Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah in Halifax to mark Quadrophenia’s 40th anniversary

Stage, screen and music star Toyah Willcox will be in Halifax on Saturday (February 16) for an exclusive 40th anniversary screening of the mod classic Quadrophenia. Toyah, who plays Monkey in the film version of The Who’s rock opera, will also take part in a Q&A at Square Chapel arts centre, talk about the movie and her career in music – and perform a live acoustic gig with her band.

The cult classic film also starred Sting, Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash and Ray Winstone at the start of their careers with the action set in Brighton during clashes between rival gangs of Mods and Rockers. The film will be shown at 6pm, followed by the live Q&A hosted by radio presenter Alex Cann. Following that will be Toyah’s live set at 9pm. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of her music career as she released her first single and album in 1979.

This acoustic concert will include hit singles, album classics and fan favourites.The Q&A has sold out but there are still a handful of tickets left for Toyah’s live set. Go to www.squarechapel.co.uk for more information and booking.

• Continue reading at the Halifax Courier.

Quadrophenia is being screened at the University of West London on Friday, by Ealing Classic Cinema Club, as part of Ealing Music & Film Festival 2019.

The Festival will take place from 13th–17th February 2019 with both free and paid for events happening across Ealing at venues including the University of West London, St Barnabas Church, The Brentham Club, St Mary’s Church and The Met Film School.

On the evening of 15 February, 7pm at Weston Hall, University of West London, we are delighted to announce a screening in association with Ealing Classic Cinema Club of the iconic 1979 film Quadrophenia from Pete Townshend and Franc Roddam starring Sting, Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash and Toyah Willcox, with music by The Who.

• See further info at Ealing Music & Film Festival 2019.

There are loads of unmissable events in Yorkshire this weekend – Wondering what’s on in Yorkshire this weekend? We’ve rounded it up, all in one place…

There are plenty of things to get stuck into this weekend in Yorkshire. As legendary mod film Quadrophenia turns 40, Square Chapel in Halifax will not only screen the film but invite singer and actress Toyah Willcox to tell you about her experiences behind the scenes, with a live Q&A and music.

• Continue reading at Leeds List. (NB: Leeds List have the date for this as Friday 15th. The screening and Toyah’s gig take place on Saturday 16th!) Tickets for the gig are available here.

Toyah’s Q&A at Square Chapel Arts Centre, Halifax has now Sold Out!

Some tickets for Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal gig, taking place after the film screening/Q&A on Saturday 16th February, are still available.

Quadrophenia plus a Q&A and live music with Toyah Willcox

Here’s a brilliant evening’s entertainment with not only an anniversary screening of iconic movie Quadrophenia, but a Q&A with one of its stars, the legendary Toyah Willcox and a live music set with her too. Toyah who went on to be a music, film and TV star and an author played the character Monkey in the 1979 Who album-inspired film which depicts the Mods and Rockers era of the late 1960s and which is celebrating its 40th year. The film will be screened before Toyah takes the stage to talk about the movie and her career at Square Chapel. The film stars Phil Daniels as Jimmy, a young 1960s London-based Mod who escapes from his dead-end job as a mailroom boy by dancing, partying, taking amphetamines, riding his scooter, and brawling with the motorcycle-riding Rockers. After he and his friends participate in a huge brawl with the Rockers by the seaside in Brighton, he is arrested and his life starts to spiral out of control. Toyah has had eight Top 40 singles and released over 20 albums, Her biggest hits were “It’s a Mystery”, “Thunder in the Mountains” and “I Want to Be Free”.  She has written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films.

• Further info, and ticket booking for Toyah’s acoustic gig, available here.

In Case You Missed The News…

If you haven’t already heard, I have some great news. After 7 years in production and nearly 10 years before that in development, our super ambitious sci-fi thriller, Kaleidoscope Man, is at last completed.

The last 3 months have been a true roller-coaster for me. It started back on the 18th Aug 2018, when we finally locked the picture. This had been after a good 6 months of working on the fine cut.

