Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

• The Advertiser: Crimson queen ready to reign with set of her greatest hits: A news article on Toyah’s recent Crimson Queen gig in Blyth, and forthcoming Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date at The Duchess, York – Continue reading…

• Cat On The Wall Music & Culture Webzine: Whitby Goth Weekend – Day One – Friday 25th April 2014: Toyah Willcox: Her vocals were perfectly placed, her communication with the audience was excellent, the music itself was replicated to a tee (complete with plenty of synth, of course) and, ultimately, she’s about as practised live as a musician can get. She knows how to perform and uses the experience well without becoming the slightest bit robotic. I’ve never seen an audience so adoring before. It’s actually quite an incredible sight – Continue reading…

• Flatpack Film Festival: Jubilee: The 1978 film is showing at the Library of Birmingham Studio Theatre, Saturday 14th June at 7.30pm – Further info here…

• Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits…Live!: Tickets are now on sale for Toyah’s gig at West Cliff Theatre, Clacton-On-Sea – Buy/View info here…

• Toyah Live 2014: Browse Toyah’s full diary of upcoming Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits, Acoustic, Up Close & Personal, festival and PA dates. There are numerous gigs listed at The Official Gigs Page…

• Toyah on Twitter: “Breakfast in Seattle overlooking Puget Sound… Planning 2015! xxx” – Follow Toyah at Twitter…

• The Watchers Film Show Blog: Shakespeare On Film: The Tempest: This is my favourite of Shakespeare’s plays. There are two particularly interesting film version of this lyrical, beautiful and poignant play. Derek Jarman’s 1979 version, starring Heathcote Williams as Prospero and Toyah Willcox as Miranda (above), is full of the usual striking and out-there imagery you would expect for a Jarman film – Continue reading…

Jubilee is showing a couple of times this month at the National Media Museum, Bradford, on Wednesday 7th and Sunday 11th May.

Often referred to as Britain’s first official punk movie, Jubilee sees Queen Elizabeth I travelling through time to late ’70s Britain discovering a desolate and brutal wasteland where life seems pointless and is held to be cheap. Pop and cultural icons of the time including Toyah, Adam Ant, Suzie and the Banshees and Jordan appear in cameo roles and provide the soundtrack in this iconic piece full of vitriol and anger. With striking parallels to Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange it’s a tasteless and disturbing snapshot of society that was, at the time, genuinely shocking.

• View further details at the National Media Museum website.

The poster/advert for the release of Nine to Five by Adam & Toyah (aka Maneaters) in 1982. Both objected to this “cash-in” release at the time but it’s an interesting item of memorabilia all the same, bringing together two of the 80s most interesting and colourful icons. (Thanks to Andy)

• Kate O’Mara: I was very sad to hear of the death of Kate on Sunday. Fantastic in Doctor Who, Absolutely Fabulous and countless other TV, theatre and film roles. Toyah tweeted a tribute to Kate: “Darling Kate O’Mara! God bless you and thank u for ur friendship and inspiring spirit.”

• Telegraph: Kate O’Mara: In Pictures: Includes a publicity photo featuring Joan Sims as Mrs White, Kate O’Mara as Mrs Peacock and Toyah Willcox as Miss Scarlet from the 1990 TV series Cluedo – View the photo tribute here…

• Jubilee in New York: The legendary film is showing at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music May 30 — Jun 1, as part of their Punk Rock Girls festival: “It’s almost an understatement to say that Jubilee has a lot going for it.” – Time Out, London – View more details here…

• Great British Alternative Music Festival: Watch/listen to Toyah perform ‘It’s A Mystery’ at the festival, on Sunday, at You Tube…

• Toyah’s Tattoo: Toyah instagrammed a photo of her new tattoo yesterday, 1st April…

• Happy Birthday Chris: Sending Best Wishes to Chris Wong, who is celebrating his birthday today.

A short interview with Toyah, from the BFI, discussing Jubilee, Jarman and her character in the film, Mad: “I wanted to be a tidal wave.” Actor Toyah Willcox discusses her role as pyromaniac punk Mad in Derek Jarman’s Jubilee (1978). Click below to watch.

