A new t-shirt featuring the iconic Toyah logo from the Rebel Run/Love Is the Law album (1983) is now available for pre-order in the Toyah & Robert merchandise shop! (Image © Toyah Willcox)
50 Wild Women Of The 80s!: NOW 80s: Thursday 5th September: 4pm
Brilliant songs, big voices, blazing hair & bags of attitude – the ladies of the 80s had the lot! From Toyah to Tina & Joan Jett to Janet Jackson.
Toyah & Robert are thrilled to be No.1 in The Heritage Charts with Roses In Chains.
Toyah during Saturday’s Toyah At Home: “Look out, as there are more announcements coming up over the next few months… Oh boy! Are there more announcements coming up! Yes!” Pre-order the Rebel Run EP.
Ever wondered what a remixed and mega-extended – almost nine minute – version of Thunder In The Mountains would sound like?
Another exciting Toyah reissue. Rebel Run, Toyah’s penultimate physical single release on Safari Records, receives a 10″ colour vinyl EP release on 20th September 2024.
NB. This release features a number of previously unseen Rebel Run/Love Is The Law era Toyah photos, including the great new cover shot – See another at toyahwillcox.com.
TOYAH: REBEL RUN, 10-INCH COLOURED VINYL EXPANDED EP
Newly expanded and remastered EP version of Toyah’s 1983 Top 30 single ‘Rebel Run’. This specially expanded EP is a pre-cursor to the forthcoming Cherry Red reissue of the Toyah band’s final studio album ‘Love Is The Law’.
Recorded in July 1983 at the Marquee Studios, Rebel Run was produced by Nick Tauber, and saw Toyah and Joel Bogen joined by songwriter and keyboardist Simon Darlow to create new material following the silver- certified album ‘The Changeling’.
Pressed on grey-coloured 10” vinyl, the EP is led by a previously unreleased extended version of ‘Rebel Run’, mixed during the original album recording sessions in 1983, but which remained in the vaults. Also making its debut from the archives is an Alternate version of the album title track ‘Love Is The Law’ featuring alternate lyrics. Side Two presents new remasters of the two original B-Sides of ‘Rebel Run’ and an unheard Instrumental version of the EP’s title track.
The tracks have been remastered by Nick Watson from the original master tapes and approved by Joel Bogen.
The EP features stunning previously unseen photography from the album photo sessions, depicting a futuristic aesthetic with Toyah in red body armour custom-designed by Swanky Modes. The outfit was worn by Toyah in the single’s promo video inspired by sci-fi movie Tron. A colour inner bag features yet further rare imagery.
A limited edition postcard of a previously-unseen image of Toyah will come with every 10” vinyl EP.
TRACK LISTING
REBEL SIDE (SIDE ONE)
1. Rebel Run (Extended)*
2. Love Is The Law (Alternate)*
RUN SIDE (SIDE TWO)
1. Rebel Run (Instrumental)*
2. To The Mountains High
3. Baptised In Fire
* previously unreleased
• Pre-order at Cherry Red Records. See further info at toyahwillcox.com. See Toyah announce the release at this morning’s Toyah At Home.
Toyah performing It’s A Mystery at Let’s Rock Leeds last weekend.
Roses In Chains, Toyah’s new single is out now! The video premieres on Facebook / YouTube at 11am, Saturday 22nd June. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
There’s another chance to see one of the greatest pop images in modern music history – brought to life in Toyah’s iconic Brave New World 1982 promo video – very soon on BBC4′s re-airing of classic editions of Top Of The Pops.
Top Of The Pops: BBC Four: Friday 14th June: 8.30pm
17/06/1982. Simon Bates presents the weekly pop chart show, first broadcast on 17th June 1982. Includes appearances by Natasha, Roxy Music, Echo and the Bunnymen, Duran Duran, ABC, Bow Wow Wow, Queen, Toyah and Adam Ant.
• Below is the very first Brave New World feature I created for the fanzine back in 2014 (Issue 4).
Bird In Flight, the lead song from Toyah’s Double-A Side single – along with Tribal Look – and very first Toyah release of the 1980’s, is included on an upcoming new 4CD compilation.
Heaven Sent – The Rise Of New Pop 1979 – 1983, will be released on 28th July, with Bird In Flight included on CD1.
