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British Home Entertainment Wants the ’80s Back

“The ’80s called. They want their store back,” was a memorable line from RadioShack’s 2014 Super Bowl ad. Now, the British Association for Screen Entertainment is launching a marketing campaign pushing top movies and music albums from the 1980s onto coronavirus-rattled consumers in the 21st Century.

Retailers will showcase range of classic 80s titles on Blu-ray Disc, DVD and transactional VOD, including Big, Blade Runner, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Cocktail, Conan The Destroyer, Dirty Dancing, Dune, ET, Ghost, Ghostbusters, The Goonies, Labyrinth, The Lost Boys, Purple Rain, Robocop, Stand By Me, Top Gun and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, among others.

“Great music and cinematic stories have always gone hand in hand and the 80’s is a perfect example,” Toyah Willcox, British musician and National Album Day 2020 ambassador, said in a statement. “Cinema in the 80’s was revolutionary for bringing high octane action and rock music together and I am proud to have been a part of this era. Cinema in 80’s was also about bringing the audience thrills, thrills and even more thrills. Never has there been a more appropriate time to revisit this celluloid adventures.”

• Continue reading at Media Play News.

Toyah is interviewed in the print edition of today’s Daily Express. Here is some of the interview.

I suffered ageism in my 30s but at 62 I’m treated like a Goddess

“I’ve never had any maternal instinct and it’s always baffled me why I was expected to have children,” she confesses. “I believe you’re born knowing if you want to have kids and I knew that would not be happening.

“The only time I’ve ever experienced ageism was in my 30s, which was a very, very difficult decade. Back then if you were 30 and a woman, you were expected to have babies. But I had a successful career and never intended to have children and I couldn’t get anyone to hear that. People would say to me ‘Well, why are you married?’ and I would say, ‘er, because I love my husband!’

“I was too much of a bohemian to have children and anything that ties me down into one place is a challenge for me. But now I’m treated like a 62-year old goddess. I can say to women, ‘it does get better’ because people see you as having a wisdom they can tap into”.

Toyah At Home is referenced in a new article from the Edinburgh Evening News: Venues glow red as Edinburgh’s entertainment landscape fights for survival

Every Saturday at 11am, again on Facebook, I pop on to join Toyah Willcox for At Home with Toyah. Once more it’s a platform that allows the singer and actress to remain creative and perhaps more importantly stay connected with her fans.

• Continue reading at Edinburgh Evening News. Episode 16 of Toyah At Home airs this morning.

A new interview with Matt Dangerfield, who produced Toyah’s first single of the 1980s, Bird In Flight/Tribal Look.

Early in February 1980, Dangerfield produced labelmate Toyah’s ‘Bird in Flight’ single, just a year before they broke the mainstream with the Four From Toyah E.P. This extended play release featured ‘It’s A Mystery’, which became the breakthrough hit for the band, fronted by singer-songwriter Toyah Willcox.

“The reason I was brought in to produce that single was to get her airplay. She was having lots of publicity and everybody was interested in her, but the music wasn’t very radio-friendly“.

‘Bird in Flight’ wasn’t featured on an album release at the time, although it was added to the 2002 reissue of Toyah’s debut album Sheep Farming In Barnet, and was also included on the 2005 compilation The Safari Singles Collection Part 1: 1979-1981.

• Continue reading/watch the full interview at PhilMarriott.net.

Sheep Farming In Barnet: Toyah Kickstarts Her Safari Back Catalogue Remasters With Expanded Debut Album

A year before their breakthrough hit single, Four From Toyah, and its leading new wave anthem ‘It’s A Mystery’ (which rose to number 4 in the charts in 1981), Toyah – fronted by the vivacious lead singer Toyah Willcox – released their debut album, Sheep Farming In Barnet.

Six tracks from the album were initially released in 1979, surfacing as an extended EP, dubbed an ‘Alternate Play’ (AP) record.

Fast forward to 2020 and Toyah has teamed up with Cherry Red Records to announce the long-awaited newly remastered and expanded release of Sheep Farming In Barnet, which kickstarts a reissue programme of Toyah’s entire Safari Records catalogue.

Sheep Farming In Barnet will be reissued on 4 December 2020 as a limited edition white vinyl LP and expanded 2CD+DVD package. Limited quantities of both formats come with a different design postcard signed by Toyah.

• Continue reading at philmarriott.net.

