Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Christmas 1983, and a little, albeit unconventional, festive retail therapy at one of London’s most legendary department stores – Liberty on Regent Street – made the fourth festive season of the 1980s a very memorable one for Toyah fans and viewers of Good Morning Britain on TVAM.

Toyah sporting her late 1983 – most associated with the promotion of The Vow – look, and her Brave New World video co-star Messenger (the beautiful horse), went early Christmas shopping in November…

Pop singer and actress Toyah Willcox has always wanted to do her Christmas shopping on horseback! With a little help from TV-am’s ‘Fantasy Time’, and Liberty London in Regent Street, Toyah rode a white horse called Messenger through the store.

• Watch the full TVAM clip at Toyah’s Official You Tube channel and click below to see larger versions of the screen captures of Toyah and Messenger.

Tomorrow’s Toyah At Home brings the premiere of the new single – and accompanying video for – Sensational (Posh Redux). The single features Robert Fripp.

In today’s Toyah At Home episode, Toyah introduces the video to Sensational which receives a new single release in its new remixed version, featuring the Posh Pop Three including Robert Fripp on guitar. Premieres 11am, Saturday 17th December. (Image © Toyah Willcox)

Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Marlow FM’s ‘Musical Milestones’ on The Eclectic Light Show.

She discussed her life and career in relation to music and what it has meant to her, as well as its importance in her life. Toyah also chose six pieces of her favourite music, for significant reasons which she discusses during the programme.

The music choices were by Gustav Holst (Mars, The Planet Suite), Simon & Garfunkel (Bridge Over Troubled Water), T. Rex (Ride A White Swan), David Bowie (Life On Mars), Shakespears Sister (Stay), Muse (Supermassive Black Hole).

“Music embodies your soul, it embodies your physicality, it embodies your thoughts…”

This aired on Christmas Eve that year, and at the time marlow FM didn’t have a Listen Again function so I recorded it and uploaded to Dreamscape a low quality mp3 of the 30-minute special. Click below to listen/download.

Most Shocking Moments In Pop: Channel 5: Wednesday 28th December: 11.55pm
Series 1, Episode 4. Tamzin Outhwaite narrates a selection of memorable incidents involving musicians, including Zayn Malik leaving One Direction and Robbie Williams rejoining Take That. There are lessons in etiquette from Grace Jones, the scoop on Beyonce’s sister Solange taking on Jay-Z and the British singing legend who was one of the first to take on the Apartheid regime. With insight from Toyah Willcox, Rick Wakeman, Bez, Dan Hipgrave, Harvey, Jay Aston, Carrie and David Grant and Linda Lewis, with comments from Ralf Little, Matt Richardson, Katie Puckrik, Pat Sharp and Robert Elms.

Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Steve Lamacq’s Rock College on BBC Radio 2 as ‘Guest Lecturer’, discussing how absolutely life-changing first discovering David Bowie was for her when growing up in Birmingham in the early 1970s.

Toyah talks about the legendary album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and of first glimpsing, and hearing, Bowie performing Starman on the music programme Lift Off With Ayshea.

“This was a moment that changed my life forever…”

This was such a great audio clip/opinion piece by Toyah it would’ve been a real shame to just let it disappear after its week on iPlayer back in 2012… so here it is! Click below to listen.

• Toyah At Home: I Believe In Father Christmas – Watch… • Robert At Home: Episode 19 – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: Upbeat Moments Of The Week! – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Watch…

Press for Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – This week covering Brenda Lee’s Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Originally recorded in 1958 and currently in the UK Top 10 right now! (Image © Toyah Willcox)

• NME: Toyah and Robert Fripp cover festive classic ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’: The couple tackle a holiday classic for the latest in their long string of cover videos – Continue…

• Classic Rock/Louder: Can someone please go check that Toyah and Robert Fripp are ok, because honestly, we worry sometimes: Toyah and Robert are at it again, “it” in this instance, involving the use of whipped cream – Continue…

• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah & Robert Fripp cover “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree” – Continue…

• Far Out: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp share punk cover of ‘Rockin Around The Christmas Tree’ – Continue…

• Brave Words: Robert Fripp & Toyah Perform “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” In New Kitchen Video – Continue…

• Ultimate Guitar: Watch: Robert Fripp and Toyah Cover ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ in Time for the Holidays: With whipped cream aplenty – Continue…

• Guitar World: Robert Fripp and Toyah get in the festive spirit with this oh-so-ridiculous cover of Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree: The King Crimson man injects some powerchords into the Christmas classic, while Toyah pours shaving cream on his head – Continue…

• DGM Live: Toyah & Robert’s Weekend – Continue…

Christmas 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984. In the early eighties Toyah’s Official Fanclub – Intergalactic Ranch House – sent out Christmas cards to subscribing members each December, with Toyah taking the time to sign each and every card, which numbered around 6,000 at the height of the fanclub’s popularity.

