Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

A very limited number of the Limited Edition space grey vinyl release of Posh Pop, with a signed Toyah print, are available at Amazon UK.

Posh Pop, possibly Toyah’s most eagerly anticipated studio album since Minx, is released on Friday. Toyah considers this a “career best” album.

Posh Pop is a strong collection of infectious and affirmative pop songs that are as joyous as they are reflective, from the cosmic groove of Space Dance, to the sun-kissed anthem of unity Summer Of Love. The album is crafted with evocative storytelling and musicianship from Toyah, Simon Darlow (guitars, keyboards, cello), Bobby Willcox (guitar) and Jeremy Stacey (drums). Posh Pop opens with the energy-burst of Levitate and leads the listener on a journey that climaxes in the soaring, intergalactic-tinged Take Me Home.

• See/Buy the Limited Edition Posh Pop space grey vinyl with signed print at Amazon UK.

The next episode of Toyah At Home is coming this Saturday (10th October), which is also National Album Day 2020. Do you have any questions about Toyah’s albums..?

Sheep Farming In Barnet, The Blue Meaning, Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, Anthem, The Changeling, Warrior Rock – Toyah On Tour, Love Is The Law, Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! All The Hits, Minx, Mayhem, The Lady Or The Tiger, Desire, Prostitute…

There are many to choose from, and that impressive list is just Toyah’s album releases of the 1980s!!

Submit your questions in the comments section at Toyah’s official Instagram and Twitter, about albums or anything else and tune in at 11am on Saturday at You Tube and Facebook. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

Song of the week on last Saturday’s episode of Toyah At Home was Lesser God (which includes one of my favourite Toyah lyrics: “I won’t fake for the sake of peace…“), from the album, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen.

Click below to watch/rewatch the episode, which ended with an archive performance of All In A Rage (a song which also features lyrics which resonate in 2020), from the album Minx.

Episode 16 of Toyah At Home airs this Saturday at 11am at You Tube and Facebook.

Song of the week, on Episode 12 of Toyah At Home, was Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel In You), from the album, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen.

Click below to watch/rewatch the episode, which ended with a new recording/version/performance of America For Beginners, from the album Minx.

• Yorkshire Times: Let’s Rock Announce On Line 80’s Lockdownfest2: Following the huge success of the first 80s LockdownFest last month, Let’s Rock have announced a second online festival, 80s LockdownFest2, happening on Friday 3rd July from 7:00pm – Continue reading…

• Glastonbury/PRS for Music: Rewatch Toyah’s 2016 Interview which has just been added to PRS for Music’s Glasto Playlist – Toyah Willcox chats to M magazine in the PRS for Music tent at Glastonbury 2016 about her creative highs, early inspirations and ongoing love affair with songwriting – Continue watching…

• The Audiophile Man: Vinyl Review Round-Up #1: Reviews of Toyah’s recent vinyl releases, including Minx, Prostitute and Ophelia’s Shadow – Watch here (from 8.04)…

• Octopus TV: Andrew Eborn is joined by Chris Wong who talks about his life and career including as Toyah Willcox’s musical director and guitarist, working with Toyah in The Humans along with REM’s Bill Rieflin and 25 years in panto at Marlowe Theatre where he has played the Ghostbusters theme tune over 13,500 times! – Continue watching…

• Jools Holland: Toyah chooses her favourite acts: if anyone missed this when it aired or was available on BBC Sounds, you can listen to it here…

Some info gleaned from the first, fact packed, Toyah At Home, which aired yesterday at You Tube. This is going to be a great series.

• Thunder In The Mountains: was the first song of the series, with Toyah discussing the background to the song, and life at the time of the writing and release of the single in the summer and autumn of 1981 respectively.

• Thunder In The Mountains: Toyah performed a live version of the classic single (Toyah’s eighth), written by Toyah, Adrian Lee and Nigel Glockler. It truly is an incredible track.

• Good Morning Universe – Live at Drury Lane: Toyah reminisced about the Christmas Eve 1981 gig which aired on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

• Street Addict: Toyah revealed the meaning behind the lyrics of this much loved song. The b-side of Thunder In The Mountains.

• Anthem: Yes, there are plans for the 40th anniversary of Anthem. The album is being re-released in 2021 and there will be an Anthem Tour in the autumn of that year. Dates will be announced once the Electric Ladies Of The 80s Tour is completed in June of next year. Toyah said: “It’s a fantastic album, and we can’t wait to revisit it and play it for you“.

• Joel Bogen: Toyah revealed she has “been inviting Joel to come and join us, and hopefully one day that might happen, But let’s see“.

