Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

There are still some Toyah appearances on TV over the next few days as the year draws to a close.

Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV
Saturday 29th December: 8.00pm
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.

100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross: 4Seven
Sunday 30th December: 1.05am/5.55pm
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.

Best Of: My Vintage Part 1: Vintage TV: Sunday 30th December: 5.30pm
Our very special guests, including Toyah Willcox, Lol Creme, Thomas Dolby, Suzi Quatro, Hazel O’Connor and Mark King share their superb music selections and the stories behind them for this annual round-up of the best on this, your favourite, TV channel.

The 100 Greatest Musicals: More4: New Year’s Eve/Hogmanay: 8.15pm
Part One, 100 – 51. Denise Van Outen presents the first in a two-part rundown of the 100 best musicals as voted for by viewers, featuring 42nd Street, 8 Mile and The Sound of Music. 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.

The 100 Greatest Musicals: More4: New Year’s Day: 6.15pm
Part Two, 50 – 1. 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.

There’s one final opportunity to catch the three-hour festive filled Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo, tonight on Vintage TV.

Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Saturday 29th December: 8.00pm
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.

For the second year in a row Toyah presented a mammoth Christmasfest on Vintage TV. This year’s was Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo, which ared on the channel around 20 times through December, recorded at ZSL LondonZoo. The full playlist was:

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Andy Williams), The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole), Last Christmas (Wham), Merry Christmas Everyone (Shakin’ Stevens), Wonderful Christmas Tine (Paul McCartney), I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (Wizzard), Walking In The Air (Aled Jones), Frosty the Snowman (The Ronettes), Silent Night (Bros), All Alone On Christmas (Darlene Love), Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree (Mel Smith & Kim Wilde), The Millenium Prayer (Cliff Richard), It Doesn’t Often Snow At Christmas (Pet Shop Boys), I Believe In Father Christmas (Greg Lake), When A Child Is Born (Johnny Mathis), Mary’s Boy Child (Harry Belafonte), Stay Another Day (East 17), All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey), Winter (Tori Amos), This Christmas (Gloria Estefan), White Christmas (Bing Crosby), Santa’s List (Cliff Richard), A Winter’s Tale (David Essex), Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt), Driving Home For Christmas (Chris Rea), Best Christmas Of Them All (Shakin’ Stevens), Winter Wonderland (Scott Weiland), Have Yoursefl A Merry Little Christmas (Frank Sinatra), Please Come Home For Christmas (Aaron Neville), Merry Christmas Everybody (Slade).

Another year over… just about! 2012 has been a fantastic year for Toyah, and a precarious one for Dreamscape, but amongst the confusion and name changes I hope everyone who visits has still enjoyed the updates. Hopefully 2013 will be a calmer year for the site. This is our 13th Christmas and in a couple of month’s time we will enter our 14th year online! As always, a huge Thank You to everyone who has kindly sent photos, news or plain old encouragement over the past 12 months. Thanks too to everyone who has taken the time to type toyah.net and pay us a visit. Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmastime and a Stupendously Successful & Happy New Year.

• Bev Meets… Toyah Willcox, which aired on ‘BBC WM’ yesterday, is now available, until Sunday 30th December, at BBC iPlayer. It’s a great hour-long special with Toyah talking about her early life, growing up and her career, as well as choosing some of her favourite songs. She also talks about her plans for 2013. Toyah chose tracks by T-Rex, Lou Reed, Roxy Music, Nirvana, David Bowie, Lana Del Ray, Muse, Tasmin Archer and The Rolling Stones. Listen here.

• It’s Slade, the 1999 documentary that’s been repeated several times on ‘BBC Four’ over the past few days, is also available to view at BBC iPlayer for the next week. Toyah pops up sporadically talking about the band. Watch here.

• Today sees the final box to open at Toyah’s Christmas Countdown at toyahwillcox.com – Check out Twenty Four From Toyah at Soundcloud.

