Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah’s ‘Walk of Fame’ gig in King’s Heath in July has been named one of Birmingham’s Top Gigs Of 2012.

Let’s hear it for B-Town… the best of the rest: Some of the biggest music acts in the world have played Brum this year – after the top ten, here’s our selection of the highlights

Toyah Willcox, who not only was inducted on Birmingham’s walk of fame this year, she also played a home-coming gig at the Ballroom.

• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail. View our Walk of Fame News Archive.

• Toyah’s Christmas Countdown continues at toyahwillcox.com. There are only a few days left until the final window is opened on Christmas Eve. There’s already been an abundance of great live Toyah tracks and photos.

• Hold The Front Page: Reporter cast as naughty schoolboy in pantomime: A weekly reporter took part in a pantomime performance alongside celebrities Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox – after the team behind the show took exception to an article he wrote.

• Den of Geek: A Christmas Carol: the best and worst adaptations: Toyah receives a namecheck in this article on the much loved Christmas classic. (Thanks to James Armstrong)

• This is Kent: Lacemakers raise cash to help out Dave’s charity: The money for the Dave Lee’s Happy Holidays charity will help book out Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre for an exclusive pantomime performance in January. The theatre will be packed with children and their families watching Gareth Gates and Toyah Willcox in Sleeping Beauty.

Toyah is, as always, a significant presence on the UK festive TV and Radio schedules. There are numerous appearances, both new and old, with documentaries, interviews, music, film and more to help you through the festive season.

There are many opportunities to catch Toyah’s Christmas at the Zoo over the next couple of weeks, a one-hour Toyah Special on BBC Radio WM with Bev Bevan, a great Slade documentary from 1999, the classic Quadrophenia and some of those 100 Greatest… retrofests!

Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV
Friday 21st December: 9.00pm, Saturday 22nd December: 1.00am, Sunday 23rd December: 2.30pm, Christmas Eve: 6.00pm, Christmas Day: 6.00am, Christmas Day: 7.30pm, Boxing Day: 11.00am, Thursday 27th December: 2.30pm
Cosy up with family and friends as Toyah Willcox brings you 30 of the finest Christmas songs and a sprinkling of festive stories, surrounded by an extraordinary variety of creatures great and small.

It’s Slade: BBC Four: Friday 21st Dec: 9.00pm
It’s Slade: BBC Four: Saturday 22nd Dec: 00.20am
It’s Slade: BBC Four: Christmas Eve: 1.50am
Top pop documentary, narrated by Radio One’s Mark Radcliffe, about one of Britain’s greatest and best-loved bands. Slade scored six number ones in the 70s, a feat rivalled only by Abba. Apart from Noddy and his bandmates – Dave Hill, Jim Lea and Don Powell – the cast here also includes Noel Gallagher of Oasis (who covered Cum On Feel the Noize), Status Quo, Toyah Willcox, Suzi Quatro and Ozzy Osbourne. Altogether now “Are you hanging up your stocking on the wall……….?”

Quadrophenia: ITV1: Saturday 22nd December: 3.00am
Quadrophenia: STV: Christmas Day: 12.45am
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. Also airing on the +1 channels.

Bev Meets: BBC Radio WM: Sunday 23rd December: 12pm (12-2pm)
Toyah Willcox and Tony Christie. Bev meets West Midlands’ stars Toyah Willcox and Tony Christie to discuss their lives and careers.

100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross: Channel 4: Sunday 23rd December: 3.00pm
100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross: 4Seven: Boxing Day: 3.55pm
A countdown of the nation’s favourite games, gadgets and playthings, as decided by a Channel 4 online poll. Inventors and toymakers tell the inside stories of their creations and successes – including Action Man, Yahtzee, Barbie and Trivial Pursuit – while the children of yesteryear, namely today’s celebrities, authors, actors and journalists, take a nostalgic look back at the toys they loved. Also revealed is the inspiration behind the design of the Raleigh Chopper, the unlikely individual responsible for the creation of one of the world’s toughest action figures, and why the Vietnam War almost brought Britain’s Matchbox car range to an end.

The Eclectic Light Show: Marlow FM: Christmas Eve: 12pm
Toyah Willcox recalls reaching ‘rock bottom’ personally and professionally in the early 90s. Listen online at Marlow FM’s website.

Bev Meets: BBC Radio WM: Thursday 27th December: 2pm
Jasper Carrot and Toyah Willcox. Bev meets West Midlands’ stars Jasper Carrot and Toyah Willcox to discuss their lives and careers.

Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas, which aired yesterday on ‘BBC Radio 4’, is now available to listen to online at BBC iPlayer. Toyah is included in the 30 minute programme, discussing ‘Smash Hits’ in the early 1980s and also the memorable and iconic ‘Brave New World’ cover issue .

