Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

The Best and Worst Musician Hairstyles From The ’80s

It’s hard to pinpoint a decade that was gaudier than the ‘80s. What we do know is that hairspray manufacturers were probably thrilled. As for the rest of us? Not so much.

What Was Going On With Toyah Willcox’s Hair?

Toyah Willcox’s hair is that strange part of ‘80s fashion where no one knew exactly what was going and just went with it anyway. It’s like looking at your high school yearbook and wondering what the heck you were thinking.

Willcox kept a bold, Cyndi Lauper shade of orange, but made it 100 times bigger than Lauper could have dreamed. Beyond her intense, teased-out look, she loved to play around with blunt, choppy layers (you know, the kind your mom gives you when she cuts your hair with the kitchen singers, but Willcox’s were an intentional statement). Today, the star is still playing gigs, but she’s chilled out with the Manic Panic and hairspray. She looks even better at 60 than she did in her youth, but such is the power of abandoning a wild ‘80s cut.

• Continue reading at Idolator.

Perhaps the first British singer to be known only by her first name, Toyah entertained the Corn Hall with a string of post punk hits from the early 80s, and while for those of us of a certain age it was a treat to revisit them, it was also a revelation to hear them reinvented for acoustic guitar and vocals.

Flanked by two superb guitarists, and backed by video and still images, Toyah Ann Willcox proved to be a slick and accomplished performer. Opening on Good Morning Universe, she mixed lesser known gems with some cosy chit chat as well as big hitters like Thunder in the Mountains. These stripped down versions of her extensive back catalogue revealed not only how good these songs are, but what a fine voice she has.

• Continue reading at The Corn Hall.

From punk princess to cult stage and screen actress, Toyah Willcox is a vibrant performer and an inextinguishable flame. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved stage/screen actress and music composer. In a career spanning over 40 years Toyah has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-four albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in twenty feature films and presented hundreds of television programmes.

The year 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of her music career as Toyah released her first ever single and album studio in 1979. This concert –with her full electric band– will be a celebratory retrospective including hit singles, album classics and fan favourites.

• Continue reading at Stockton Arts Centre.

Toyah brings acoustic show to Diss

Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, Toyah Willcox is both a boundary-smashing musical survivor from the punk era, much-loved actress and presenter of programmes as diverse as The Good Sex Guide and Songs of Praise.

In a career spanning 30 years, during which she has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums, written books, appeared in over 40 stage plays, made 10 feature films and been a fixture on television, she has managed to balance a deeply rebellious streak with becoming something of national treasure.

Next month she will be visiting Diss as part of her Up Close & Personal tour that will include a chance to hear her perform an intimate acoustic set. A talented duo of guitarists, Chris Wong and Colin Hinds, will accompany Toyah on unplugged versions of the hits It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free and Good Morning Universe.

“I love performing the songs acoustically,” she said. “They sound fresh and contemporary. The lyrics have more meaning and clarity in the sonic space of the two acoustic guitars.”

• Continue reading at the Eastern Daily Press.

A British musical icon will be taking to the stage at the Corn Hall in Diss later this year.

Toyah Willcox will be playing live at the recently-renovated venue on September 1 in an intimate gig.

The show, Toyah: Acoustic, Up Close and Personal, promises audiences acoustic covers of her well-known hits, alongside recalling stories from her colourful 35-year career. Guitarists duo Chris Wong and Colin Hinds will accompany Toyah on meticulous and melodic acoustic versions of It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free, Good Morning Universe and Sensational.

• Continue reading at the Diss Express.

Toyah
Saturday 15 September, Esquires

The iconic TOYAH will be gracing the main stage at Esquires on Saturday 15 September. This is a full band, non-acoustic show looking back over her full back catalogue.

Tickets are £20 advance, on sale now here: seetickets.com/event/toyah/bedford-esquires/1249241 and from Monday 23rd July from Slide Record Shop, Esquires and Mario’s Hair Design.

• Continue reading at The Bedford Clanger.

Nile Rodgers among new LIPA Companions

Award winning musical pioneer Nile Rodgers is to be made a Companion of The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) on Friday, 27 July 2018.

The award-winning composer, producer and guitarist will be one of seven luminaries of the arts and entertainment world to receive the accolade from LIPA’s co-founder Sir Paul McCartney at the Institute’s annual graduation ceremony. Nile, who co-founded the ground-breaking disco band Chic in 1976, is one of the industry’s most sought-after producers and collaborators and was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame last year.

Toyah Willcox – who’s maintained a successful career as both a musician and an actor for over 40 years – will also be made a Companion. LIPA awards Companionships for two reasons: outstanding achievement and practical contribution to students’ learning.

