More of Andrew’s great Toyah art has just been added to his website, In The Fairground. There are eight new additions in total, in the Portraits, Changeling and Screenshots galleries. Check out the Updates page for the full details and click below to visit Andrew’s Arternative Toyah Universe!
Over the last few months at Facebook I’ve been sporadically counting down the Top 5 Most Iconic Toyah Images – Of course this will differ for most of us and these are only my personal choices, but I’m sure at least a couple below are everyone’s favourites. Anyway, I’ll be posting my #1 very soon and I’m sure many of you will know already what it is.
Facebook Toyah fans “liked” these four in the following order: 1. Thunder In The Mountains, 2. Ieya/The Blue Meaning, 3. Sheep Farming In Barnet, 4. Anthem.
Thousands of families, friends and even faithful pets danced the weekend away at the fourth Upton International Music Festival.
More than 4,000 people turned out for the three-day event, which kicked off on Friday in Fish Meadow and boasted something for all.
There was a real family atmosphere with young and old enjoying performances from stars including 80s soul favourite Alexander O’Neal, Chesney Hawkes and West Country legends the Wurzels.
Also on the bill was Pershore resident Toyah Willcox, Slade and the Official Bucks Fizz.
People even paid homage to some of the bands on stage by dressing in brightly coloured gear from the 1960s and 70s. Speaking to your Worcester News on Saturday, festival spokesman Steve High was in upbeat mood. “It’s a great atmosphere,”.
• Continue reading at the Ledbury Reporter. (Photo © Ledbury Reporter)
• Manchester Pride 2013: Toyah played a 30 minute set last night at the Pride event. She tweeted: “WOW! That was the most electrifying manchester pride ever! Massive jubilant crowd. Thank you“. A selection of video clips have been uploaded to You Tube – View here…
• Demotix: Annual Pride festival culminates with the Big Weekend in Manchester: Some great photos of Toyah from last night’s Pride at the Network for Freelance Photojournalists – View here…
• Reality Meltdown: As the saying goes – There’s no such thing as bad publicity – so the fact that two reality shows Toyah has appeared in make Buzz Feed’s “The 17 Most Forgettable Celebrity Reality Shows” anti-poll is vaguely impressive – Continue reading…
• Upton Festival 2013: Toyah tweeted about playing the Upton Festival on Saturday: “Upton Festival thank u. Great weather, great audience, fab sound, band amaz.”
• Pinterest: I Was An 80s Teenager – Includes some shots of Toyah – View here…
Quadrophenia launches the 2013/14 Calgary Cinematheque season, showing this coming Wednesday. Here are a couple of reports.
• CJSW.com: An Outdoor Screening: Quadrophenia: Join us for a one-time-only, outdoor screening of Franc Roddam’s 1979 film, Quadrophenia to launch the 2013/14 Calgary Cinematheque season. Prior to the screening, enjoy the Hillhurst Sunnyside Farmers’ Market, and HSCA member and guest beer and wine garden. “Set against the soundtrack of The Who’s 1973 mighty concept album “Quadrophenia”, Phil Daniels plays working-class Jimmy, the drug-induced Mod, who hates his job and is misunderstood by his parents – Continue reading…
• Calgary Herald: The Poseur’s Guide to Quadrophenia: Mods and rockers should hop on their scooters and motorcycles and get down to the Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre Wednesday. Once there, the two camps need to put aside ancient enmities long enough (a little over two hours) to enjoy Calgary Cinematheque’s screening of Quadrophenia, the 1979 film based on The Who’s 1973 album of the same name. Poseurs, on the other hand, need to study up, then hop on the bus or their bicycles – Continue reading…
Toyah will revisit the very beginning of her career next month at the Kaleidoscope event: Made at the Mill: A Celebration of Pebble Mill taking place in Stourbridge. Look! Hear!, which Toyah co-presented between 1979 and 1981 and Glitter will both feature at the two day 25th anniversary event. Glitter, which Dreamscape has posted about numerous times over the last decade, aired in 1976 and was Toyah’s first professional acting role, first television appearance, first music performances – all included in a 30 minute drama from the BBC’s ‘Second City Firsts’. Also appearing was a young Phil Daniels in one of his first roles. Further info on Glitter here. (Thanks to Andi, who originally provided much of the info and imagery from Glitter)
Vote for your preference on merchandise for the forthcoming Love Is The Law & More Tour. Choose which option which would be your preference… and imagine they all feature brand new Toyah image/photo. 1: T-Shirt + Poster or 2: T-Shirt + Photo Booklet (Tour Programme). Click below to visit Toyah’s Official Facebook page and vote.
