Toyah & Robert On The Road – The First Five Dates Of The Tour… A visit to the first five dates of Toyah & Robert’s tour – a Rock Party! – backstage, soundchecks, stories, onstage, grooving audiences… Dates & tickets at toyahwillcox.com.
Toyah’s full “If I Ruled The World” Reader’s Digest Q&A is now available online…
If you want to eat meat you should have to raise and respectfully take the lives of your own animals
I am very passionate that animals have souls, and most religions say that they don’t. Animals experience empathy, joy and pain. We do not have a right to kill them en masse.
I have never met an animal that does not have empathy. As you get older I think it’s a lot better for you to have a very dominantly vegetarian diet.
There will be a National Concert Day
I used to live in Menton in France and they would have a national concert day, but I don’t think that’s what it was called. Every school would take the school orchestra out into the square. They would play music and the dance classes would do dance. It was a very beautiful spectacle. I’ve seen it in Israel as well. On one day per week in Israel, most communities will go and dance in the square, with live musicians playing.
• Continue reading at Reader’s Digest.
Isle of Wight film starring Toyah wins film festival award
A short film, shot on the Isle of Wight and starring Toyah Willcox, has won an award at the New Renaissance Film Festival (NRFF) in London.
Weightless was produced by Ventnor’s Rowena Amos, through 9 of Cups Productions.
It was made on the Island in 2022 and Toyah was spotted filming on beaches here, in Freshwater and Ventnor.
The project also featured a host of well-known Isle of Wight names, including photographer Gianpaolo Mario Giancovich, and musicians JC Grimshaw and Angelina Grimshaw – the latter working with the crew on costumes.
This week, Weightless picked up the NRFF’s prize for Best Female-led Short.
The film was directed by Lois Norman and the music was by King Crimson, Toyah’s husband, Robert Fripp.
A trailer was released in May.
• Continue reading at the Isle Of Wight County Press. See also Yahoo! News.
Toyah’s blog for October is available to read at toyahwillcox.com.
In pictures: To
yah Willcox and Robert Fripp at the Royal Hall in Harrogate
Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch is a YouTube channel that they started during the days of Government lockdowns.
Toyah and Robert have been married since the mid-80’s. Robert is perhaps best know for being the founder of King Crimson, but has many, many other credits to how bow, such as playing on Blondies, Parallel Lines, and Bowie’s, Heroes.
Toyah also has an established history in music with It’s a Mystery, Thunder in the Mountains and I Want to Be Free – to name a few.
They were a welcome addition to the Royal Hall in Harrogate, on Saturday 7 October 2023.
• Continue reading at the Harrogate Informer. Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch Tour is on the road now – Browse venues at toyahwillcox.com.
If you’re a fan of the music, film, and theater industry, you’ve likely heard of the iconic British singer and actress, Toyah Willcox. With her unique style, powerful voice, and dynamic stage presence, she has captivated audiences for decades. But there’s much more to Toyah than meets the eye. In this article, we’ll delve into 11 mind-blowing facts that shed light on her incredible career, personal life, and enduring influence on the entertainment world. From her early beginnings in Birmingham to her chart-topping hits and iconic film roles, get ready to discover the fascinating journey of Toyah Willcox and learn why she continues to be an indomitable force in the industry.
• Continue reading at Facts.Net.
A Musical History: BBC2: Sunday 22nd October: 1am
Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood Mac are the great survivors of British and American rock music. For more than 50 years they’ve overcome break-ups and breakdowns to become one of the most successful bands of all time, selling over 100 million records worldwide, with their 1977 smash Rumours accounting for nearly half of those sales. Here, fan Edith Bowman provides a narrative overview, alongside fellow celebrity admirers who all pay tribute to the band. Contributors include KT Tunstall, Travis’ frontman Fran Healy, Toyah Willcox, Sian Pattenden and Emma Dabiri.
