Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

• Fade 2 Grey: It Should Have been A Hit: Toyah, Soul Passing Through Soul, 1985: Very much in the vein of Bowie´s Heroes but still a great underrated single from Toyah. It should have been a bigger hit for her. It only reached a UK no 57. Minx fared better peaking at no 24. This was from her album Minx. I also love her cover of Sympathy which I have also included, and from the same album. Great sleeve too.

• Toyah Instagrammed a great photo of Easter bunny Willyfred yesterday. He even now has his own Appreciation Page at Facebook.

• Robert Fripp’s Diary: A huge thank you to Robert for linking to Dreamscape’s reports on Toyah’s traffic woes in his great online diary, sending the site numerous new visitors over the last week.

• Bexhill-On-Sea Observer: Sketch comedy show starring UK pop icon: Following 2012’s celebrated reception as they caused mayhem and mania in theatres across the land, the irrepressible Hormonal Housewives are back at the White Rock Theatre on Saturday, April 20.

• The (Sydney) Telegraph: The return of the mullet and the girl who got the chop: It seems this long-buried monster, last spotted upon the heads of footballers like Chris Waddle and Kevin Keegan, DJ Pat Sharp and rock chicks Kim Wilde, Toyah Willcox and Suzi Quatro, seems to have been disinterred, and is now uber-cool.

The Popjustice forum has been running another comprehensive countdown, this one detailing the Top 100 Singles Acts of the 80s. Based entirely on UK sales of singles from 1980 to ’89, Toyah places at number 84 for the decade, selling close to 1.5m singles.

84. TOYAH (1,481,000)

TOTAL HITS: 12
BEST YEAR: 1981
BEST SELLER: FOUR FROM TOYAH (EP) (381,000)

Knocking around since the late 70s, Toyah are more than just spokesman Toyah Willcox whose striking image was the main factor in getting press coverage in the early days. It started out very well for the group with 4 straight top 20 hits, and then……no more!

• View the opening page of the thread for details on the countdown, and the page that includes the info on Toyah. The countdown was completed yesterday, with Madonna revealed as selling the most singles of the 1980s. View here.

Another report on the Media Molecule story, this one also published yesterday by, the mighty, Digital Spy.

Media Molecule teases mystery new game announcement with Toyah video

Media Molecule is teasing a mystery new game announcement on its website. Under the games section of the Media Molecule site, the LittleBigPlanet developer has a page marked with a question mark. Clicking on the question mark launches a YouTube video of Toyah song ‘It’s a Mystery’.

With Sony expected to unveil the PlayStation 4 on February 20, Media Molecule’s mystery game could be a next-generation release.

• Continue reading at Digital Spy.

Who would have thought a few days ago that ‘It’s A Mystery’ would be being mentioned all over the internet this week? Media Molecule using Toyah’s, second, Top Of The Pops appearance from 1981 on their “teaser” page for a new, highly anticipated, game project has led to mention of the song, and Toyah going sorta “viral”. Here are a few more of the many websites reporting the story:

• Gamezone: The new project is listed as “?”, and the dedicated page contains a YouTube video of Toyah Willcox singing “It’s a Mystery.” Attempting to scour the source code for any hints, Media Molecule has cleverly teased the keywords: “what are we doing at the moment, exactly, mystery, new game, how awesome will it be?, who knows.”

• Gameranx: In place of further information about what the game entails (or whether it’s a game or not at all), right now all they’ve posted is a video of early 80s UK New Wave artist Toyah singing her song “It’s A Mystery” on a classic episode of Top Of The Pops.

• Video Gamer: Click through to the game and you are greeted with a YouTube embed of Toyah Wilcox hit ‘”It’s a Mystery”. It sure is.

• Playstation Universe: The developer behind the critically-acclaimed LittleBigPlanet series has seemingly posted up a teaser for a new project. Media Molecule’s official website notably includes a ‘?’ among its list of games, with the page linking to a clip from Toyah’s ‘It’s a Mystery.’ No further information is given.

• Warp Zoned: The list of games on the developer’s website includes their previous titles as well as a question mark. The question mark links to the music video for “It’s A Mystery,” a minor hit for the UK band Toyah in 1981. Sadly, the lyrics aren’t much help: It’s a mystery, oh, it’s a mystery, I’m still searching for a clue, It’s a mystery to me, A shot in the dark, The big question mark in history, Is it a mystery to you? (minor hit? It was huge Warped Zone ;))

LittleBigPlanet developer Media Molecule has a page labelled “?” in the Games section of its website, which plays Toyah’s ‘It’s A Mystery’ when accessed.

