Last weekend’s Saturday Song is a specially filmed concert performance of the classic Angel & Me, a song from the 1982 album The Changeling. Filmed at the o2 Academy Islington, November 2018.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
TOYAH – LIVE AT THE RAINBOW / LIVE AT DRURY LANE (CHERRY RED)
These two releases now available form a perfect set of stepping stones leading from the club-venue rawness of Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! to the theatrical, large scale Changeling shows which birthed Warrior Rock. They have been a long, long time coming, and they are most welcome to say the least.
Continuing the excellent Toyah reissue series comes the bonus of two albums, both originally recorded in 1981, to follow up the slightly earlier Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, recorded the previous year. Interestingly, however, these two albums – which nicely bridge the gap between the raw Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! album and the later more populist Warrior Rock double – are less reissues than they are entirely new releases. Live At The Rainbow, of course, from a February 1981 show, was a popular video release back in the day, but oddly enough has never seen the light of day in audio form until now. Live At Drury Lane, on the other hand, is a show from the latter end of that same year, originally broadcast by the BBC on the annual Old Grey Whistle Test Christmas In Concert programme, and has only ever been available, for a relatively short time in incomplete form, on a BBC videotape called Good Morning Universe. The differences between the two releases really highlight how much was going on within a few months of this highly successful year, and is a large part of what makes these releases a fascinating back-to-back listen for fans.
• Continue reading at Velvet Thunder. Live At The Rainbow and Live At Drury Lane are available in both CD+DVD and colour 12″ vinyl from Cherry Red Records.
The Janice Long Review Show “The Changeling” (2013)
This programme excerpt from 2013 sees Toyah discuss the album The Changeling, and its then recent celebration Resurrection Tour, with the late Janice Long for her Album Review Show. Also discussing are Paul Sexton and Trevor Horn.
• Pre-order The Changeling, on 2CD+DVD, neon pink 12″ vinyl LP, Super Deluxe Limited box set, at Cherry Red.
Secret Diary Of A Call Girl: That’s TV: Friday 28th July: 1.45am
Series 1. Episode 1. Adult drama based on the journals of Belle de Jour, starring Billie Piper as a high-class escort who enjoys what she does but has to keep it a secret from everyone in her personal life. Belle entertains two new clients – one of whom gets too close for comfort. With Toyah Willcox and Cherie Lunghi.
Secret Diary Of A Call Girl: That’s TV: Friday 28th July: 2.10am
Series 1. Episode 2. Belle is invited to a prestigious adult party, but her client doesn’t want to join the action. Starring: Billie Piper, Toyah Willcox, Aleksandar Mikic, Jamie Sives, Aislinn Sands and Scarlette O’Harlette.
• Series One of Secret Diary Of A Call Girl first aired in 2007 on ITV. Toyah appeared in Episodes 1,2 and 8 (Photos © ITV)
80s star Toyah to headline Reepham Festival in August 2023
An 80s “pop princess” has been announced as this year’s headliner for one of Norfolk’s most popular music festivals.
Toyah Willcox, who has had eight top 40 singles across her 20-album career, will be headlining Reepham Festival’s main stage on August 12.
The festival features two stages with a line-up that includes the Buster James Band – an “East Anglian favourite” – and The Black Shucks.
• Continue reading at Dereham Times.
Britain’s Favourite 80s Songs: Channel 5: Friday 4th August: 10pm
1989. Series 1, episode 10. Jackie Brambles narrates this look back at 1989, the era of Madonna, Milli Vanilli and Jason Donovan. Toyah Willcox, Paul Gambaccini, Cheryl Baker and Jenny Powell add their thoughts on the year when the Bangles’ Eternal Flame was a huge hit, Lisa Stansfield sang All Around The World, and Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers were almost unstoppable.
This exclusive interview excerpt – for Toyah Tuesday – (from the DVD of the 2CD+DVD) sees Toyah reflecting on the experience of making The Changeling, and using digital recording equipment for the first time.
