Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah – Enduring Icon Of Pop Culture Deep Dive Interview! by Steve Blame (formerly of MTV)

Toyah Willcox, better known simply as Toyah, is an English pop star and artist who rose to fame in the late 1970s and 1980s. With her distinctive voice and striking appearance, Toyah became a fixture on the UK music scene, producing numerous hits and carving out a unique space for herself in the world of pop. Beyond her music career, Toyah has also been a prolific actress, writer, and television presenter, making her a multi-talented and dynamic figure in the entertainment industry. With a career spanning several decades and a devoted fan base, Toyah remains an enduring icon of British pop culture.⁠

My 80s Playlist: Toyah Willcox picks her favourite 80s tunes from Bowie to Kate Bush

80s icon Toyah Willcox made her name not just on the charts but on the screen too.

She first kicked things off in the band Toyah until 1983, before embarking on an impressive solo career, with top 10 singles including I Want To Be Free and Thunder in the Mountains. Toyah also found fame on the big screen as Monkey in 1979’s Quadrophenia, and worked alongside Katharine Hepburn in The Corn is Green.

While at the Top of the Tower at Virgin Radio 80s Plus Toyah sat down with Steve Denyer for My 80s Playlist, and shared the top 80s tunes that made the era.

• Continue reading at Virgin Radio.

The iconic Toyah Willcox joins Steve Denyer on My 80s Playlist.

A snapshot of Toyah & Robert’s interview feature – Relative Values – as it appeared in print in The Sunday Times – available for one day only, Sunday 15th January 2023 – magazine.

A new interview, and photos, with Toyah & Robert published by The Times.

Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp on fidelity and rock’n’roll Sunday lunches

The singer and her guitarist husband on why they’re going on tour at a combined age of 140

The first time I met Robert was in a taxi in 1983 with our managers. I remember being intrigued by this man who was reluctant to talk, which provoked me to ask, “What colour are your underpants?” He brought out the prankster in me.

We didn’t meet again until 1985, when he asked me to make a charity album with him. He proposed within a week and we married on his 40th birthday in May 1986. Robert is an intelligent, deep thinker who’s disciplined in his music, his health routine and how he lives. All of that was perfection for me.

• Continue reading at The Times. (subscription required)

Phil Marriott spoke with Saxon drummer Nigel Glockler about his time with Toyah in 1981, a hugely successful time for Toyah and her band, during which they released the No.2 album Anthem and hits such as ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’.

A new interview with Robert Fripp, including mention of Toyah and You Tube/Sunday Lunch…

Robert Fripp Lightens Up
No one expected to see the leader of King Crimson dancing in a tutu on YouTube. In a rare interview, the guitarist explains “an entirely different trajectory.”

• Continue reading at The New York Times.

Toyah and, Anthem – and many other Toyah releases during the Safari Records years – producer, Nick Tauber are interviewed in The Guardian today, discussing It’s A Mystery, from the Four From Toyah EP and the, just reissued in deluxe formats, iconic/legendary/magnificent 1981 album, Anthem.

Toyah on It’s a Mystery: ‘I told Princess Margaret I was a punk rocker. She said “How ridiculous”’

‘There was a vinyl shortage when it was released. Old records had to be sent to the factory to be melted down and pressed. But soon it was selling 75,000 copies a day’

I was a cult punk singer playing sweaty little clubs and getting covered in so much gob that dry cleaners would go: “Yeuch! We’re not touching that!” Then a brilliant PR woman called Judy Totton turned everything around. She put me in every parish magazine in the country that would talk to me. I soon had all these fans who said they discovered me because their parents or grandparents had told them about this punk rocker.

I was making singles that were eight minutes long with reams of lyrics and had never had a hit. When Safari Records played my 1980 single Ieya on rotation in their office, a man apparently appeared at their door with a knife and said: “If you play that song again, I’ll kill you!” I started working with a new producer, Nick Tauber, who said I needed to simplify the message. He was completely right.

• Continue reading at The Guardian.

Toyah remains an iconic figure across several decades of the UK music scene. Outside of her acting career, she chalked up a series of chart hits as a musician including ‘It’s A Mystery’, ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’.

More recently, she returned with the album Posh Pop which reached the top 25 in the UK charts. She also enjoys her regular (and popular) Sunday Lunch video shows, alongside husband Robert Fripp.

This October sees Toyah supporting Billy Idol as part of his Roadside tour. Meanwhile, Toyah’s classic 1981 album Anthem is also being reissued this September. Blitzed sat down with Toyah to discuss her busy autumn plans…

You’ve got the Billy Idol tour coming up in October, which is an interesting contrast. You’re both very different, yet at the same time you’re both seasoned travelers from that fervent 80s pop scene.