This tradition was carried on for an extra year, in 1984, when the Intergalactic Ranch House became simply the Toyah Fanclub following Toyah leaving Safari Records after five years and signing to CBS/Portrait Records.

All four cards featured photos of Toyah, showcasing great early eighties imagery and creating a unique set of fanclub memorabilia that became collector’s items. Here’s a snapshot of a feature on the Christmas cards from an issue of Dreamscape’s fanzine.

Coming this Friday! Toyah’s new digital single Sensational (Posh Redux) featuring Robert Fripp.

Produced by Simon Darlow, the single is a follow-up to Slave To The Rhythm and previews the forthcoming Rhythm Deluxe Edition of In The Court Of The Crimson Queen.

Christmas 1984, The Ebony Tower, written by John Fowles and originally published in 1974, premiered on ITV on the 9th December.

Toyah filmed the 90-minute television drama, which was produced by Granada TV, in the Dordogne region of France during the Summer of 1983.

She starred alongside Sir Laurence Olivier, Greta Scacchi and Roger Rees. In a 1984 interview, Toyah said of the character she plays: “The girl I play in The Ebony Tower may be called ‘The Freak’, and she may even look like a freak, but deep down she is the sanest person in the story“.

View promo shots from the drama here and here. Read an interview with Toyah, published when The Ebony Tower aired, by Outlook magazine, and another from around the same time, by Cosmopolitan magazine. Read Dreamscape’s 2011 DVD review, and view a couple of our fan adverts. (Thanks to andy for the screen cap below)

10cc, Strawbs, Toyah and Robert Fripp and more for Cropredy 2023

Fairport Convention’s annual Cropredy shindig will take place in Banbury, Oxfordshire August 10-12

10cc have been announced as the Friday night headliners for next year’s Cropredy Festival, which will take place at Cropredy near Banbury on Thursday 10, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 August 2023.

Toyah and Robert Fripp are also set to appear and there will be a farewell UK performance from the Strawbs. Also appearing will be Damian Wilson and Adam Wakeman, Solstice, Kiki Dee and Carmelo Luggeri, Gilbert O’Sullivan and more.

• Continue reading at Prog Magazine.

Christmas 2022, Toyah At Home on Saturday 10th December was a festive special – featuring Toyah and Robert – airing at Toyah’s Official You Tube channel and Facebook feed.

Toyah and Robert watched and reacted to Toyah’s performance of, Greg Lake’s wonderful, I Believe In Father Christmas from the tv show Pop Goes Christmas, which originally aired at Christmas 1982 on ITV. The full retro festive clip was also shown at the end of the episode.

In today’s Toyah At Home episode, Toyah reacts to the fantastically festive 1982 performance of the Greg Lake classic I Believe In Father Christmas. Filmed in December 1982, this clip turns 40- this year and features Toyah sporting black contact lenses and accompanied by Joel Bogen and Keith Hale. Happy 40th to this version!

• Watch Saturday’s Toyah At Home by clicking below. (Image © Toyah Willcox)

Toyah entertained guests at the NCBC 99th Christmas Party in Nottingham on Friday, talking about her career and more. Here’s a great photo of Toyah with Ray post-event. (Photo © Ray Sears)

Christmas 2016, Toyah attended a ceremony and was inducted into the Birmingham Walk Of Stars.

Toyah said: “I am thrilled to be receiving a star on the Birmingham Walk of Stars. Having spent my childhood and teenage years in this great city, I developed my love of music and theatre here, thanks to all the great music venues and theatres available within the one city.“

• See news on Toyah attending the Birmingham Walk Of Stars event here and here. (Photo © Birmingham Mail)

Toyah – Four More From Toyah – Expanded 12″ Neon Violet Vinyl Version: Album Review

The story continues – The latest triumphant installment in Cherry Red’s reissue series of Toyah’s Safari Records catalogue.

Release Date: 9th December 2022
Label: Cherry Red Records
Formats: Vinyl

And so the story continues. Back in early 2021, we were pleased to review the deluxe reissue of Toyah’s second album, The Blue Meaning and then, last May, we raved over the combined CD/DVD repackaging of her seminal 1980 live album, Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! Cherry Red has certainly been busy and, since we last paid a visit to Toyah-land a super-deluxe edition of her 1981 album, Anthem, has hit the racks, along with a CD version of her breakthrough February 1981 concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre – a recording that was previously only available in video formats. And now, Toyah’s back again, this time with a delightful, expanded, 12” neon violet vinyl version of her third EP, Four More From Toyah.

