Toyah & Robert have announced they’ll be playing Beautiful Days Festival, taking place 16th to 18th August at Escot Park in Devon – Over 50% of tickets have already been sold! Click below for info/tickets.
Britain’s Favourite Songs – 1992: Channel 5: Friday 9th February: 3am
1992. Series 1, episode 3. A selection of the year’s most memorable videos from acts including Erasure, George Michael, Take That, Kylie Minogue, Shakespears Sister, Shanice Wilson, U2, Snap, Tasmin Archer, Charles & Eddie, Jimmy Nail, Crowded House, Whitney Houston, Nirvana and Tori Amos. With commentary from a host of industry figures including Mark Radcliffe, Toyah Willcox, Andrew Collins, Nina Myskow and Bez.
Britain’s Favourite Songs – 1991: Channel 5: Thursday 8th February: 3am
1991. Series 1, episode 2. A selection of the year’s most memorable videos, from George Michael and Seal to REM and U2. Chesney Hawkes recalls the experience of filming his chart-topper The One and Only, Kate Pierson of the B-52’s reminisces about working with REM on Shiny Happy People, and Nancy Cartwright, the voice of Bart Simpson, discusses meeting Michael Jackson to record Do the Bartman. Plus, Beverley Craven, Candi Staton, Toyah Willcox, Paul Gambaccini, David Grant, Katie Puckrik and Nina Myskow reflect on the year’s videos.
Toyah will play 80s Legends Live at Leicestershire County Cricket Club on Saturday 3rd August alongside Haircut 100. Five legendary Artists. One Show-Stopping Night! Tickets on sale now. Buy tickets here. See also: It’s A Mystery No More! Toyah Is Coming To 80s Legends Live…
• Saturday Morning Song: Thunder In The Mountains (Unplugged) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Fight For Your Right – Watch…
Press for Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch. This week covering a Beastie Boys 80’s classic. (Image © Toyah Willcox)
• NME: Watch Robert Fripp and Toyah cover Beastie Boys’ ‘Fight for Your Right’ in latest ‘Sunday Lunch’ session: The married couple channelled their hip-hop skills to perform the 1986 classic – Continue…
• Consequence: Robert Fripp and Toyah Kick It with Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right”: The couple celebrate the Licensed to Ill classic in their latest “Sunday Lunch” performance – Continue…
• Classic Rock/Louder: Toyah and Robert Fripp continue to bring the noise with chaotic old-skool cover of (You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!): “It’s a brand new instalment and it’s a good one!” says Willcox – Continue…
• Far Out: Toyah and Robert release raunchy video for ‘Fight For Your Right’ cover: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp are back with another instalment of Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch. This time, the married couple tackled the Beastie Boys’ classic ‘Fight For Your Right’ – Continue…
• Brave Words: Robert Fripp & Toyah Cover Beastie Boys Anthem “Fight For Your Right” In New Sunday Lunch Video – Continue…
• Yahoo: Robert Fripp and Toyah Kick It with Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right” – Continue…
• TikTok: (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party) – Continue…
• DGM Live: Fight For Your Right – Continue…
Favourite Singers With Nick Heyward: NOW 80s: Tuesday 6th February: 8am
Mr Favourite Shirts is back on NOW 80s – this time he selects his Favourite Singers! Including some who influenced him the most such as David Byrne & XTC’s Andy Partridge.
Doctor Who Magazine Yearbook 2024 is on sale from today, with the special issue looking back on the 60th anniversary of the show last year, and much more.
Children Of The Circus, the audio drama based on Doctor Who’s The Greatest Show in the Galaxy, gets a write-up in the ‘Sounds’ section of the magazine, with a few photos and a couple of quotes from an interview the writer did with Barnaby Eaton Jones, who produced and directed the production.
Also included in the special issue:
A year in the life of the stars of Doctor Who.
A look back at the 2023 Specials.
The producer of Tales of the TARDIS discusses this nostalgic series.
A summary of various instalments of the Doom’s Day multi-media event!
Wrarth Warrior actor Robert Strange speaks to the magazine about his role in The Star Beast.
A special feature on Goblin celebrity Janis!
A report from the Doctor Who at 60 musical celebration at Cardiff’s Millennium Centre.
• Further info and buy the magazine here. Browse our Children Of The Circus news archive.
Far Out Magazine has just published a new article on the 2015 film, Aaaaaaaah!, in which Toyah had a lead role.
‘Aaaaaaaah!’: The surreal British comedy that sees everyone pretend to be monkeys
British cinema has long championed experimental and offbeat ideas, funding arthouse and non-commercially viable films that have gone on to become cult classics. The work of Derek Jarman, beginning in the 1970s, helped to establish the prominence of art cinema in Britain. His transgressive films, establishing him as one of the most important filmmakers in the queer cinema canon, came to inspire many other budding artists.