• A third clip from The Resurrection Live Sessions has been uploaded to ‘Vimeo’. It’s Brave New World. ‘Angel and Me’ and ‘Danced’ are also available.

• David Hepworth’s Blog: The former Editor of ‘Smash Hits’, commented in his blog yesterday, on something Toyah said in Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas: The harmless TV fun of today may produce the scandals of tomorrow: Toyah Willcox said an interesting thing on this week’s programme on Radio Four about Smash Hits when talking about the relatively benign world of 80s pop stardom. “Nowadays,” she said, “I think of fame as something dark and abusive.”

• Smash Hits Archive: The December 23, 1982 – January 5, 1983 issue of ‘Smash Hits’ is now online – It includes a brief comment from Toyah talking about her Christmas 1982 plans: It’ll Be Homely This Christmas: Toyah’s off to Italy just before Christmas, because she’s got a hit single there at the moment, but she’s flying back on Christmas Eve. “I always spend Christmas with my parents – it’s the only time I get to spend with them. And I’ll be getting ready for a busy next year.”

• Daily Mail: Ever felt that someone’s watching over you?: Toyah was mentioned in a ‘Daily Mail’ article yesterday on Guardian Angels: Toyah Willcox and Myleene Klass have also talked about their faith in them.

Toyah guests on The Eclectic Light Show‘s ‘Musical Milestones’ on Canterbury’s Marlow FM on Christmas Eve.

Xmas Eve Lunchtime Celeb Special: Musical Milestones are those key memorable tracks that either marked a significant event or had a lasting and influential effect.

The Eclectic Light Show: Marlow FM: Xmas Eve: 12pm
Toyah Willcox recalls reaching ‘rock bottom’ personally and professionally in the early 90s. Starting with their earliest recollections as a child and continuing through their formative years and on to the present day, our celebrities have chosen their six most significant or important tracks. They reveal the very personal story behind each of their choices – taking the listener on a voyage of discovery into their life and career.

• Tune in on 97.5FM to this special Eclectic Light Show between 12 midday and 2pm on Christmas Eve or listen online.

Just a reminder that Bev Meets… Toyah Willcox airs today on BBC Radio WM. You can listen online and it will be available at BBC iPlayer post-broadcast.

The two hour show, which also includes Tony Christie, begins at Midday. I’m not sure if Toyah and Tony have an hour each but it’s sure to be an interesting show.

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

The Express & Star feature a photo of Toyah from this year’s Changeling Resurrection tour in their article on what’s playing at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre in Spring 2013.

Joseph, Cats and Evita coming to Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Cats and Evita are among the big shows coming to Wolverhampton as theatre bosses reveal their new spring line-up.

The Grand Theatre in Lichfield Street will also welcome Toyah Willcox, Hormonal Housewives, starring Toyah Willcox on April 2 and 3, features sketches about day-to-day problems that women face.

• Continue reading at the Express & Star.

This is brilliant. A huge thank you to, another longtime friend of Dreamscape, Andrew York for taking the time to colour the Toyah @ Pop Goes Christmas in 1982 photo. I’ve added a bit of text and a tree to add to the festive feel of it. (Thanks again to Andi and Andrew)

A second review, published on Thursday, of Sleeping Beauty by Kent Online.

Where the mishaps are magical

The mark of a great panto is how unscripted those apparently off-the-cuff moments appear. Great writers weave in sequences where things seem to go wrong, that are in fact, carefully choreographed mishaps. Equally the mark of a great pantomime actor is how convincing they can make these “slip ups” appear. In both cast and script, Sleeping Beauty at the Marlowe Theatre had these qualities in abundance.

The crowd were even left wondering whether members of the audience were in fact, strategically placed crew members, such was the hilarity of some of the heckles. “Don’t touch it!” shrilly screamed someone at the back as Carabosse, played deliciously devilish by Toyah Willcox, revealed the last working spinning wheel in the land to Beauty, played by Faye Brooks.

• Continue reading at Kent Online. Read their other review, from 6th December, here.

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.