• The Sun: Outen On Ice: Denise Van Outen ‘signs £40,000 Dancing On Ice deal after impressing bosses’ – The reality TV contingent included Love Island’s Dr Alex George, 30, and Luke Trotman, 23, Towie’s Billie Faiers, 30, Made In Chelsea’s Olivia Bentley, 24, and Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Baga Chipz, 30. Singer Toyah Willcox, 62, tried out alongside This Morning’s Lisa Maxwell, 56, comic Rufus Hound, 41, vlogger LadBaby, 33, and Tattoo Fixers’ Stephen “Sketch” Porter – Continue reading…

• Telly Mix: Denise Van Outen ‘signs up to Dancing On Ice line up’ – Those said to be in talks include ‘WAG’ Rebekah Vardy, reality star Katie Price, singer, footballer Wayne Bridge, comedian Rufus Hound, Love Island’s Alex George and Luke Trotman and The Mummy Diaries’ star Billie Faiers. Also linked to a place on the cast are RuPaul’s Drag Race queen Baga Chipz, Blue star Antony Costa, Made In Chelsea’s Olivia Bentley, singer Toyah Willcox and actress Lisa Maxwell – Continue reading…

Toyah is featured in the new issue of Prog magazine.

Toyah – These days she’s better know as Mrs Robert Fripp, but in the 80s Toyah Willcox blazed a unique musical trail. Her recent work with The Humans is squarely in the art rock field, so it begs the question: how prog is Toyah?

• Continue reading at Prog Magazine/Louder Sound.

Great outdoors: the magic of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre – in pictures

Theatre has returned to Regent’s Park in London with a socially distanced revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, plus comedy nights under the stars. We look back at memorable past productions.

Toyah Willcox throws herself into the role of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by John Doyle in 1995.

• Continue reading at The Guardian. (Photo © Tristram Kenton)

Details of National Album Day 2020 have been announced, which this year celebrates the music of the 80s.

Now in its third year, National Album Day 2020 will take place on October 10 and celebrate the album format through a series of special events. As well as a series of special events (still to be announced), several big 80s releases are being reissued on vinyl or as a boxset. A selected list appears at the bottom of the page.

Five ambassadors have so far been announced for this year’s event: Blossoms, La Roux, Billy Ocean, Toyah Willcox and The Psychedelic Furs.

• Continue reading at Official Charts.

Dancing on Ice 2021: Here’s who’s rumoured to be taking part so far

There’s some shockers in this list

In January, 12 celebs will battle it out alongside their professional partner and attempt to win over the judges and the nation. For months now there’s been speculation over which celebs may take to the ice.

Toyah Willcox: Singer Toyah Willcox is heading up the more mature section of the rumoured line up this year.

• Continue reading at Closer.

Watch this! Tonight Matthew…? episode #10 ft Toyah Willcox

The newest and sunniest episode of Tonight Matthew…? is ELO’s Mr Blue Sky, featuring 80s punk princess Toyah Willcox, alongside usual suspects James Atkin (EMF) and Richard March (PWEI) and a bunch of friends from Supergrass, The Lightning Seeds and Pendulum.

Featuring:

Toyah Willcox – Vocals; Peredur ap Gwynedd – Guitar (Pendulum); Rob Coombes – Piano (Supergrass); Keith York – Drums (The Lightning Seeds / The Orb)
Helena Britten – Violin; Richard March – Bass ( Pop Will Eat Itself / Bentley Rhythm Ace); James Atkin- Vocals (EMF / Bentley Rhythm Ace).

In aid of Help Musicians – donations welcome if you can.

• Continue reading at Louder Than War.

Ajsa Movic’s fiery Toyah Willcox look is perfect for Leo season

Watch as the model transforms into the outrageous ’80s icon

As we find new ways to stay creative under lockdown, Document beauty director Lucia Pieroni and creative and fashion director Sarah Richardson decided to challenge a few of our favorite models to transform themselves at home. Considering the models don’t have access to suitcases of makeup, Pieroni provided each with an iconic (yet achievable) makeup look, hoping it would act as a springboard for their own take. Here, model Ajsa Movic discovers her makeup skills as she transforms into ’80s-era Toyah Willcox.

• Continue reading at Document.