Next we got to work on the sound track. I did the foley recording (footsteps), Keith Tinman track laid the sound effects, Benjamin Symons fine-tuned the music score and Alan Snelling recorded the ADR, mixed the music and then did the full 5.1 surround sound mix.

On the picture side, the edit went to Narduzzo Too at Pinewood Studios, where it was fully colour graded by Harry Conquest and Vince Narduzzo, then it went to Out-Post Post production where the film was on-lined by Nigel Gorley and converted into various formats ready for delivery for cinema, TV, DVD and online.

We were very VERY lucky in that one of our stars, the lovely Toyah Willcox recorded an amazing song for the end titles. It’s a powerful and inspiration song called, Step into the New World, and it really captures the heart and soul of what the film is about. It was written by Alan Snelling and myself and we hope to officially release it soon.

• Continue reading at the Kaleidoscope Man website. Browse Dreamscape’s Kaleidoscope Man news archive. (Photos/Images © kaleidoscopeman.com)

• Matches Fashion: Raf Simons ‘Toyah’ graphic-print cotton T-shirt – It an be yours for £265! – Raf Simons’ pink T-shirt is inspired by Toyah Willcox’s character ‘Monkey’ in the film Quadrophenia. The cult item features a bold black graphic print across the front, a ribbed crew-neck loose-fit style. Tap into the label’s current punk aesthetic and style with an oversized leather jacket, maxi skirt and boots – See here…

• Quadrophenia: See Monkey, Jimmy et al on the big screen at the Classic Cinema Club’s screening of Quadrophenia at Ealing Town Hall on 15th February – More info…

• #ToyahLPCountdown: A great new Official Toyah 40th Music Anniversary feature on social media, with entries so far for Sheep Farming in Barnet, The Blue Meaning and Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!

• Lovely’s Vintage Toyah Wardrobe: All Toyah pieces are now half price! The charity sale on behalf of Ms Toyah Willcox ends soon, so shop now! – See here…

• Toyah Live 2019: Toyah’s gig at Leeds Brudenell Social Club on Friday 22nd February has Sold Out!!

• Pop Matters: Jubilee (1978) Retro Review – Derek Jarman’s Jubilee is cagier than its simplistic ‘resist the system’ message suggests – As long as the music’s loud enough, we won’t hear the world falling apart. — Borgia Ginz (Jack Birkett), Jubilee – Continue reading…

• Exclusive Back to the 80’s Concert in Bali: Toyah is playing this concert, which takes place on the 10th day of the cruise to Bali, along with Marc Almond, Belinda Carlisle, T’Pau and Midge Ure. Tickets are already at Limited Availability – More info here…

Jubilee is showing at the Harvard Film Archive, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, tomorrow evening, in a double-feature with Fires Were Started.

Fires Were Started, Humphrey Jennings’ only feature film, is a docudrama centered around a real group of heroic firefighters as they extinguish the destructive blazes of war; Derek Jarman’s Jubilee follows a group of nihilistic punks who love nothing more than to set anything ablaze. In both films the spirit and mettle of the directors’ respective Britains are on display, and Jennings’ heart-heavy optimism is starkly opposed by Jarman’s bitterness. A mythic inferno opposes the British spirit, but may also be the only way to access it as it slips away, and both Fires Were Started and Jubilee explore this in contrasting but similar ensemble narratives.

The Harvard Film Archive (HFA) is a film archive and cinema located in the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

• Continue reading/More info at Harvard Library.

Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Christmas Eve: 1.25am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.