Yesterday Toyah visited the Derek Jarman: Pandemonium exhibition by King’s College London, currently taking place at Somerset House, saying it was: Insightful, inspiring & like visiting a well loved friend x (Photo © Toyah Willcox Ltd)

Derek Jarman: Pandemonium is an immersive exhibition that celebrates the life and work of this truly innovative and multi-faceted artist. A student of humanities at King’s from 1960 to 1963, Jarman went on to become one of the most important creative practitioners of his generation and a crucial voice in gay politics in Britain. Painter, filmmaker, set designer, diarist, poet, gardener, activist – Jarman’s work across many areas and media was distinguished for its continual innovation and sense of daring. This exhibition, marking the 20th anniversary of his death from an HIV-related illnesses in February 1994, captures the unruly spirit of his work and his artistic times.

Derek Jarman: Pandemonium
Thursday 23 January – Sunday 9 March 2014
Inigo Rooms, Somerset House East Wing
Strand Campus, London WC2R 2LS
Open daily, 12.00 – 18.00 (until 20.00 on Thursdays)
Free Admission

Various articles have started to appear online on the forthcoming Derek Jarman season at the BFI in 2014. Jubilee and The Tempest play a number of times during the season, and Toyah will participate in Introducing The Tempest.

• The Quietus: BFI Announce Derek Jarman Season: The Quietus are excited to be media partners with the BFI’s major film retrospective of the groundbreaking filmmaker’s work, taking place in February and March 2014: The BFI have announced that they are hosting a major film retrospective of the work of filmmaker Derek Jarman. Titled Queer Pagan Punk, it will take place across February and March 2014, marking the 20th anniversary of his death. The season will draw together key films from his career alongside rarer work, as well as talks and discussions with special guests – Continue reading…

• After Nyne: BFI Announces Two-Month Derek Jarman Retrospective: The BFI is pleased to announce Queer Pagan Punk: Derek Jarman a major two month film retrospective at BFI Southbank (February/March 2014). This will be the largest retrospective of Jarman’s films ever mounted in the UK, celebrating the prolific, iconoclastic and hugely influential film-maker and marking the 20th anniversary of his death… Toyah Willcox, John Maybury, Jenny Runacre, Dexter Fletcher, Isaac Julien, Tariq Ali, James McKay, Keith Collins and Don Boyd and are among the invited guest speakers – Continue reading…

• BFI: A full list of related events, including the showings of Jubilee and The Tempest, can be viewed by clicking here and searching for “Jarman”.

• Deep Space Works: PJ Crook: Art galleries and private collections worldwide exhibit the paintings of PJ Crook. There is a series of work that has been used for the album covers for the band King Crimson and many from the music world namely Robert Fripp, Toyah Willcox, Peter Gabriel, Billy Joel, and Holly Johnson collect her work.

• Vintage TV: The music channel is helping support Toyah’s forthcoming ‘Love Is the Law & More’ Tour by including a report and the dates, along with a recent live photo, at their website.

• King’s Heath Walk of Fame: Laying Toyah’s Star: The video of the story of Toyah’s star has been reposted at ‘You Tube’. Watch here. (Thanks to Bob Prew)

• Fandor: Punk Films, Revisited: Famed British Derek Jarman found a muse in the music when he directed his second feature Jubilee, a denatured fantasy about Queen Elizabeth I being transported to an apocalyptic future.

• Quadrophenia: Not only are Toyah and Robert on Australian TV this week in Love & Marriage (see below) but Quadrophenia also aired “Down Under” last night on ABC. More info from Guide TV. (Thanks to Richard Featherstone)

• Live 2013: Toyah made her second live (music) appearance of the year on Saturday, a full band concert at the Bunn Leisure entertainment complex in Selsey, West Sussex. Toyah tweeted: “First gig of year with band 2nite. Can’t wait. It will b fun! And it will b very hot!”

• Yeah Synthpop!: A couple of posts for Toyah at the synthpop page.

• It’s A Mystery: Following on from the fantastic ‘Mystery’ (Soft Mix by The Sonic Healer) comes another two, unofficial, remixes of ‘It’s A Mystery’, both just made available online this week. These don’t stray too far from the original, simply just extending the classic song. Listen at Magnum’s 1980s Extended Edits & Remixes.

• Uncut: Robert Fripp steals the show in David Bowie documentary: I don’t know if you saw it, but BBC2’s David Bowie documentary, Five Years, screened at the weekend, was very entertaining.

• Louder Than War: Top 10 Punk Rock Films: Jubilee: Derek Jarman’s 1978 film is as utterly ridiculous and campily bizarre as one of the several strands of early punk itself, Jubilee is a fascinating and ageing curio of the times and the reflection of one of the UK’s most imaginative film directors.

