Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

It’s a special day in the Frippcox household!!! Happy 36th Anniversary to Toyah & Robert, and Many Happy Returns to Robert.

A great, comprehensive, review of the. just released, deluxe Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! by Velvet Thunder.

Toyah – Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!
CD/DVD Edition (Cherry Red)

These reissues are a long-overdue reassessment of Toyah’s early-’80s output, and reaffirm just how much depth and sheer great musicianship and songwriting there was to her catalogue

The deluxe Toyah reissue series reaches its third instalment here, with this 1980 live album getting the treatment. It is slightly confusing now, as a later compilation album was given the same title (coming, of course, from the 1970 film Tora! Tora! Tora!, about the bombing of Pearl Harbour), but this is the original. Coming after the first two albums, Sheep Farming In Barnet and The Blue Meaning, it finds Toyah just on the cusp of becoming a mainstream success, as the next release following this would be the Four From Toyah EP containing It’s A Mystery, and everything would suddenly go up a level in terms of profile. This release, then, manages rather neatly to cap the first phase of Toyah’s career, that of the underground ‘rebel’ new wave/art rock figurehead, before the words ‘pop star’ had even hovered on the horizon.

This was, however, more by happy circumstance than grand design, as the recording was arranged for inclusion in a TV documentary special for ATV, who had got wind of the stir that Toyah was beginning to make, and sensed a popular (and no doubt in their minds ‘trendy’) bit of youth programming. To that end, a special performance in Wolverhampton was tacked onto the end of the UK tour (the last she would do in club venues), recorded and filmed, and thus formed the material for this record. In fact, as revealed in the accompanying booklet, Toyah herself claims to have had no idea the gig was going to be filmed until she arrived to find a camera crew setting up on the stage.

• Continue reading at Velvet Thunder.

Barefoot On Mars is #1 on The Heritage Chart. Amazing! (Images © Toyah Willcox)

• Toyah At Home – The Vow: This week Toyah delves into the iconic 1983 single The Vow and there’s a stunning performance of the song from the archives! – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Objects Of Desire (Saturday 14 May 2022): Toyah and Robert take a look at some of the objects that surround them in middle England, direct from social medias most famous kitchen! – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – I Think I’m Paranoid: This weekend is definitely not garbage, it’s especially iconic. The FrippCox fold have cooked up a rather special lunch for you. Oh and the social media team may well of included some bonus footage at the end! – Watch here… (Images © Toyah Willcox)

Jools Holland: BBC Radio 2: Sat 21st May: 9pm
Toyah is Jools’ guest! Join Jools Holland for the first in a new series where he and a guest explore the Later… archive, picking out some favourite moments and discussing some of their favourite artists along the way. Kicking it off is singer, songwriter & actress Toyah, who picks the likes of Bryan Ferry, & Muse, as well as discussing her work and career.

“Later…with Jools Holland” is the UK’s favourite music TV programme, with an archive that stretches back 25 years full of amazing performances by legendary artists. This series – and its companion shows on BBC2 – is the first to properly explore this remarkable heritage, bringing back to BBC airwaves a treasure trove of musical delights!

Read Toyah’s latest blog at toyahwillcox.com.

Toyah plays Chilfest 2022 on Saturday 2nd July in Tring. Tickets are available at www.chilfest.co.uk. Browse all of Toyah’s upcoming festival dates (and all other tours/dates too!) at toyahwillcox.com. Toyah previously played Chilfest back in 2014.

The third reissue from Toyah’s Safari Records back catalogue, Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, is released today on deluxe CD+DVD and colour vinyl by Cherry Red Records.

Toyah’s third, and first live, album was originally released in late 1980. It was reissued on CD and colour vinyl in 1990, and reissued again on expanded CD in 2006.

Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! originally peaked at #22 in the UK Top 40 Album Chart in 1980 and also spent an entire year in the Independent Album Chart, earning a Silver sales certification.

The recorded gig took place on 17th June 1980 at the legendary Club Lafayette, Wolverhampton. The CD+DVD set finally restores the full concert set list and pairs the live album with a DVD of the 1980 television documentary Toyah, released on disc for the first time ever.

• Browse Toyah’s social media spaces for a visual countdown to today’s release, with rare and archive photos and media over the last few weeks.