• Strictly Come Dancing: The Toyah song Toyah would dance to on Strictly would be I Want To Be Free, “and do something really anarchic“.

• Sympathy: A song, from Minx, never performed live before. The question gave Toyah an idea about the song!

• Toyah also discussed vocal warm-ups, the radio play Headcrash, the lockdown dances with Robert. The half hour programme ended with a new version of Sensational – One World In Transition, May Every Child Flourish.

• See you next week for Toyah At Home #2.

Re-uploaded to this website’s You Tube channel recently, Sky Trax – The 1985 Toyah Special; a great Minx-era interview; and BBC Breakfast Time, a much shorter but still interesting Desire-era interview. These uploads have both been edited to remove all music from them, which was the reason they were originally made unavailable by You Tube.

Lots of other quirky clips and footage have also been added to our channel: Toyah, Superhits, Monster Munch 80s adverts, and more! Click below to visit and/or subscribe!

Happy 40th Anniversary to one of the great landmarks of Toyah’s music career – The Blue Meaning. The second long-player (as they were once called) and first full studio album, was released exactly 40 years ago today, in June 1980.

An amazing album and Toyah era, The Blue Meaning is significant for a number of reasons: It was the first Toyah release to enter the Official UK Chart (though earlier singles and the first album had all scaled the peak of the Indie Chart).

It also boasted incredible imagery, artwork and high design standard which would become synonymous with Toyah’s music career and future releases. The album also includes Toyah’s most legendary song, the perennial fan-favourite, Ieya! No Toyah gig is complete without it.

Over the past four decades the album has increased in significance, becoming a crucial part of Toyah’s discography. Everyone loves Anthem (who couldn’t?), The Changeling is a favourite of many fans, Love Is The Law saw Toyah’s vocals soar, Minx still divides opinion, Prostitute mindboggled us all, Ophelia’s Shadow as beautiful, intricate and unique as any album by Kate Bush or Tori Amos, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen introduced Toyah to a new audience while also delighting longtime fans, and yet The Blue Meaning came before all of the aforementioned and 40 years later still intrigues and entertains with each and every listen. Click below for our feature.

Short, but great, interview with Toyah from STV in 1985. This is Scotland Today when it went all soft furnishings and sofas in the mid-80s! Toyah talks Minx, the Soul Passing Through Soul video, America For Beginners, School’s Out and more, with Paul Coia and Haig Gordon.

Just a couple of days until Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell are released on colour/clear vinyl, and HMV have a great “Toyah LP Bundle” deal available at their website. Add all five of the albums to your basket and pay £79.99. A saving of over £20 compared to other online stores! Click below for HMV.

This Friday sees the release of five Toyah solo studio albums on amazing colour/clear vinyl, including two – Take The Leap! (1994), in clear vinyl; Velvet Lined Shell (2003), in purple vinyl – which have never been available on any sort of vinyl previously.

The former is a double album and the latter Toyah’s first ever 10″ release.

Also coming on Friday are Minx (1985), in translucent red vinyl; Prostitute (1988), in translucent yellow vinyl, and Ophelia’s Shadow (1991), in translucent aqua vinyl.

In the lead up to their release, Toyah has been showcasing the gorgeous new vinyls via photos and video clips at Instagram, with just Velvet Lined Shell still to be previewed this week…

• Click on each or any of the photos below for further info or to pre-order the new colour/clear Toyah albums. (Photos © Toyah Willcox)

Dreamscape’s Toyah 2020 Releases page has just been updated – With new information and photos related to Toyah’s busy release schedule this year.

So far there’s been the eight-disc + 48-page booklet box set, Toyah Solo (just released and just incredible!) and the five colour/clear vinyl albums; Minx (red translucent vinyl), Prostitute (yellow translucent vinyl), Ophelia’s Shadow (aqua translucent vinyl), Take The Leap! (double album clear vinyl), Velvet Lined Shell (10″ purple vinyl).

With a number of other releases to follow through the year this page will be added to and updated. Check out the page and revisit for new releases.

Toyah unboxing Toyah Solo. It looks great. A much better looking box set than Madonna’s Complete Studio Albums released in 2012 (and that one was really good!)

“I am so excited. This is the first ever Toyah box set… The first of a few to be announced. Enjoy!” TOYAH

Toyah Solo is a new 7 CD + DVD anthology of collected works by Toyah, released 28 February 2020 by Edsel Records

An Amazon Exclusive edition featured a signed print and was strictly limited to 500 copies. (Now Sold Out!)

The first Toyah box set ever features six studio albums (Minx, Desire, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap!, Velvet Lined Shell).

