Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

17. Aaaaaaaah!

Fans of the early John Waters and early Gregg Araki oeuvre may feel right at home with all the vulgarity and body fluids on display in Steve Oram’s Aaaaaaaah! This is adventurous and crude postmodern cinema, and the easily offended need not apply.

Oram displays a ruthless instinct with sadistic lapses into camp and caricature with Aaaaaaaah!, a film hell bent on upsetting the audience in this tale of society’s collapse. In the film the human stock has downgraded, and devolved into grunting, drooling, depraved, inarticulate primitives.

Robbed of the capacity to speak beyond gorilla-like elucidation, chest-beating, and genital-waving, I found the film to enact a Beckett-like scenario but at least half the audience I saw it with thought it was just shit. Their loss.

A winning cast of Brits including Oram, Julian Barrett, Noel Fielding, and Toyah Willcox add street cred to this one-of-a-kind mindfuck. Aaaaaaaah! is a strangely sublime picture, in turns delicate and disorienting, with a Buñuelian bite and a whiff of nasty nihilism, too. You’ll either love it or you’ll hate it but you won’t ever forget it.

• Continue reading at Taste Of Cinema. Browse our Aaaaaaaah! news archive…

PJ Crook, Nick Park and Toyah Willcox donate paintings for Gloucester exhibition in aid of LINC

A star-studded line up of exhibitors including Nick Park, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Toyah Willcox feature in a pop-up exhibition this weekend in Gloucester. The event, at St Michael’s Tower, has been organised by Bishop’s Cleeve artist PJ Crook in aid of LINC.

Nick Park has donated a Wallace & Gromit painting which was created especially for the exhibition.

Toyah Willcox has contributed two watercolours and Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who is also a patron of LINC with PJ Crook, has donated a large Caryatid drawing framed in a magnificent gold frame.

The exhibition takes place on Sunday, May 1 and Bank Holiday Monday, from noon until 6pm each day with tea and cakes.

• Continue reading at the Gloucester Citizen.

Toyah was included alongside Blondie, Iggy Pop, Culture Club, Kate Bush, Simon & Garfunkel and a host of music icons in one of the Daily Mail’s daft, and badly photoshopped, photo features yesterday…

Phil Collins broke new ground when he re-released his back catalogue of albums earlier this month — complete with recreations of the classic covers using up-to-date photographs of his face. Collins, 65, seems to have weathered fairly well since he first stormed the charts as a solo artist 35 years ago, barring a few inevitable wrinkles.

So we wondered how some of our other music legends would fare if their albums were given the same treatment. Obviously, the music stands the test of time, but what about their faces…

It’s a mystery: Toyah Willcox, 57, just needs make-up to recapture her eighties look

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.

Tony Hadley, The Stranglers, Lindisfarne and the SAS Band with Roger Taylor of Queen have been confirmed as headliners for this year’s Wickham Festival.

The Spandau Ballet frontman Tony tops the bill on the opening night on August 4, with The Stranglers and Bruce Foxton’s From The Jam as the main attractions the next day.

Spike’s All Stars Band with a line-up including Queen drummer Roger Taylor, Marillion lead singer Fish, Madeleine Bell and solo artist/actress Toyah Willcox will appear on Saturday. They will be supported by the Trevor Horn Band. Also on the bill are the Oysterband plus Chas & Dave.

Lindisfarne close the four-day event on Sunday with back-up from Steeleye Span, Hayseed Dixie and the Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

Festival organiser Peter Chegwyn said: “We are thrilled with this year’s line-up which has something for everyone. It reflects our rapidly-growing reputation locally, nationally and internationally with fans coming from the USA, Canada and Australia. We have a fantastic array of bands who will provide fantastic entertainment.”

• Continue reading at The Portsmouth News. Check out all of Toyah’s confirmed festival appearances for 2016, plus her other upcoming live dates, at toyahwillcox.com.

Don’t trust that meme: Prince’s death at 57 was no music industry average

After the tragic and untimely death of Prince, an internet meme took flight claiming that the singer died ‘at the average age of death for American pop stars’. This is not really true and, insofar as it contains a germ of truth, it is not useful.

A better way would be to compare people who were born in the same year, but you could only do that once they were all dead. Prince was born in 1958 and died at the age of 57. Barring an outbreak of bubonic plague or an unusually methodical serial killer, it is most unlikely that the average age of death for musicians born in 1958 will turn out to be 57. Other pop stars born in 1958 include Ice-T, Madonna, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Neil Finn (Crowded House), Nikki Sixx (Motley Crue), Toyah, Simon Le Bon, Joan Jett, Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden), Nik Kershaw, Belinda Carlisle, Paul Weller, Bill Berry (REM), Mark King (Level 42), Michael Jackson and Andy Gibb (Bee Gees). Of these, only Jackson and Gibb are not still with us. In fact, nearly all of the celebrities born in 1958 are still alive.

