Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

• Toyah’s Blog: The Humans on Tour: “We’re going to perform all of STRANGE TALES. It takes such a crazy journey in sound” – Stay updated on Toyah & The Humans direct from Toyah at Twitter… (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

• DGM Live: King Crimson’s Bill Rieflin is working in the UK this month with his other band, The Humans – Continue reading…

• You Tube: Toyah Willcox & The Humans are coming to Trading Boundaries, Uckfield on Saturday 11 April. Watch this video to hear her talking about the gig – Watch here…

• Toyah @ Twitter: A very Humans lunch – View here…

• AGMP Concerts: The Humans: Next Saturday Toyah & The Humans will play a rare show at the beautifully intimate 100 Club, London – Ticket link here…

• Gloucester Guildhall: Not long until we welcome Toyah & The Humans – Ticket link here…

• Telling Strange Tales: Tickets for all dates here…

• Five Live!: The line-up for THE HUMANS: TELLING STRANGE TALES UK Tour which kicks off on Saturday 11 April at Trading Boundaries is Toyah, Bill Rieflin & Chris Wong with guest Humans Igor Abuladaze and Jake Wilson. (Info/Image Source: Official Toyah Facebook)

• Sensational: Toyah tweeted earlier today: “Just learned SENSATIONAL off Crim Queen is being used 4 national ad campaign 4 next 12months from 26th dec, fronted by national actress”

• Read a transcript of Toyah’s ‘BBC 6Music’ Steve Lamacq’s Rock College “Guest Lecture” (broadcast on 22nd November, more info here) at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive.

• There are now even more chances to watch Toyah’s Christmas at the Zoo on Vintage TV. As well as airing tomorrow at 5pm and twice on Saturday (1.30pm/11pm) it is also on next Tuesday (18th Dec @ 7.30pm), as well as 21st Dec @ 9pm, 22nd Dec @ 1am and another seven times between 23rd and 29th December!

• Brookside Most Memorable Moments: The newly released DVD celebrating the 30th anniversary of Britain’s finest soap – Toyah is namechecked in a review by The Guardian. Not only that but the mention is related to Karen Grant, one of the best characters.

• Just a reminder that Toyah guests on Pointless Celebrities this afternoon on BBC1 at 5.15pm.

• Toyah’s Official Advent Calendar: Anyone for some unheard/unseen Toyah exclusives? Toyah’s Christmas Countdown begins at toyahwillcox.com on 12-12-12.

• Phil Spalding is now at Facebook. An official website will also be online soon. New website PhilSpalding.Com coming soon … Music and Mayhem !!! A lot of music and a lot of MAYHEM !!! Watch this space !!! Phil also told me: I have a load of personal photos from Toyah tours which I will be posting, bit by bit, on FB and my site.

• The Brit Awards @ You Tube: Paul Young wins Best Male presented by Toyah | BRIT Awards 1985 – Just uploaded!

• Read a transcript of Toyah’s ‘BBC Radio Kent’ interview (broadcast on Saturday, more info here) at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive.

• Three Of A Kind: Tracey Ullman recreates Toyah’s I Want To Be Free promo video back in the early 80s. (Thanks to Stephen Bennett Troake)

• Lorraine: Toyah tweeted a photo from the filming of ITV1’s Lorraine earlier this week. As far as I’m aware the footage hasn’t been shown yet. Maybe it will be this morning.

• Heart: Appear in the Panto: For one night only you will appear alongside Gareth Gates, Toyah Willcox and Katrina Bryan. You could be staring on stage in this years Panto – Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre Canterbury. For the evening performance on Thursday 20th December you will be in the panto alongside Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates.

• Under Ground Theatre, Eastbourne: Jubilee: A film with attitude, features punk icons Adam Ant and Toyah Willcox. (The 35th anniversary of the film – Showing on Thursday 25th April 2013 – Visit the cinema’s website)

• Don’t Talk To Me About Heroes: A great, and rare, Toyah photo from 1980 on a t-shirt!

• Like Punk Never Happened: Smash Hits Archive: November 25 – December 8 1982 issue. A so-so review of Warrior Rock by Fred Dellar – Direct link here.

• Pop Quiz: One day till December, time to try to get into the festive spirit (vodka?), here’s the full edition of Toyah on BBC1’s Pop Quiz, Christmas Eve 1984. (View larger versions of the screen caps here).

• Visit Canterbury: Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre: Last year’s pantomime was seen by more than 83,000 people, so book early to avoid disappointment! (Thanks to Michael)

• Kent Online/Dover Mercury: Festive Lights Switched On: Panto stars Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates help Dover Mayor Cllr Anne Smith and deputy Mayor Cllr Ronnie Philpott light up the town for the festive season.

