The 40th anniversary year of Toyah’s recording career has got off to a great start with news of new recordings!
Toyah has recorded a new song for the end credits of Kaleidoscope Man. In The Court Of The Crimson Queen is also currently being remixed by Toyah and Simon Darlow. (Photos © Toyah Willcox)
The BFI will release Jarman Volume Two: 1987-1994, its second Limited Edition collection of the iconoclastic filmmaker’s works, in a Deluxe 6-Disc Blu-ray Box Set on 25 February 2019.
Marking the 25th anniversary of Derek Jarman’s untimely passing, the box set brings together Jarman’s final six features – all now presented in High Definition for the very first time in the UK – made in the prolonged burst of creativity and political activism that followed his HIV diagnosis in 1987.
The collection also includes Jarman’s posthumously-released elegy to Super 8, Glitterbug (1994), along with an incredible 66 special features – both new and archival, plus trailers, image galleries of rare stills and promotional materials and a 100-page perfect bound book of essays, film credits and more.
The films included are:
· The Last of England (1987) with Tilda Swinton
· War Requiem (1989) with Nathaniel Parker, Tilda Swinton, Laurence Olivier
· The Garden (1990) with Tilda Swinton
· Edward II (1991) with Steven Waddington, Andrew Tierman, Tilda Swinton
· Wittgenstein (1993) with Karl Johnson, Michael Gough, Tilda Swinton
· Blue (1993): contributing musicians include Simon Fisher Turner, Coil, Scanner and Brian Eno
· Glitterbug (1994) with Adam Ant, Andrew Logan, Toyah Willcox, Marianne Faithfull, William S Burroughs, Genesis P-Orridge and Tilda Swinton
The box set includes a huge selection of Special Features.
• Continue reading at The Arts Shelf.
Toyah’s debut single Victims Of The Riddle was released in April 1979. A brave choice as the first release as it was hardly a commercial sounding, radio friendly, song. The single reached number one on the Indie Chart in the UK and spent many months of 1979 there.
The sleeve featured an intentionally disturbing image. At the time of release few knew the gruesome story behind the photo and assumed it was a doll. Victims Of The Riddle was also released later in Spain, with the far more appealing Sheep Farming In Barnet artwork. The beginning of an amazing music career and a brave choice to get started with.
The episode of Minder, “All Mod Cons”, which originally aired in October 1980 on ITV, with Toyah as Kate alongside Dennis Waterman and George Cole, airs again on ITV4 later this month.
Minder: ITV4: Tuesday 29th January: 3.40pm
Minder: ITV4: Wednesday 30th January: 9.10am
All Mod Cons. Arthur decides to sell Terry’s flat without his permission. Meanwhile, Terry gets a job minding at a local club and ends up getting into more trouble than he had planned for when he realises the club’s manager is on the fiddle. Starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Toyah Willcox, Simon Cadell, James Ottaway, and Tony Osaba. (Series 2, Episode 8, 1980). Also showing on ITV4 HD and ITV4 +1.
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Tuesday 29th January: 1pm
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Wednesday 30th January: 9am
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Saturday 2nd February: 10am
Blue Marigold. Series 5, Episode 1. Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold’s mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback. Director: Giles Foster. Starring: Toyah Willcox, Ralph Bates, Sharon Duce, Helen Fraser, Billy Hamon, Edward Jewesbury.
Safari Records’ late 70s/early 80s timeline of Toyah dates the band signing to the label as January 1979, though their “Our History” implies it may have been late 1978:
In 1978 a Melody Maker postage stamp picture of Toyah together with a small but glowing review of one of the very few gigs that her band had ever played led us to a leaky rehearsal space under Waterloo Bridge, where we saw the band and they signed with Safari who then were pleasantly surprised to learn of Toyah Willcox, actress, her performances in The Corn is Green (starring Katherine Hepburn), Jubilee, Quadrophenia and her current casting as Miranda in Derek Jarman’s forthcoming The Tempest.
Trailblazers: Sky Arts: Monday 28th January: 5am
New Romantics. Toyah Willcox and Billy Bragg are among those examining the New Romantic movement, from The Human League and Adam Ant, to David Bowie and Ultravox. (Series 1, Episode 16)
The Chase: Celebrity Special: ITV: Saturday 26th January: 6pm
The Chase: Celebrity Special: ITV4: Tuesday 29th January: 6.55pm
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.