• Continue reading at The Spectator (Health).

A great review, by nerve, of Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date at St. George’s Hall, Liverpool last month.

It’s No Mystery

Toyah Willcox strode onto the stage looking resplendent in a kaleidoscopic Oriental smock above a gold long sleeved top and in thigh length boots over black pants. Her frizzed blood red hair of her prime, now a less outlandish strawberry blonde, complementing her attire. She joined both her duo guitar and vocals backing, Colin Hinds and Chris Wong, before thanking the 80 – 90 strong audience for coming out on such a miserable rainy night. Visibly thrilled and gobsmacked to be at such a venue, she enthused ‘we usually play grotty clubs’.

Also on stage was a laptop and video screen, which she used to project key images of her varied acting and singing careers when appropriate. But it was the songs that the crowd had primarily come to see and hear Toyah perform, and when she launched into Good Morning Universe the memories started flooding back. Now 56, her voice was not as visceral as it once was, but came over loud and clear.

• Continue reading at nerve. Browse Toyah’s Official Gigs page for info on forthcoming Acoustic, Up Close & Personal dates.

As part of the three-day Cleethorpes Rock Festival another headline act has been announced for Sunday August 21.

This fantastic live rock music festival will see the fabulous punk princess Toyah Willcox take to the stage at the Meridian Showground.

Cleethorpes Rocks Festival, Sunday August 21 2-10pm, gates open 1.30pm. Early bird tickets only £21, on a first come first served basis.

Tel 01472 349222 or online www.cleethorpesrocks.co.uk or www.solidentertainments.com

• Continue reading at the Cleethorpes People. Visit the Cleethorpes Rocks festival website here.

Craig Astley, Manager of The Official Toyah Willcox website, was featured in yesterday’s Sunday Telegraph, in an article on the People’s History Of Pop.

Craig Astley: 37, Communications Officer

Photo of himself, aged four, with Toyah Willcox, backstage at Newcastle City Hall, December 1983

“I latched on to music at a really young age. It was on TV shows like Swap Shop. I was drawn to how energetic and colourful Toyah was. My mother took me to the concert but I was so small I had to have cotton wool in my ears as it would have been too loud. It was near christmas and I’d taken a card to the gig. Our seats were close to the sound engineer and my mum asked him to give my card to Toyah. He said, ‘Why don’t you give it to her yourself?’ and let us backstage. I can remember that moment, burned in my memory. Years later I started running Toyah’s website. Now I look after her artwork and tour merchandise and manager her archive. She’s now a friend I see through the eyes of a fan.”

• Read more on the People’s History Of Pop. (Photo © Official Toyah – See a larger version of the article at Toyah’s Official Twitter page).

It’s no mystery that Toyah Willcox can’t wait to get back to Rewind

With her dramatic hairstyles and funky clothes, Toyah was the ultimate punk princess of the 1980s. Her unique style and incredible musical talent made her one of the leading rock legends of the era.

And now for the second year in a row, she is returning to Tayside to perform at this year’s Rewind Scotland 80s festival at Scone Palace.

Speaking to the Tele, Toyah revealed just how much she is looking forward to coming back to the area. “Rewind is a joyous occasion and I am really looking forward to coming to Scone once more,” she said. “However, I’m hoping to have a slightly easier time than last year.”

Toyah presented last year’s festival over the entire weekend — announcing the acts and leading the audience over the two days of entertainment.

• Continue reading at the Evening Telegraph. Look back at Rewind Scotland 2015 here.

Toyah Looks Forward to Getting Up Close & Personal at St George’s Hall

There are very few musicians and singers around who are instantly recognisable by their first names alone. Adele, Kylie, Madonna and, also, Toyah spring immediately to mind, with the latter set to appear at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall Small Concert Room venue on March 24th.

Known for her outlandish costumes, punk hairstyles, outspoken views and full on gig experiences, Toyah’s Acoustic, Up Close & Personal show, however, will be a completely different occurrence altogether. “I can’t tell you how well it works because it is all about the songs and all about the harmonies,” the It’s A Mystery singer explained.