Nile Rodgers and Toyah Willcox will be joined by Broadway and West End sound designer John Leonard, former CEO of Sony Music UK and Ireland Paul Burger, Ali Campbell – who’s a leading community arts practitioner and teacher, international lighting designer Felice Ross and dancer and choreographer Dean Lee.

• Continue reading at The Guide Liverpool. See further press reports on this at the Liverpool Echo and msn.com.

Toyah is playing Nottinghamshire Pride 2018 on Saturday, with a stage time of 4pm. There are further details about the day’s events at the West Bridgford Wire.

Full details for Nottinghamshire Pride 2018 revealed

This year Nottinghamshire Pride will take place on 28th July in Nottingham City Centre. Nottingham City Centre will be awash with colour and wrapped in rainbow flags this Saturday as Nottinghamshire Pride takes place in the city.

• Continue reading at the West Bridgford Wire. Visit the Nottinghamshire Pride 2018 website here.

Emma Goswell remembers the weekend that was

Similarly, punk priestess Toyah was in her element and thrilled to be at L Fest. Before she went on stage, I asked her if she thought there was a need for lesbian festivals and she really did. “I think its really important,” she told me. “I think it’s community. People who live in a hostile environment need to know there is somewhere they can go and be safe and included and they can express themselves. It’s so important that things like this exist!”

As well as her hits, Toyah treated the crowd to singalong versions of rock classics like Sweet Child Of Mine, Rebel Yell and I Love Rock N Roll. It’s so wonderful, having seen her at Pride events too, to know that someone I was a fan of when I was in the closet is now such a supporter of the LGBT community. Jumping up and down singing Toyah songs with hundreds of other sleep-deprived lesbians filled my little-exhausted heart with glee and it was hard not to feel – at least for a moment – that everything was right with the world.

• Continue reading at Diva.

There’s only a few weeks until Toyah plays the Jack Up The 80s Festival and the Isle Of Wight County Press have made her the cover star of their Weekender supplement (Friday July 20, 2018 issue), with a one page interview feature inside.

In the court of the crimson queen
Eighties music remains popular because it tells relevant and grounded stories everyone can associate with.

That’s according to Toyah, one of the decade’s most iconic stars, who is returning to Jack Up The 80s this Summer.

The 80s revival started in around 2000 and has kept a lot os artists busy ever since, such is the appeal of the 80s sound, which arks back to a time before grunge, rave and grime.

Toyah does four shows a week, all year round, and this will be the second time she has been at the island’s most fluorescent summer event. “Jack Up The 80s has grown since I was last there and I’m looking forward to coming back,” she told the County Press.

• Continue reading here. Many thanks to Official Jack Up The 80s. Browse our Jack Up The 80s news. Visit the festival’s Official Website.

Hold on to your ‘80s ra-ra skirts for a little while longer and don’t chuck your roller boots away just yet, as the Isle of Wight is once again gearing itself up for the ultimate feel-good festival!

Jack Up The 80s is a two-day retro pop festival which takes place on August 11 and 12, and provides a family weekend of musical entertainment from household chart names, food, attractions, kids arts and crafts and stalls.

The 2018 artist line-up includes Grammy Award-winning and international chart-topping music legend Leo Sayer, British pop rock group T’Pau, punk princess Toyah Willcox, soul star Jaki Graham, Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp, the one and only Chesney Hawkes and many more.

Special guests from the noughties Phats & Small will be helping to mix things up a bit, along with boy band Five.

The event is fast making a name for itself as the most fun festival on the South Coast. It offers an unbeatable atmosphere and is completely safe, inclusive and affordable for all.

• Continue reading at the Daily Echo. Browse our Jack Up The 80s news. Visit the festival’s Official Website.

The Fairkytes Live stage will be back at The Havering Show again in August, and the headliner this year is none other than Toyah! As always, admission to the show is free, and the Fairktyes Live stage will be running from 11am to 5pm each day.

• See further info on The Havering Show here.

Nottinghamshire Pride 2018 – when, where, tickets, times, prices, parade route, weather, stages, line-up and everything else you need to know

80s pop star Toyah will be entertaining the crowd along with a Britney tribute

An eighties pop star, an X Factor finalist and a Britney Spears tribute act are among the entertainers lining up for the city’s most fabulous festival, Nottinghamshire Pride.

Taking place on Saturday, July 28, this year’s annual LGBTQ+ celebration promises to be jam-packed with free comedy, live music and theatre shows from 11.30am until late, late, late.