• Tim Stubbings Photography: Sleeping Beauty rehearsals at The Marlowe Theatre Canterbury; A great selection of cast photos.

• Dover Xmas Lights, Toyah/Gareth Gates: Actors/singers Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates, promoting the Marlowe Theatre panto (Canterbury), at the Dover Xmas lights switch-on, Market Square, Saturday, Nov 24, 2012.

• Great photos of Toyah in Market Square, Dover on Saturday during the Christmas Lights Switch-On. (Thanks to Angus Turner for the photos)

• Apologies! My tv guide had the first showing of Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo on Vintage TV as airing this Thursday but it was actually broadcast tonight between 7 and 10pm. Luckily there are numerous other opportunities to watch. View the dates and times here. (Thanks to Kevin McNamara)

• Baby Satellite: A demo of the track ‘Baby Satellite’ which samples the fabulous Toyah Willcox. The song it samples is Homeward from Ophelia’s Shadow. (Thanks to Dave Powell) 

• Toyah on Tour 2013: Love Is The Law 2013 Tour is already in the planning, and dates are going in thick and fast for late Sept/ Oct/ early November. The tour will be called LOVE IS THE LAW & GREATEST HITS……. bit of a mouth full but promoters want all ages to come! (Source: Toyah’s November blog)

• Toyah is currently featured on the front page of the Vintage TV website, advertising the forthcoming Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo. There are now three showings of the new festive special in the schedules. See the air dates & times here.

• TCM Turner Classic Movies: Tempest, The (1979) — (Movie Ciip) The Goddess On Whom These Airs Attend.

• The Tempest is showing on TCM tonight at 11.15pm – The film reimagines The Tempest as a homoerotic romp with punk overtones (primarily courtesy Toyah Willcox, here cast as Miranda).

• Toyah’s short interview on Radio Verulam which aired at the end of October is now available as a transcript at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive. Click below to view/read. There’s also a great Changeling Resurrection 2012 Tour Archive. View that here.

• All About You: Top 10 Christmas Pantos: Wakey, wakey… and take yourself off to Canterbury’s new Marlowe Theatre to see Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox starring in this year’s panto spectacular Sleeping Beauty. The lavish musical numbers, comedy and even fire-breathing are guaranteed to keep you wide awake.

• Kent Online: Festive Illuminations: Panto stars on the road: A full rundown of Sleeping Beauty‘s busy fortnight before opening at The Marlowe Theatre.

• WikiNut: Christmas comes to Herne Bay: …The evil queen played by Toyah Willcox cheekily remarked that she hoped to snog Gareth Gates on stage every night. He made a very handsome Prince, who could blame her?

• This is Kent: Singer Gareth is a charmer: It’s A Mystery girl Toyah said: “I feel moved and honoured to be part of the show. It is great fun. Everyone is really well suited and we all like each other. It is very funny and clever show.”

• Dover Community Radio: Dover Christmas Lights 2012: The Grand Switching On of the towns Christmas Lights which will take place at 5.30pm with the Mayor of Dover being supported by the cast of the Marlowe Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty who include amongst others; Gareth Gates, Toyah WilLcox and star of the west end, Faye Brookes (on Saturday 24th November).

• Whitstable People: Pantomime stars with festive cheer: Panto stars from Sleeping Beauty have been waking up Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable. Singer Gareth Gates, actor Ieuan Rhys and former punk princess Toyah Willcox joined the Saxon Stars cheerleaders to turn on the Christmas lights at Herne Bay on Friday. (This story advises that Toyah and Gareth won’t be at the Whitstable switch-on this Saturday!)

• This is Kent: Plenty to do at the festive turn-on: Dover’s Christmas lights will be switched on this weekend during a day packed full of events. Town Mayor Cllr Anne Smith and members of the cast of Sleeping Beauty – which includes Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox – will illuminate Market Square at 5.30pm on Saturday (24th November).

• Metro: Britain’s worst Christmas tree lights are a turn-off in Kent: A big crowd had come out to watch Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox switch on a town’s festive lights. (Unfortunately a negative report but quite amusing)

• Birmingham Mail: The Tube broke the mould – and a few new bands too: An interview with Chris Phipps, Toyah’s co-presenter on Look! Hear! and Assistant Producer on The Tube. The article also includes a rare photo taken at Pebble Mill in 1981.

• This is North Devon: Adam Ant, Suggs and Toyah head to North Devon: They are just some of the names waiting in the wings to entertain you this autumn. North Devon Theatres announces a new season to brighten up winter nights.