“I have the two most amazing guitarists and backing vocalists with me, Colin Hinds from China Crisis and my permanent guitarist Chris Wong, and the sound we create is just so dancey and happy it makes for a really, really enjoyable show. I also use a lot of personal photographs and tell the stories behind the songs. Not too many, because it is still a music driven show, but it is very funny and incredibly irreverent.”

• Continue reading at Purple Revolver.

Galaxy of stars lined up for this year’s Grassington Festival

All roads will lead to Grassington in June, with a galaxy of stars lined up for the village’s two-week art and cultural festival. The opening night on June 17 promises a crowd-pleasing mix of Frank Sinatra songs performed by brothers Patrick and Gregory Kane from Hue and Cry alongside their own hits and newer material.

British rock group The Stranglers promise a showstopper of an evening on Friday, July 1, and finally, closing the festival on Saturday, July 2, will be the infamous Last Night Party with Marc Almond, supported by Toyah Willcox.

• Continue reading at the Craven Herald & Pioneer.

Once known as the High Priestess of Punk, actor and singer Toyah Willcox will be in Oxted later in the year.

Birmingham born Toyah will be at the Bluehouse Festival in the town’s URC Church on October 21 to talk about the music industry.

The Bluehouse Festival will run from October 16-30 and the organisers are putting together a mix of entertaining events and thought-provoking authors and speakers throughout the event.

The Festival will be closed by Emma Johnson who is an outstanding British clarinettist and won the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition. For further information and to go on the mailing list please contact thefestival2016@hotmail.com or telephone on 01883 712893. Tickets will be on sale from Tuesday, August 9.

• Continue reading at Oxted Today.

Will Brand manage a 20-mile-a-day hike from the Humber Bridge to Liverpool? Does it matter who pulled the trigger if your father is gunned down? And would you trust Neil Morrissey with your life?

Plus: the Who’s rock opera Quadrophenia.

Quadrophenia (Franc Roddam, 1979), 12.15am, ITV4
Roddam’s screen version of the Who’s rock opera is an excellent recreation of a seedy, sultry, angry time – the mods v rockers seaside clashes of 1964. Phil Daniels leads the way as Jimmy, a pill-popping rebel on a scooter, and there are vigorous performances from Ray Winstone, Leslie Ash, Sting and Toyah Willcox. Plus, of course, Pete Townshend’s explosive music.

• Continue reading at The Guardian.

1980s music stars set to perform in Brean at special event this weekend

Several music stars from the 1980s will be performing at a special festival in Brean this weekend.

They include Toyah Willcox, Limahl from Kajagoogoo, Carol Decker from T’Pau… Tickets for the event cost from £15 per person. Call 01934 744958 for more details.

• Continue reading at Burnham-On-Sea.com. Toyah will play an acoustic set at “Yesterday Once More” – More details at the Official Gigs page.

24 influential women who make you proud to be from the Midlands

On International Women’s Day here’s a look at some of those who inspire us from Birmingham and the West Midlands

Toyah Willcox: from Kings Heath, is a singer with a career spanning more than thirty years. Known for her shocking hair and individual style.

Willcox has enjoyed eight Top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in 40 stage plays and 10 films. She has also presented numerous television shows. Between 1977 and 1983 she fronted the band Toyah, before going solo. She has a star on the Kings Heath Walk of Fame.

• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail. (Photo © Birmingham Mail)

Aaaaaaaah! is being screened at the Indie-Lincs International Film Festival 2016 this Friday.

What strikes you most upon viewing Aaaaaaaah! for the first time, is that as a viewer, you become very accepting, very quickly of the crazed way in which the story plays out. Perhaps writer/director/actor Steve Oram forces this acceptance; the film in many ways is a wild and frenzied ambush upon its audience, which is by no means a bad thing.

The script — translated into grunts and shouts — tells a tale of monkey-like humans enacting their elemental thoughts and desires upon one another. With performances from a frankly spectacular cast, it’s difficult to not enjoy this seemingly mind-boggling viewpoint on an alternative modern day life.

Aaaaaaaah! will be screened at Indie-Lincs 2016 on Friday 11 March; between 19.00 and 21.30 in a screening with Jake Hovell’s I Could Eat a Horse, Cristian Sulser’s Scrabble and Mark Brocking’s The Barber’s Cut.

• Continue reading at Eyes on Screen. Visit the Indie-Lincs Film Festival website.

As the punk princess of the 80s, Toyah Willcox rode the new wave that swept across the music scene, with huge hits including ‘I Want to be Free’, ‘It’s a Mystery’ and ‘Thunder in the Mountains’.