2019 is a very special anniversary year. It marks 40 years since Toyah’s first recordings – Victims Of The Riddle and the Sheep Farming in Barnet AP were both released by Safari Records in 1979.
The genesis of an astonishing, and ridiculously underrated, music career. Did Toyah record and release even one duff song during five years at Safari?
Even tracks that were given away free by Flexipop magazine – Sphinx, For You – were far superior to actual single releases by other bands at the time.
Post-Safari saw Toyah become really experimental and release albums and music that are now considered works of genius – Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen – Toyah’s 40 year discography is one of the finest of any artist/musician/pop star, with incredible song after song after song. Soaring choruses, unforgettable melodies, wonderful lyrics – Each album is a completely different experience. For sure, the past 40 years of music would have been far less of an adventure without Toyah!
Stay tuned to Dreamscape for sporadic anniversary updates to mark Toyah’s 40 years of music.
The Golden Globe winner whose big break came from CBBC
Richard Madden winning a Golden Globe capped a stellar year for the actor.
He received glowing praise in the UK for his portrayal of Sergeant David Budd in BBC One’s Bodyguard, but winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Series – Drama showed just how respected the actor has become in Hollywood.
Barmy Aunt Boomerang
Like many actors, Richard’s first break came in Children’s TV, in a show produced in his native Scotland. Back in 1999, 13-year-old Richard starred in Barmy Aunt Boomerang as Sebastian, a boy whose life is thrown into chaos by the arrival of his ghostly aunt, played by Toyah Willcox. The role set Richard off on the path of full-time acting, a career which has seen him play a number of notable roles.
• Continue reading at BBC Scotland.
In less than two month’s time Dreamscape will enter it’s 20th year online.
I started working on creating this website as something to help me deal with my Mother’s death in the late 1990s. Unfortunately it didn’t manage that but it did keep me occupied in my spare time through much of 1999. I put the site online on 10th March 2000 after a previous attempt to launch it on the 1st January that year. My initial intention was that it would be a rolling news service, constantly updated with all the latest Toyah happenings. Some people said the idea would never work. 19 years, and thousands & thousands of posts, later, I like to think it did!
Perhaps if I’d known the hate that would be directed at me over the years I wouldn’t have bothered. In 2012 I almost closed Dreamscape when things got particularly unpleasant, and recently there has been an undercurrent of nastiness again. On a far more positive note, through this site I’ve made fantastic lifelong friends who I really treasure. There were some fake friends too but they, thankfully, fucked off. Grrr, I always have to end on a negative lol!!
Guest Announcement – Toyah Willcox!
Sports Connexion, Ryton, Coventry
Saturday 28th September 2019
Our next Quadrophenia guest is the amazing Toyah Willcox who played Monkey in the 1979 film. Toyah is also known for:
13 Top 40 singles (Her biggest hits include “It’s a Mystery”, “Thunder in the Mountains” and “I Want to Be Free”), 24 albums, Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007) – Gail Baxter (Hannah’s mother), Teletubbies Narrator, Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS and many, many more TV, film and theatre appearances!
Come and meet Toyah at Covcon! www.coventrycomiccon.uk
• Continue reading at Coventry Comic Con.
Toyah’s first blog of 2019 is available to read at toyahwillcox.com.
Toyah was included on Carol Decker’s Rock Chicks which aired on NOW Xmas on Boxing Day and a few other times over Christmas. Toyah was number 30 on the rundown, with the Thunder In The Mountains video being shown.
From our friends NOW 80s T’Pau’s Carol Decker brings a bit of heart and soul a countdown of 80s ladies who like to rock.
Trailblazers: Sky Arts: Sunday 13th January: 4am
Punk. Narrated by Noddy Holder, this eye-opening series turns its attention to the origins of punk music. With Toyah Willcox and DJ Annie Nightingale. (Episode, Series 1, Episode 5)
It’s the final day of our Christmas countdown. Thanks to everyone who visited every day of December.
Christmas 2010, Dreamscape compiled the Toyah Festive 50. A tinseltastic half hundred of Yuletide related Toyah facts, figures and trivia.
Revisit the full rundown here.
