Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Rare photos of Toyah at ICA, London in 1980. Larger versions here. © Mark Kieve

Fresh up and exclusive to cherryred.tv – The Safari Records Story with John Craig (interviewed by Iain McNay). John Craig was the co-founder and CEO of Safari Records, an Independent label which flourished between 1977 and 1985. One of the label’s first signings was Wayne County, the controversial American artist who had helped to build his profile by performing at Max’s Kansas city club in New York. His Track ‘Fuck Off’ (also known as ‘If you don’t want to fuck me baby fuck off’) was a top Independent selling single in the UK for nearly a year. Wayne then became Jayne – one of the first transgender artists. Safari also had two successful albums with the Boys before signing Toyah in 1979. This led to consistent single and album chart success for the label. John talks us through the stories behind these and many other signings. Watch his fascinating story.

Toyah’s Sack The Stylist and Carol Decker’s 30 Rock Chicks are airing on NOW 80s this week and next.

Carol Decker’s 30 Rock Chicks!: NOW 80s:
Thursday 9th Apr: 7pm/16th April: 7pm
T’Pau’s Carol Decker brings a bit of Heart and Soul to a countdown of ’80s ladies who like to rock! With Joan Jett, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar. (as well as Toyah via the Thunder In The Mountains video)

Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Tuesday 14th April: 1pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Bowie, Madonna, Adam Ant and many more in this crazy countdown!

Toyah sending Westside Bid her congratulations on Instagram…

Toyah Willcox urged to sign up to Strictly after sharing lockdown dance routine

Fans of the punk icon have pleaded with her to appear on Strictly Come Dancing after she showcased her dancing skills on social media

Toyah Willcox and her husband Robert Fripp, like many, are trying to stay occupied amid the coronavirus lockdown.

And the punk icon sprinkled cheer on social media on Sunday by uploading footage of her and her husband executing a fun dance routine onto Twitter – which led to fans pleading with her to sign up to BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Glamming up for the routine, the musician, 61, slipped into a stunning embellished gown for the performance and Robert went all out by donning a suit and tie.

Using their kitchen as their stage the husband and wife pulled off impressive footwork to Bill Haley’s 1956 hit Rock Around the Clock. After they finished the uplifting jig, Toyah addressed the camera and said: “Happy lockdown lunch.”

• Continue reading at The Mirror. NB: At time of writing the video clip – Happy #lockdown lunch – had been viewed almost 107,000 times.

There’s another chance to catch Toyah’s memorable 2016 guest appearance on ITV’s The Chase celebrity special next weekend. (Photo © ITV)

The Chase: Celebrity Special: ITV:
Sunday 12th April: 5.35pm
Bradley Walsh hosts the quiz show as four celebrities take on the Chaser. Singer Toyah Willcox, ex-footballer John Barnes, writer Germaine Greer and heavyweight boxer Audley Harrison pit their wits against one of the country’s finest quiz brains in the hope of winning thousands of pounds for their chosen charities.

She’s got the moves, baby! He’s got the motion… Causing A Commotion! (© Toyah Willcox)

Toyah Willcox, the high priestess of punk, on her 40-year career

Toyah Willcox has forged a reputation as a talented actress, singer/songwriter, producer, storyteller, television presenter and author during a career that spans four decades.

Toyah has teamed up with Hazel O’Connor for a new show due in Yorkshire later this year.

Arguably one of the most prolific artists of her generation, her creativity remains undimmed. And now, in homage to post-punk and new wave music, the star has teamed up with Hazel O’Connor for a new show, aptly named Electric Ladies Of the Eighties, due in Yorkshire later this year, all things being well by then.

So where did the idea for the show come from? “This is something Hazel and I have been planning for 40 years. Ironically, we’d both been too busy doing other things so this is the first time we’ve ever actually toured together in this way, so we’re both very excited,” says Willcox.

“Hazel will be performing Breaking Glass and I’ll do Quadrophenia so there’s a lot of material that the audience will be very familiar with. We’ll be inviting everyone to join in and sing along with their favourite songs. It’s going to be one of those shows that is warm, welcoming with lots of great music and a real feel good factor.”

• Continue reading at The Yorkshire Post. See the full Electric Ladies Of The 80s tour dates.

Toyah reads Brum At The Seaside from 1994. Transferred to digital from cassette.

Toyah’s April 2020 blog is available to read at toyahwillcox.com.

Another repeat airing for Pointless Celebrities, with Toyah and Sonique, on BBC1 next weekend. (Photo © BBC)

Pointless Celebrities: BBC1: Saturday 11th April: 5.35pm
Music (Series 11, Episode 14). A special celebrity edition of the general knowledge quiz in which four teams try to come up with the answers that no-one else could think of. Presented by Alexander Armstrong and co-host Richard Osman. Featuring Glen Matlock, Slim Jim, Barbara Dickson, Ralph McTell, Keith Duffy, Brian McFadden, Sonique and Toyah Willcox.