• Jubilee Art: While on the subject of Jubilee, some digital art by Neveryan at deviantart.com.

• Tanzi Libre: The original production, Trafford Tanzi, premiered at Contact Theatre in Manchester in 1980 before playing at the Edinburgh Festival and touring. It played at West End’s Mermaid Theatre starring Toyah Willcox in the title role and then later, on Broadway, as Tuebrook Tanzi: The Venus Fly Trap, starring Debbie Harry with Andy Kaufman as the Referee.

• Night Fever: Meanwhile in the 90s, Toyah and Sam Kane perform ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ in this, long forgotten, Channel 5 show presented by Suggs.

• Scunthorpe Telegraph: Toyah Willcox starring at Scunthorpe Baths Hall on Thursday: A new interview with Toyah: Stepping inside the mind of a woman is a scary thought for some men. But if you want to imagine what it is like for us girls, this show will give you an idea.

• Chester Chronicle: Toyah Willcox to star in Hormonal Housewives at Crewe Lyceum: Pop icon Toyah Willcox will be in South Cheshire later this month when the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives head for Crewe’s Lyceum Theatre

• Instagram: Check out the latest photos Toyah has instagrammed!.

• The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive: Read full transcripts of Toyah’s interviews from Keith Middleton’s Late Show from BBC Radio Shropshire in early March and Justin Moorhouse on BBC Radio Manchester from the beginning of April.

• Rock the Stadium: Toyah, Five Star, Altered Images, Midge Ure, Paul Young and many others will “Rock The Stadium” in Falkirk on Saturday 22nd June.

• Dangerous Minds: Films and Filming: Original photo-spread for Derek Jarman’s Jubilee.

A few more Jubilee photos from 1977 and very early ’78. View these, the last lot posted a couple of weeks ago, and a few more at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks to Andi)

• An Occasional Plug: I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan chronicles a slice of adolescent life from late 1979 to late 1986 and recalls the experience of being a pop music fan in the early eighties, evoking the feelings of a very different time before the internet, mobile phones or multi-channel TV put media at our fingertips.

• Strawberry Line Times: Sat 27 Apr. Theatre preview: ex punk Toyah teams up with Julie Coombe for a hormonal moment: The former pink haired punk rocker Toyah Willcox is appearing in Bristol next month in Hormonal Housewives. She stars in the show at the Bristol Hippodrome with Julie Coombe.

• Robert Fripp’s Diary: Lots of “behind-the-scenes” photos from the ‘At Home’ part of the forthcoming All Star Mr & Mrs programme. Robert says: “A four-hour visit for perhaps two minutes of screentime“. Looks like the adorable Willyfred was ready for his close up!

• Red Funnel: Jack Up The 80s: 10-11 August 2013. Don’t miss this great new 2 day 80’s music event featuring Heaven 17, Bad Manners, Katrina and the Waves, Bootleg Blondie and Toyah to name just a few.

• _Black_Acrylic: Derek Jarman – Jubilee: Jubilee is a 1978 cult film directed by Derek Jarman. It stars Jenny Runacre, Ian Charleson, and a host of punk rockers, including Adam Ant and Toyah. The title refers to the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II in 1977.

• The Quietus: Adam Ant On Fashion, Back-Carving & MJ: Interesting video interview with Adam in which he also talks about Jubilee.

• BBC America Doctor Who Specials: Three of the documentaries Toyah guested in last year, The Women Of Doctor Who, The Timey Wimey Of Doctor Who, The Destinations Of Doctor Who, have been released on R1 DVD. Although they are on a standalone disc with its own artwork (see photo) they can only be purchased as part of a huge, 41-disc, six-series spanning, box set. View more info on the BBC America DW specials here.

• Birmingham Music Heritage (Untold Stories 1965-1985): Below, Toyah Willcox, Fuzz Townshend of Pop Will Eat Itself, and former Black Sabbath manager Jim Simpson, along with Birmingham band manager and promoter, Barry Tomes talk about Birmingham’s venues of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Rare photos from the filming of Jubilee in 1977. The film premiered in February 1978 and is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Click below to view larger versions of the photos. Browse Dreamscape’s recent Jubilee news here. (Thanks to Andi)

• A rare contact sheet of photos, taken at the Nordoff-Robins Musical Therapy lunch in 1983, is currently up for auction at ebay. Toyah is included in some of the photos.