Neil Tennant had a life as a journalist before he became famous as a Pet Shop Boy. In fact, it was on a Smash Hits trip to New York that he had his big breakthrough with the record producer Bobby O. Here, 30 years after his first stint on pop’s most successful and inventive magazine, Neil recalls the golden days of Smash Hits. We hear from founder and legendary magazine maker Nick Logan, editors David Hepworth and Mark Ellen, writers Miranda Sawyer and Sylvia Patterson, and from regular Smash Hits cover girl, Toyah.

• The programme is available until Thursday 27th December. Listen here.

Another positive review for Sleeping Beauty at The Marlowe Theatre, this one by Inquire Live.

Sleeping Beauty is the pantomimic treat at the Marlowe theatre this year. Paul Hendy’s vibrantly stunning, glittering, unashamedly hilarious show will have you in gleeful spirits and ready for the upcoming holidays. Where else will you find a heart-warming fairy tale, countless gags, sing-alongs, wacky costumes, and a well-rounded cast of actors, comedians, dancers, and a fire breathing dragon, all in the same place? I’ll give you a clue: Nowhere.

Toyah Willcox as Carabosse was sassy, edgy, and her rock numbers were electric.

• Continue reading at Inquire Live.

The full artwork, DVDs and box, for the UK version of The Legacy Collection, featuring Shada and More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS, has just been released by the BBC.

There is an abundance of content and extras in the three-disc set, including documentaries, features and interviews.

The Legacy Collection, which includes Toyah in More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS, is released in the UK on the 7th January 2013 and outside the UK the following day.

A great photo of Toyah, taken backstage at ITV’s Pop Goes Christmas in late 1982. The song Toyah performed on the programme, ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’ was released as a digital single yesterday. Toyah’s 26th UK single, it’s available from iTunes and Amazon (and Amazon.com). Click below to zoom for the full version of the photo. (Thanks to Andi)

• Toyah’s 26th UK single was released yesterday. The 1982 recording of the Greg Lake classic ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’ is now available to download from from iTunes and Amazon (it’s also available at Amazon.com for anyone outside the UK). The song was recently placed 24th in the Top 50 Best Christmas Songs Of All-Time by PRS for Music.

• Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: The next airing for the three-hour Christmasfest is today at 7.30pm on Vintage TV.

• BBC Radio 4: Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas: Neil Tennant had a life as a journalist before he became famous as a Pet Shop Boy. In fact, it was on a Smash Hits trip to New York that he had his big breakthrough with the record producer Bobby O. (Includes a brief clip from the programme)

• The Telegraph: Today’s Radio Highlights: Thursday 20th December: Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas (Radio 4, 11.30am) makes it an even better day for 6 Music-inclined listeners to start tuning to this network.

• Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas: Lots more online press and interest on this, including Radio Times, Dummy and The Stage.

• The Resurrection Live Sessions: ‘Angel and Me’, from The Changeling Resurrection II UK Tour. ‘Danced’ is also available here.

There’s just over a week until Christmas Day! Here’s an early Christmas present from Dreamscape (courtesy of the brilliant Andi Westhorpe – This site would have been far less interesting over the years without Andi – Think a Christmas tree without any colourful baubles and you get the idea ;)). Two highly rare photos of Toyah from the same session as the photo that was used on the cover of Record Mirror in January 1979. These were either taken in late ’78 or January ’79, probably the former. Please click on each to zoom. (Thanks again, and a Merry Christmas, to Andi)

The sixth window on Toyah’s Official Christmas Countdown was opened yesterday, taking visitors to another live recording.

Twenty Four From Toyah: Live Archive Selections 1993-2012 – Collect the ‘Twenty Four From Toyah’ full album in the run up to the 24th December.

Already available: Moonlight Dancing (Live in Plymouth 1994), Neon Womb (Acoustic, Faith & Music 2006), Little Tears Of Love (Live in London 2002), It’s A Mystery (Acoustic, Take The Leap! Sessions 1993) and more.

Visit Toyah’s Christmas Countdown here and Twenty Four From Toyah here.

Photos from Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. The panto and Toyah have received great reviews since opening at the end of November. It runs right through until the 20th January. Details here. Click below to view more photos at Facebook. (© Marlowe Theatre)

We’re having a Toyahtastic 70s and Festivefabulous 80s pre-Christmas knees-up! The non-alcohol mulled wine and mince-free pies are going down a storm! Click to zoom on the cards.

Two Christmases ago Toyah was part of The Hazel O’Connor Collective. They recorded ‘Re-Joyce (In The Bleak Midwinter)’. Proceeds from the single went to Myton Hospice in Coventry where Hazel’s late mum (Joyce) received care and treatment for cancer.

‘Fragile’ by This Fragile Moment, who include Toyah in their line-up, is one of the songs on Unsung Records free Merry Christmas Compilation 2012.

This special limited edition compilation contains one track each from 19 of the label’s 20 x CD releases to date, and it’s available to download free of charge until Boxing Day (26th December 2012).