Quadrophenia plus a Q&A and live music with Toyah Willcox

Here’s a brilliant evening’s entertainment with not only an anniversary screening of iconic movie Quadrophenia, but a Q&A with one of its stars, the legendary Toyah Willcox and a live music set with her too. Toyah who went on to be a music, film and TV star and an author played the character Monkey in the 1979 Who album-inspired film which depicts the Mods and Rockers era of the late 1960s and which is celebrating its 40th year. The film will be screened before Toyah takes the stage to talk about the movie and her career at Square Chapel. The film stars Phil Daniels as Jimmy, a young 1960s London-based Mod who escapes from his dead-end job as a mailroom boy by dancing, partying, taking amphetamines, riding his scooter, and brawling with the motorcycle-riding Rockers. After he and his friends participate in a huge brawl with the Rockers by the seaside in Brighton, he is arrested and his life starts to spiral out of control. Toyah has had eight Top 40 singles and released over 20 albums, Her biggest hits were “It’s a Mystery”, “Thunder in the Mountains” and “I Want to Be Free”.  She has written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films.

• Continue reading at the Halifax Courier.

Saturday 16th February 2019 will be a busy day for Toyah – She plays an Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date at Square Chapel Arts Centre, Halifax and participates in a Q&A after a 40th Anniversary screening of Quadrophenia prior to her concert, at the same venue.

Square Chapel Arts Centre presents
Quadrophenia + Q&A with Toyah Willcox
Sat 16 Feb, 6:00pm at Red Brick

Join us for an exclusive 40th anniversary screening of the mod classic Quadrophenia. Loosely based on The Who’s 1973 rock opera of the same name, the film has become a cult classic and we are delighted to be joined by one of the stars of the film. Toyah Willcox, who plays Monkey will be here to talk about the film and her career. Toyah Willcox is an icon of stage and screen and will also perform a live acoustic gig with her band to celebrate 40 years of her music career!

To book for the Film Q&A AND the live gig please book a ticket for this event and also for the live gig here. Booking both events saves you 40% with the whole evening just £22.50.

Toyah Willcox Acoustic Gig | Sat 16 Feb, 9:00pm at Red Brick Auditorium

After our exclusive 40th anniversary screening of the mod classic Quadrophenia we are delighted to be hosting a gig by one of the stars of the film, Toyah Willcox. 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of her music career as Toyah released her first ever single and studio album in 1979. This acoustic concert includes hit singles, album classics and fan favourites.

• See further info on both events and book tickets at squarechapel.co.uk.

As previously reported, Toyah has recorded a brand new version of America For Beginners for the soundtrack album for forthcoming movie 1985. The track is released digitally today via Bandcamp with pre-orders open for the soundtrack CD.

America For Beginners (Nocturne Blue Redux) is available as a separate digital track and on a  soundtrack album release, 1985: Music from & inspired by the motion picture featuring new Original Music & Additional Score by Dutch Rall.

Toyah recorded brand new vocals for the track recorded at The Old Smithy Recording Studios, UK whilst Bass, Synths, Guitars, Electronics, additional voices are handled by the track’s producer Dutch Rall in Oak Cliff, Texas.

The album also features new music by Ramsey, Nocturne Blue, Moushumi, and more with original score by Curtis Heath and Dutch Rall. This includes a stunning cover version of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill featuring King Crimson’s Tony Levin.

• You can pre-order a limited edition CD version and preview full tracks now at Bandcamp. (News Source: Breaking Through – Official Toyah Mailing List)

With just a few weeks of post production left, Kaleidoscope Man director, Simon Cox, talks us through where he is with the movie and his future plans and of course, how you can see it. Click below to watch the video at You Tube.