Check back on Tuesdays and Saturdays across Toyah’s socials for more Changeling-themed surprises.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
A trio of previously unseen photos of Toyah – taken during the recording of The Changeling in 1982 – are included in the preview excerpt of the DVD interview (see post above) with Toyah that is included on the forthcoming 2CD+DVD reissue of the album.
• Click below to pre-order The Changeling. (Photos © Cherry Red/Toyah Willcox)
Toyah’s Absolute 80s: Absolute Radio: Friday 21st July: 2am
Toyah choosing the songs that defined the decade for her. Listen at the Absolute 80s website.
Toyah talks summer festivals, Peak Cavern, stripping off and Robert Fripp.
The Lee Mack Show: BBC Radio 4 Extra:
Tuesday 1st August: 10.30pm
Toyah Willcox. Series 1, episode 6. Comedy sketches and music, with regulars Angela McHale and Steve Brown and guest Toyah Willcox. First aired in 2005.
(This show includes Toyah performing a stonkingly good version of Sweet Child O’ Mine).
Beyond Awesome! It’s a summer of The Changeling – recalling a similar summer back in 1982, but bringing one of Toyah’s most iconic eras, and studio albums, bang up to date. The remastered and expanded album is reissued on three wonderful formats at the end of Summer 2023 – on 29th September.
• See all editions and comprehensive contents by clicking below. Pre-order The Changeling, on 2CD+DVD, neon pink 12″ vinyl LP, Super Deluxe Limited box set, at Cherry Red.
Premiering 6pm on Tuesday 18 July, this exclusive interview excerpt (from the DVD of the 2CD+DVD) sees Toyah reflecting on the experience of making The Changeling, and using digital recording equipment for the first time. (Image © Cherry Red/Toyah Willcox)
Official Toyah are getting set for a summer of music and a trip back to 1982 with The Changeling Resurrection. Each Tuesday they’re counting down to the remastered, deluxe releases of Toyah’s classic 1982 album The Changeling, released 29 September on Cherry Red.
Today’s Saturday Song is a vintage 1982 performance of the classic single Brave New World, live in Germany. Check back on Tuesdays and Saturdays here and across Toyah’s socials for more Changeling-themed surprises.
• Pre-order The Changeling Super Deluxe Box Set & other formats.
Britain’s Favourite 80s Songs: Channel 5: Friday 28th July: 10pm
1988. Series 1, episode 9. Jenny Powell narrates this look back at 1988, when Bros, Belinda Carlisle and Bomb the Bass were riding high in the charts, and Kylie Minogue went from soap icon to pop star. Toyah Willcox, Paul Gambaccini, Cheryl Baker and Sam Fox add their thoughts on the year when Fairground Attraction had a Perfect hit, the Hollies were back in the charts, and Yazz and the Plastic Population breathed new life into 1980 song The Only Way Is Up.
Dreamscape celebrated the 30th Anniversary of The Changeling, in 2012, with a website!
The Official Charts website has had a major revamp/makeover recently. You can now browse Toyah’s chart history across numerous charts, rather than just the previously available Singles and Albums. Almost every album, box set and vinyl Toyah release over the past six years has entered numerous charts compiled by Official Charts. See all of these as well as Toyah’s “classic” chart entries by clicking below.
1982 album remastered and expanded
Cherry Red continue to work through Toyah’s Safari Records output and, in September, will reissue the band’s 1982 album, The Changeling, across a number of formats.
The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite and featured just the one single, ‘Brave New World’, which peaked at No 21 in the UK. The album has been newly remastered for this archive release.
Like Anthem, The Changeling is being made available as a big super deluxe edition box set, in addition to a 2CD+DVD package and a coloured vinyl LP version.
The 2CD+DVD version probably offers the best bang for your buck, with a whopping 31 bonus tracks including work-in-progress mixes, instrumental outtakes and demos. 20 of these are previously unreleased and three are new-to-CD. The NTSC, region-free DVD offers a 2023 interview with Toyah Willcox and her track-by-track commentary along with loads of TV appearances from back in the day.
• Continue reading at Super Deluxe Edition.
Toyah’s blog for July is available to read at toyahwillcox.com.
