Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah & Robert have some specials airing over the Christmas weekend. As well as this morning’s, just aired, Toyah At Home, there is an Upbeat Moments Of The Week this Christmas Eve evening, Toyah & Robert – Merry Christmas and Sunday Lunch – Jingle Those Bells!! on Christmas Day. There is also Episode 21 of Robert At Home airing any minute now!

Sending a huge THANK YOU to Toyah & Robert for gifting everyone so much in 2022: Albums, singles, tours, reissues, blogs, Sunday Lunch, At Home, Objects Of Desire, Upbeat Moments and, essentially, just a lot of entertainment, happiness and much needed… joy!

Toyah wishing everyone a Merry Christmas Eve this morning on Toyah At Home, and taking us back to a vintage performance of It’s A Mystery on Top Of The Pops, Christmas Day 1981. I can still clearly remember watching this that day all those (41) years ago! (Image © Toyah Willcox)

Hey, welcome to the penultimate Christmas Countdown entry for 2022. It’s Christmas Eve Eve… Always one of the most exciting days of the year!

Christmas 2019, Toyah rounded off yet another incredibly busy year of live concerts by playing the three-date Let’s Rock – The Retro Winter Tour. A festive extravaganza which played three arenas; Motorpoint in Nottingham (29th November), The SSE Hydro in Glasgow (11th December) and Wembley Arena in London (13th December).

The tour also featured Tony Hadley, Marc Almond, ABC, Jimmy Somerville, Nik Kershaw, Boney M, Altered Images, Toyah, Sonia, Annabella Lwin, Peter Coyle, Dr & The Medics.

Here’s the Let’s Rock Winter promo image and photos of Toyah ready to hit the stage at Motorpoint, Nottingham and the Crimson Queen with Clare Grogan at Glasgow’s Hydro. (Photos © Toyah Willcox/Clare Grogan)

Christmas 1996, Toyah contributed a festive recollection of Christmas past to the charity publication Once Upon A Christmas (Memories and Recipes From Your Favourite Celebrities). The book is now long out of print and unavailable.

In this delightful Christmas book, a host of our most popular and well-known celebrities from all walks of life have contributed stories, memories, recipes and thoughts about Christmas to make this the most irresistible festive anthology there is… Once Upon A Christmas will help to put – and keep – you in the Christmas spirit.

Toyah Willcox: Broadcaster and Singer

“Childhood Christmasses were the most magical. It was the appearance of the Christmas tree that cued two weeks of sheer all-encompassing joy. I’m talking about being four years old. Just able to talk but unable to comprehend the hidden meanings of the words of wisdom from the giants, the adults…”

• Continue reading Toyah’s Once Upon A Christmas entry at Dreamscape’s Press Archive.

*** ADVANCE NOTICE….
PRE-ORDER LIVE tonight at 7pm ***

A special 10” Cherry Red-coloured vinyl EP commemorating Toyah’s classic single ‘Brave New World is released 10 March 2023.

Limited to 500 copies only.

The EP contains 4 tracks, all previously unreleased versions and the long-awaited Dawn Chorus (6.55 Special Mix).

Part of its special ‘45s at 45’ vinyl series marking the 45th Anniversary of Cherry Red Records.

Pre-order from 7pm TONIGHT
Thur 22 Dec 2022

BRAVE NEW WORLD
10″ Red-coloured Vinyl EP

Side A
1. Brave New World (Razzmatazz Mix)
2. Street Creature (Razzmatazz Mix)

Side B
1. Dawn Chorus (6.55 Special Version)
2. Ieya 1982 (Edited Version)

Christmas 1982, Happy Christmas From The Stars, a “Free Christmas Record (12 Minutes of Festive Fun)”, was attached to the December 9-22, 1982 issue of Smash Hits magazine.

The Christmas flexi was originally an idea by Neil Tennant – who worked as a journalist at Smash Hits before global pop stardom as a Pet Shop Boy. It was produced in association with Levis, released by Lyntone Records, produced by Trevor Dann and recorded by Mark Ellen.

The festive flexi-disc featured numerous pop stars – Abba, ABC, Adam Ant, Bananarama, Bucks Fizz, Captain Sensible, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Funboy Three, Haircut 100, Imagination, The Jam, Madness, Mari Wilson, Musical Youth, The Piranahs, The Police, Steve Strange, Toyah, Ultravox – sending readers Christmas greetings, messages and Yuletide tunes.

Click below to listen – Toyah arrives at the Christmas 1982 Pop Star Party at 4.46, in-between Martin Fry of ABC and Steve Strange of Visage. Too-de-loo!!

NB. I’d like to dedicate this post to Terry Hall, not only of The Specials and Funboy Three, but two other great bands, The Colour Field, and Terry Blair & Anouchka. He truly was the voice of a generation! Rest in Peace.

Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Friday 23rd December: 1pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Visage, Five Star, Divine, Cher, The Jam, Bananarama, Dead Or Alive, Bucks Fizz, ABC, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Madonna, Adam & The Ants, A Flock Of Seagulls, Roxy Music, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Su Pollard, Toyah herself and more in this crazy countdown! See the full Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30 playlist here.

Christmas 2016, saw Toyah Willcox and the Great British Panto take place. The festive event was held at the Victoria & Albert Museum, aka the V&A, London. A fascinating event, with Toyah discussing the history, origins and traditions of pantomime, as well as her own 20-year panto career.