• Browse all of Dreamscape’s Kaleidoscope Man news.  (Photo © kaleidoscopeman.com)

Quadrophenia 40th in 2019… lots of great things happening. (Photos @ Toyah Willcox)

• America For Beginners 2018: Toyah tweeted: “Just heard 1st mix for AMERICA FOR BEGINNERS for the soundtrack album of @1985thefilm ….WOW! It’s totally different and very 1985!” – Continue reading…

• BBC Scotland: Barmy Aunt Boomerang: Richard Madden is currently earning fulsome praise for his portrayal of Sergeant David Budd in BBC Oneʼs Bodyguard, but itʼs far from the first time heʼs been on our screens. Back in 1999, 13-year-old Richard starred in Barmy Aunt Boomerang as Sebastian, a boy whose life is thrown into chaos by the arrival of his ghostly aunt, played by Toyah Willcox – Continue reading at BBC Scotland…

• Live 2018: Toyah still has Acoustic, Up Close & Personal gigs in Huddersfield, Evesham and two nights at Trading Boundaries in Sheffield Green, an Electric gig in Bedford PLUS those four #Toyah60/40 Years of Music concerts – More info/Ticket links here…

• Outside Org: Thousands of party goers join Rewind Festival’s sold out 10th Birthday celebrations in Henley-On-Thames: The blissful weekend was compered by Toyah Willcox and The Doctor of Doctor & The Medics with DJ Massaoke keeping the tunes and sing-alongs going strong between the main stage performances, getting everyone hyped with some of the biggest 80s hits – Continue reading…

• God’s Jukebox: Brave New World: Can’t have #HairWeek without Toyah. This was the lead single from her 4th album, The Changeling. The video was directed by David Mallet, who directed the Ashes to Ashes video for Bowie – Continue reading/watching…

Toyah has taken part in a new film – Afterlife – being produced for inclusion in the Birmingham Film Festival. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to help with finances for the film.

This is an independent, factual and investigative documentary, being made on a non-profit basis.

The Producer and crew are not making any money from this production; this is about getting this project made and getting it seen by the backers and public. Your donations will pay for the time of our contributors and will ensure we can travel to them for their interviews, plus donations to hospitals, research centres and other venues as a thank you for the hospitality and assistance.

We are also speaking to people who will relive unexplainable experiences including singer and actress Toyah Willcox who not only has a deep interest in the subject, but lives in what could be one of the most haunted homes in the UK which she describes as a “house of shadows”.

• See further info on Afterlife and how you can help via the crowdfunding campaign here or by clicking below.

Toyah has recorded a new version of the song America For Beginners, which was originally a track on her 1985 album Minx. The song was written by Steve Skaith and Mike Jones of the band Latin Quarter. Toyah has recorded the 2018 version for inclusion in the forthcoming 1985 The Film.

Aaaaaaaah!: Film 4: Thursday 19th July: 2.25am
Writer-director-star Steve Oram’s experimental satire is set in a parallel present in which, despite wearing clothing and developing advanced technology, mankind never attained the power of speech. Instead, people communicate in gestures and non-verbal vocalisms, ranging from grunts to whistles and growls. And this isn’t the only similarity to our great ape cousins, as social and sexual behaviour is closer to that of gorillas or bonobos and is completely shorn of social niceties. The film opens with a grieving alpha male and his companion ritually urinating on a photo of the dominant male’s wife to mark her loss. They then move through woodland and into London’s sprawling suburbs, intent on staking out new territory for themselves…

Starring: Jade Alexander, Julian Barratt, Missa Blue, Holli Dempsey, Marcus Dempsey, Noel Fielding, Toyah Willcox.

• Aaaaaaaah! @ Dreamscape: Browse all of our related news…

• The Big NHS Singalong Live: Toyah is taking part in this celebration of 70 years of the NHS! – On Wednesday 4th July we will celebrate 70 years of the NHS as talented ​NHS staff, famous faces and people right across the country come together to sing a special version of The Beatles classic ‘With A Little Help From My Friends’ live on ITV’s one off televised event – The Big NHS Singalong Live – Continue reading…

• Toyah @ Twitter: “Joining The Big NHS Singalong Live at Abbey Rd Studios tonight for ITV 9pm ….. let’s break that world record! Good Luck all” – Continue reading…

• Vulture Hound: ‘As long as the music’s loud enough..’ – Jubilee (Film Review): Punk rebellion combined with the juxtaposition of royal mystical ambience is what makes this film rather strange yet special at the same time. Derek Jarman depicts a rather fantastical manic portrayal which harmoniously emphasises the dramatic change of youth movement within the 1970’s era of Britain – Continue reading…

