Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

There’s another chance to catch Toyah’s 2016 guest appearance on ITV’s The Chase, the celebrity special which also featured Germaine Greer. (Photo © ITV)

The Chase: Celebrity Special: ITV4:
Saturday 23rd June: 6pm
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.

Here’s our 22nd round-up of 2018 of concerts, plays and other shows on in the north east over the next seven days, including gigs by the Wedding Present, a version of Yes, Public Image Limited and Belly.

Pop veteran Toyah Willcox is playing at Newcastle’s O2 Academy tomorrow, June 9. The West Midlands-born 60-year-old is best known for her 1981 EP, a No 4 hit featuring the track It’s a Mystery, and the single Thunder in the Mountains, also a No 4 that year.

Tickets to see the band, together from 1978 to 1992 and since 2009, cost £30.35. Stephanie Clift and Larry Love and Special Sorta Beat will be supporting. For details, go to academymusicgroup.com/o2academynewcastle.

• Continue reading at News Guardian. NB: Not quite sure about those band dates quoted above!!

Win weekend camping tickets for Rewind Festival 2018

Rewind Festival has announced the epic line up for their 10-year anniversary extravaganza with more acts on the bill and vibrant entertainment than ever before across nine days

Toyah Willcox said: “There is nothing quite like Rewind. The atmosphere is electric every time. So many brilliant artists on one stage in front of the happiest, bopping festivalgoers. My favourite memories? Holly Johnson, Marc Almond, Jimmy Somerville, The Quo and many more. I’ve played many times and loved every moment, but Henley 2016 will always stick in my mind. On one of the rare occasions it rained, to witness 20,000 umbrellas pogoing up and down was a joy! Rewind proves great music is eternal.”

• Continue reading at Perth Gazette. Toyah is Guest Presenting at Rewind South, Henley-On-Thames on 18th August 2018.

Who’s Doing The Dishes?: ITV2: Wednesday 20th June: 7.10am
Toyah Willcox. Brian McFadden presents the dining challenge. Will it remain a mystery that Toyah Willcox is the celebrity host when she throws a dinner party for four complete strangers?

Toyah’s 1980 album The Blue Meaning was released 38 years ago today. Full of atmosphere, drama and great songs, accompanied by Toyah’s fantastic imagery, it was ahead of its time, and still sounds amazing in 2018!! See a larger version of Dreamscape’s anniversary image here and click below to see Toyah’s tweet about the album.

Havering Show: Toyah Willlcox Fairkytes Live Stage
27th August 2018: 1600 – 1700
Harrowlodge Park, Hornchurch Rd RM11 1JR

We are delighted to announce Toyah Willcox and her band will be the headliner on the Fairkytes Live stage at this years Havering Show.

Toyah will be performing on the Monday 27th August at 4pm. Be sure not to miss this FREE event!

Fairkytes Live will be hosting a live music stage for the Sunday and Monday of the bank holiday weekend between 11-5 pm. we have some great performances from local bands and singers. Be sure to look out for our line up!

• Continue reading here. Further info on The Havering Show here and here.

Neil McCormick’s Needle Time: Vintage TV: Wednesday 6th June: 4am
Toyah Willcox. Prolific artist and actor, who enjoyed hits with ‘It’s a Mystery’, ‘Thunder in the Mountains’ and ‘I Want to be Free’, shares the story behind her remarkable career – Running Time: 60 minutes. Vintage TV is available on Sky 369, Freeview 242, Virgin 343 and Freesat 505.

Toyah, and Chris Wong, onstage at Wychwood Festival 2018 on Saturday afternoon. Click below to view further photos from the festival (including a couple of Toyah) at the festival’s Facebook page. (Photo © Wychwood Festival)

Artwork designed by celebrated singer, actress and Pershore resident Toyah Willcox has been used to decorate a giraffe sculpture for the Worcester Stands Tall trail.

The prolific performer, whose career has spanned more than 40 years, themed her design around the idea of ‘making a wish’ – with the giraffe covered in stars, animals and children.

‘Touch the Wishing Stars’ has been brought to life on the eight foot, fibreglass sculpture by Malvern artist and illustrator Rachel Blackwell. The decorated giraffe will now be displayed alongside 29 others through the streets and open spaces of Worcester for 10 weeks from July 9 to September 16.

Ms Willcox said: “As a child, making a wish whilst holding my parents’ hands was one of the most thrilling and special things in my life.

“I am thrilled Rachel Blackwell has brought my design to life and I truly hope everyone discovers their inner child whilst making a wish.”