The compilation boasts a wealth of great late 70s/early 80s bands and artists, including: Soft Cell, The Cure, The Human League, Tears For Fears, Altered Images, Eurythmics, Grace Jones, The Clash, The Associates, Japan, Teardrop Explodes, Hazel O’Connor, The Jam, Madness, Godley & Creme (who directed two Toyah videos in 1981) and many more.
• See further info and pre-order at Cherry Red Records.
Over the years – almost 25 years now!! – I’ve occasionally posted here about cover versions of Toyah songs, and here’s the latest… Now some may think this is a little outlandish but there’s no denying this is someone who knows their Toyah songs and the importance of an eye-catching image! A riot of colour for Four From 1981!
Video Killed The Radio Star: Sky Arts: Thursday 2nd May: 5.30am
Toyah Willcox. (Series 7, Episode 6) An insight into the making of videos by Toyah Willcox, whose hits included It’s A Mystery, Thunder in the Mountains and I Want To Be Free.
Toyah performing I Want To Be Free at the Vive Le Rock Awards on 12th April 2024. (Thanks to Piranah Pete)
Christmas 2022, Toyah announced the release of a special 10” cherry red coloured vinyl EP commemorating the classic 1982 single Brave New World. To be released in March 2023, and limited to 500 copies only.
The EP contained four tracks, all previously unreleased versions, including the long-awaited Dawn Chorus (6.55 Special Mix). The release was part of Cherry Red Records’ special ‘45s at 45’ vinyl series marking the 45th Anniversary of the label.
The Tracklist: Side One: 1. Brave New World (Razzmatazz Mix). 2. Street Creature (Razzmatazz Mix) | Side Two: 1. Dawn Chorus (6.55 Special Version), 2. Ieya 1982 (Edited Version)
• Click below to browse the EP’s page at toyahwillcox.com.
Christmas 2016, and BBC Four aired a repeat Top Of The Pops, which was originally broadcast in October 1982 on BBC1, which included Toyah’s studio performance of the single, Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard). The third single of that year, and a new recording, following only one single – Brave New World – being released from The Changeling, Toyah’s studio album of 1982, and a re-recording of, previously released single, Ieya, renamed, Ieya ’82.
Toyah’s original TOTP performance – first broadcast some 41 years ago – is still an iconic, colourful, classic and completely unforgettable appearance, and has the message of Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) ever been more relevant than in 2023? A song way ahead of its time! On a slightly more superficial note (but still important), Toyah’s imagery for the single’s release was, still is, and always will be, utterly stunning and creative.
While the retro TOTP aired, BBC Four also tweeted: “In 1982, Toyah was so famous, she even had a lion-tailed macaque named after her on Animal Magic, and appeared on the show to meet it“.
Last weekend’s Saturday Song was a 1982 vintage TV clip of Ieya filmed for Pebble Mill. This performance features on the 2CD+DVD Edition of the remastered reissue of The Changeling, out 29 September on Cherry Red Records.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
It’s Toyah Tuesday and as The Changeling deluxe releases approach Official Toyah are revisiting songs and footage related to the album from then and now. This 2021 performance is an intimate rendition of the classic single Brave New World.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
Last weekend’s Saturday Song was a vintage 1982 performance of the classic single Good Morning Universe, live in Germany.
Find the remastered version of Good Morning Universe and the TOTP performance of the song on the remastered deluxe 2CD+DVD edition of Toyah’s classic 1982 album The Changeling released on 29 September.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
Official Toyah are getting set for a summer of music and a trip back to 1982 with The Changeling Resurrection. Each Tuesday they’re counting down to the remastered, deluxe releases of Toyah’s classic 1982 album The Changeling, released 29 September on Cherry Red.
Today’s Saturday Song is a vintage 1982 performance of the classic single Brave New World, live in Germany. Check back on Tuesdays and Saturdays here and across Toyah’s socials for more Changeling-themed surprises.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
The Official Charts website has had a major revamp/makeover recently. You can now browse Toyah’s chart history across numerous charts, rather than just the previously available Singles and Albums. Almost every album, box set and vinyl Toyah release over the past six years has entered numerous charts compiled by Official Charts. See all of these as well as Toyah’s “classic” chart entries by clicking below.