Why was Toyah Scarlett at Christmas? … Who would be her dream dining companion? … Just how many town’s lights did Toyah switch on at Christmas 2003?… What were Toyah and Tony Robinson doing at Christmas 1988? … Which other programmes were aired the Christmas Eve night that Toyah’s legendary Theatre Royal, Drury Lane concert was watched by millions on BBC2?
Discover the answer to these and much more in our Toyah @ Christmas information overload! Completely and utterly unecessary but a lot of festive fun nonetheless!
Another chance for viewers in Ireland to catch Toyah’s 2016 guest appearance on ITV’s The Chase, on the penultimate day of the year.
The Chase: Celebrity Special: Virgin Media One:
Sunday 30th December: 2pm
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.
A Very Merry Christmas Eve Eve! It’s the penultimate day of Dreamscape’s countdown to Christmas 2018.
Christmas 1983, Toyah, and her Brave New World video co-star Messenger, went early Christmas shopping in November… Pop singer and actress Toyah Willcox has always wanted to do her Christmas shopping on horseback! With a little help from TV-am’s ‘Fantasy Time’, and Liberty’s in Regent Street, Toyah rode a white horse called Messenger through the store.
Watch the full TVAM clip at Toyah’s Official You Tube channel and click below to see larger versions of the screen caps.
Toyah won last night’s episode of BBC1’s Celebrity Mastermind. She braved the famous black chair, became a mastermind and won a donation for her chosen charity. Fantastic, and you can watch it at BBC iPlayer by clicking below.
Christmas 2016, and Toyah guested on Pop Quiz – The Comeback which aired on BBC Four on 28th December.
It was the Saturday night smash hit music quiz show that ran for four years between 1981 and 1984. Over 30 years later it’s back, with the original presenter Mike Read hosting the first of two special celebration shows where the biggest pop stars from the 1980s go head to head in a test of their 80s music knowledge.
Guests include Toyah Willcox, Tom Bailey (Thompson Twins), Andy McCluskey (OMD), Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Mari Wilson and Leee John (Imagination).
A selection of Toyah on TV this festive season. Celebrity Mastermind airs early this evening on BBC1.
Celebrity Mastermind: BBC1:
Saturday 22nd December: 5.20pm
Series 13, Episode 2. John Humphrys puts four celebrities to the test in another episode of the classic quiz. Taking part are comedian Joe Pasquale, Newsround presenter Ricky Boleto, singer Toyah Willcox and Olympian Jeanette Kwakye. They answer questions on werewolf films, 1990s number one singles, Boudica and Disney animations.
Fleetwood Mac – A Musical History: BBC4:
Christmas Eve: 00.25am
Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood Mac fan Edith Bowman provides a narrative overview alongside other celebrity fans who all pay tribute to the band in this hit-filled hour. Contributors include KT Tunstall, Travis’ frontman Fran Healy, Toyah Willcox, Sian Pattenden and Emma Dabiri.
Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Christmas Eve: 1.25am
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.
Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: 5Select: Christmas Day: 1.25am
Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: 5Select: Boxing Day: 0.00am
A merry romp through the most inappropriate, outrageous and appallingly atrocious Christmas television turkeys of all time. These are the kind of disastrous, ill-conceived and downright cringe-inducing moments that it’s a wonder ever made it to air. Among contributors ready to dissect the disasters – many of which they were involved in themselves – are Eamonn Holmes, Toyah Willcox, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Anne Diamond, Steve Punt and Mike Read.
The 100 Greatest Musicals: More4: Christmas Day: 12.20pm
Part One. Denise Van Outen kicks off a sumptuous two-part celebration of the great songs and performers from the best classic and contemporary musicals – as voted for by the British public. From Astaire to Zellweger, from 42nd Street to 8 Mile, Moulin Rouge! and The Sound of Music, The 100 Greatest Musicals is the definitive guide to the musicals that have both stood the test of time and had a lasting impact on viewers’ lives. The first show counts down from 100 to 51 and features memorable clips from film, stage and TV, interspersed with interviews given by performers, directors, writers and choreographers. Also airing on More4 +1 and HD.
The 100 Greatest Musicals: More4: Boxing Day: 12.30pm
Part Two. Denise Van Outen concludes the rundown of viewers’ favourite musicals, counting down from 50 to number one. Including memorable clips from film, stage and TV productions, plus contributions by celebrity fans, Hollywood movers and shakers, critics and journalists. Also airing on More4 +1 and HD.