Please share the page link with your friends and spread the word online, but respect the copyright of the individual artists by not posting the actual MP3 files. Thank you and enjoy. “Merry Christmas” from the Unsung Records family! Immediate download of 19-track album in your choice of MP3 320, FLAC, or just about any other format you could possibly desire.

• Go here for more information on the album. (Thanks to Stephen Bennett Troake)

The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments airs for the first time this year tonight on More4. Toyah appears sporadically discussing various Christmas-related topics. There’s also a short clip of Toyah’s ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’ performance from Pop Goes Christmas.

The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments: More4: Saturday 15th December: 9.00pm
The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments: More4 +1: Saturday 15th December: 10.00pm
Jimmy Carr reveals the greatest Christmas moments of all time. From when George Bailey’s guardian angel earns his wings in It’s a Wonderful Life to Dawn and Tim’s long-awaited kiss under the mistletoe in The Office, this programme counts down the 100 festive moments that remain indelibly stuck in the nation’s memories.

Toyah will be one of the guests on Bev Meets on ‘BBC Radio WM’ over Christmas.

Bev Meets is a series of eight shows during which Bev Bevan of ELO meets up with West Midlands stars to discuss their lives and careers. Lots of music as well.

Bev Meets: BBC Radio WM: Sun 23rd Dec: 12pm
Toyah Willcox and Tony Christie. Bev meets West Midlands’ stars Toyah Wilcox and Tony Christie to discuss their lives and careers.

Bev Meets: BBC Radio WM: Thursday 27th December: 2pm
Jasper Carrot and Toyah Willcox. Bev meets West Midlands’ stars Jasper Carrot and Toyah Willcox to discuss their lives and careers.

These will air online at BBC WM.

It’s the artwork for the UK DVD release of Doctor Who: The Legacy Collection box set.

The release contains the unfinished 1979 story Shada and the 1993 BBC documentary More Than 30 Years in the TARDIS (in which Toyah appears), both previously released on VHS. The version of Shada on the DVD is a remastered version of the 1992 VHS release (including the Tom Baker linking scenes, the Keff McCulloch score) and contains no extra footage.

The other extras in the set include:

Shada – Flash version (2003 Paul McGann animated webcast)
Taken Out of Time
Now and Then
Strike! Strike! Strike!
Being a Girl — Women in Doctor Who
Remembering Nicholas Courtney
Doctor Who Stories – Peter Purves The Lambert Tapes – Part 1
Those Deadly Divas
Plus Photo Galleries, Radio Times Listings and Production Note Subtitles

• View more info on The Legacy Collection here.

Toyah’s Christmas Countdown is well and truly under way at toyahwillcox.com, with the third reveal today. There’s a new box to open every day at around 1pm right through until Christmas Eve… Not only that but to celebrate its 30th anniversary ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’ is to be released as a digital single very soon.

The Eighties are coming to Falkirk Stadium next year, with a series of music concerts planned at their stadium to 
raise money for the club’s academy.

“Rock The Stadium” kicks off over the weekend of 22-23 June with the line-up featuring 80s favourites Five Star, Altered Images, The Real Thing, Toyah, T’Pau, Paul Young, Curiosity Killed the Cat and Midge Ure.

The club are hoping to attract a crowd in the region of 25,000 over the weekend following the success of Elton John’s gig at the stadium in June.

• News Source: Scotsman.com.

It’s Slade: BBC Four: Friday 21st December: 9.00pm
It’s Slade: BBC Four: Saturday 22nd December: 00.20am
It’s Slade: BBC Four: Christmas Eve: 1.50am
Top pop documentary, narrated by Radio One’s Mark Radcliffe, about one of Britain’s greatest and best-loved bands. Slade scored six number ones in the 70s, a feat rivalled only by Abba. Apart from Noddy and his bandmates – Dave Hill, Jim Lea and Don Powell – the cast here also includes Noel Gallagher of Oasis (who covered Cum On Feel the Noize), Status Quo, Toyah Willcox, Suzi Quatro and Ozzy Osbourne. Altogether now “Are you hanging up your stocking on the wall……….?”.

• Sensational: Toyah tweeted earlier today: “Just learned SENSATIONAL off Crim Queen is being used 4 national ad campaign 4 next 12months from 26th dec, fronted by national actress”

• Read a transcript of Toyah’s ‘BBC 6Music’ Steve Lamacq’s Rock College “Guest Lecture” (broadcast on 22nd November, more info here) at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive.

• There are now even more chances to watch Toyah’s Christmas at the Zoo on Vintage TV. As well as airing tomorrow at 5pm and twice on Saturday (1.30pm/11pm) it is also on next Tuesday (18th Dec @ 7.30pm), as well as 21st Dec @ 9pm, 22nd Dec @ 1am and another seven times between 23rd and 29th December!

• Brookside Most Memorable Moments: The newly released DVD celebrating the 30th anniversary of Britain’s finest soap – Toyah is namechecked in a review by The Guardian. Not only that but the mention is related to Karen Grant, one of the best characters.