Toyah Willcox | On Record | In Conversation
Season 1, Episode 7

Broadcaster Satnam Rana and Journalist Adrian Goldberg present twenty-two conversations with Birmingham musicians, promoters, managers, venue owners and entrepreneurs who have all contributed to local, national, and international music culture. Join us and our special guests for conversations about their lives in music, their connections to the city, and how Birmingham has inspired or influenced them, personally and musically.

Selected dates also feature free live performances from the artists appearing On Record. The first of its kind, On Record is a multi-artist, multi-genre concept album forming a sonic love letter to the city of Birmingham. Produced as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, the eleven-track album will be available on a limited vinyl release and across all streaming platforms.

From her early days as a Birmingham punk to the recent internet phenomenon of Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch, Toyah Willcox has become an award-winning rock legend as well as a much-loved actress, and music composer. In this episode Satnam Rana digs deep into Toyah’s enduring career, what influences and drives her. And what a career!

Toyah has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in over twenty feature films, including Derek Jarman’s seminal punk epic, Jubilee, and presented hundreds of TV programmes in her own charismatic, outspoken, and impossible to categorise way. She released Posh Pop, her first solo studio album since 2008, in August 2021.

Listen to Toyah Willcox: On Record | In Conversation.

Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! on CD/DVD & Neon Yellow Vinyl. The third instalment in Cherry Red’s deluxe re-issue series of Toyah’s Safari Records back catalogue is the 1980 live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!. Watch the trailer below.

The gorgeous Barefoot On Mars, from Toyah’s 2021 Top 30 album, Posh Pop, has been steadily climbing the Heritage Chart since debuting at #24 five weeks ago. The song is currently at #2 and I’ve just voted for it for next week’s chart, and you can do the same by clicking below. Hopefully it may place at #1 next week! (Images © Toyah Willcox)

Press for Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – This week covering The Cranberries. (Images © Toyah Willcox)

• NME: Watch Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp cover The Cranberries’ ‘Zombie’: “Hope and love to children in danger everywhere” – Toyah Willcox and her husband, King Crimson founder Robert Fripp have shared a cover of The Cranberries‘ classic protest song ‘Zombie’ – The clip comes as the next chapter in their long-running ‘Sunday Lunch’ series which was launched in 2020 due to Fripp missing live performance as a result of lockdown – Continue reading…

• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah and Robert Fripp cover The Cranberries’ “Zombie”: In another tribute to the the people of Ukraine, Toyah and King Crimson’s Robert Fripp have covered The Cranberries’ 1994 anti-war protest anthem “Zombie.” For this one, there is a poster on their kitchen cupboard that says “Every Child is Sacred” while Fripp said, “Hope and love to children in danger everywhere.” Toyah and Robert previously covered Living Colour’s “Cult of Personality” in solidarity with Ukraine – Continue reading…

• Classic Rock/Louder: This week’s message of hope from Toyah and Robert comes wrapped in tin foil: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox tackle The Cranberries’ anti-war anthem Zombie, and Robert has a serious message – Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp have once again combined their considerable might to add to the sum of human happiness, but this week’s performance comes backed by a serious message. After taking The Cranberries’ classic 1994 anti-war anthem Zombie and giving it a typical Fripp-Willcox makeover – with Willcox wrapped in tin foil – the former King Crimson man delivers a more sombre message than usual. “Hope and love to children in danger everywhere”, he says, quietly, “from Toyah and Robert’s Sunday lunch.” – Continue reading…

• Metal Sucks: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox Cover The Cranberries’ “Zombie”: King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife, the actress and singer Toyah Willcox, are back with the latest entry in their ongoing “Sunday Lunch” series of cover videos. This time around, Fripp and Toyah are covering “Zombie” by The Cranberries. The track keeps up with the couple’s recent political themes, though Toyah also found a way to make it provocative with some kitchen DIY – Continue reading…

• Guitar.Com: Robert Fripp and Toyah Dedicate Cover Of The Cranberries’ Zombie To “Children In Danger Everywhere!: Zombie was released by The Cranberries in 1994 following the killing of two children in the Cheshire town of Warrington – King Crimson‘s Robert Fripp and wife Toyah Wilcox have added a serious message to this week’s Sunday Lunch cover, The Cranberries’ iconic anti-war hit Zombie. While the performance comes with all the bells and whistles we’ve come to expect from the couple’s popular cover series, including Toyah repurposing tinfoil to create her eye-catching ensemble for the week, Fripp makes sure to remind the audience that Zombie was written for a serious purpose by looking straight into the camera to deliver the duo’s dedication – Continue reading…