• Continue reading at the Evesham Observer.

Such a busy week for Toyah – On Sunday she played Mello Festival, then jetted off to Gran Canaria for a Live PA at Maspalomas Pride on Thursday, then returned to the UK to play at Irlam Festival last night!

Today Toyah has TWO gigs – Playing the Wychwood Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse this afternoon, and an Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date at Acapela in Cardiff tonight.

Toyah is appearing on the Main Stage at Wychwood, on this second day of the festival, for a live PA.

Wychwood Festival returns to Cheltenham racecourse for its 14th annual year from the 1st to the 3rd of June, 2018.

The UK’s favourite family festival takes place within the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, with over 100 acts performing across four stages, plus music, dance and arts workshops, a circus school and a programme of talks, debates and comedy for all ages.

With optional idyllic camping and something to satisfy all appetites, there’s no wonder Wychwood has been nominated as ‘Best Family Festival’ each year at the UK Festival awards.

From punk princess to cult stage actress to high priestess of TV, Toyah Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer and an inextinguishable flame. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s iconic household names – an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved stage/screen actress and music composer.

In a career spanning over 40 years Toyah has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-four albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in twenty feature films and presented hundreds of television programmes.

2018 sees a major year of celebration for Toyah as she celebrates her 60th birthday and 40th anniversary of her music career. Her 1987 album Desire (featuring guest playing from Robert Fripp and Ronnie Wood) will be issued as a new limited edition translucent red vinyl LP on 21 April for Record Store Day 2018.

• Continue reading at the Wychwood Festival website. Stay updated on the festival this weekend at Twitter.

A great photo – of Toyah, Hazell Dean, Annabella Lwin, Carol Decker and Vix from Fuzzbox, at last weekend’s Let’s Rock Norwich. There’s another photo at Hazell’s Twitter. (Photo © Hazell Dean)

Irlam Live is back and this year they’re offering a taste of the 80’s and 90’s with stars including The Stranglers and Toyah.

The festival which is in it’s third year takes place this weekend in Prince’s Park drawing crowds of around 8,000 people.

Toyah Willcox @toyahofficial: GLORIOUS day in IRLAM. setting up festival. Gran Canaria to Irlam in 8 hours. So happy to be here. On stage at 8.15.

• Continue reading at ITV News.

Artwork designed by celebrated singer and actress Toyah Willcox has been used to decorate a giraffe sculpture for the Worcester Stands Tall trail.

The prolific performer, whose career has spanned more than 40 years, themed her design around the idea of ‘making a wish’ – with the giraffe covered in stars, animals and children. The interactive design – titled ‘Touch the Wishing Stars’ – has been brought to life on the 8ft, fibreglass sculpture by Malvern artist and illustrator Rachel Blackwell.

The decorated giraffe will then be displayed alongside 29 others through the streets and open spaces of Worcester for 10-weeks from July 9th to September 16th.

• Continue reading at Worcester Stands Tall. (Photo © Worcester Stands Tall)

Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue of Woman’s Weekly magazine (Issue dated 5th June 2018).

The article reveals Toyah and Robert Fripp are being filmed for a documentary.

What biscuit would you like to dunk?
I’m non-wheat, non-dairy, so the only biscuits I eat are Nairn’s oatcakes. They do a low sugar, dark chocolate variety.

Do you think there’s pressure to look a certain way in the industry?
It’s incredibly important to look and be fit. There is pressure, yes. I think if I didn’t look the way I look, it would affect what I do and how I choose my work, but I go wholeheartedly with that. My shows are very energetic, and even the acoustic show’s a bit like a marathon because of how much I sing. I have a strict, 1,800-calorie-a-day rule, but that’s all you need. I never feel hungry, I never feel deprived and I fully respect my body is a machine.

• Woman’s Weekly is out now.

Limited quantities of In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, signed by Toyah, are currently available from Burning Shed.

In the Court of the Crimson Queen was Toyah’s fifteenth studio album

Originally released in 2008, the album title (referencing King Crimson’s debut album) was suggested by producer/co-author Simon Darlow and was endorsed by Crimson head honcho (and Toyah’s husband) Robert Fripp. “At last my husband’s done something for my career!” Toyah commented.

A powerful Bowie-esque Art Rock statement, the album was New York Good Times ‘Album Of The Year’. This is the 2013 reissue with bonus track, 21st Century Supersister.

• Further info/Buy the CD at Burning Shed.

