She has been a household name since the eighties, and Toyah Willcox is heading to Gloucester Guildhall tonight (Dreamscape: It’s tomorrow night!) for an intimate gig with her band The Humans.
Toyah isn’t straying far from home when she plays at the Guildhall tonight. The Brummie-born singer lives just over the county border in Worcestershire.
“Looking back on my career I think I’m someone with a good voice who can express themselves,” says Toyah who lives in Pershore with her musician husband Robert Fripp.
“I don’t think you can define it by one subject. I’m a singer and an actress but I’ve also done very well as a businesswoman. But I like to create, I like to sing, I’m very good at that, I’m a good actress but I’m stylised. I can’t lose myself in a role so there’s limitations.”
Outspoken, free-spirited and strong-willed, on the surface Toyah appears to be your typical punk rock star. But she is now known for her smoky, jazz hall vocals.
• Proud, Loud & Electric: Angus also sent a couple of photos from Toyah’s gig at The Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne from the end of March – View at Dreamscape’s Gallery. (Thanks again to Angus)
Toyah Willcox has been pushing the boundaries of creativity for over 3 decades. Whether it’s through music or performance, she has never shied away from following her instincts. Her current creative project with The Humans is about experimenting with storytelling through sound. Toyah tells me “sonically it’s like nothing you’ve ever heard before because we’re very bass driven. I absolutely love the bass as an instrument of tonal beauty. With this band I wanted to make sure there
was nothing competing with the frequency but the voice work. So the voice sits upon this very masculine bass.” The juxtaposition of a feminine vocal and dominant percussive instruments gives The Human their unique sound and breaks down musical boundaries.
• DGM Live: King Crimson’s Bill Rieflin is working in the UK this month with his other band, The Humans – Continue reading…
• You Tube: Toyah Willcox & The Humans are coming to Trading Boundaries, Uckfield on Saturday 11 April. Watch this video to hear her talking about the gig – Watch here…
• Toyah @ Twitter: A very Humans lunch – View here…
• AGMP Concerts: The Humans: Next Saturday Toyah & The Humans will play a rare show at the beautifully intimate 100 Club, London – Ticket link here…
• Gloucester Guildhall: Not long until we welcome Toyah & The Humans – Ticket link here…
• Telling Strange Tales: Tickets for all dates here…
• Five Live!: The line-up for THE HUMANS: TELLING STRANGE TALES UK Tour which kicks off on Saturday 11 April at Trading Boundaries is Toyah, Bill Rieflin & Chris Wong with guest Humans Igor Abuladaze and Jake Wilson. (Info/Image Source: Official Toyah Facebook)
Toyah and The Humans are practising the set for the upcoming UK Telling Strange Tales Tour. Kicks off 11th April in East Sussex at Trading Boundaries. Full dates & tickets by clicking below. (Info Source: Official Toyah Facebook)
Toyah – pushing the boundaries as she visits next week
Toyah Willcox’s 38-year career in the spotlight represents something of a split personality. Either one of those personalities – the actress or the singer – is a success in their own right.
While some singers have tried their hand at acting and some actors have flirted with the idea of releasing songs, Toyah has been doing both in tandem, and somehow separately, for her entire career.
“I couldn’t break my career into parts,” she explained. “This year I’m singing three times a week and I’m writing a lot. I have to deliver at least 20 songs a year. That’s what I do. At the same time I’m starring in a British film called Extremis which finishes shooting in three weeks. I just like to always be doing something.”
Toyah’s latest music project, The Humans, combines her vocals with two bass guitars – and that’s it. There are no drums and no lead guitars, meaning Toyah’s voice has to effectively become another instrument.
“We’re pushing the boundaries,” she said. “I like the bass as an instrument. I like its whole timbre and what we’re doing is incredibly exciting. When you think about any classic rock song, it’s the bass as well as the drum that really makes the song. The Humans are really a homage to what a wonderful instrument the bass is.”
• Sam FM: Win tickets to Toyah at The Talking Heads: The 80s legend Toyah Willcox is bringing her latest band The Humans to Southampton for one night only and you could be there, thanks to Sam FM – Continue reading/Enter competition here… (Entry closes 10th April)
• Nantwich Jazz: Toyah Willcox @ The Civic Friday July 10th: Toyah Willcox the original Princess of Punk hits the Civic Stage on Friday 10th July with her Close Up and Personal Tour – Continue reading…
• Official Toyah: Vale Park Aylesbury: I am thrilled to be playing Aylesbury Vale Park! It will be a wonderful, fun night with great music. It is only 34 years since I received the FA Cup for selling out Friars faster than any other artist in the history of the Friars…. so it is about time I come back! Toyah xx – View at toyahwillcox.com…
• Alex Veitch @ Twitter: Was fabulous to work with Toyah Willcox on #Extremis. Was an astonishing and hair raising performance! @toyahofficial – View here…
• Extremis (2015): It’s the end of the world – at least their world – View the full cast and crew at imdb.com…
• Paul Nicholson @ Twitter: Looking forward to mixing for The Humans on their UK Tour. See you there! – Browse the dates at ents24.com | Visit Paul’s Twitter here…
• Roger Dean: Trading Boundaries: Toyah and the Humans will be playing on Saturday 11th April. They have played there before and both Toyah and the band were absolutely brilliant! – Continue reading…
• GS Promotions: Catch Toyah unplugged, up close and personal at the Waterside Arts, Sale Fri 15th May – Further info here…
Six live UK dates, the Telling Strange Tales tour, for The Humans. Taking place between the 11th and 19th April.