Of course, Jarman wasn’t the only experimental filmmaker active when the genre began to gain traction. Other notable avant-garde works of art include Jane Arden’s The Other Side of the Underneath and Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen’s Riddles of the Sphinx, inspiring generations of British filmmakers to lose all sense of cinematic abandon. Britain has since gained a reputation for producing unique, unconventional films, continuing into the 21st century.
In 2015, actor Steve Oram, known for starring in countless British films and television shows, from The Mighty Boosh to Paddington, released his feature directorial debut, Aaaaaaaah! The movie is perhaps one of the most courageously subversive works of cinema released in the past decade, throwing all sense of convention to the wind. The movie, which stars Oram alongside some well-known British faces – Toyah Wilcox, Julian Barratt, Noel Fielding, Alice Lowe and more – features no dialogue. Instead, the characters all communicate through movement, animalistic noises and facial expressions.
• Continue reading at Far Out Magazine. Browse our comprehensive Aaaaaaaah! news archive.
Great news! Toyah’s This Is Your Life episode, from 1996, hit half a million (unique) views at our You Tube channel over Christmas. Visit Dreamscape’s channel – to view many Toyah television appearances, interviews, performances and tv specials – by clicking below.
Portrait Artist Of The Year: Sky Arts: Sunday 4th February: 5.30pm
Celebrities V Kids Special. Nitin Ganatra, Anita Mangan, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Toyah Willcox, Leigh Francis and Gemma Cairney join six school pupils selected as part of Sky Arts Access All Arts initiative to paint portraits of Konnie Huq, Lee Ridley and Chi-Chi Nwanoku.
Unique and personalised artworks, handmade, handwritten and (in one case) lip-kissed, by Toyah, by Robert, by Toyah & Robert, too.
All new orders for A4 artworks will now come in a brand new folder with new photo handpicked by Toyah (excludes A5 Kiss From Toyah and A3 handprint art).
Way Back When! 1981: NOW 80s: Saturday 27th January: 11pm
60 minutes of lesser heard hits from 1981. Including The Pretenders, Spandau Ballet, George Harrison, Toyah & The Pointer Sisters.
Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue – #130 – of Love Sewing magazine.
Behind the seams with Toyah Willcox – read about her experience on The Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Special
• The Great British Sewing Bee – See hugely popular Facebook posts related to the Christmas Special – here, here and here. (Photo © BBC)
Vi
ve Le Rock Awards returns April 12th at the Islington Academy with Ruts DC, Sham 69, Toyah, Kirk Brandon and more!
After last year’s sensational Vive Le Rock Awards at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, which we said would be our last, well… It would be rude not to come back and do it all again!
So, Friday, April 12th will see the whole rock extravaganza steamroll into London’s O2 Academy Islington for another packed show of unique collaborations, celebrations, and one-off performances. And 2024 is going to be a punky reggae party with a bill topped by original ’70s punks Jimmy Pursey and SHAM 69 and RUTS DC performing a special never-to-be-repeated set with special guests, we can also now announce an intimate performance from THEATRE OF HATE/SPEAR OF DESTINY man Kirk Brandon, special guest performances from the iconic TOYAH, rock n’ roll king JIM JONES and the one and only Saffron from REPUBLICA, as well as new UK punks GRADE 2 and Lily from fast rising punks THE MEFFS!
And that’s not forgetting the mighty VIVE LE ROCKERS all-star band, led by the inimitable Paul-Ronney Angel! A five-hour show with a full program of awards, winners, and celebrity presenters, there’s only one place to be in April and that’s the 2024 VLRs!
• Continue reading at All About The Rock.
Greatest 80s Songs: Channel 5: Sunday 21st January: 3am
1980. Episode 1. Gary Davies narrates this look at the music of 1980, featuring revealing interviews with the singers and band members who made it one of the biggest years in pop. From the Specials and the Jam to Blondie and Bowie, and not forgetting the biggest girl band of the time – the Nolans, it was a year of music and pop videos to remember. Sheena Easton was singing about her man working 9 to 5, Madness stormed the charts with Baggy Trousers and Dexy’s Midnight Runners had a memorable number one with Geno. Contributors include Toyah Willcox, Paul Gambaccini and Katie Puckrik.
Toyah & Robert Fripp are excited to announce they’ll be playing Deva Fest, Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire on Sunday 11th August. Tickets on sale now, click below for further details at the Deva Fest website.
Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Wednesday 17th January: 11pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Visage, Five Star, Divine, Cher, The Jam, Bananarama, Dead Or Alive, Bucks Fizz, ABC, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Madonna, Adam & The Ants, A Flock Of Seagulls, Roxy Music, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Su Pollard, Toyah herself and more in this crazy countdown! See the full Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30 playlist here.
Celebrity Cathphrase: ITV2: Monday 22nd January: 6pm
Series 3, episode 7. Stephen Mulhern hosts a celebrity special of the classic game show, with Nicola Coughlan, Stephen Mangan and Toyah Willcox all trying to say what they see as they guess well-known phrases for the chance to win a £50,000 jackpot for their chosen charity.