The V&A, in anticipation of the festive event, said: “Toyah Willcox’s career has encompassed chart-hits, novels and roles on stage and screen, from working at the National Theatre to cult-classic Quadrophenia. She is also a celebrated pantomime performer, having spent many a season playing a variety of roles from Principal Boy to Wicked Queen. Join her as part of the V&A’s Christmas Festivities as she celebrates one of her and Britain’s best loved artforms. Toyah will be in conversation with Senior Curator and Pantomime Editor of the British Theatre Guide, Simon Sladen. (Photos © Damon King)

Click below to browse the Sunday Lunch 2023 Rock Party Tour dates – touring next September/October. The perfect Christmas gift for any Toyah & Robert/Sunday Lunch fan!

Christmas 1981, Following an incredible year of huge hit singles, gold-selling album, tours, a multitude of images, hundreds of press interviews and numerous television appearances, Toyah closed her/their sensational 1981 by playing the final date of the Good Morning Universe European Tour, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London on Christmas Eve.

This was Toyah’s third, and final, tour of the year, following the College Tour at the beginning of 1981 and the Anthem Tour in the middle of the year.

The gig was broadcast live on BBC2  – and simultaneously in stereo on BBC Radio 1 – on The Old Grey Whistle Test – introduced by Radio 1/TOGWT legend, Annie Nightingale – as their annual Christmas Eve concert for 1981, in a schedule that also included everything from a festive All Creatures Great & Small, to an episode of Russell Harty At Home.

The band were: Toyah Willcox (Vocals|), Joel Bogen (Guitar), Adrian Lee (Keyboards), Phil Spalding (Bass Guitar, Vocals), Simon Phillips (Drums).

The concert was released on regular VHS (and Limited Edition hardback cover VHS with an Introduction note by Toyah) by BBC Video in 1982.

Toyah was among a small number who received this not inconsiderable accolade during the 1970s/80s golden era of music. Others bands/artists who were gifted The Old Grey Whistle Test festive concert over the years included Elton John (1974), Queen (1975), Rod Stewart (1976), The Kinks (1977), 10CC (1978), Ian Dury & The Blockheads (1980), Elton John (1982), Paul Young (1983).

Toyah would later recall: “I spent one Christmas in complete euphoria after doing the Drury Lane Whistle Test. I can remember driving home to Birmingham that night and it was snowing. Everything was just wonderful and I remained on a high after doing that show for about ten days.“

Toyah’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane/The Old Grey Whistle Test concert has become an intrinsic and memorable part of Christmas. A legendary event that thousands attended and many millions watched, and remember as such a special moment in Toyah’s career as well as everyone’s Christmas – past, present and, no doubt, future!

• Toyah At Home: Sensational (Posh Redux feat. Robert Fripp) – Watch… • Robert At Home: Episode 20 – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: Upbeat Moments Of The Week! – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Sensational Magical Sunday Lunch! – Watch…

Press for Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – This week Toyah performs some magic to accompany the new digital single, Sensational (Posh Redux) (Image © Toyah Willcox)

• Guitar.Com: Toyah And Robert Fripp Cook Up A ‘Sensational’ Storm This Sunday Lunch: Featuring some eggs and flour in Robert’s upturned hat – Continue…

• NME: Watch Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp perform ‘Sensational’ for Sunday Lunch: In the video, Willcox cracks eggs into Fripp’s upturned hat – Continue…

• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah & Robert Fripp celebrate a “Sensational” Christmas – Continue…

• Far Out: Watch Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox perform ‘Sensational’ at home: Power couple Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp have issued the latest episode of their ‘Sunday Lunch’ series – Continue…

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

Christmas 2010, and The Hazel O’Connor Collective, which included Toyah as one of the main vocalists, released the charity single – written by Hazel O’Connor – Re-Joyce (In The Bleak Midwinter). Proceeds from the single went to Myton Hospice in Coventry where Hazel’s mum, Joyce, received care and treatment for cancer.

The track was also released on CD, and alongside the main single mix, some special solo versions were also released digitally, including Toyah’s.

Re-Joyce (In The Bleak Midwinter) by The Hazel O’Connor Collective reached the Top 10 of the Amazon UK Music/Singles chart at Christmas 2010.

NB: Sending Best Wishes to Hazel this Christmas. An update to her Go Fund Me page on 15th December said: “Hazel continues to make good progress and is very grateful for everyone’s good wishes, love and support. Merry Christmas to everyone and here’s hoping next year brings good health and happiness.”

The new ‘Posh Redux’ version of Sensational featuring Robert Fripp on guitar, was released on Friday as a preview digital single to stream and download.

Following her Top 30 hit album Posh Pop and Isle of Wight Festival performance Toyah unveils details of the new ‘Rhythm Deluxe Edition’ of studio album In The Court of The Crimson Queen, presented as a prequel to Posh Pop.

The definitive version of the album now contains Toyah’s unique interpretation of the iconic song Slave To The Rhythm, featuring Robert Fripp on guitar and produced by Simon Darlow, co-writer of the original track. The album also contains three brand new remakes of Sensational, Heal Ourselves and Latex Messiah featuring the Posh Pop Three of Toyah, Simon Darlow and Robert Fripp. Plus exclusively revised artwork and lyrics for the album.

• Watch the video below or at You Tube. Yesterday’s Toyah At Home was a Sensational special, watch here, and today’s Sensational Magical Sunday Lunch, here. Stream/download Sensational (Posh Redux) here.

Just one week until Christmas Eve! Hope you are enjoying Dreamscape’s Christmas Countdown – revisiting lots of festive Toyah memories for our 23rd Christmas online…

Christmas 2018, Toyah tweeted a sensational and joyous photo taken at Fistral Bay in Newquay, Cornwall:

“Rocking out the storm at Fistral Bay”. A great way to celebrate definitely the best month of the year! (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

Stream or download Toyah’s new single… It’s Sensational!

Britain’s Favourite Christmas Carol: Christmas Day: Channel 5: 4.50am
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.

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.