• Worcester News: One Week to go until Worcester Stands Tall Launch: Final preparations are under way for the launch of an art trail that will see 30 giraffes placed around Worcester – The large sculptures have been decorated by artists both from the local area and across the UK, while one is designed by singer and actress Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…

• Wild In Art: Celebrated singer designs giraffe for trail: Artwork designed by celebrated singer and actress Toyah Willcox has been used to decorate a giraffe sculpture for the Worcester Stands Tall trail. The prolific performer, whose career has spanned more than 40 years, themed her design around the idea of ‘making a wish’ – with the Giraffe covered in stars, animals and children – (Photo © Worcester Stands Tall) Continue reading…

• Beacon: Relive the Good Times – Jack Up The 80s: This year’s Jack Up The 80s takes place on August 11th and 12th at Smallbrook Stadium, Ryde. The stellar line up includes Grammy award-winning music legend Leo Sayer, soul sensations Shalamar, British pop rock group T’Pau, punk princess Toyah Willcox, Jaki Graham, an exclusive DJ set from Martin Kemp, the one and only Chesney Hawkes, Brother Beyond and many more – Continue reading…

It’s hard to believe that Punk is well over 40 years old, largely heralded by the release of the Sex Pistols ‘Anarchy in the UK’, in the Britain at any rate. Punk meant different thing to different people: to the Sex Pistols and The Clash it was a working-class reaction or counter-reaction, to Malcolm McLaren it was a marketing ploy and to the likes of Vivienne Westwood it was a fashion statement. For art film director Derek Jarman it became an anarchic artistic statement.

Of course Jarman himself was not a punk, but he certainly tapped into the spirit of the age and was even able to insert his own brand of camp into the punk scene with his film Jubilee (1978). The BFI release of Jubilee is released in addition to the BFI’s recent 6 film box-set release, ‘Derek Jarman Volume One: 1972 – 1986’ to observe the films 40 year anniversary.

The narrative of the film is sometimes hard to follow, but makes more statements than having any narrative or even making much in the way of sense. It opens with Queen Elizabeth I (Jenny Runacre) being transported to 1970s London by her occultish aide, Dr. John Dee (Richard O’Brien) and find a place riven with political and social unrest. We are then introduced to some of the key figures in the film: punk girls Mad (Toyah Willcox) and Amyl-Nitrate (Jordan), along with Kid (Adam Ant, real name Stuart Goddard), Crabs (Nell Campbell), Chaos (Hermine Demoriane) and Bod (Runacre again in a dual role). They get up to all sorts in the flat and include killing a one-night stand in a asphyxiation game. All sorts of adventures take place including starting a punk band called Scum while revolt and social unrest, including police brutality increases.

• Continue reading at Filmwerk.

Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Monday 25th June: 1.35am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.

Jubilee, celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, is showing at The Electric Cinema in Birmingham on Saturday 28th July at 5.30pm. Click below for further info.

Derek Jarman’s apocalyptic fantasia Jubilee couldn’t have been made in any other decade than the 1970s, shot through with punk aesthetics and featuring turns from Adam Ant, Siousxie & The Banshees and Toyah Willcox.

Filmed during the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s silver jubilee, Jarman’s film sees Elizabeth I and her alchemist Dr John Dee conjure up Shakespeare’s sprite Ariel, who sends them travelling through time to a brutal dystopian version of 1970s London where violent girl gangs roam the capital and Westminster cathedral has been turned into a gay disco club.

Sticking two bloodied fingers up to the establishment, Jubilee is a gloriously messy affair that’s as petty and nihilistic as the punk movement it aimed to simultaneously represent and satirise on screen, whilst Rocky Horror fans will get a thrill from seeing Nell Campbell and Richard O’Brien in Jarman’s eccentric cast.