Click below to view the new page, and here or to the left to view an imaginary advert for one of the imaginary singles; “I’ll Serve You Well”. 

We’re “Remembering ’83” etc… Another little something I threw together recently while playing ‘Love Is The Law’. I say this about all of Toyah’s albums (and images and everything else) but it truly is underrated. I’m also doing another “Opinion Wall”, along the lines of last year’s for The Changeling website. I’ve already had some great responses from fans at Facebook, and if you would also like your opinions/memories of this great album included send them to me. The “wall” will be added to Dreamscape nearer to the 30th anniversary of the album’s release.

It’s become a tradition over the years for Dreamscape to put together an “ad” for Toyah’s latest release… So, here’s one for ‘Sensational’. Available at iTunes, Amazon etc… Click here to view a larger version and below to watch the video at You Tube.

Rather than celebrating the fact that almost 40 years into her career Toyah is still making music, releasing videos and imagery, entertaining her fans (is there anybody else from the New Wave era that is still so busy and visible that a news website about them can be updated almost every day?) and much more, there seems to be even more negativity swirling around than usual, especially regarding the video for ‘Sensational’. Check out the video on You Tube for Toyah’s feelings on the matter!

• Great Toyah art for 2013 by Colin Dewhurst. Click on the photo to view a larger version. (Thanks again to Colin)

• Toyah @ Twitter: “I’m lovin 2013 already! Phone ringing off the hook…..busy busy bee! Very interesting projects in the offering“, “Crazy day: dealing with 4 national publications, put chapter in Jarman book 2 bed“.

• The Guardian: Why we should all mourn the loss of Gaydar Radio: Toyah is mentioned in this article on the demise of ‘Gaydar Radio’: …or hearing Phil, the evening presenter, confess that he’s been to his 7,000th Toyah Willcox concert.

• Doctor Who Online : A comprehensive review of The Legacy Collection, (which includes Toyah in More Than Than 30 Years In The TARDIS), the DVD box set just about to be released worldwide.

• Daily Mail: Toyah was the subject of one of the questions in the Mail’s Christmas quiz, Mike Read’s Poptastic Puzzlers.

• Sensational: As well as airing all over the tellybox, the Weight Watchers’ ad featuring Patsy Kensit and Toyah’s ‘Sensational’ is also on the radio. (Thanks to Michael & Sharon)

• This is Kent: A Feast of Pantomimes: Christmas may seem a lifetime away now, but the festive spirit continues into the new year with a feast of pantomimes. The Marlowe Theatre’s spectacular pantomime Sleeping Beauty, starring pop idol Gareth Gates, punk singer Toyah Willcox and Margate born comedian Lloyd Hollett runs until January 20.

• This is Kent: Pupils Pepper Panto Stars with Questions: Theatre group the Marlowe Spotlighters cast a critical eye over this year’s pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, after interviewing the stars of the show.

We’re having a Toyahtastic 70s and Festivefabulous 80s pre-Christmas knees-up! The non-alcohol mulled wine and mince-free pies are going down a storm! Click to zoom on the cards.

Coming Soon: A dedicated page at Dreamscape’s Gallery for the various Toyah bits & pieces I’ve put together over the years. Storing it all in the one place will mean easier access to having a laugh at my feeble attempts at “fan art”. I didn’t realise quite how many I’d done!

I know everyone is probably thoroughly bored with my mock Toyah adverts and Photoshopping of various other classic Toyah photos… but here’s another two anyway :)

Toyah’s Changeling Resurrection II hits Glasgow tonight for a much anticipated gig at The Classic Grand. It’s the third date of the Autumn tour (Manchester Academy tomorrow night!) and is sure to be a great night. (Thanks to Andi for the re-designed BNW doll photo)

Apologies for the lack of updates recently, there will hopefully soon be a bumper news catch-up when I’m feeling a bit better – had an operation on my back last week and currently feeling very sore!

A shiny new Toyah collage… Click to zoom! This is the final post for the time being. Regular updates will resume in a few week’s time.

… of Toyah’s finest space-agey, other-worldy, sci-fi related songs. I put this together as a playlist and, despite being recorded/released over a span of 29 years and eight studio albums, the songs really flow and work well as a collection. Please click below to view a larger version of the imaginary artwork (Thanks to Anji for her “Wow” at Facebook, it made me think maybe the design and title isn’t as bad as I initially thought ;))

A couple of Dreamscape ‘adverts’, featuring fantastic photos from the 1982 ‘Changeling Tour’, for the forthcoming tour… The Changeling Resurrection II is on the way! (Please click below to view larger – View numerous other similar creations for the Spring tour here)

A couple of pretend “adverts” for The Ebony Tower, using great stills from the ITV drama.

A fantastic 1985 photo session by Terence Donovan… View more at Dreamscape’s Gallery.

The, soon to be aired, first episode of Series 7 (aka Season 33) of Doctor Who has more Daleks than ever before, and this weekend Toyah guests in the ‘BBC America’ documentary The Women Of Doctor Who – so now seems as good a time as any to post this!!! Skaro’s finest definitely have good taste (though their marketing techniques are a little extreme).

A couple of fan-created Toyah CD covers: A “wishful thinking”, career-spanning, retrospective (by me) and, a perfect new studio album cover (by Andrew York). Please click below to view larger versions. (Thanks to Andrew York | Original photo © Dean Stockings/Toyah)

Previously available, and definitely worth another look! Random Toyah songwords: Sphinx; Dreamscape; Lion of Symmetry; Symbiotic. Please click on each to view larger versions.

Also available: The complete songwords for Four More From Toyah, and The Changeling (+ Paradise Child). Plus the ‘From Sheep Farming To Anthem’ set: Computer; Elusive Stranger; Bird in Flight; Blue Meanings; Love Me; Obsolete; For You.

Seven years apart and very, very different music and imagery, but both “classic” Toyah – The iconic ‘Danced’, the live version from ‘Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!’ released as a single in late 1980, and ‘Desire’ the album released in Summer 1987 that includes some of Toyah’s best lyrics, showcasing what a fine songwriter she is. Please click on each to zoom.

The ‘Desire’ photo is actually from a 1986 shoot but image/time wise it’s close enough to be associated to the 1987 album! (Thanks to Andrew York for working his magic on the photo)

I spent most of yesterday colouring this photo. Crazy I know, but I’ve always wanted to see a non b&w version of it as it’s my favourite band shot from that era… Click to zoom!

Two more Dreamscape creations. Toyah has such a rich history of visuals, it’s good to dip into the photos and try to construct something ‘new’ from the familiar images. I never tire of ‘The Blue Meaning’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’ is an iconic single. Click on each to zoom.

One of the best singles of 1981, excellent production by Nick Tauber and iconic visuals on the single’s sleeve (and 12″ picture disc) and the accompanying video. I’ve always believed that this could be a massive hit again if it was included on the soundtrack of a big movie…

Andrew York continues to add a whole new dimension to well, and not so well, known Toyah photos. Here are just a few of his latest, fantastic, creations. View all of our Andrew posts.

• View more of Andrew’s Toyah art at Dreamscape’s Gallery and The Changeling 30 website.