• The Wrath Of Blog: Review #595: ‘Jubilee’ (1978): One particular group, consisting of, amongst others, Amyl Nitrate (Jordan), Mad (Toyah Willcox), Bod (Runacre in a dual role), Crabs (Nell Campbell) and Chaos (Hermine Demoriane), tend to spend their time smashing cars, having sex, participating in the odd murder, and generally giving the two-finger salute to anything resembling conformity.

• This Blackmore Vale: Have a girls’ night out with Toyah Willcox at Poole Lighthouse: Rock star and actress Toyah Willcox heads the cast of Hormonal Housewives at Poole Lighthouse next Thursday, 28th March.

• Noel’s House Party: A clip from the 1990’s of Toyah guesting, and being gunged, on Noel’s House Party, alongside John Stapleton and Nick Owen.

• Jelly: Troubador, Wizard, Queen and Machine – The band launch their debut album on 11th May at the “Punk ‘N’ Roll Rendez Vous” at The Unicorn in Camden.

• Woman’s Own: Toyah is interviewed in the first issue of the new Woman’s Own magazine “Get Healthy”: In our first Get Healthy magazine we aim to help you feel your best.  We share with you the stars’ go-to remedies for staying well. Toyah Willcox tells us what made her sleep after 40 years of insomnia.

• Primitive Screwheads: Friday Night Movies 415: Jubilee is a 1978 film by Derek Jarman… With its uninhibited punk petulance and sloganeering, Jubilee, brings together many cultural and musical icons of the time, including Jordan, Toyah Willcox, Little Nell, Wayne County, Adam Ant, and Brian Eno (with his first original film score), to create a genuinely unique, unforgettable vision.

• Retro Brit: Quadrophenia: Great Retro Brit Flick: I can remember the first time I saw the advert at the Bank Underground station in 1979… There was Sting from the band: The Police and Toyah Willcox who were all rock stars of that time.

• NI Scene: Calamity Jane: Ciara Mackey joins the ranks of Barbara Windsor, Toyah Willcox and the iconic Doris Day herself in playing the disaster-prone Calamity Jane.

• Victoria & Albert Museum: Jubilee @ The V&A: A fantastic photo of Jordan is included in the prestigious museum’s collection.

• Penny Black Music: Cheek of Her: Megaphonic EP: Toyah is mentioned in this new review… There are even spoken lyrics over what could be the harmonies of a choir of flouncy girls lead by the love child of Siouxsie Sioux and Toyah Willcox.

• Unofficial Toyah Top 20 2103: The results of the first part of James and Lärwi’s Toyah Song Poll are in, and the second part is now online. Toyah’s full back catalogue, excluding collaborations, was included and has been voted down to a final 28. 100 people participated in the fun poll so it’s hardly definitive but still interesting (and thanks to James for taking the time to organise it all). Vote here.

• First-Thoughts: A huge forum thread “discussing” Patsy Kensit, which over the last six weeks also includes Weight Watchers, Toyah and ‘Sensational’. To save you the bother of trawling through the, seemingly endless, posts I’ve cherrypicked the best one :) – “Giving serious thought to joining Weight Watchers. Mostly because I want to dance to Toyah’s Sensational with Patsy Kensit.”

• The Electricity Club: An Interview With Republica’s Saffron: A couple of mentions for Toyah in this new interview, including Saffron citing Toyah as an influence: Fronted by the vivacious Saffron, their rousing techno punk rock were like Toyah fronting New Order… Who were your own influences as a singer/performer? My main influences as a singer and performer range from Toyah Willcox, Siouxsie Sioux, Grace Jones to Stevie Nicks, Kate Bush and David Bowie. (Photo © Mark Evans)

• Grolsch Film Works: Top 10 | Punks on Film: 9. Jubilee (Derek Jarman, 1978): Perhaps the quintessential British punk film (Jarman must be one of its most credible “punk” directors), Jubilee features a host of punk stars of the period – from Toyah to Adam Ant, and an anarchic tone, which combined with the location shooting of urban decay and economic depression, captured the spirit of the times.

• Walker Art Centre (Minneapolis): Expanding The Frame: Tribute to Experimentation: The tribute to Derek Jarman kicks off with the area premiere of Isaac Julien’s touching documentary about the filmmaker, Derek, on Friday February 20, and includes several of the filmmaker’s most well-known films, including Jubilee (February 21), Caravaggio (February 21), Sebastiane (February 22), and a selection of the director’s music films (February 26).