• TellyMix: I’m A Celebrity 2012: Limahl missing his gadgets: “I can’t compare it to anything I have done before. And yet if my own heroes and heroines, Christopher Biggins, Toyah Willcox and Sheila Ferguson, can do it, then so can I.”

• Big Weekends: Here and Now, Bognor, March 2013: Join us at Bognor Regis for Here and Now, a brand new break showcasing some of the biggest and best stars of the 80s.

• BBC Radio Two: Both ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’ have been played on BBC Radio Two over the last few days. Toyah and Robert Fripp were also the subject of one of the questions on last night’s Eggheads on BBC2.

• Bennett Griffin: What will we do for Children in Need? “It’s A Mystery”!! – I don’t ever recall Toyah sporting the look Jackie opted for but, hey ho, it was all for a good cause!

• The cast of Sleeping Beauty switching on the lights in Canterbury on 15th November. View at You Tube.

• Toyah tweeted a great photo of herself and Wongoose (aka Chris Wong) “blatantly advertising” Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre. View another photo of the Toyah van, by Brian Marsh, here.

• Sleeping Beauty: Rehearsals Day One: A short video blog from Toyah Willcox and Ben Roddy on day one of the Sleeping Beauty rehearsals. View at You Tube.

• Visit Kent: Deal Christmas Lights Switch On: Deal Town Christmas Light Switch-On to be held on Thursday 22 November 2012 at St George’s Church forecourt. See Toyah Willcox, Gareth Gates and other stars of Sleeping Beauty plus music by Black Catt Disco and The Kingsdown Band.

• Dover People: Panto stars to switch on Dover’s Christmas lights: The cast of the Marlowe Theatre’s panto ‘Sleeping Beauty’ will switch on Dover’s Christmas lights on Saturday.Stars including singers Gareth Gates and Toyah Wilcox are due to turn on the town’s festive illuminations. They will flick the switch along with the Mayor of Dover at 5.30pm in Market Square.

• Kent Christmas: Christmas Lights & Events: Stars of this year’s Marlowe Theatre pantomime Sleeping Beauty, including pop singer Gareth Gates and punk princess Toyah Willcox, will be flicking the switches across the district.

• Sleeping Beauty, starring Toyah and Gareth Gates, opens at The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury on Friday 30th November and runs for almost eight weeks. View full details, including ticket booking info, by clicking below.

• SFX: Celebrity Sci-Fi Raves: The Toyah article “My Sci-Fi”, originally published in ‘SFX’ magazine in July 2007, is now online at their website: “I like all the Aliens, I like Pitch Black, and I’m a big fan of Chronicles Of Riddick. I actually think it’s a superb film and I get very angry when I read bad reviews about it. I think all the cast are stunning in it, and the effects are stunning.” (View the original magazine version here).

• Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable: Toyah Willcox, Frankie from Frankie and the Heartstrings and James Endeacott get a little 80s and review new releases from Madness and Adam Ant plus singles from Willy Mason and The Lumineers amongst others. (Podcast available to download for the next 24 days!)

• Spiral Earth: Damien Barber – Spiral Firsts: First celebrity you fell in love with? Toyah Willcox.

• This is Kent: Dover Town Christmas Lights Switch On: Dover Community Radio, working with the town council, will be compering and co-ordinating the mainstage events at the Dover Town Christmas Lights Switch On on Saturday November 24. The event will be attended by Mayor of Dover Anne Smith and the cast of the Marlowe Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty, which includes Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox.

• Toyah @ Twitter: Toyah has received an early Christmas pressie (Thanks to Lärwi)

• A few years ago Phil Spalding played on Robbie Williams’ album ‘Escapology’, and on his new CD ‘Take The Crown’ Bill Rieflin plays drums. Joel Bogen for the next one? Maybe not! (Thanks to Colin Dew-Parry)

• World’s Strangest: 11 Notable Doctor Who Fans: More than almost any series (apart from Star Trek, perhaps), the term “fan following” seems to have been invented for Doctor Who. As the series prepares for its 50th anniversary in 2013, it’s worth noting some of the more prominent fans.

• Another new photo of Toyah from the Hormonal Housewives session. New dates are being advertised by theatres for Folkestone, Rhyl, Scunthorpe, Bristol & Southampton.

• The Baths Hall tweeted earlier this week: “Lots of early interest in Hormonal Housewives, starring Toyah Wilcox and coming to The Baths Hall in May!”

• Kent Online: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Sleeping Beauty: One of the original reality show stars, Gareth Gates’ road to becoming runner-up on Pop Idol is still remembered fondly and he takes to the stage as the Prince. The Unchained Melody singer is joined by another singing hero, Toyah Willcox, who returns to the Marlowe for her seventh time, as the Wicked Fairy.