The set also boasts 44 bonus tracks, including rarities, B-sides, collaborations, and several unreleased tracks, plus a DVD of promo videos and a brand new exclusive interview filmed in December 2019 with Toyah talking about her solo albums.

RELEASE DATE: 28 February 2020 | FORMAT: 7 CD + DVD in wallets in 2-piece box with 48 page booklet.

• Toyah Solo is available to pre-order now from Amazon. See Dreamscape’s Toyah Solo News Archive and our new Toyah 2020 Releases page which will, hopefully, be updated with each release this year. (Screen caps taken from a video clip that is © Toyah Willcox).

TOYAH ALBUMS SET FOR COLOURED VINYL RELEASE ON 13 MARCH

Demon Records will issue five Toyah albums on brand new coloured vinyl releases on 13 March 2020. Complimenting the 1985-2003 spanning CD box set Toyah: Solo, the releases include Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow and the first ever vinyl releases of Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell.

Minx: First time on vinyl since 1985, Minx is Toyah’s first true solo album and was produced by Christopher Neil. The 10-track album features co-writes with Simon Darlow (Slave To The Rhythm) and the UK singles Don’t Fall In Love (I Said) (#22) and Soul Passing Through Soul (#57) alongside unique covers of Rare Bird’s Sympathy and Alice Cooper’s School’s Out. Pressed on 180g translucent red vinyl.

• Continue reading at toyahwillcox.com. Full links to pre-order the Toyah coloured vinyls here.

Toyah is releasing coloured vinyl versions of five of her solo studio albums: Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell. They are released on Friday 13th March and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Velvet Lined Shell is on purple vinyl, and this release is the first time the album has been available on vinyl (10″ release).

First ever release on vinyl, and the first ever Toyah 10″ release, The record is pressed on 180 gram purple vinyl. This 2003 mini-album saw Toyah return to songwriting and music-making days in the 2000s. Co-written with sweet Billy pilgrim’s Tim Elsenburg, the six tracks include the punky “Little Tears Of Love” And “You’re A Miracle” alongside the brooding, sultry title track and introspective folky “Mother”…

Toyah is releasing coloured vinyl versions of five of her solo studio albums: Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell. They are released on Friday 13th March and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Take The Leap! is on two-disc clear vinyl, and this release is the first time the album has been available on vinyl.

First ever release on vinyl, and pressed on 180 gram clear vinyl. “Take The Leap!” (1994) saw Toyah revisit some of her classic hits – “It’s A Mystery”, “Thunder In The Mountains” And “I Wanna Be Free” – as well as earlier punk material in a heavy rock style. Six original compositions also feature, written with Nick Beggs (Kajagoogoo), Cris Bonacci (Girls School) and Simon darlow (buggles). includes previously unseen photography and adds five Revisited classics on side four.

Toyah is releasing coloured vinyl versions of five of her solo studio albums: Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell. They are released on Friday 13th March and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Ophelia’s Shadow is on translucent aqua vinyl, and this release is the first time the album has been available on vinyl since 1991.

Issued on vinyl for the first time since 1991, with a new inner sleeve, the album is pressed on 180 gram translucent AQUA vinyl. Toyah’s personal favourite album of her catalogue, “Ophelia’s Shadow” (1991), features a band line-up including Trey Gunn on stick, Paul Beavis on drums and Tony Geballe on guitar. Two tracks, “Brilliant Day” And “Lords Of The Never Known” Feature Robert Fripp and were originally played live by the band Sunday all over the world (Toyah, Fripp, Beavis, Gunn).

Toyah is releasing coloured vinyl versions of five of her solo studio albums: Minx, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell. They are released on Friday 13th March and can be pre-ordered at Amazon. Prostitute is on translucent yellow vinyl, and this release is the first time the album has been available on vinyl since 1988.

Issued on vinyl for the first time since 1988, with a new inner sleeve, the album is pressed on 180 gram translucent yellow vinyl. “Prostitute” (1988) is toyah’s most experimental and bold album, highlighting her oppression once married and outdated expectations long before today’s woke narrative. Sonically it is also a radical departure comprising drums, vocal and guitar meshed with a scrapbook of samples and side two closing on a locked groove. The album was written and played entirely by Toyah and Steve Sidelynk who went on to record and play live with Madonna (Ray of light, music), Seal and Richard Ashcroft, amongst many others.

Just over three weeks until Toyah Solo is released, on 28th February. Toyah’s first retrospective box set release, with seven CDs, a DVD, bonus songs and booklet.