Phil Marriott shares his latest video, unboxing the 2023 Reissue Deluxe Box Set of The Changeling, a No.6 album from 1982 by Toyah.
The Changeling gives Toyah another Top 100 album this week, with the album landing at #79 on The Official Albums Chart.
The Changeling also places incredibly well in other Official Chart countdowns.
Independent Album Chart at #9, Vinyl Album Chart at #11, Physical Sales Chart at #13, Album Sales Chart at #15, Scottish Album Chart at #19.
• Chart Stats: Toyah has now had eight albums on the Official Albums Chart in the past five consecutive years: In The Court Of The Crimson Queen (2019) #74, Sheep Farming In Barnet (2020) #99, The Blue Meaning (2021) #59, Posh Pop (2021) #22, Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (2022) #72, Anthem (2022) #33, Live At The Rainbow (2022) #100, The Changeling (2023) #79.
NB. As well as those album stats, the two box sets, Toyah Solo (March 2020), and The Humans: Noise In Your Head (July 2020), both entered a number of the Official Charts, including Sales and Independent.
• Browse Toyah’s Official Charts history, including numerous releases from recent years on a variety of Official Album Charts. Order the Remastered reissue of The Changeling by clicking below.
Toyah welcomes you to October for a new instalment of Toyah At Home. There’s a catch-up of the past few weeks, but also it’s Part Two of The Changeling Special with more fan questions, song excerpts and insights to this album. Look out for special clips of previously unseen footage too.
A second review of Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch Rock Party Tour – this one for the second concert at Cheltenham. Again, this review includes spoilers.
Gig Review: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp
“Sunday Lunch” Cheltenham 1st October 2023
Accompanying me for this gig was a friend who started his musical journey at the same moment in time as myself – late 70s to early 80s – and aside from our ailments, all we talk about is music. However, little did I know the entire night was to be all about relationships…
The grandiose setting would have seemed incongruous a few decades ago for the Punk-pixie Toyah Willcox. The galleried space and Corinthian columns are very much of the classic style. However, I guess the contemporary Toyah too is very much the classic heritage act.
Together with her husband Robert Fripp, the duo have been framing their love of music with regular “Sunday Lunch” uploads on YouTube. The covering of classic songs has amassed a huge following and even bigger reactions. The premise is one of fun and self-parody. Tonight was no different…
As the statesmen of the stage, Fripp took to his stool, after offering an unconditional kiss for his iconic guitar. Although, for the remainder of the gig the guitarist’s unflinching gaze was reserved, hereon in, for his wife of 37 years. Unapologetically, their relationship was at the crux of the show.
• Continue reading at Slap Mag. Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch Tour is on the road now – Browse venues at toyahwillcox.com.
I’m just catching up with this week’s Richard Osman’s House Of Games, with Toyah guesting.
Highlights, so far: House Of Games host, Richard Osman revealed (on Monday) his first ever gig was seeing Toyah on The Changeling Tour in 1982 at The Brighton Centre.
Toyah was Tuesday’s champion – choosing a decanter as her prize. Richard said: “If you’d said to me at The Brighton Centre, at 11 years old, one day you’ll be presenting Toyah with a decanter with my face on it as a prize in a three-way tie-break, I’d have been like huh? I’d have liked it though. Toyah, well done!”
• Click below to watch Richard Osman’s House Of Games at BBC iPlayer. (Screenshot/Image © BBC)
We’ve screenshotted (is that a word?) from it a couple of times already, but here is the full promo advert/trailer for The Changeling – Remastered, reissued, reborn…
Way Back When! 1981: NOW 80s: Sunday 8th October: 7pm
60 minutes of lesser heard hits from 1981. Including The Pretenders, Spandau Ballet, George Harrison, Toyah & The Pointer Sisters.
A quirky update, from Phil Jupitus’ Instagram, and Official Toyah even replies!
These three women were key to the post punk era in music. All innovators in their spheres. And all still gigging.