11 APRIL: UCKFIELD | TRADING BOUNDARIES
14 APRIL: GLOUCESTER | GUILDHALL
16 APRIL: SOUTHAMPTON | THE TALKING HEADS
17 APRIL: SWANSEA | THE GARAGE (WHITEZ)
18 APRIL: LONDON | 100 CLUB
19 APRIL: CHATHAM | BRITANNIA THEATRE
In 2015, The Humans will not only begin work recording their fourth album but embark on a UK tour of five confirmed dates. Telling Strange Tales will kick off on 11 April 2015 at Trading Boundaries, Uckfield and close at The Britannia Theatre, Chatham on 19 April.
• View more details on the tour and links to book tickets here. View the news announcement on the tour here. (A CD of the Strange Tales album will be available exclusively at the gigs).
News: Toyah & The Humans Hit The Road On UK Tour New album, “Strange Tales” available on CD on tour
The Humans is of the transatlantic contemporary three-piece rock band comprising Toyah Willcox, Bill Rieflin and Chris Wong. Toyah & The Humans embark on a UK tour of six intimate concert dates this April taking in Uckfield, Gloucester, London, Southampton, Swansea & Chatham.
The Humans’ third album “Strange Tales”, recorded in Pearl Jam’s studio, is available digitally now and will be available exclusively on CD at the six UK tour dates.
The band is the brainchild of renowned singer, actress and household name Toyah Willcox and brings together three lifetimes of musical experience, experimentation and craftsmanship.
The latest issue of Breaking Through, Toyah’s Official newsletter, was emailed to subscribers earlier this week, and it was dedicated to news and info on The Humans.
Telling Strange Tales tour info, dates and ticket links, as well as details on the Strange Tales CD.
• Subscribe: Sign up to ‘Breaking Through’, to receive regular newsletter updates, here.
Trey Gunn recently played at Trading Boundaries, Uckfield. The venue The Humans open their tour at next month (11th April – three weeks today). He also recently posted about the venue at his website, and also mentioned The Humans, Toyah and Robert…
March 1, 2015 Uckfield, UK – Trading Boundaries
Great venue. Very similar to some of the Swiss shows and the the French show. More like a theater scene where there is a built in, season-ticket-holding audience who comes particularly to this venue to see what they are putting on. At least that what it felt like to me. Could be that this was a really a room full of Eigenharp fanatics who were suffering Gabriel tunes in order to feed their Eigen-Fevers.
The folks running this are super fans. I saw a poster for Toyah and The Humans for upcoming gig (with fresh Crimsonoid, William Rieflin). When I met Tracy, one of the owners, she said that Robert and Toyah had come in for tea before.
Toyah was interviewed earlier today on Uckfield FM, discussing the forthcoming Toyah & The Humans UK Tour and much more.
Toyah Willcox needs little introduction having been a household name since the early 80s with platinum selling-albums, a string of top 40 UK hit singles and scores of prestigious screen and stage roles alongside Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier.
The Humans is, of course, the transatlantic contemporary three-piece rock band comprising Toyah Willcox, Bill Rieflin and Chris Wong. Toyah & The Humans embark on a UK tour of six intimate concert dates this April starting in Uckfield on 11th April, 2015 at Trading Boundaries.
• Continue reading/listen to the interview at Uckfield FM.
Win tickets to Toyah at The Talking Heads, Southampton
The 80s legend Toyah Willcox is bringing her latest band The Humans to Southampton for one night only and you could be there, thanks to The Breeze.
Toyah and the Humans will be on at The Talking Heads, Southampton on Thursday the 16th April (starts 7.30pm). And we have 5 pairs of tickets to give away!
To be in with a chance of winning, just enter your details below to enter the draw for the tickets- it’s that simple. The competition closes on 10th April at midnight.
• Continue reading/enter the competition at The Breeze. You can also enter at Jack FM.
• Toyah & The Humans on Tour: Less than a month until Toyah & The Humans kick off their UK Tour Telling Strange Tales. Taking in Uckfield, Swansea, Gloucester, Southampton, London and Chatham. It’s your first chance to hear material from the album Strange Tales live in concert and to get the album on an official newly pressed hard copy CD at the gigs. (Source: Official Toyah Facebook)
• The Humans Tickets: Details and ticket links for all six concerts available here…
• Toyah Talks Telling Strange Tales: A couple of videos, with Toyah talking about the forthcoming tour, have been uploaded to Toyah’s You Tube channel – Visit the channel here…
• Social Media: There’s a new way to browse all the official news on Toyah, and Toyah & The Humans – The Official Website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram – via the new “social media” page – Visit at toyahwillcox.com…
Singer Toyah Willcox with be coming to Kent next month with band The Humans.
The Humans’ third album ‘Strange Tales, recorded in Pearl Jam’s studio, is available digitally now and will be available exclusively on CD at the six UK tour dates. The band is the brainchild of Toyah Willcox and brings together three lifetimes of musical experience, experimentation and craftsmanship.
Ms Willcox is best-known for being a household name since the early 80s with platinum selling-albums, a string of top 40 UK hit singles and screen and stage roles alongside Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier.
Bill Rieflin is a respected figure from the us music scene and was the live drummer for rem for over ten years. Most recently he played drums on the Robbie Williams album Take the Crown and the no1 hit single Candy.
Chris Wong is a Cambridge-born musician and a professional guitarist, bass guitarist, arranger, orchestrator, composer and musical director. Alongside band work Chris musically directs extensively in musical theatre. His debut solo album The Edible Suite reflects his interest in jazz/funk/rock.
The Telling Strange Tales tour comes to Chatham On April 19, at the Britannia Theatre. For tickets call 0844 858 6656 or visit www.thebritanniakent.com. Tickets cost £20 on the door, or £15 in advance (plus a booking fee).