It’s great and don’t forget punk rock. Billy used to be based in London with Generation X, which is when I met him. We both have 45-year careers, are quite diverse in our individual journeys as musicians and then you’ve got Television performing Marquee Moon.

I think it’s quite a clever line up because I’m only on stage for 7:30 to 8:00 o’clock and I’ve got to fit in 28 albums and 15 hit singles. That’s quite a journey to make, but what all of us have in common on this bill is we started in punk and we’ve both, all of us, evolved into rock. I think it’s quite diverse. I’m not just an 80s icon. I’ve been pretty present, especially in the last few years. I think it’s a very clever mix I hope that I can get in some good punk rock material. Obviously the 80s material, but also the new stuff as well because Posh Pop went to No. 1 in 36 charts, 22 in the main charts on August the 27th last year and I’m certainly going to be including some Posh Pop tracks.

• Continue reading at Blitzed.

Toyah guested on BBC Radio Scotland’s The Afternoon Show today, talking Slave To The Rhythm and more. Toyah’s interview is now available as a downloadable podcast.

Musician, artist and TV presenter Toyah Willcox chats about returning to music with the release of her brand new single.

• Listen to Toyah’s interview at BBC Sounds.

Interview: Toyah Willcox on her Anthem 40th Anniversary tour

In episode #95 of The XS Noize Podcast, Mark Millar catches up with Toyah Willcox. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Toyah Willcox has had eight top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays and ten feature films, and voiced and presented numerous television shows.

In this interview, Toyah talks about supporting Billy Idol on his UK Arena tour, her Anthem 40th Anniversary tour, Posh Pop, Sunday lunch videos with her husband Robert Fripp, acting and lots more.

• Continue reading at XS Noize.

WCR FM: Unchained Music Club
Tuesday 23rd August: 10pm
A show for those tired of run of the mill radio, it’s like that eclectic mixtape you always wished you had made….it just happens to be in the radio every Tuesday. And as a bonus you get some amazing guests dropping by.
Further details on this programme here…

BBC Local Radio: Stereo Underground
Saturday 27th August: 6pm
Featured Artist: Toyah Willcox. Richard Latto brings you music with attitude that defines a zest for life and an alternative spirit.
Further details on this programme here…

Toyah Willcox on refusing to be ‘controlled’ by age, and playing Glasgow with Billy Idol

The It’s a Mystery star has found a new audience with her YouTube videos.

Toyah Willcox continues to be audacious in her 60s and refuses to be “controlled by the number” of her age.

In the 80s her anthem I Want To Be Free and her vivid hair colours made her an icon of rebellious youth.

And the punk remains a beacon of individuality at 64, posing in revealing outfits for her Sunday Lunch YouTube sensation with guitarist husband Robert Fripp.

The videos have had 100million views since they started doing them during lockdown in 2020.

Toyah said: “I’m not being controlled by the number of my age. I have a great passion for what I do and I’m continuing it. Age should only be a number.

“I’ve been rocking in this world for 45 years as a career. You don’t just suddenly stop or stop that connection with music.”

• Continue reading at the Daily Record.

Toyah guested on the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show yesterday. The show was guest hosted by Gary Davies.

Gary Davies sits in with Toyah Willcox

Wake up and embrace the day with Gary Davies, who’s sitting-in for Zoe for ‘two whole weeks (…and a day)! Toyah Willcox is on the show this morning, chatting new music and her upcoming UK tour.

• Listen to the show at BBC Sounds for the next four weeks.

Toyah – Interview With Nigel Carr at Louder Than War

Toyah talks with Nigel Carr at Louder Than War about her Anthem 40th Anniversary tour, Playing Cropedy Festival this week with a surprise appearance by husband Robert Fripp (Thursday 11th August 2022), and supporting Billy Idol on his UK Arena tour alongside Television.

“I helped Franc Roddham out by putting John Lydon through the screentest for Quadrophenia. Lydon was absolutely astonishing. He’s a great actor waiting to be discovered”

Toyah was the face of 1981 with her startling looks, big hair and stadium slaying voice. After 5 years of juggling acting and singing, and after scoring an indie number one, she finally broke through into the mainstream with Four From Toyah, which included the hits, It’s a Mystery and I Want To Be Free. The ensuing album Anthem topped the charts around the world. Here, Nigel speaks with Toyah about her tough start in the music business, her impressive and award winning acting career and her return to the bigtime through the colossally popular Sunday Lunch show on YouTube, the 40th+1 anniversary of Anthem tour and supporting Billy Idol on his The Roadside Tour 2022.