(Toyah Willcox once sang ‘Secret Love’ from ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ to me. I remember a skinhead girl shouting for ‘Say When’ at The Lyceum and Lene looking down and saying quite sternly “Not yet.” Chrissie Hynde was on the pop quiz and was utterly delightful. The Pretenders debut album is one of those where I can’t dip in and out. It has to be the whole thing beginning to end. I would love to see her singing ‘Precious’ live, just once.)
Thanks Phil! ❤️🔥 (Secret Love is from Calamity Jane) 😘 x (reply from Toyah!)
A comprehensive review of the opening – sold out – date of Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch Tour. Please note, this review includes spoilers, such as the full set-list etc.
Wimborne, Tivoli Theatre
Saturday 30 September 2023
This is where it started, during lockdown. It’s had 120 million views. Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox broadcasting totally unexpected duo renditions from home. It went viral. People looked forward to it.
The Tivoli sold out in hours rather than days. Wimborne, Dorset is Robert Fripp’s home town. As explained tonight he first went to the Tivoli when it was a cinema with his sister (who was running the lobby sales stand tonight) when he was five. He proposed to Toyah thirty-seven years ago just along the road. He is the local hero. They could easily have sold out Bournemouth Pavilion judging by the way tickets flew off the shelf. I expect they could have sold out the cavernous BIC, but no, it’s a home town gig in the Tivoli. While it’s a small venue, I have seen such as Robert Plant, Judy Collins, Albert Lee and The Manfreds there.
For many of us in this audience Robert Fripp goes back to The League of Gentlemen and Giles, Giles and Fripp as well as King Crimson. As I increasingly realised working on the record labels on my Around & Around site, we were privileged to live in 60s Bournemouth. (The ‘Greater’ Bournemouth area includes Poole, Christchurch and Wimborne). Robert Fripp, John Wetton, Greg Lake, Michael Giles, Richard Palmer-James, Gordon Haskell (just to name King Crimson connections first), Lee Kerslake (The Gods, Uriah Heep), Zoot Money, Andy Somers (Police), Tim Mycroft (Sounds Nice), Al Stewart, John Rostill (The Shadows), Bob Jenkins (Room, Be Sharp), Pete Ballam (Bram Stoker), Dave Anthony’s Moods, Trendsetters Ltd, The Dowlands. Check out the Bournemouth Beat Boom website for the most detailed information on all of these. As a booming tourist town, Bournemouth simply had far more venues than most places so spawned bands who could actually find plenty of gigs.
• Continue reading at Peter Viney’s Blog. Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch Tour is on the road now – Browse venues at toyahwillcox.com. (Photo © Peter Viney)
Toyah is interviewed in the October 2023 issue of Reader’s Digest magazine. Here is a preview.
If I Ruled The World – Toyah Willcox
Toyah Willcox is a singer, actor and TV presenter with a career spanning 40 years and eight top 40 singles. Toyah and Robert Fripp tour the UK together in October
Young people would have repercussion predictors
If you make a move in anger, revenge or envy, you need to know the consequences of your actions. I think AI would help young people so much—if they could just have a level of repercussion prediction, they might think twice rather than taint their entire life with a bad action. Within social media, a repercussion predictor would be really useful.
Work-life balance would be a law
The majority of us forget to put life balance first. We are very lucky in the UK that we have two days off a week. I often work in America and I’m so shocked at how hard Americans are expected to work. Life isn’t all about work, email, bureaucracy and accounting. In my working world, I would insist that were two days a week where there is no communication with work.
• Reader’s Digest is on sale now from newsagents, selected stores, and online.
The Changeling has returned to the official UK Album Chart, a mere 41 years after it originally entered. The album is currently at No. 16 in the chart update/midweeks, published by The Official Charts Company.
• See the midweek chart here. Browse more Toyah on The Official Charts news/stats, which has occurred numerous times over recent years, at Dreamscape’s Official Charts archive.
