The 15-28 April, 1982 issue of ‘Smash Hits’ has just been added to the ‘Like Punk Never Happened – Smash Hits Archive’.
Toyah is included again this fortnight in a ‘Bitz!’ text article, by grumpy Rosalyn Chissick, on the newly published book ‘Toyah’ by Mike West.
A small, but perfectly proportioned, photo of Toyah, and a quote from her, on Jennifer Lopez’s booty (or its proportions to be more exact) is included on the “News” page of the April 2012 issue of ‘The Good Surgeon Guide’ magazine. (yes there is actually a magazine called “The Good Surgeon Guide”!!)
“Basically, whoever takes the mickey out of the size of Jennifer Lopez’s backside is completely out of touch, because a lot of girls want the size of that backside. It’s hugely attractive to men.”
Toyah Willcox
It’s content like this that makes me think the decision to start up this new site, in order to continue reporting Toyah news, was sooo sooo the correct one lol!
(Thanks to Sarah Ross for the scan)
‘Simply Eighties’ featured ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ in their “Songs of The 80s” yesterday, and Toyah on the cover of ‘Smash Hits’, May/June 1982 issue, on their “80s Heaven’ page at tumblr.
Wow! You can really feel the energy coming from this new wave track by Toyah. Very original, alternative music and 
having not heard it for such a long time it sounds so fresh, even though this is from the early 80s! Plus, you get meaningful lyrics. This puts much of today’s music to shame.
Thunder In The Mountains reached #4 in the UK singles chart during October 1981, making this the third consecutive Top Ten hit for the band fronted by Toyah Willcox. It was the band’s eighth single release overall.
• Continue reading, at ‘Simply Eighties’, here.
• View the Toyah/Brave New World/Smash Hits page at ’80s Heaven’ here.
30 years ago this month the episode of Tales Of The Unexpected starring Toyah, ‘Blue Marigold’, aired on ITV. Here is a rare Channel Islands issue of ‘TV Times’ magazine, published the week the drama was broadcast, featuring Toyah on the cover and an interview inside.
• View a larger version of the cover by clicking above. Scans of the other pages and interview are here, here and here. (Many thanks to Paul Lomas for the scans)
The 1-14 April, 1982 issue of ‘Smash Hits’ has just been added to the ‘Like Punk Never Happened – Smash Hits Archive’.
Just a small news article (in Bitz!) on Toyah this fortnight, accompanied by this great photo from the 1982 Rock & Pop Awards: If you haven’t managed to secure tickets for Toyah’s forthcoming tour, here’s a flicker of light on the horizon. The 32 year old has just added an extra show at Sheffield City Hall on June 18th and two extras at London’s Hammersmith Odeon on July 17 and 18. Tickets cost £5, £4.50 and £4.
In addition to the tour she’s recording a new album for release in June. On April 25 she appears on telly in a play called “Blue Marigolds” which kicks off the new teeth-chattering series of Tales Of The Unexpected. This girl deserves a holiday.
View scans of the full issue, and every previous issue of ‘Smash Hits’, here.
The photographer Eric Watson, who took great photographs of numerous pop stars in the 80s, including Toyah, for ‘Smash Hits’ magazine, died on 18th March.
Born in Newcastle, Eric moved to London in 1974 and studied fine art at Hornsey College of Art from 1977 to 1980. His fellow students included Stuart Goddard (who became Adam Ant) and Mike Barson from Madness. On leaving college, he worked as an assistant to the photographers Red Saunders and Gered Mankowitz (known collectively as the Rembrandt Brothers), then photographing covers for Madness and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark.
In 1981 he was invited to work for Smash Hits, after the editor, David Hepworth, saw photographs Watson had shot for Madness. He became the magazine’s main photographer and at around the same time Neil Tennant, whom he knew through a mutual friend from Newcastle, was made assistant editor.
Read a tribute to Eric, from former ‘Smash Hits’ editor, David Hepworth and his obituary from ‘The Guardian’. (Thanks to Gill)
The 18-31 March 1982 issue of ‘Smash Hits’ has just been added to the excellent ‘Like Punk Never Happened – Smash Hits Archive‘.
This issue features a plethora of various Toyah content, including:
Free huge poster (Toyah on one side, The Human League on the other), photo from the ‘Rock & Pop Awards 1982’, a full-page advert for the VHS release of Urgh! A Music War, and Toyah as a toddler on a donkey in the ‘From The Cots’ photo feature.
View scans of the full issue, and every previous issue of ‘Smash Hits’, here.
The seriously good ‘Gods & Alcoves’ blog recently added a link to the 1980 magazine ‘Punk’s Not Dead!’. It features a Toyah pin-up from the (in)famous 1979 Simon Fowler photo shoot.
Punk’s Not Dead! magazine – edition one available online
Following hot on the heels of all 11 editions of “Punk! Lives” being available online, I found another punk magazine – Punk’s Not Dead! – (1980) available online via Scribd. Obviously the exclamation mark is critical in the naming of any Punk! publication.
Although it is focussed on Punk (duh) it has interviews/photos of Killing Joke, Theatre of Hate and Toyah – worth a look! According to one blog…
View the ‘Gods & Alcoves’ post here. View the scanned ‘Punk’s Not Dead!’ magazine here.