• Bard Of Ely: Why dyeing your hair with crazy colour hair dyes is a fun thing to do: Singer, actress and TV personality Toyah Willcox, who came to fame with her hit songs back in the 1970s Punk and New Wave scene is another celebrity who has often dyed her hair in flamboyant colours.

• How You Feel: Learning To Love British Film: Jubilee: Derek Jarman doesn’t usually pull too many miseryguts Brit flick clichés, and in his punk outing Jubilee – actually one of the only films about punk made in the brief time punk wasn’t dead – he should be even more innovative and outrageous than usual.

• Arran Art: An (Odd) Day in the Dark: The Tempest will be screened at Arran’s free mini-film festival next month (Saturday 2nd February). 3.15-4.45pm – The Tempest: Derek Jarman’s 1979 idiosyncratic adaptation of Shakespeare’s Tempest with Toyah Willcox as Miranda. Forget any notions of worthiness – this film challenges the idea of ‘faithful’ literary adaptation and celebrates the visual magic of cinema as thoroughly as the magical arts of Prospero.

• T-Shirts: Fancy a Toyah-related t-shirt? ‘WeAdmire.net’ have Jubilee and Quadrophenia apparel for sale.

• Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable: The edition of Roundtable from ‘BBC 6Music’ in which Toyah was a guest is available to listen to/download via ‘Castroller’. This originally aired in November 2012.

• Folkestone People: Hormonal Housewives come to Leas Cliff Hall: Eighties pop star Toyah Willcox is to appear in sketch show Hormonal Housewives, showing at Leas Cliff Hall later this year.

• Morning Star: Culture: Heathcote Williams – The Queen of Diamonds: Toyah’s co-star in The Tempest.

• A full transcript of Bev Meets… Toyah Willcox, which aired a couple of times over Christmas on ‘BBC WM’, is now available at the really great ‘Toyah Willcox Interview Archive’.

• Love Me: One of my favourite Toyah songs. From the magnificent ‘The Blue Meaning’. I never thought I’d hear someone covering it but littletroll has done just that. Listen at Soundcloud.

• Burst Radio: Win Toyah Tickets!: We have 2 free tickets to give away for Toyah at the Concorde2 in Brighton on Saturday night (worth £40). To enter, simply answer this question: Was Toyah’s first album called…?

• One Week // One Band: Adam And The Ants/Jubilee: Do people talk about Jordan much these days? Once—for a year or three—she mattered quite a lot.

• The Lee Mack Show: Toyah guests on Lee’s radio sketch show in 2005, and performs ‘Sweet Child O Mine’. Available at BBC iPlayer until Sat 3rd November.

• The Wave: The Rebel Diva 80s Show: Taking place at The Arts Wing, Swansea Grand Theatre, our very own Helen Enser Morgan – star of Cappuccino Girls and Brenda’s Big Night Out presents her unique vocal and comic tribute to the pop Divas of the 1980’s. Expect glittering performances as Toyah, Annie Lennox, Cyndi Lauper, Debbie Harry, Hazel O’Connor and Chrissie Hynde.

• Countdown to Toyah’s Creepy Room @ Birmingham Ballroom: Three days to go!

Another new review of Jubilee, this one from Death Rattle. Includes some good screenshots: Toyah Willcox (Mad) went on to be somewhat of a New Wave icon. Please click below to read.

Jubilee is showing tonight at the Rio Cinema in Dalston, London.

The midnight movie lives on in Dalston!
SAT 9 Jun • Late Night | JUBILEE (18) 11.30pm

(UK 1977) dir. Derek Jarman. 100m. Jenny Runacre, Toyah Willcox, Adam Ant, Orlando, Ian Charleson, Richard O’Brien.

Celebrate the 2012 Jubilee with Derek Jarman’s safety-pin and barbed-wire vision of a 1977 London in ruins (all burning prams and castrated policemen) which combines a meditation on English mysticism guided by a time-travelling Queen Elizabeth I and a wild ‘n’ crazy tale of the rampages of a gang of personality punk psychos. Soundtrack contributions come from Adam and the Ants , Wayne County and the Electric Chairs , Chelsea, Siouxie and the Banshees, the Slits and Brian Eno. Rule Britannia!