Toyah reunites with her co-presenters from Look! Hear! on Saturday 14 September in a special event organized by Kaleidoscope.
Made at the Mill: A Celebration of Pebble Mill and BBC Birmingham focuses on the golden years of BBC Birmingham, operating from the custom-built Pebble Mill studios. This event celebrates the place, its people and programmes in an affectionate tribute which sees screenings of specially selected programmes.
Toyah joins the event at 2pm when she reunites with Chris Phipps and John Holmes in a panel discussion which looks back at the Midlands music and arts show Look! Hear! which celebrated contemporary pop and rock culture plus a screening of an episode from 1978.
• View further info at the Toyah’s Official News page. The event is free admission and full details can be found here.
Toyah is included in the official Manchester Pride 2013 programme. She plays Sackville Gardens tomorrow night and it’s been confirmed stage time will be 9pm. (Thanks to Paul Lomas for the scan)
• Rebel Run: We’re fast approaching the 30th anniversary of the release of Toyah’s first, and penultimate on Safari, single of 1983. Rebel Run was released in mid-September and entered the UK charts on the 24th. Over the years it’s become one of Toyah’s best loved singles. View Rebel Run’s Wikipedia page, Toyah’s charts stats at The Official Charts Company and Dreamscape’s Imaginary Love Is The Law Singles Collection.
• Now and Then: Rare 30 minute Toyah special from Carlton TV in 1997, hosted by the late Jim ‘Bullseye’ Bowen – Watch at You Tube…
• Toyah @ Twitter & Instagram: “In 1978 Derek Jarman gave me Complete Shakespeare when he offered me the film “The Tempest” & I’ve found it after 14yrs packed away” – View here…
• Edinburgh Evening News: Hazel O’Connor talks Beyond Breaking Glass: A namecheck for Toyah in this new interview with Hazel – Continue reading…
• Mirror: Cruise News: P&O Cruises has launched its biggest range of trips featuring stars, including Michael Ball, Paul Young and Toyah. David Essex will sing on a 15-night Caribbean transatlantic cruise on Azura, leaving Southampton on November 1. Prices from £999pp. Call: 0843 373 0111.
Toyah plays the Upton Music Festival 2013 this Bank Holiday weekend, alongside numerous other bands.
Line-Up: Main Stage: Saturday 24th August
12:00 China Crisis
13:30 Bucks Fizz
15:00 Toyah Willcox
16:30 Neville Staple
18:00 The Lambrettas
19:30 The Wurzels
21:00 Bad Manners
23:00 Take Fat
Upton Festival is back for its 4th year and we’re bigger and better than ever before. With a huge line-up now spread over THREE stages there’s truly something for everyone… from worldwide superstar artists to local up and coming acts Upton Music Festival is sure to be one of the greatest family festivals of 2013.
• Visit the Upton Music Festival website. View all of our Upton Festival news here.
Two new live PAs for Toyah later in the year, at KAOS, Blackpool in October and Marilyn’s, Evesham, Worcestershire in November.
Thursday 10th October 2013 – KAOS Bar
38-42 Queen Street, Blackpool FY1 2AY
www.kaosbar.co.uk
Saturday 30th November 2013 – Marilyn’s Nightclub
Bridge Street, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 4RY
www.marilynsnightclub.co.uk
• View Toyah’s Official Gigs page. (Slider photo © Ray Sears)
All year we’ve been sporadically looking back to Toyah’s 1983: Trafford Tanzi, The Ebony Tower, Love Is The Law, The Saturday Show, Smash Hits, Rebel Run, Crackerjack, The Russell Harty Show and much more. Take a look back by clicking below.
Hair was back-combed and fluorescent leg-warmers pulled up to celebrate 25 years of an Island charity which supports adults with learning and physical disabilities.
Osel Enterprises, a charity most famous for its Way Forward Programme and Island-sourced bottled water Wight Crystal, celebrated its quarter century at the weekend with a Jack Up the 80s party, sponsored by Jack FM.
Around 2,000 people dug out the shoulder pads and shell suits and headed to the Garlic Festival site in Newchurch to enjoy the festivities with live music from 80s legends, including Bad Manners, Katrina and the Waves, Toyah and Heaven 17 among many others.