• Continue reading at Louder Than War.

Ep 15: Rebelling with Toyah Willcox

Season 1, Episode 15: This week we’re joined by teenage rebel, Toyah Willcox. The ever-regenerating actress and musician has topped YouTube charts for her Sunday Lunch series with husband Robert, and Kaye & Karen talk to Toyah about her upbringing, finding humour in everything she does, and much more.

You can join Kaye and Karen at the Edinburgh Fringe on 23rd & 24th August at the Gilded Balloon, with lots of special guests. Get your tickets here.

• Listen to Toyah’s interview, on How To be 60 – With Kaye Adams podcast, here.

Toyah Willcox on sex In later life, hysterectomies and checking your body

Season 1, Episode. 3: Singer, actor and YouTube sensation Toyah Willcox doesn’t just want to keep living, she wants to feel as full of life as she can for as long as possible.

In this episode, Toyah speaks openly about keeping intimacy alive in later life, and how communication and understanding can help women flourish when it comes to sex, relationships and living life to its full potential.

• Listen to Toyah’s interview, on the Women’s Health – Breaking The Taboos podcast, here.

Toyah is interviewed in the new issue of Retropop magazine (August 2022) in a special eight-page feature. Retropop is on sale now. View the full feature here. NB: This interview was originally published on Retropop‘s website in 2021 around the time of the release of Posh Pop. (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive)

Age won’t change Toyah Willcox: ‘We’ve never stopped being rockers, we are just rockers in a different time and place’

Toyah Willcox says she’s far more than a punk princess

Born out of a lockdown-powered creative burst, Toyah Willcox and musician husband Robert Fripp’s weekly online Sunday Lunch videos have quickly become regular news events.

Cheeky, audacious, entertaining, and even eye-watering, each episode has been attracting hundreds of thousands of views.

But if you think they’re big now, wait till you hear what’s next.

‘We are developing a stage show and a movie is in development as well,’ reveals Toyah, adding that the duo are even considering an album.

‘But once you get into a studio situation you’ve got to rethink everything, and how people will experience that in an album form.

‘It’s not a no, but it takes an awful lot of consideration.’

• Continue reading at the Metro.

Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp look back: ‘He came from the 60s, having multiple girlfriends at once’

The musicians recreate a photo from their wedding – a day of panic, pasta and paparazzi

Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp are a rock star couple turned lockdown YouTubers. Actor and musician Willcox, 64, rocketed to fame during the punk rock era, appearing in cult movies such as Quadrophenia, before releasing 80s hits such as It’s a Mystery.

Meanwhile, Fripp, 76, is a founding member of King Crimson, and has collaborated with artists including David Bowie and Brian Eno.

Both prolific musicians, they launched the successful Sunday Lunch video series in 2020, in which they cover classic songs in their home in Pershore, Worcestershire.

Toyah: This photograph was taken on our wedding day in 1986, which started off really dull and rainy, but as soon as we got to the church the sun came out. Robert was terrified. I was enjoying it, but very nervous: I had to keep the ceremony secret so photos weren’t leaked to the press. Sadly, the papers got wind and we were chased by paparazzi for two days afterwards. They were banging on the car door, shouting and saying that if we didn’t let them get a picture they were going to print a bad story about us. It wasn’t fun.

• Continue reading at The Guardian.

Toyah Willcox | On Record | In Conversation
Season 1, Episode 7

Broadcaster Satnam Rana and Journalist Adrian Goldberg present twenty-two conversations with Birmingham musicians, promoters, managers, venue owners and entrepreneurs who have all contributed to local, national, and international music culture. Join us and our special guests for conversations about their lives in music, their connections to the city, and how Birmingham has inspired or influenced them, personally and musically.

Selected dates also feature free live performances from the artists appearing On Record. The first of its kind, On Record is a multi-artist, multi-genre concept album forming a sonic love letter to the city of Birmingham. Produced as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, the eleven-track album will be available on a limited vinyl release and across all streaming platforms.

From her early days as a Birmingham punk to the recent internet phenomenon of Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch, Toyah Willcox has become an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved actress, and music composer. In this episode Satnam Rana digs deep into Toyah’s enduring career, what influences and drives her. And what a career!

Toyah has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in over twenty feature films, including Derek Jarman’s seminal punk epic, Jubilee, and presented hundreds of TV programmes in her own charismatic, outspoken, and impossible to categorise way. She released Posh Pop, her first solo studio album since 2008, in August 2021.

Listen to Toyah Willcox: On Record | In Conversation.