This is now being reported on games websites and forums all over the internet, including Game Informer: There’s A Media Molecule Mystery Afoot, Only SP: Media Molecule Teasing Unannounced Title, VG24/7: Media Molecule website teases secret new project.

• Visit the Media Molecule ‘Mystery’ page, and the LittleBigPlanet website.

The All-Star Request issue (January 6 – 19 1983) of Smash Hits magazine was published 30 years ago today. This included ‘Ieya’ by Toyah and many other songword favourites. The complete issue has just been uploaded to the Smash Hits Archive.

The Resurrection Live Sessions: An occasional series of videos, filmed at Brighton Concorde 2, the final date of The Changeling Resurrection II UK Tour. First up is Danced. I think this was filmed and, brilliantly, edited by Ali Carron who is also making a Toyah related documentary that will air next year. NB: The gig footage won’t be released on DVD but more will feature exclusively at Toyah’s new Official Vimeo Channel. (Thanks to Michael)

• A new photo of Toyah was made available this week: View it at Toyah’s Official Facebook. For those not on FB a smaller version is also on the news page at toyahwillcox.com.

• The fantastic Revelations, from the 1981 EP ‘Four From Toyah’, was played on ‘Q Radio’ on Thursday night. Still sounds great after, almost, 32 years!

• Toyah tweeted a great photo of herself, James Endeacott and Frankie from Frankie and The Heartstrings when they guested on Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable yesterday.

• Dark Beauty Mag: Brilliance From The Past: Lady Gaga, Madonna, and so many others would never match up. (This tribute to Toyah was published in January 2011 so I’m not sure why it showed up in my news feeds today but I’m glad it did!)

Where the mountains meet the sea…

I’ve always loved ‘Thunder In The Mountains’. It’s a great pop song; slightly over the top lyrics, excellently synth-driven, with a pulsating rhythm and memorable chorus/hook, “Can you hear it breaking through…“, and a huge production by Nick Tauber. I’ve always said that if this was used in a big budget movie it would easily be as massive again as it was back in 1981. Music this well produced doesn’t date!

Of course this was Toyah moving further away from their early ‘Sheep Farming in Barnet/The Blue Meaning’ “coolness”, eras that are still popular 30-odd years later with fans, but most bands and artists want to progress and reach bigger audiences.

Toyah did this by evolving and adopting a more commercial sound and embracing mainstream/kid’s television, but they still managed to retain a quirkiness that set them way apart from the run-of-the-mill popsters of the early 80s. ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ illustrates that perfectly. This was Toyah’s eighth UK single, written by Toyah, Adrian Lee and Nigel Glockler, with a spectacular promo video by Godley and Creme.

Toyah’s visuals were a significant aspect of her, and the band’s, appeal. The imagery for TITM was possibly the most adventurous yet. Why Toyah isn’t lauded far more loudly in New Wave/Romantic/80s documentaries and articles really is a mystery. Thankfully fans in their own way are ensuring the wonderful imagery isn’t being forgotten.

I’m hoping to add a new ‘Song Of The Week’ each Monday. If anyone would like their’s added here please get in touch. It doesn’t have to be a single.

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 ;)

I know everyone is probably thoroughly bored with my mock Toyah adverts and Photoshopping of various other classic Toyah photos… but here’s another two anyway :)

On this day, 21st October 1982, exactly 30 years ago Toyah made their final studio appearance on Top Of The Pops – performing Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard).

• Like Punk Never Happened: Smash Hits Archive: October 14-27 1982: Lots of Toyah content in the latest issue uploaded exactly 30 years to the day it was originally published: Toyah back cover pin-up, Songwords: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Singles Review: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Be Proud/Warrior Rock: Full-page advert.

• Brave New World: A brilliant fan made tribute to Toyah’s 1982 video. Filmed in ’82 and completed this year.

• 366 Weird Movies: Capsule: The Tempest (1979): Pop singer Willcox makes for an endearingly sexy Miranda.

• Toyah supports the 2012 Breast Cancer Campaign/Wear it Pink. Visit their website here.