One hour later, a one-minute miniature: Future Dreaming. Written and performed by Toyah, Simon and Bobby Willcox… (Photo © Robert Fripp)

A drive-in concert series set to open in Newmarket next month has been cancelled by organisers.

Live Nation Entertainment was due to promote a programme of live concerts and theatre shows at Newmarket Racecourse. However, the Utilita Live From the Drive-In series has now been cancelled by organisers over concerns of localised lockdowns.

The drive-in shows were due to take place at 12 venues across the country, including Liverpool, Bolton, Bristol, Milton Keynes and Lincoln. Northaw in Hertfordshire was the event’s ‘London’ venue, with Birmingham, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Teesside also on the tour.

• Continue reading at the Saffron Walden Reporter.

• The Sun: Blade Runners – Denise Van Outen and Wayne Bridge among celebs battling it out for spot on Dancing on Ice 2021: Singer Toyah Willcox, 62, tried out alongside This Morning’s Lisa Maxwell, 56, comic Rufus Hound, 41, vlogger LadBaby, 33, and Tattoo Fixers’ Stephen “Sketch” Porter – Continue reading…

• Telly Mix: Potential Dancing On Ice stars ‘revealed’ as celebs audition for new series: RuPaul’s Drag Race queen Baga Chipz and Made In Chelsea’s Olivia Bentley, singer Toyah Willcox, actress Lisa Maxwell, comedian Rufus Hound and internet sensation LadBaby were all also pictured trying out – Continue reading…

• Daily Mail: Billie Faiers, Denise Van Outen and Love Island’s Luke Trotman join a slew of stars at Dancing On Ice auditions as they battle for a spot on 2021 series: Here we go: Singer Toyah Willcox, 62, was also one of the famous faces in the running – Continue reading…

• Sports Mole: Celebrity contenders for Dancing On Ice 2021 revealed?: Other famous faces auditioning included former heptathlete Denise Lewis, ex-swimmer Mark Foster, darts superstar Fallon Sherrock, Blue singer Antony Costa, ‘Allo ‘Allo! star Vicki Michelle and singer Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…

• The List: Wayne Bridge and Denise van Outen among stars who ‘try out for Dancing on Ice’: Comedian Rufus Hound, 41, singers Toyah Willcox, 62, and Antony Costa, 39, vlogger LadBaby, 33, and Tattoo Fixers’ Stephen ‘Sketch’ Porter also tried out for the show – Continue reading…

Free-to-view Woo Fest streams in £13,000 for hospice

An award-winning county music festival which switched to an online format because of social distancing measures has been hailed a huge success after it raised more than £13,000 for a Worcestershire-based hospice.

Woo Fest was streamed live to homes and gardens around Worcestershire and beyond on Saturday (July 4) and featured a mix of live and pre-recorded sets from big-name performers including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Grant Nicholas, from Feeder, and Toyah Willcox as well as local acts.

• Continue reading at the Worcester Observer. Browse our Woo Fest news.

Rewind Festival set for drive-in concert date at Newmarket Racecourse

Entertainment company Live Nation presents Utilita Live From the Drive-In at Newmarket Racecourse this summer.

Rewind Festival will come to The July Course on Saturday, August 29.

The live line-up will feature Sheffield synth-pop stars Heaven 17, singer Toyah and Altered Images. The drive-in concert will be hosted by The Doctor.

Fronted by singer Glenn Gregory, Heaven 17 are best known for number two hit Temptation from the album The Luxury Gap. The group’s other hits include Come Live With Me, Crushed By The Wheels of Industry and Sunset Now.

Toyah had top 10 hits in the 80s with singles It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains and I Want To Be Free.

Scottish group Altered Images are fronted by Clare Grogan, who also appeared in the hit film Gregory’s Girl. Their hits include Happy Birthday, I Could Be Happy and Don’t Talk To Me About Love.

Gig-goers attending the Rewind show will have a designated area for their car that includes space for everyone to get out and have a dance.

As well as Newmarket, Rewind Festival will also visit Bolton and Colesdale Farm in Northaw, Hertfordshire, which is described as Utilita Live From the Drive-In’s London venue. Tickets for Rewind go on general sale on Friday, July 10.

• Continue reading at The Hunts Post. See also the Royston Crow.

Strictly Come Dancing 2020 line-up: All the rumours and potential contestants

Here are our predictions for series 18…

The BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing is officially coming back, with the 2020 series now confirmed although for a much shorter run.