Sevenoaks mum writes and directs her first feature film – and sets it around the town

Filming for the psychological horror starts this summer and stars eighties diva Toyah Willcox along with two actors from Sevenoaks

A touch of Tinseltown will descend on Sevenoaks this summer after a mother-of-five decided to set her first feature film in the town.

Knockholt film director and writer, Jane Sanger will be joined by 80s diva Toyah Willcox and English actress Sophie Ward along with Hollywood producer Darren Denison to film the psychological horror in Sevenoaks and throughout Kent.

Former drama teacher, Mrs Sanger, 50, of Main Road, said she hoped the film, based on internet dating, would be distributed in America but promised a screening at the Sevenoaks Stag in the run up to its release later this year.

• Continue reading at Kent Live.

A fanatstic review for Toyah at yesterday’s Let’s Rock Norwich.

Toyah review: It’s a mystery how Echo Beach singer looks so great at 60

You could hear the gasps around Earlham Park when Toyah broke the news to the Let’s Rock that she had turned 60 last week.

No way! That was the general reaction from the huge crowd as they watched the punk rock/punk pop:New Romantic star bounce around the stage like a teenager in her retro sparkly aqua marine dress with huge silver necklace. She kicked off with Good Morning Universe and ran smoothly into Echo Beach. Her energy was amazing – her charisma was boundless.

• Continue reading at Norwich Evening News. (Photo © Simon Parkin – See Simon’s tweet about Toyah playing at Let’s Rock Norwich here)

Pointless host Richard Osman stunned by player’s shock admission: ‘Did I hear that right?’

Pointless hosts Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman were so taken aback by a contestant’s admission on the BBC programme, they had to ask her to explain herself.

Toyah Willcox was appearing on a music celebrities special of the BBC quiz when the moment unfolded. Just before it was Toyah’s turn to tackle the first question on Pointless, Alexander asked her how she got her big break. However, in doing so she make a surprise revelation that stunned both Alexander and Richard.

“Now Toyah, when did it all start for you, the showbiz career?”

Toyah, 60, explained: “I started at the age of 18. I was in a play with Noel Edmonds on BBC Two and then I was invited to join the National Theatre. But my singing started when I was at the National Theatre.”

• Continue reading at The Express.

Toyah plays Mello Festival 2018 today – her third gig in as many days after an Acoustic at Fairkytes on Friday and Let’s Rock Norwich yesterday. Toyah is playing The Assembly stage on this final day of the festival which takes place in Worcestershire.

BFI to release Derek Jarman’s ‘Jubilee’ in a 40th Anniversary Dual Format Edition on 18 June 2018

Following its inclusion in the BFI box set, Jarman Volume One: 1972-1986, BFI is set to release Derek Jarman‘s shocking cult classic, Jubilee, in a standalone 40th Anniversary Dual Format Edition release on 18 June 2018.

The film stars Jenny Runacre, Ian Charleson, Jordan, Nell Campbell, and Linda Spurrier, alongside a host of punk rockers including Toyah Willcox and Adam Ant.

The  40th Anniversary Blu-ray presentation is a 2K remaster taken from the original camera negatives.

In Jubilee Queen Elizabeth I (Jenny Runacre) and her occult aide Dr John Dee (Richard O’Brien) travel into the future, encountering the megalomania of big business as well as gangs of violent, marauding killers.

The mythological past and bleak future converge on the sparse grey streets of London in Jarman’s cult classic of the punk era, accompanied by electrifying punk rock numbers delivered by Jayne County and Adam Ant.

• Continue reading at The Arts Shelf. See further info and details on the Special Features. Pre-order the Jubilee: 40th Anniversary Dual Edition for a reduced price at Amazon.

10 facts about 10 acts at Let’s Rock Norwich!

Retro hits will draw thousands to Earlham Park in Norwich on Saturday. Simon Parkin looks at who will be taking to the stage at Let’s Rock Norwich!

The Let’s Rock! tour was held in Norwich for the first time last year and drew a sell-out crowd. Its success means the retro music festival returns and will also feature chart-topping hits from the likes of Jason Donovan, Sonia, Real Thing, T’pau, Katrina, China Crisis, Toyah and Sonia.

LET’S ROCK NORWICH! — 10 FACTS ON 10 ACTS

Toyah – Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, the restless punk-pop performer has had eight Top 40 singles, written books and appeared in films including Quadrophenia and Derek Jarman’s Jubilee.

• Continue reading at Norwich Evening News. See Toyah’s recent tweet about playing Let’s Rock Norwich. (Toyah photo © Toyah Willcox / Others from Norwich Evening Post/UK Live)