• Official Toyah: Toyah Solo 7-CD/DVD Box Set: Toyah Solo is a new 7 CD + DVD anthology of collected works by Toyah, released 28 February 2020 by Edsel Records – Continue reading…

• Super Deluxe Edition: Toyah Solo 7CD+DVD Box: A new box celebrating Toyah’s career is on its way • Signed set sold out | Toyah’s solo career is to be celebrated in a new box set due next month from Demon. Toyah Solo mops up the era from 1985 onwards when Willcox signed as a solo turn to Sony’s Portrait Records and then subsequent EG releases, and comprises of seven CDs and a DVD plus a 48 page book. (If you’re a cursory fan and a bit confused and wondering ‘hang on, wasn’t she always solo?’ it transpires that up until then, Toyah was the name of the band she fronted.) – Continue reading…

• DGM Live: Toyah Set Due Feb: Toyah Willcox has a major retrospective box set release due in February. The 7CD set also comes with a DVD includes the albums she released on the EG label. Robert Fripp is a frequent collaborator appearing on 1987’s Desire, 1988’s Prostitute and in 1991, along with Trey Gunn, Tony Geballe and drummer Paul Beavis, Ophelia’s Shadow – Continue reading…

• Demon Music Group: Toyah – Solo (Standard Edition): This 7 CD + DVD box set (the first Toyah box set ever) features six albums (Minx, Desire, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap, Velvet Lined Shell) and 44 bonus tracks – Continue reading…

• Dreamscape: Toyah Solo: Our news archive for Toyah’s new box set – Continue reading…

Toyah Solo is a new 7 CD + DVD anthology of collected works by Toyah, released 28 February 2020 by Edsel Records

RELEASE DATE: 28 February 2020
CAT NO: TOYAHBOX01
FORMAT: 7 CD + DVD in wallets in 2-piece box with 48 page booklet

An Amazon Exclusive edition features a signed print and is strictly limited to 500 copies.

The first Toyah box set ever features six studio albums (Minx, Desire, Prostitute, Ophelia’s Shadow, Take The Leap!, Velvet Lined Shell) alongside 44 bonus tracks, including rarities, B-sides, collaborations, and several unreleased tracks, plus a DVD of promo videos and a brand new exclusive interview filmed in December 2019.

In 1985, after five studio albums and two live albums with her band, Toyah decided to go solo, and signed to Sony’s portrait label. The album Minx contained two hit singles, Don’t Fall In Love (I Said) and Soul Passing Through Soul, as well as covers of Alice Cooper’s School’s Out and Rare Bird’s Sympathy. 1987’s Desire, featured appearances from Robert Fripp and Ron Wood and Toyah’s cover of Echo Beach, and now contains the previously unreleased outtake “Mesmerised. Prostitute (1988) was an arresting and fascinating departure from the pop formula, a trend continued by 1991’s Ophelia’s Shadow. In 1994, Take The Leap” featured new songs and intriguing revisits of several of her earlier pop hits. 2003’s “Velvet Lined Shell took Toyah back to her guitar punk roots.

Amongst the bonus tracks are Toyah’s collaborations with Tony Banks, Trey Gunn, German band Kiss Of Reality, Family Of Noise and This Fragile Moment. The lavishly-illustrated 48 page booklet features annotation about each album written by Toyah herself. Also featured is an essay on the period covered by the box by Toyah’s official archivist and compiler of this box set, Craig Astley. As Craig says: “eclectic is an often-overused word but is an accurate description of this intriguing and revelatory body of work. From unashamed pop and avant-garde to progressive rock and back to punk, the Common factors throughout are Toyah’s voice and lyrics but moreover, a sense of forging and following her own creative solo path”.

• Continue reading about Toyah Solo at toyahwillcox.com.

A new box celebrating Toyah’s career is on its way • 500 with signed print

Toyah’s solo career is to be celebrated in a new box set due next month from Demon.

Toyah Solo mops up the era from 1985 onwards when Willcox signed as a solo turn to Sony’s Portrait Records and then subsequent EG releases, and comprises of seven CDs and a DVD plus a 48 page book. (If you’re a cursory fan and a bit confused and wondering ‘hang on, wasn’t she always solo?’ it transpires that up until then, Toyah was the name of the band she fronted.)

The box charts the Birmingham post-punk lungsmith’s progression from chart star – with hits such as ‘Soul Passing Through Soul’ and her cover of ‘Echo Beach’ – to increasingly experimental artist and back again, and features the six albums Minx (released 1985) Desire (1987), Prostitute (1988), Ophelia’s Shadow (1991), Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell (both 1994) alongside Remixed, Revisited & Rare 1992-98 which contains updates on some of her biggest hits.

• Continue reading at Super Deluxe Edition.