There’s been no stopping her since, and she brings her energy, passion and acoustic versions of all her classic songs to a sold-out show in front of an incredible crowd in a new Vintage TV Live At… (Tuesday, 22nd March, 8pm). See the incomparable artist in action at iconic London venue The Water Rats. It’s no mystery why she’s still so popular!

Debbie Harry and Toyah Willcox feature in vintage photos

When punks ruled the world: Fascinating 70s photos capture hell-raiser fans at riotous Debbie Harry gigs as they surfed a wave of rebellion

• Amateur photographer Derek Ridgers used to blag his way into gigs in the 1970s London punk scene

• Described himself as a ‘mild mannered, bespectacled office worker in the middle of a punk mosh pit’

• Many of his photos have never been seen before, while some have featured in sell-out books

• Derek’s book, Punk London, 1977, will be released this May to coincide with movement’s 40th anniversary

A striking series of black and white photographs has offered a rare insight into London at the height of the 1970s punk movement. From Adam Ant shirtless on stage, to a young Debbie Harry entertaining riotous crowds, the images – most of which have never been seen before – offer a glimpse into an era when rebellion ruled the music scene.

They were all taken in between 1976 and 1978 by Derek Ridgers, a man who, at the time, claimed he ‘wasn’t really a photographer’ but simply borrowed a friend’s camera and blagged his way into gigs – snapping what would become known as the first wave of punk culture.

It now forms a collection of more than 130 vintage photographs, which Derek has finally decided to publish this year – in a book entitled Punk London, 1977 – to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the movement in 2016.

Punk London 1977, by Derek Ridgers, is available from May 1, 2016 from Carpet Bombing Culture

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.

Midge Ure, Toyah and many more coming to North Devon

Some of music’s biggest names are coming to North Devon this year.

The series of EX39 concerts kicks off with none other than Midge Ure at Devon Hall, Bideford College, on Saturday, May 28. Peter Howarth of The Hollies comes to Hartland Parish Hall on July 2, while Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri perform at the Allardice Hall, Parkham, on September 16.

Princess of punk Toyah is at Devon Hall on October 14 and Brit award-winner Beverley Craven at Hartland on October 28.

The concerts have been organised by independent promoters Rowan Burton and Ian Cann. Ian said: “I have owned a cottage near Woolsery for many years and love North Devon. Devon Hall is a wonderful facility. We are chuffed to get Midge Ure performing our first concert there and indeed he is performing with the superb India Electric Co.”

For the full line-up and tickets, go to www.ex39.net or call 0333 666 3366.

• Continue reading at the North Devon Gazette.

A very rare photo of Toyah is included in a new book, Punk London 1977, which will be published in May.

Punk London, 1977: Thrilling Photos of a Subversive Era

In 1976, Derek Ridgers started shooting punk rock shows in London with a borrowed camera, pretending to be a professional photographer. Edging his way up to the stage, the mid-20s, burgeoning shutterbug witnessed and documented the cultural explosion by night, while by day working as an art director in advertising. Little did he know, his hobby would blossom into a decades-long career, photographing everyone from James Brown to Tony Blair and working for outlets like The Sunday Times, The Independent, GQ and NME. In his latest book, Punk London 1977, Ridgers collects over 130 vintage photos from his early career, capturing the formation of one of the world’s most exciting and influential musical movements. Cuepoint asked Ridgers to elaborate on select photos from his fascinating book.

Photographer Derek Ridgers captured a riotous scene exploding in front of his lens

“That is Toyah Willcox. That was at the Man in the Moon pub in Chelsea at an X-Ray Spex gig. I had a conversation with her and she told me she was going to be famous. Of course I didn’t believe her.”

Photos taken from Derek Ridgers’ Punk London 1977, available May 1st, 2016 from Carpet Bombing Culture. Reserve your copy now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other fine retailers.

• Continue reading at Cuepoint. (Photo © Derek Ridgers)

From punk princess to cult stage actress, Toyah Willcox is an inextinguishable flame. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s most established names – an award-winning rock star as well as a much-loved stage and screen actress and music composer.

The singer has confirmed she will be bringing her colourful and energetic full-band to South Molton’s Riverside Caravan And Camping Park this summer. It’s a coup for the park, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and has also booked Queen tribute band The Bohemians later in the year.

“The park has now become known as one of North Devon’s top quality tourist destinations, offering five-star award-winning accommodation, top class entertainment, excellent food and drink that is affordable to all,” said owner Nicky Penfold. “To celebrate this huge achievement by a small North Devon family business, we have managed to book for our 2016 season two famous names in the entertainment world.”

• Continue reading at the North Devon Journal.