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!
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.
A mere 41 years after its original release, Four More From Toyah is out today – on expanded eight song colour vinyl mini LP. Boasting gorgeous artwork and unreleased tracks, it’s the latest in an impressive release schedule of colour Toyah vinyls made available over the past five years or so. Order Four More From Toyah on neon violet vinyl at Cherry Red by clicking below.
Four More From Toyah is reissued on Special Neon Violet Vinyl by Cherry Red Records on Friday 9th December 2022.
Limited quantity of limited edition postcard available from Cherry Red Records whilst stocks last. (NB. These sold out almost immediately)
The release expands the 1981 EP ‘Four More From Toyah’ into an eight- track mini-LP, compiled by Craig Astley and newly remastered from the original master tapes.
Originally released in late November 1981 and lead by the track ‘Good Morning Universe’, the EP was the fourth top 20 charting single for the band in that year, following the ‘Four From Toyah’ EP (lead by ‘It’s A Mystery’), ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’.
The EP was the first material to be studio-recorded since the departure of drummer Nigel Glockler who was replaced by Simon Phillips. This EP contains eight tracks recorded by the line- up of Toyah Willcox (vocals), Joel Bogen (guitarist, co-writer and co-founder of the Toyah band), Adrian Lee (keyboards), Phil Spalding (bass) and the newly recruited Simon Phillips (drums).
Side A contains all four of the tracks from the original EP.
Side B opens with the previously unreleased, studio recorded tour intro track ‘Go Berserk’, including new vocals and snatches of lyrics from ‘Neon Womb’ and ‘Urban Tribesmen’ plus new dialogue that leads to a chilling crescendo. ‘Go Berserk’ was played before the band walked on stage on the European Tour of winter 1981. It is swiftly followed by the newly remastered ‘Stand Proud’ which often featured as the first song played live (directly after Go Berserk had finished). The track originally appeared on a flexi-disc with initial copies of the ‘Four More From Toyah’ EP.
The third track is ‘Clapham Junction’, an out-take that began in the session for the single ‘Thunder In The Mountains’, was finished with new drum parts from Simon Phillips and vocals/ lyrics from Toyah.
The final track is the last session recorded by this line-up and hails from February 1982. This previously unreleased re-recording of the hit single ‘I Want To Be Free’ was produced by Steve Lillywhite in the Roundhouse Studios and went on to be used as the basis of the band’s television performance on the British Rock & Pop Awards when Toyah was awarded Best Female Singer in early 1982. This track has not previously been released.
All eight tracks are remastered by Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering and approved by Joel Bogen. The sleeve contains an out-take of the EP photography from the Safari archives plus full lyrics on a newly designed inner bag. Initial quantities come with an exclusive postcard.
• Pre-Order Four More From Toyah on Neon Violet Vinyl at Cherry Red (The limited edition with postcard sold out almost immediately!). Read the press release – and see the full tracklist, which includes two previously unreleases tracks – at toyahwillcox.com.
Toyah performing the glorious Good Morning Universe, from the 1981 EP Four More From Toyah, on Sunday (6th February) on the Posh Pop Tour date at Sheffield Corporation. Filmed by Nigel George Limer.
Toyah performing the 1981 hit Good Morning Universe at Let’s Rock Exeter 2021 at Powderham Castle on Saturday, (11th September). See It’s A Mystery, Echo Beach and Rebel Yell, here.
Toyah said of Let’s Rock Exeter: “We are in the sunshine in Exeter and next to the sea – so what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than 10000 people singing Echo Beach!!! Exeter you were amazing, I love you!! T x”
“I’m crashing cymbals, in outer space, for all the aliens to hear…”.
Last Saturday’s episode of Toyah At Home featured two archive performances: The glorious (and cosmic) Good Morning Universe, from the Four More From Toyah EP, and Toyah’s uplifting 1982 single, Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard).
Click below to watch/rewatch episode 17, with lots of fun from Toyah and Robert! Toyah revealed she is currently working on the reissue of The Blue Meaning, and about to become the Patron of the Derek Jarman Film Award. Episode 19 of Toyah At Home airs tomorrow at 11am at Toyah’s official You Tube channel, and Facebook.