Originally released in November 1981, the EP continued Toyah’s run of chart success, thanks this time to the popularity of lead track, Good Morning Universe. The original EP climbed to No.14 in the UK singles chart; for 2022 viewers, it’s been expanded into a mini-album, with the addition of four further tracks, two of which receive a commercial release for the first time.

The original EP comprised the first material to be studio-recorded since drummer Nigel Glocker’s departure to join NWOBHM-ers, Saxon, and the line-up on display for the eight tracks in this package is: Toyah Willcox (vocals), Joel Bogen (guitar), Adrian Lee (keyboards), Phil Spalding (bass) and new drummer, Simon Phillips. And the band sound rock-solid! I was particularly impressed by the concrete foundation, often edging towards the funky side of things, that Phil and Simon laid down; and Toyah sings with a maturity that is only hinted at on her earlier recordings, without losing any of the sinister edge that could often make her vocal delivery such a chilling experience.

• Continue reading at At The Barrier. Buy Four More From Toyah at Cherry Red.

Christmas 2011, Toyah presented a fantastic, three-hour, music-filled festive spectacular for the, relatively, new music channel Vintage TV.

Toyah’s Vintage Christmas was a constant that Christmas, airing numerous times through December, with Toyah introducing festive pop videos and sharing seasonal trivia. The programme was repeated in subsequent years, and Toyah would go on to present other Christmas shows – including A Very Vintage Christmas, Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo – right through until Vintage TV ceased broadcasting in 2017.

A mere 41 years after its original release, Four More From Toyah is out today – on expanded eight song colour vinyl mini LP. Boasting gorgeous artwork and unreleased tracks, it’s the latest in an impressive release schedule of colour Toyah vinyls made available over the past five years or so. Order Four More From Toyah on neon violet vinyl at Cherry Red by clicking below.

Christmas 2012, 2013 & 2014 brought us, Christmas related, Toyah releases…

1. I Believe In Father Christmas; Toyah’s version of the Greg Lake 70s festive classic (which was voted one of the greatest ever Christmas songs in a 2012 poll) has gathered quite a history over the years: It was originally recorded for ITV’s Pop Goes Christmas in 1982, Safari then included it on the Mayhem compilation album in 1985, and later it was also made available on the CD Live & More. Ten years ago, at Christmas 2012, it was released as a standalone digital single. Download at iTunes. 2.Winter In Wonderland; One year on and at Christmas 2013 there was another new digital single, make that an EP, for Christmas – Winter in Wonderland… Download at iTunes. 3. Has God Ceased To Dream You; Toyah released this four-song EP in December 2014 as a companion piece to the recently digitally released Take The Leap! album… Download at iTunes. (NB. Only I Believe In Father Christmas is still available at iTunes!)

Britain’s Favourite Christmas Carol: Wednesday 14th December: Channel 5: 3.50am
A countdown of the nation’s most beloved carols, as voted for by the British public. A cast of famous faces guide viewers through the results, giving their take on some of the most enduring songs ever written. In between the notes, a team of experts reveal the musical tricks, hidden histories and surprising stories behind these classic carols. Plus, a cast of community and professional choirs from across the UK perform the carols, alongside beloved performances from the TV archives. (NB. This originally aired at Christmas 2019)

Christmas 2016, and BBC Four aired a repeat Top Of The Pops, which was originally broadcast in October 1982 on BBC1, which included Toyah’s studio performance of the single, Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard). This website described Toyah’s performance/appearance as “iconic, classic and utterly unforgettable“.

While the retro TOTP aired, BBC Four also tweeted: “In 1982, Toyah was so famous, she even had a lion-tailed macaque named after her on Animal Magic, and appeared on the show to meet it“.

Read Toyah’s December 2022 blog at toyahwillcox.com. Toyah says: “HELLO THERE AND HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL! I hope you are all ready to PARTY!”

Christmas 2012, BBC Radio 4 aired Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas on 20th December.

A fascinating look back at the golden years of the UK’s biggest pop magazine of the Eighties. A publication Toyah featured in a lot between 1980 and 1985, and also graced a trio of covers in 1980, ’81 and ’82.

The programme included contributions from Tennant, various Smash Hits editors and writers, and Toyah, talking about Smash Hits in general and her Brave New World cover from the Summer of 1982.

Neil Tennant had a life as a journalist before he became famous as a Pet Shop Boy, interviewing many of the pop stars and bands of the era, including a very early interview with Madonna. In fact, it was on a Smash Hits trip to New York that he had his big breakthrough with the record producer Bobby O.

Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas, a 30-minute radio docu, hasn’t been available at BBC iPlayer/BBC Sounds since Christmas 2012, but you can click below to listen to a recording of the programme at You Tube, or download direct from Dreamscape, here.