Toyah participated in a live Let’s Rock TV Q&A yesterday, answering numerous questions, as part of the build up to the Let’s Rock – The Retro Festival concerts. Watch below.

The Planetary Invasion Mix of Step Into New World is available to download and stream. Click below for official links.

Music: Toyah Delivers Alien-Themed Bop ‘Step Into the New World’

Toyah Willcox has delivered a synth-heavy new mix of her track Step Into the New World. The iconic British pop-rocker leads us the dancefloor in the Planetary Invasion Mix – and when we say dancefloor, in quarantine, that’s probably our living room floor.

The track featured in 2019 British sci-fi film Invasion Planet Earth which starred Toyah alongside Simon Haycock and Lucy Drive. It was directed by Simon Cox – his first narrative feature since 1998’s indie horror Driven. As for the new mix, it is an absolute delight to see Toyah return with a bit of dystopian dance music – something that she shined with in her recently re-released 2008 album In the Court of the Crimson Queen.

Toyah released the excellent EP Four from Toyah in 2018. Listen to the new mix of Step Into the New World below.

• Continue reading at Culture Fix. Browse our Invasion Planet Earth posts.

Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Sunday 12th April: 1.05am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.

Read Toyah’s moving tribute to Bill Rieflin.

Terrible news! Bill Rieflin of Nine Inch Nails, Swans, REM, Ministry, King Crimson, The Humans has died at the age of 59.

Toyah reads Brum and the Fire Engine from 1991. Transferred to digital from cassette.

Here are the rescheduled Electric Ladies Of The 80s tour dates – now taking place in September – due to all theatres and venues in the UK closing until further notice.

03 September: Edinburgh Queen’s Hall
04 September: Yarm The PAA
08 September: Southend Palace
09 September: Basingstoke The Anvil
10 September: Manchester RNCM
13 September: Swindon Wyvern Theatre
14 September: Milton Keynes Stables
15 September: Wimborne Tivoli Theatre
17 September: Holmfirth Picturedrome
22 September: Birmingham Town Hall
23 September: Guildford G Live
27 September: London Islington Assembly Hall
28 September: Buxton Opera House
29 September: Hull City Hall
30 September: Gateshead Sage

All tickets purchased for the original dates remain valid. Ticket holders have been asked NOT to contact venues or SEE Tickets. They will make contact with ticketholders in due course to explain the way forward.

Refunds are available if needed, but all theatres and venues around the country are asking the same – for the sake of supporting venues/theatres and their long term survival and financial security, they ask that ticketholders hold on to their tickets and not request a refund if possible, but understand if that’s not financially feasible.

• See Toyah’s video message on the Electric Ladies Of The 80s tour at Instagram.

The new compilation: Rare, Remixed and Revisited, released as part of the Toyah Solo box set, is now available as a digital download and to stream via Spotify.

The album includes previously unreleased songs, a number of demos, remixes and re-recordings (Revisited) and features 16 tracks:

1. Tears For Ellie (Demo), 2. God Ceases To Dream (Remix), 3. Poland (One Day On Earth) (Demo), 4. Now I’m Running (Remix), 5. It’s a Mystery (Whispered Elixir Mix), 6. Lust For Love (Demo), 7. Angel (Demo), 8. Rebel Run (Revisited), 9. Good Morning Universe (Revisited), 10. Be Proud, Be Loud (Be Heard) (Revisited), 11. Desire (Revisited), 12. Obsolete (Revisited), 13. Danced (Revisited), 14. We Are (Revisited), 15. Angel & Me (Revisited), 16. Believe In You (Demo)

As previously posted, Desire, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell are also now available in standalone digital Deluxe Editions – all featuring bonus songs. These albums are also available to stream via Spotify (click the links above for official links to streaming and more).

Following the release of five of Toyah’s solo albums on amazing colour/clear vinyl on Friday, is the news that the classic 1987 album Desire is to be released/reissued on 180 gram white vinyl next month (24th April 2020).

The album is released by Demon Records.

Featuring the original artwork, along with an inner sleeve (as with the Record Store Day Red Vinyl release of Desire in 2018) which will include the album’s lyrics and Toyah photographs. Click below for more info or to pre-order.

“Desire” was Toyah’s first album for the EG label, and features her hit single cover version of “Echo Beach” as well as a cover of Donna Summer’s “Love’s Unkind”.

Produced by Mike Hedges, the album features Robert Fripp (who co-wrote the title track) and Ronnie Wood. The LP is pressed on 180 gram white vinyl and the inner sleeve features the lyrics.