A selection of rare photos, none of which were subsequently used, from the ‘Anthem’ album photo sessions in early 1981. These great shots were taken by photographer Jay Myrdal. Click below to view larger versions. (Thanks to Andi | All photos © Jay Myrdal)
More great Toyah photos from the early 80s, both rarely seen shots from well-known photo sessions. The first is from the famous 1981 “leopard print” shoot and the other from thw ‘Daily Mirror’ British Rock & Pop Awards shoot in 1982. Click below to zoom. (Thanks to Kev Tucker and Ray Sears, and also Andrew York for colouring the 1981 photo)
Crackerjastic photos of Toyah and Joel at BBC Television Theatre (now the Shepherds Bush Empire), in late 1983, to film Crackerjack. They performed ‘The Vow’ (view the clip at You Tube), and appeared in the end-of-show line up, on the show which aired on 9th December 1983 on BBC1. Please click on the photos to zoom. (Thanks to Kev Tucker for these rare photos)
Photos of Toyah taken in 1979 during the soundcheck/rehearsal for the gig at Hammersmith Riverside Studios, West London, on 18th July. Thanks to Craig Watkins. (Photos © Philip Grey)
More rare photos of Toyah, taken at Mayhem in Battersea in July 1979. See four more photos from this session in our recent post and click below to view larger versions of these. Thanks again to Craig Watkins. (Photos © Philip Grey)
Two more rare-ish photos of Toyah from history! Both have been previously available but in far poorer quality. The first is from Toyah’s very first ‘Spotlight’ (the film, theatre and TV casting agency) profile in 1977. It was originally b&w rather than this colourised version. The second picture is from a Blue Meaning era photoshoot, photos from which were used in ‘Fab 208’ and ‘Jackie’ magazines in 1980. Please click on each to zoom. (Thanks to Craig Watkins (photo 1), Andi (photo 2) & Andrew York for colouring photo 1)
Yikes! Highly rare photos of Toyah taken at Mayhem in July 1979. A few from this session have been available for a few years (view them at Dreamscape’s 1978/79 Gallery). Please click below to view larger versions of these great photos. Thanks to Craig Watkins. (Photos © Philip Grey)
A very rare, and fantastic, photo of Toyah from around the time of the release of ‘Sheep Farming In Barnet’ (AP, not album) in 1979, along with a mini-poster by Dreamscape. Please click to zoom on that. (Thanks to Andi for the original photo)
Classic Toyah @ Dreamscape: Celebrating Toyah’s unique, colourful and exciting past while reporting the bang up-to-date Toyah news and views too. The Best Of Both! ;))
Quadrophenia, which airs this week and next on ITV4, was filmed 35 years ago! It’s as popular now as it ever has been. Here’s a rare promo photo of Toyah. Click to view the original and a couple of “A Way Of Life!” inspired tributes. (Thanks to Andi for the photo)
Return to Dreamscape soon for more rare-ish photos of Toyah from 1979 and ’80, including publicity shots for Quadrophenia and The Tempest. (Thanks to Andi)
In the meantime do take a look at some of our recent Rare Toyah Photos updates.
• A great rare shot of Toyah, from the ‘Good Morning Universe’ European Tour, 1981, from photo website Magnolia Box. (Thanks to Lärwi)
• Alban Arena: Toyah Willcox Back At The Alban Arena!: A short article on Hormonal Housewives.
• From My Mental Library: A book review blog post that mentions that Toyah is namechecked in Jack Sheffield’s 2011 book ‘Please Sir’: A new year at Ragley-On-The-Forest school… It’s 1981, the time of Adam and the Ants, Rubik’s Cube, the Sony Walkman and the Falklands War, as head teacher Jack Sheffield returns to Ragley-on-the-Forest School for another rollercoaster year. “Rubik’s cube was selling like there was no tomorrow, girls modelled their looks on Toyah Willcox, a few daring young men began to wear black eyeliner, and the Falklands War was on the horizon.” More info on the book at Amazon.
• Digital Spy: Someone at the DS forum has started a ridiculous (if this does happen I’ll apologise for that ;)) rumour that Toyah is joining the EE cast… as an Australian! Barmy!!
2012 was another great year for rare and unseen Toyah photos sporadically surfacing. There were some really amazing shots and here are just some of them. Check out Dreamscape’s Classic Toyah posts to view more as well as larger versions of these. (Thanks to Andi)
There’s just over a week until Christmas Day! Here’s an early Christmas present from Dreamscape (courtesy of the brilliant Andi Westhorpe – This site would have been far less interesting over the years without Andi – Think a Christmas tree without any colourful baubles and you get the idea ;)). Two highly rare photos of Toyah from the same session as the photo that was used on the cover of Record Mirror in January 1979. These were either taken in late ’78 or January ’79, probably the former. Please click on each to zoom. (Thanks again, and a Merry Christmas, to Andi)
• 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!
An incredibly rare Toyah photo from 1979. This was only ever used during Toyah’s Neon Womb performance on PopRock in 1980. (A huge thank you to Andi)
A few more eightiestastic photos of Toyah taken when she guested on The Saturday Show in 1982 and then presented an edition of the programme, in 1983. View more here. Please click below to zoom. (Thanks again to Ray Sears for sharing his rare photos of Toyah!)
A, low quality, mini-gallery of previously unseen Toyah photos from 1979. Great shots!
Fantastic photos of Toyah taken when she guested on The Saturday Show in 1982. Please click below to zoom. (Thanks to Ray Sears for these rare shots)
Three very rare photos of Toyah from three well-known 1980 photo sessions. (Thanks to Andi)
There are a lot of “Fuck Yeah” blogs, dedicated to a plethora of bands, singers, actors etc, at tumblr… One of the best has to be Fuck Yeah Toyah. Bringing you an abundance of rare Toyah photos and memorabilia, as well as the odd bootleg recording…
Fuck Yeah Toyah continues to be updated with brilliant Toyah content, including rare photos (howabout this absolute rarity from around the time of the ‘Anthem Tour’, 1981?) and audio.