• I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan: One Year On: “A year rolls around – this time in 2011 I was editing and finalising the layout in between going to Toyah gigs whilst posting teaser extracts on this page…”

• The Isle Of Everywhere: Toyah – Thunder In The Mountains: Associated with punk, I never really gave Toyah a chance, even when I heard that she was married to Robert Fripp (one of my guitar idols), but it turns out, she’s more like a dyed-hair loud Kate Bush sort. Good songs, bright hair, and quite an alright voice.

• Toyah’s Vintage Christmas: Clips from last year’s mammoth festive special have recently been uploaded to You Tube by Vintage TV. (Thanks to Paul Lomas)

• The Independent: Stars flock to St Paul’s for Sassoon memorial: Sassoon’s widow, Ronnie Holbrook, was joined by a celebrities from the fashion, film, art and design industries, among them Sir Michael Caine, Zandra Rhodes, John Frieda, Nicky Clarke, singer Toyah Willcox and designer Mary Quant.

Possibly Toyah’s most iconic song? ‘Ieya’ was, of course, originally released as a single on Safari Records in 1980 and included on the album ‘The Blue Meaning’. It was also re-recorded and released again, as ‘Ieya ’82’, in the Summer of 1982, with Toyah performing it on various TV shows, including Hold Tight and the 6.55 Special. The single even charted. Here’s to the 30th (and 32nd!) anniversary of an absolute classic… Ieeeeeeeeeeyyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

• Vinyl Dreams: Toyah – Thunder In The Mountains/Street Addict: The one with the Mad Max Vid (thanks to Godley and Creme), a gem from 1981. Lots of operatics and bombast with main track, Lady Ga Ga borrowed a lot from her! “Street Addict” is a slower, much darker track and a rare, fan favourite. (Thanks to Andrew)

• From Sheep Farming To Anthem 2011: We Are at the 02 Islington, London in June 2011. View at You Tube. (Thanks to Mark Evans)

• Jelly, featuring Stevie Bray, are playing more live dates. Further details on where and when is available at their Facebook page.

Seven years apart and very, very different music and imagery, but both “classic” Toyah – The iconic ‘Danced’, the live version from ‘Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!’ released as a single in late 1980, and ‘Desire’ the album released in Summer 1987 that includes some of Toyah’s best lyrics, showcasing what a fine songwriter she is. Please click on each to zoom.

The ‘Desire’ photo is actually from a 1986 shoot but image/time wise it’s close enough to be associated to the 1987 album! (Thanks to Andrew York for working his magic on the photo)

Two more Dreamscape creations. Toyah has such a rich history of visuals, it’s good to dip into the photos and try to construct something ‘new’ from the familiar images. I never tire of ‘The Blue Meaning’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’ is an iconic single. Click on each to zoom.

One of the best singles of 1981, excellent production by Nick Tauber and iconic visuals on the single’s sleeve (and 12″ picture disc) and the accompanying video. I’ve always believed that this could be a massive hit again if it was included on the soundtrack of a big movie…

The incredible The Changeling/Brave New World art by Melissa Mailer-Yates is now available to purchase by print: When asked by the artist for her favourite photograph from the 1980s Toyah chose the wonderful image from ‘The Changeling’. The resultant painting inspired by this awesome picture was displayed at the premiere of ‘The Power Of Three’ movie in London, November 2011. The production of a print was discussed, and Toyah chose the hospice which cared for her mother, St Richard Hospice, as a beneficiary from the sales.

This giclee print is the result of that discussion and is available in two sizes, 18″ x 18″ and 26″ x 26″. It is printed on a thick, heavyweight watercolour paper (190 gsm), with a textured matte surface giving it the look and feel of a stunning original work of art. Both inks and paper are archival quality. Each print is produced to order, and is individually signed by the artist. Postage and packing is included in the price, and will be dispatched as soon as it is ready.

In it’s 30th birthday week… and the “album version” too. Take a bow ‘Brave New World’, and Toyah, live at Let’s Rock The Moor 2012 in Cookham.

30 years ago this very week Toyah’s 10th single ‘Brave New World’ was released. It entered the UK charts the following week (on 22nd May 1982), ultimately reaching number 21 and spending eight weeks on the chart. The song is held in high regard by many of Toyah’s fans and the unique accompanying imagery, created without the use of digital trickery or airbrushing, on the single sleeve and in the fantastic promo video has, thirty years later, never been surpassed by any other artist. Happy Birthday ‘Brave New World’!