• Far Out: Power couple Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp issue cover of ‘Zombie’: Toyah Willcox and husband Robert Fripp have unveiled their latest cover, a rousing rendition of ‘Zombie’, done in the style of an Irish singalong pub ballad. It’s the latest chapter in the duo’s ‘Sunday Lunch’, which was launched in 2020 as a means of compensating for the lack of live performances amind the pandemic. Last week, the pair tackled ‘No One Knows‘, but the duo have amassed a back catalogue that includes Neil Young, Smashing Pumpkins and The Who – Continue reading…

• DGM Live: Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Zombie… Toyah & Robert’s Objects Of Desire (May 7th 2022)… Toyah At Home – America For Beginners – Continue reading…

• Sunday Lunch: Zombie: Another helping of Sunday Lunch from the Frippcox household, and this weekend is awesome – Watch the video…

A 140g black vinyl LP of the remastered version of Toyah’s 1980 album The Blue Meaning is released on 15th July 2022.

The second disc in a re-issue programme of Toyah’s entire Safari Records catalogue following the limited edition neon pink coloured vinyl LP version released by Cherry Red in May 2021 which immediately sold out.

Produced by Steve James and ‘Toyah’ the band – Joel Bogen, Pete Bush, Toyah Willcox, Steve Bray and Charlie Francis, the album reached #1 on the UK Independent Album Chart and charted in the main UK Top 40 album chart in June 1980.

Includes the ultimate fan favourite ‘Ieya’, considered a signature song by the band, which was also released as a single, plus ‘Blue Meanings’, ‘Mummies’ and the psychedelic ‘Spaced Walking’ for which Toyah’s vocals were recorded after inhaling helium.

A Punk/New Wave classic featuring a brand new inner bag with rare and unseen imagery of Toyah, plus official lyrics for the album.

• Click below to pre-order the vinyl at Cherry Red Records.

As well as the aforementioned nomination for Best Actor In A Female Role in a Feature Film by The Richard Harris International Film Festival, Toyah was awarded a Judges Special Mention Award for her role in Give Them Wings. The 2021 Awards were announced on Friday Evening, May 6th, 2022 at 8pm Irish time via a You Tube premiere.

• Click below to see the full list of award winners. Browse our Give Them Wings news archive.

• Toyah At Home – America For Beginners: This week is a special behind the scenes insight to America For Beginners, and a special archive performance of the song – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Objects Of Desire: Toyah and Robert take a look at some of the objects that surround them in middle England, direct from social medias most famous kitchen! – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Zombie: Another helping of Sunday Lunch from the Frippcox household, and this weekend is awesome – Watch here… (Images © Toyah Willcox)

Press for Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – This week covering Queens Of The Stone Age. (Images © Toyah Willcox)

• NME: Watch Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp cover Queens Of The Stone Age’s ‘No One Knows’: “Fripp’s my Stone Age King” – Toyah Willcox and her husband, King Crimson founder Robert Fripp have shared a cover of Queens Of The Stone Age‘s ‘No One Knows’ – check it out below – Continue reading…

• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah and Robert Fripp cover Queens Of The Stone Age’s “No One Knows”: “My wife is having a kitchen jog for this week’s Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch,” King Crimson’s Robert Fripp says at the end of this week’s video with Toyah Wilcox. They had also just covered Queens of the Stone Age’s 2002 hit “No One Knows” which they’ve titled “I Don’t Know Why” on the YouTube page. Why? No one knows! – Continue reading…

• Classic Rock/Louder: Toyah enjoys a “kitchen jog” as Robert Fripp powers a Queens Of The Stone Age classic: Another zestful afternoon in the Willcox-Fripp kitchen, as rock’s most energetic couple embrace the Queens Of The Stone Age classic No One Knows – Another Sunday has passed, bringing with it another performance from the Worcestershire home of two of Britain’s liveliest entertainers, Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp. This week the sprightly pair embarked on a journey back to 2002, returning with a perky cover of Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan’s Queens Of The Stone Age classic No One Knows – Continue reading…