• Visit Canterbury: Canterbury Christmas Lights will be switched on on 15 November at 5.30pm. The full Pantomime cast from Sleeping Beauty will be appearing. Check back for more information soon.

• TCM: Quadrophenia on Blu-ray: Phil Daniels is very likeable as the woebegotten Jimmy, an okay guy with a loser’s attitude: A look at the recent Blu-ray release and of the film from an American perspective.

• SOS Film Photography Sound: A rare photo of Toyah and the artist PJ Crook.

• An excellent selection of footage from the final Changeling Resurrection II Brighton gig at Concorde2 was uploaded yesterday to ‘You Tube’ at the brilliant Toyah Fan Videos channel: The Packt, Dawn Chorus, Obsolete, Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel in You), Castaways, Angel and Me, Blue Meanings, Thunder In The Mountains, Danced, Good Morning Universe are all now online. There are more to come too!

• We still have a two month chunk of 2012 left and already live Toyah dates for 2013 are appearing: Toyah will be headlining the 70’s & 80’s Weekend at St Audries Bay Holday Club, West Quantoxhead, Somerset: Friday 1st – Monday 4th March 2013. Info & Booking: Tel: 07407 635 802, Email: boogienites55@yahoo.com (Thanks to Rob Wenham)

• Tomorrow Calling: I had completely forgotten that Colin Salmon of Doctor Who, James Bond & much more fame, and just voted off Strictly Come Dancing last Saturday starred with Toyah in Tomorrow Calling, the Short & Curlies CH4/British Screen film that was shot in Blackpool, London and at Pinewood in 1993. (Thanks Rachel)

• The fantastic Revelations, from the 1981 EP ‘Four From Toyah’, was played on ‘Q Radio’ on Thursday night. Still sounds great after, almost, 32 years!

• Toyah tweeted a great photo of herself, James Endeacott and Frankie from Frankie and The Heartstrings when they guested on Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable yesterday.

• Dark Beauty Mag: Brilliance From The Past: Lady Gaga, Madonna, and so many others would never match up. (This tribute to Toyah was published in January 2011 so I’m not sure why it showed up in my news feeds today but I’m glad it did!)

• 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!

• The Changeling Resurrection II at Islington Academy: ‘Danced’ at You Tube. (Thanks to Damon King)

• This is South Wales: Eighties is inspiration for Swansea DJ: A Swansea DJ is turning the tables to become the pop stars she plays on the radio in her new one woman show. In the show, Helen pays tribute to the rebellious female icons of the 1980s including Debbie Harry, Chrissie Hynde, Toyah Willcox, Hazel O’Connor, Annie Lennox and Cyndi Lauper.

• Friday Focus: John Stephenson Interview with Toyah Willcox: Toyah’s ‘Radio Verulam’ interview from last December is now available to listen to at Soundcloud.

• Dark Derek’s Deluge: Toyah & Guests 17th December 1981: Toyah on the Good Morning Universe: European Tour.

• The Ebony Tower: Richard Rodney Bennett: Film Music Pt. 11.

• The third series of Pointless Celebrities began airing last night on BBC1. There will be nine episodes in the series and Toyah will guest on one of them, having recorded her appearance in early February with Cheryl Baker.

• Kent News: The Marlowe’s Sleeping Beauty panto to be dedicated to late comic Dave Lee: He may no longer be with us, but much-loved comic Dave Lee will be playing as big a part as ever in this year’s Marlowe Theatre pantomime. In fact, the whole production of Sleeping Beauty, which stars Pop Idol singer Gareth Gates and eighties legend Toyah Willcox, will be dedicated to Dave, who died of pancreatic cancer in January aged 64.

• Friends Reunited: Toyah Willcox, 1985: A portrait of actress and singer Toyah Willcox.

• Nigel James Digital: Toyah Willcox plays Sheffield Corporation club: 80′s diva performs to a packed room!

• Turner Classic Movies: The Tempest – Derek Jarman’s Acclaimed 1979 Adaptation of the William Shakespeare Play.

• Like Punk Never Happened: Smash Hits Archive: October 14-27 1982: Lots of Toyah content in the latest issue uploaded exactly 30 years to the day it was originally published: Toyah back cover pin-up, Songwords: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Singles Review: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Be Proud/Warrior Rock: Full-page advert.

• Brave New World: A brilliant fan made tribute to Toyah’s 1982 video. Filmed in ’82 and completed this year.

• 366 Weird Movies: Capsule: The Tempest (1979): Pop singer Willcox makes for an endearingly sexy Miranda.