• Continue reading at County Press. (Photo © Malcolm Harrison)
• Re:Union: Toyah played the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen last night. She tweeted: “Thank U Aberdeen Students Union 1981, great nite” – View a photo from the gig here…
• Daily Echo: Top Talent on Board: Southampton-based P&O Cruises is launching its biggest ever line-up of star-studded voyages this autumn with famous faces from the stage and screen. Michael Ball, David Essex, The West End Men featuring Lee Mead, and Here And Now – with live performances from six 80s legends including Paul Young, Toyah and many more – Continue reading…
• County Press Online: Charity Parties 80s Style: Around 2,000 people dug out the shoulder pads and shell suits and headed to the Garlic Festival site in Newchurch to enjoy the festivities with live music from 80s legends including Bad Manners, Katrina and the Waves, Toyah and Heaven 17 among many others – Continue reading…
• Official Instagram: Great live photo of Toyah, from ‘Jack Up The 80s’, with the latest confirmed live dates info: gigs confirmed: Manchester Pride: 25 Aug / P&O Here & Now Cruise: 29 Oct – View here… (Thanks to Michael Cooney)
• Jack Up The 80s: A few more photos of Toyah from last weekend’s concert in the Isle of Wight at the ‘Talk Photography’ forum – View here…
• Lady Gaga – Applause: Gaga’s new single sounding “inspired” by Eighties Toyah, Hazel O’Connor and Nina Hagen – The beginning has a “Minx” vibe, with a smidge of ‘I Want To Be Free’, if you ask me ;) – Listen here…
Another live date for Toyah has been confirmed, a PA at Manchester Pride next weekend, Sunday 25th August.
• View more details about Manchester Pride at their Official Website. Browse Toyah’s full 2013 live diary at the Official Gigs page.
Star Studded Celebrity Cruises: Over the years we’ve been delighted to present some famous faces from stage and screen, giving you a unique opportunity to enjoy a more intimate performance and to meet the stars in person. Now we’re more excited than ever to announce our largest ever choice of star studded cruises sailing this autumn and into 2014.
I love the 80s: Here And Now is THE most successful high profile 80s live show. It has been a runaway success since it was launched back in 2001 by Tony Denton Productions.
The show is completely unique as it brings together some of the most iconic and influential names from the world of 80s pop and features six artistes over six different nights, performing their hits and more. Some of the artistes came back purely for this show, so it’s an incredibly unique opportunity to step back in time and relive your youth as you dance and sing along to the very best of the 80s. Joining you on this Oceana cruise will be Paul Young, Howard Jones, Heaven 17, the original punk princess Toyah Willcox, Carol Decker of T’Pau fame and Clare Grogan from Altered Images.
• Go Cruise With Jane: P&O Cruises Announce Star Studded Cruises: Here And Now – The Very Best Of The 80s with Paul Young, Toyah, Heaven 17, Howard Jones, Carol Decker from T’Pau and Clare Grogan from Altered Images perform on a 12-night Western Mediterranean cruise on Oceana (E325) departing October 22, 2013 – Continue reading…
• Travel Weekly: Michael Ball and David Essex to perform on P&O’s celebrity sailings: Oceana’s 12-night western Mediterranean sailing on October 22 will include performances from 80s stars Paul Young, Toyah, Heaven 17, Howard Jones, Carol Decker from T’Pau and Clare Grogan from Altered Images – Continue reading…
• Love Is The Law & More: We are very pleased to announce that SHH will be supporting Toyah at the O2 Islington Academy on Saturday 9th November 2013. The tickets have a face-value of £20, but we have secured a batch at a very special SHH price of £15. All tickets are available now from shhsounds.com (Thanks to Michael Cooney)
• Jack Up The 80s: More photos of Toyah at yesterday’s Isle of Wight festival – View here…
Toyah performing ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ at yesterday’s Jack Up The 80s festival in the Isle of Wight. Toyah tweeted a photo of the band just before they got the ferry. View more photos here and here.
Phil Spalding is playing a Bass Night at Absolute Music’s new superstore in Bournemouth on Wednesday 4th September. Phil says: “Join me for an evening of punchy basslines, behind-the-scenes secrets from my colourful career and tips on how to record your bass parts in one take… no drop-ins and no edits!”
Toyah’s August blog is now available to read at The Official Toyah Willcox Website. Click below to read!