So who can we expect to see on the main stage?

Performance Times: 12.15pm – Sheriff of Nottingham speech, 12.30pm – Michaela Weeks Britney Spears Tribute, 1pm – The Scream Queens, 1.30pm – Amrick Channa from The Voice and X Factor, 2pm – Tash Bird, 2.30pm – Nicki French, 3pm – Kitty Tray, 3.30pm – Intro from Charity Shop Sue, 4pm – Toyah Willcox, 4.30pm – Rob Green, 5pm – The Half Eight, 5.30pm – Titty Bon Bon, 6pm – Co-op Arts Theatre Group.

• Continue reading at Nottinghamshire Live at the Nottingham Post.

Can a team of pop stars, doctors and nurses help the NHS top the charts?

Toyah Willcox says she was lucky. Back in the day, they used to lop off dodgy legs like hers. But her mother – and the NHS – came to the rescue. The musician and actor was born with a twisted spine, no hip sockets, clawed feet, a clubbed right foot and one leg two inches shorter than the other. “It was a time when the way you dealt with a problem was to remove it, so my mother fought for my leg. My mother saved my leg.”

Twice a day, she was given intensive physio by her mother, and every six months she had corrective surgery. Willcox flexes her impressive biceps. “See, I hold myself through my own muscle strength. That is why I’m built like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I’m really muscular because my mother had to teach me how to straighten my own spine. It wasn’t good for my relationship with her because she was dictatorial about it, but in the end I was able to disguise what I had. I always wore boots and my raise was hidden in them.” At 51, she had an operation to make her legs the same length.

• Continue reading at The Guardian.

• 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…

Punk icon Toyah Willcox, wife of Robert Fripp and now long-time Wiltshire and Dorset resident, comes to Strode Theatre in Street on Friday 6th July for an intimate evening of music and memories.

Since the late 1970s, when she was the flame-haired idol of the pop punks, Toyah has expanded her repertoire, presenting on television and acting on stage and screen, including cult films Jubilee and Quadrophenia.

At Street she will be performing an unplugged set of her best-loved hits and classic songs, and recalling stories from her colourful 35-year career.

In this entertaining and revealing show, musicians Chris Wong and Colin Hinds accompany Toyah on melodic acoustic versions of hits like It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains, I Want To Be Free and Good Morning Universe; and with anecdotes about adventures like filming pop videos on horseback at 5am in the morning, or acting alongside Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier.

The show starts  at 7.30. For more details, telephone 01458 442846 or visit the website, www.strodetheatre.org.uk

• Continue reading at The Fine Times Recorder.

The biggest 80s festival to rock the Isle of Wight is back for a sixth year!

Hold on to your 80s ra-ra skirts for a little while longer and don’t chuck your roller boots away just yet, as the Isle of Wight is gearing itself up for the ultimate feel-good festival!

Jack Up The 80s is a three-day retro pop festival in its sixth year and provides a family weekend of musical entertainment from household chart names, food, attractions, kids arts and crafts and stalls.

The event is fast making a name for itself as the most fun festival on the South Coast. It offers an unbeatable atmosphere and is completely safe, inclusive and affordable for all. In excess of £20,000 has been raised in the past 2 years for local charities and good causes.

Pop punk princess, Toyah Willcox joins Jack Up The 80’s line up. Toyah is one of the most iconic artists of the decade with a career spanning over 35 years. She has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 24 albums and toured live across the world.

• Continue reading at Visit South East England. Visit the Jack Up The 80s website. Browse our Jack Up the 80s news.

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.

Toyah was a guest at yesterday’s V&A Summer Party. The annual party took place last night at the famous museum itself in South West London. Here’s a couple of press reports featuring photos of Toyah. The Telegraph reported: Singer Toyah Willcox opted for a summer floral midi dress, which she paired with a cobalt clutch.

Headliners announced as town prepares to host L Fest

The UK’s only lesbian festival has revealed its two headline acts for the event in Llandudno next month.

Katrina Leskanich and Toyah Willcox will headline a long list of performers at L Fest which will be held in Bodafon Fields between July 13 and 16.

Best known for signing in Katrina and the Waves, Katrina Leskanich won the 1997 Eurovision song contest with Love Shine a Light after rising to prominence with her 1985 hit Walking on Sunshine.

Willcox is an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved stage/screen actress and music composer. She has had 13 top 40 singles, recorded 24 albums, written two books, appeared in more than 40 stage plays, acted in 20 feature films and presented hundreds of TV programmes.

• Continue reading at the North Wales Pioneer. Visit the L Fest 2018 website.