Strictly will reportedly begin in October, which means this year’s event could be nine weeks instead of the usual 13. With many shows having to cancel production, due to the coronavirus, we couldn’t be happier that Strictly is still going ahead.

Toyah Willcox: Toyah has been using the lockdown time as a chance to practice her dancing skills.

The musician and her husband pranced around their kitchen to Bill Haley’s Rock Around the Clock, and while they certainly cheered everyone up, many thought she should consider a stint on Strictly Come Dancing.

One fan shared: “Next stop Strictly Come Dancing 2020!” Another added: “I hope Strictly haven’t finalised their line-up for this year…”

• Continue reading at the Radio Times. Read an earlier RT “Toyah for Strictly 2020!” here.

An award-winning county music festival which switched to an online format because of social distancing measures has been hailed a huge success after it raised more than £13,000 for a Worcestershire-based hospice.

Woo Fest, which was streamed live to homes and gardens around Worcestershire and beyond on Saturday (4th July), featured a mix of live and pre-recorded sets from big-name performers including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Grant Nicholas, from Feeder, and Toyah Willcox as well as local acts.

Hosted by Richard ‘Hursty’ Hurst and BBC Hereford & Worcester’s Nina Das Gupta, the free-to-view festival has raised £13,245.57 so far with music-lovers donating as they watched.

Luke Simons, festival organiser, said: “We’ve been blown away by everyone’s response to a virtual festival here in Worcestershire. We had 92 individual musicians in 24 sets – across a range of genres – keen to give our wonderful county a brilliant day and support the care St Richard’s provides locally at the same time”.

• Continue reading at strichards.org.uk.

And that’s a wrap! A massive thanks to everyone involved in today’s Virtual Woo Fest. An incredible day of music only possible through an incredible human effort at the current time. And supported by our incredible Worcestershire community raising £12,896. Thank you from us all.

NB. Since this post the total was updated again.

Your Virtual Woo Fest donations continued into the small hours taking us to an incredible. £13,245.57!

• Continue reading at St Richard’s Hospice at Twitter.

A lengthy new article, on the ever-enduring Quadrophenia, published today by The Independent as part of The Indy Film Club.

How Quadrophenia immortalises and scrutinises mod culture

It’s an indelible part of Brighton’s history but, as Clarisse Loughrey writes, the 1979 adaptation of The Who’s rock opera is really concerned with a search for identity

Brighton residents know the sound well – the stentorian rattle of engines, as a fleet of Vespas and Lambrettas zip down the promenade. It feels odd for a moment, as if there’s been a rip in the space-time continuum and a little of the Swinging Sixties has trickled out. But it’s tradition here. On sunny weekends, mod aficionados gather in the city to fraternise, evangelise, and compare the number of mirrors on their scooters. Brighton was a favoured hang-out spot for the original mods, who’d travel down from London to the south’s seaside resorts, eager to ruffle the feathers of middle-class daytrippers.

Trouble came in the form of the rockers, their rivals. It was like the Capulets versus the Montagues – divided not by blood, but by the way someone might wear their hair. The mods (short for “modernist”) embraced continental style, with their crisply tailored suits and Italian scooters. To protect said suit while on said scooter, parkas became a staple. The girls wore miniskirts, as popularised by Mary Quant. The rockers, meanwhile, were bikers. Their “tough guy” attitude complemented their black leather jackets, Doc Marten boots, and Elvis pompadours.

There were clashes. The most infamous of these took place in Brighton over the Whitsun weekend (18-19 May) in 1964. A small group of rockers were corned on the beach. Police tried to intervene, but it quickly spiralled into chaos. And though, in hindsight, it’s clear the press blew events out of proportion, it’s become an indelible part of the city’s history – due largely to the fact it was immortalised in 1979’s Quadrophenia.

The film, a loose adaptation of The Who’s 1973 rock opera, stars Phil Daniels as Jimmy, a disgruntled London teen. At home, his parents treat his non-conformity as a curse. At his mailroom job at an advertising firm, he’s just another drone. And so he throws himself head-on into the hell-raising, dandyish, amphetamine-fuelled world of mod culture. It becomes his entire identity. When he ends up at the centre of the Brighton brawls and gets arrested, the adrenaline sends him heavenward – only for a moment, before disillusionment sets in and he starts to spiral.

• Continue reading at The Independent/Culture (registration may be required).