Info from Saturday’s second Toyah At Home, which aired at Toyah’s official You Tube channel.
• Good Morning Universe: was the song of the morning, with Toyah explaining how it got its title. Joel Bogen wrote the music and as soon as Toyah heard the joyous track she wanted to call it Good Morning Universe.
• Good Morning Universe: Toyah performed a live version of the title song from Toyah’s third EP, and ninth single, released in November 1981. I’ve always loved this song, and all the others on the Four More From Toyah EP.
• Shirley Manson: Toyah mentioned the Garbage lead singer’s recent comments about Toyah being one of her early influences.
• Early Influences: Toyah talked about her own early influences, Dusty Springfield and Sandie Shaw in the 1960s, as well as Curved Air, Grace Slick, Roxy Music, Alice Cooper, Lou Reed and David Bowie in the 70s.
• Movies: To Be Someone will hopefully be showing later this year, with press and publicity happening soon. Toyah also mentioned Give Them Wings.
• Take The Leap!: Jolyon Dixon, the guitarist from Friday Forever and Toyah’s Take The Leap! band asked Toyah if she would be interested in a Leap! anniversary tour.
• Steve Strange: Toyah talked about the Visage frontman back in the days of her Mayhem warehouse and the Blitz Club and the last time she met him, at the V&A Club To Catwalk exhibition in 2013.
• Favourite Venues/Tours: Toyah reminisced about playing (the legendary) Glasgow Apollo. Her favourite venue is Wembley Arena, and she loves playing in churches because of their great acoustics. Toyah loved all of The Humans tours, and also the recent Thunder In The Highlands tour.
• Computer: Will this ever be played live? There are plans for some of the Safari album songs to be played live during Toyah At Home to coincide with the Cherry Red release of Toyah’s Safari back catalogue.
• Ophelia’s Shadow: Some of the songs are too studio layered to perform live but Lords Of The Never Known and Brilliant Day will be (Toyah mentioned the late Keith Tippett).
• Prostitute: Toyah talked about the possibility of the album being performed live as an art project with visuals. She also talked about performing the album during the FrippFripp tour in 1988, and about the legacy of the album and its meanings now as the world changes and evolves.
• Toyah also chatted about which song took the longest to write (Slow Descent by The Humans was mentioned), and the show ended with live footage of She’s Fast by The Humans from Trading Boundaries in East Sussex.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Thursday 8th February: 0.50am
26.11.1981: Mike Read presents the pop chart show, first broadcast on 26 November 1981. Includes appearances by Kim Wilde, Jets, Toyah, Kool and the Gang, Earth Wind and Fire, Cliff Richard, Ultravox, and Queen and David Bowie.
Toyah’s Top Of The Pops performance of Good Morning Universe from the Four More From Toyah EP, originally broadcast on Thursday 26th November 1981, is currently available to watch online at the BBC TOTP website. The programme rcently re-aired on BBC Four. Browse all of Dreamscape’s recent Top of The Pops posts here and click below to watch the programme.
Hot on the heels of Toyah’s ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ studio appearance comes their ‘Good Morning Universe’ performance on Top Of The Pops.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Friday 3rd June: 7.30pm
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Saturday 4th June: 1.05am
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Sunday 5th June: 1.50am
26.11.1981: Mike Read presents the pop chart show, first broadcast on 26 November 1981. Includes appearances by Kim Wilde, Jets, Toyah, Kool and the Gang, Earth Wind and Fire, Cliff Richard, Ultravox, and Queen and David Bowie.
Another unofficial extended version of a Toyah classic by Magnum Mixes, ‘Good Morning Universe (Spiral Tribe Extended)’. As with their previous mix of ‘It’s A Mystery’ this isn’t too far removed from the original, just simply extending it. ‘Good Morning Universe’ is a great feelgood song, and quite underrated!
I mentioned earlier in the year that Kylie seemed to be channeling her inner Toyah with this image. Thanks to Andi for this collection of photos which reinforces this further, and also for inventing “Toylie” – Copyright that name Andi ;)