• Metal Sucks: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox Cover Queens Of The Stone Age’s “No One Knows”: King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife, the actress and singer Toyah Willcox, are back with the latest entry in their ongoing “Sunday Lunch” series of cover videos. This time around, Fripp and Toyah are covering “No One Knows,” the massive hit tracks from Queens of the Stone Age. Toyah is wearing considerably more than normal, to be sure, but she still finds a way to let her inner beauty shine through – Continue reading…

• Guitar World: Watch Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox cover Queens of the Stone Age’s No One Knows: Fripp channels his inner Josh Homme in the latest of his and his wife’s freewheeling Sunday Lunch covers – Continue reading…

• Metal Injection: King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife Toyah Willcox are back, as they are every Sunday, this time with a cover of the Queens Of The Stone Age classic “No One Knows.”: Toyah and Robert were interviewed by Rolling Stone in 2020, and offered some interesting insight into their creation of this weekly video series. Asked why they started the series, Wilcox responded “This whole thing about being in lockdown was people were stopping moving, and our generation must move.” – Continue reading…

• Far Out: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp perform a pounding version of ‘No One Knows’: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp have become something of an internet sensation in recent months, as the pair have issued a series of covers popularised by Neil Young, The Smashing Pumpkins and The Who from the vicinity of their home. The latest cover is a searing rendition by Queens of The Stone Age’s ‘No One Knows’, a propulsive rocker that showcases Fripp’s power chords – Continue reading…

• Ultimate Guitar: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp and Wife Toyah Willcox Cover Queens of the Stone Age’s ‘No One Knows’ – The latest addition to their “Sunday Lunch” series – Continue reading…

• DGM Live: Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – I Don’t Know Why?… Toyah & Robert’s Objects Of Desire (April 30th, 2022)… Toyah At Home – Jungles Of Jupiter – Continue reading…

• Sunday Lunch: I Don’t Know Why (No One Knows): All we can say is – Toyah has a new keep fit regime…… – Watch the video…

Toyah is nominated in the Best Actor In A Female Role in a Feature Film (2021) for Give Them Wings, at The Richard Harris International Film Festival. See all the nominees in the video below.

Martin Kiszko’s fifteen-part audio/radio drama King Frank & The Knights Of The Ecoquest has won Bronze Award as best Children/Young Adult Programme at the New York Radio Festival. Toyah plays Haroldia The Herald in the epic audio production.

The 1981 POWER Hour!: NOW 80s: Saturday 7th May: 6pm
60 minutes of power pop & rock! Earplugs at the ready as we rewind to 1981 with Toyah, Genesis, Rick Springfield & Meat Loaf.

• Toyah At Home – Jungles Of Jupiter: As the countdown to the Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! release continues this week Toyah takes a look at Jungles Of Jupiter and we get to see a great live performance from the archives! – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Objects Of Desire: Toyah and Robert take a look at some of the objects that surround them in middle England, direct from social medias most famous kitchen! – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – I Don’t Know Why (No One Knows): All we can say is – Toyah has a new keep fit regime…… – Watch here… (Images © Toyah Willcox)

A four star review of the Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! reissue, by Classic Pop magazine. The CD+DVD and colour vinyl is released on Friday 13th May, and can be pre-ordered here.

One of the most tantalising of promised releases in the ongoing Toyah reissue campaign. Cherry Red have thankfully done what fans hoped in overhauling the band’s 1980 live album. A word-of-mouth phenomenon that eventually went silver, the concert from famed Wolverhampton 600-capacity Club Lafayette has added its three missing songs including the electrifying, She.

While Toyah Willcox was soon to brilliantly distil her energy into a poppier world, her band’s original chaos is captured fantastically in an anarchic performance, brought further to life on five tracks filmed on the accompanying bonus DVD, notably a feral Insects.

The DVD also includes the long overdue official release of the ITV documentary Toyah from the same year, which shadowed the singer. For someone who was yet to have a chart hit, it was a commendably prescient programme, though the young Toyah was so magnetic that she was gold dust for anyone curious enough to tune in.

The doc works as cultural history, too, with footage of Toyah’s Battersea home showing it was possible for struggling musicians to turn a London warehouse into a thriving artistic community on the cheap 40 years ago. What could have been dingy chaos crackles with magnetism, both on audio and visual.

• Classic Pop, Issue 75 May/June 2022, is on sale now! (Thanks to Minna)