• Toyah supports the 2012 Breast Cancer Campaign/Wear it Pink. Visit their website here.

• I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan: One Year On: “A year rolls around – this time in 2011 I was editing and finalising the layout in between going to Toyah gigs whilst posting teaser extracts on this page…”

• The Isle Of Everywhere: Toyah – Thunder In The Mountains: Associated with punk, I never really gave Toyah a chance, even when I heard that she was married to Robert Fripp (one of my guitar idols), but it turns out, she’s more like a dyed-hair loud Kate Bush sort. Good songs, bright hair, and quite an alright voice.

• Toyah’s Vintage Christmas: Clips from last year’s mammoth festive special have recently been uploaded to You Tube by Vintage TV. (Thanks to Paul Lomas)

• The Independent: Stars flock to St Paul’s for Sassoon memorial: Sassoon’s widow, Ronnie Holbrook, was joined by a celebrities from the fashion, film, art and design industries, among them Sir Michael Caine, Zandra Rhodes, John Frieda, Nicky Clarke, singer Toyah Willcox and designer Mary Quant.

• The Alan Titchmarsh Show: Toyah guested on Alan’s ITV1 Afternoon chat show on Thursday 4th October, chatting about music from the Sixties. The full programme is still available to view at ITV Player for the next couple of weeks.

• Toyah and Derek Jarman: Toyah has contributed a chapter to a new book on Jubilee/The Tempest director Derek Jarman. She has also been offered a film role by a scriptwriter who worked with Jarman.

• Pick Of The Pops (BBC Radio 2: Saturday 20th October: 1pm): Tony Blackburn plays the biggest hits from this week in the charts of 1962 and 1981, with music from Brian Hyland, Ray Charles, Little Eva, Alvin Stardust, Ottowan and Toyah.

• London Evening Standard: Vanity Fair – or a night at Annabel’s: Toyah and Robert photographed out and about in London at the Nicholas Coleridge book launch last week.

• Do Believe The Hype: W 40th Anniversary Issue: Wasikowska channels full on 80s in snakeskin-print Balenciaga (looking like a cross between David Bowie’s make-up and Toyah Willcox’s hair).

• 80s Remix: Toyah – Echo Beach (Extended Surf Mix): Released in 1987, this cover version of the classic hit by Martha And The Muffins was Toyah Willcox’s last single to chart in the British Singles Chart, peaking at #54. The track was released as the lead single from Toyah’s second album as a solo artist, Desire, which failed to chart. One more single was released from the album entitled Moonlight Dancing.

• A rare photo of the Toyah band, circa late 1979, has recently appeared on eBay. It looks like it was taken in a pub while the band were on tour. The listing says: “The shot is date stamped 29 Oct 1979 by the UK pop music newspaper that received it”. Great photo!

• All Toyah: Continues to grow!

• Pause, Rewind, Obsess: Quadrophenia: …has a cult following but, despite some terrific scenes and some memorable characters (like the gnomish, lovesick, little pre-punk girl played by Toyah Willcox), it feels even more narratively half-baked than Pete Townshend’s musical scenarios tend to be.

• Critical Mass: Improvisation and carving: This article includes a photo of the cast of The Ebony Tower.

• Canterbury People: Canterbury girls chance to be in Marlowe Theatre’s Sleeping Beauty: Budding young actresses have the chance to star in the Marlowe Theatre’s pantomime. Sleeping Beauty will be at the Marlowe Theatre from November 30 to January 20 and star singers Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox.

• Record Press: Five Murder Mystery Films & Songs to Celebrate Agatha Christie Week: And to celebrate this year’s “Agatha Christie Week”, here is a Top 5 Murder Mystery Songs: 1) Tavares – Whodunit?, 2) Sophie Ellis Bextor – Murder on the Dancefloor, 3) Toyah Willcox – It’s a Mystery, 4) Technotronic – Move that Body, 5) Beatles – Paperback Writer.

• It looks like a Facebook page dedicated to the, now defunct, North American Toyah Fanclub may be up and running soon. More details to follow if it happens.

• 10th Planet: There’s a signed photo of Toyah for sale at the 10th Planet website. I’m not sure why as I can’t recall Toyah ever appearing at a 10th Planet convention or event, but it’s there all the same!

• The New Zealand Doctor Who Fanclub: ‘More Than 30 Years in the TARDIS: A Clip-Spotter’s Guide’ article. It identifies, and lists, all the footage and guests (including Toyah) who appear in the BBC 1993 documentary.

• Middlesbrough Theatre is ready for Toyah and ‘The Changeling Resurrection II’.