Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Stars give music fans ‘blast from the past’ at festival

Hundreds of music fans have enjoyed a “blast from the past” at a one-day festival celebrating some of the stars of the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s.

Pop acts such as Toyah, Haircut 100, Damage and Liberty X took to the stage at Hits On The Pitch at Stockport Rugby Club in Greater Manchester on Saturday.

The event saw many memorable moments, including singer Chesney Hawkes leading the crowd in a rendition of The Beatles’ Hey Jude, in tribute to England footballer Jude Bellingham before the nation’s appearance in the Euros 2024 final.

Organiser Paul Taylor said it had been a chance to go “back to the good old glory days” and enjoy “guilty pleasures and forgotten treasures spanning across three unforgettable decades”.

• Continue reading at BBC News.

National Album Day follows on Saturday, with an 80s theme of its own. Record stores will be stocked with limited editions of classics like ZZ Top’s Eliminator, Paul Simon’s Graceland, Cyndi Lauper’s She’s So Unusual, Prefab Sprout’s Steve McQueen and Duran Duran’s self-titled debut album.

On Twitter, Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess will hold an all-day session of his album listening parties, featuring Toyah Willcox (15:00 BST), Marillion (17:30 BST), Matthew Wilder (19:00 BST), Blossoms (20:00 BST) and La Roux (21:00 BST).

• Continue reading at BBC News. Toyah’s Anthem Listening Party will be held at 3pm on Saturday at Tim’s Twitter Listening Party.

Toyah Willcox: ‘I’d rather have been a 70s punk than be young today’

After playing a member of the anarchic and murderous girl gang in the 1978 punk film Jubilee, actress and singer Toyah Willcox is revisiting the story in its first stage version. Is she still punk, 40 years on?

“I can’t live in a world of dullards,” Toyah says. “So I think on that level, I’m definitely punk.”

Toyah, who forged an acting career while also making her name as a pop star, is still rebelling against the expectations of society – in her own way. “For me, it’s non-conformist,” she says. “I’m just not interested in the norm. The only example I can give you is I can’t go to a hairdresser and talk about holidays. I just don’t live in that world. It’s not me.”

Being punk means something different in 2017 compared with 1977. But the world’s a different place now, and Toyah is almost 60.

• Continue reading at BBC News.

Steve Strange, lead singer of 1980s pop band Visage, has died aged 55 following a heart attack, his record label says. The Welsh New Romantic icon – best known for the hit Fade To Grey – died in hospital in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Ex-Visage bandmates Midge Ure and Rusty Egan said they were “devastated” to hear of his “untimely passing”, adding: “Steve was a major face of the 80s.”

In this archive footage from 1980, Toyah Willcox interviewed Strange, from Newbridge, Caerphilly, about his band and clubs.

• Continue reading/watch the clip at BBC News Wales.

• SohoCreate: We have a pair of tickets to give away to Toyah’s fans to see her at @SohoCreate next Thursday, 5th June at 16.15 in London. To enter, send an email with “Toyah” as the subject line to win@sohocreate.co.uk

• BBC News: Stephen Sutton: Funeral held after Twitter ‘thumbs up’: The private funeral has been held for teenage cancer fundraiser Stephen Sutton as thousands remembered him via social media… Musician Toyah Willcox tweeted: “God bless u Stephen….u inspired. Thank u.” –  Continue reading…

• Toyah, Robert & Bill Pay Tribute To Stephen Sutton: Remember 11am today. #ThumbsUpForStephen from Toyah, Fripp n’ Rieflin. God bless u Stephen….u inspired. Thank u – View their photo at Instagram…

• The Wright Stuff: Thursday’s show, with Toyah guesting, is available to watch online for the next five days at Demand Five – View here…

• Daventry Express: Thousands at boat show despite rain: A mixed bag of bank holiday weather did not put off the crowds from heading along to the Crick Boat Show. The three-day event drew in thousands of people from the local area and across the country. On the Saturday and Sunday there was evening music going on until 11.30pm, including a set on Saturday night from Toyah Willcox – Continue reading…

• Katharine Hepburn’s ‘paradise’ in Fenwick, Connecticut: Not Toyah related but this recent Yahoo story on Katharine’s former home features a wonderful photo of it – View here…

Northern Pride event attracts thousands

Thousands of people took part in Newcastle’s annual gay pride event.

Now in its sixth year, it is one of the biggest celebrations in the North East of lesbian, gay, and transgender life, with organisers hoping to beat last year’s record attendance of 23,000.

The parade began at the Civic Centre, and moved through the city centre to end at Exhibition Park. Festivities included performances by Toyah Willcox and Amelia Lily, and there are market stalls and a fun fair.

• Continue reading at BBC News Tyne & Wear.

Birmingham’s well known landmarks: But for a city so linked to heavy metal, many sounds have left its clubs to find fans aroud the globe. In the 1980s in particular, Birmingham bands were among the biggest around. While Toyah found fame in post-punk pop, UB40 were at the forefront of British reggae and Duran Duran became the biggest band on the planet.

• BBC News: How ’80s club culture came to the catwalk: A new exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum looks at how clubbers’ style in the 1980s transferred to the world of fashion. Was it the point at which the underground went mainstream and is there any equivalent today? (This includes a photo of Toyah’s Melissa Caplan outfit – Thanks to Giddy Gavin) – Continue reading…

• V&A Museum Instagram: In the club with a Melissa Caplan dress worn by Toyah and a Sue Clowes outfit worn by Boy George in the 80s! #clubtocatwalk – Continue viewing…

• V&A Twitter: London’s 80s fashion was a result of the fusion between club and catwalk. #ClubToCatwalk – Continue viewing…

• V&A Facebook: Would you let yourself in? Clubbers, fashion designers and pop stars from the 80s and today were out in force at the V&A last night to celebrate the opening of the summer fashion exhibition Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s – Continue viewing…

• Fashion Loves Photos: You Spin Me Right Round: On Monday I was lucky enough to be invited to a private view of the V&A’s new Club To Catwalk Exhibition (includes a photo of Toyah) – Continue reading…

• Clash: Club To Catwalk: London Fashion In The 1980s: The exhibition everyone’s talking about is here. ‘Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s’ is the exhibition likely to take the ‘must see’ title from ‘David Bowie Is’ when the latter ends in August – Continue reading…

• Sanrizz: Sanrizz Styles Wigs For Victoria & Albert Museum Exhibition Catwalk to Club: London Fashion in the 1980s (includes a photo of Toyah) – Continue reading…

• You Tubing with Club to Catwalk: My visit to the Club to Catwalk Exhibition at the V&A, La mode des années 1980 exposée à Londres,

• i-D: Club to Catwalk, V&A: The V&A’s summer blockbuster Club to Catwalk celebrates the way club life has influenced the fashion scene from the 80s through to the present day, as reflected in early issues of i-D – Continue reading…

• Club to Catwalk | Blitz Kids: Fearlessly experimenting with sex and drugs and fashion, the story of the Blitz kids is an alternative history of the eighties when style was all, and how you looked was who you were – Continue viewing…

• Statigram: Club to Catwalk Photo feed – Continue viewing…

Further news reports and articles on the fire, and aftermath in King’s Heath earlier this week. To summarise; the building was detroyed beyond repair and will be demolished. The Civic Society Musical Heritage Plate and Toyah’s star both have survived the blaze, seem to be in reasonable condition and will be removed from the site today and tomorrow. (Thanks to Bob Prew)

• BBC News: Kings Heath remembers Ritz Ballroom following fire.

• Birmingham Mail: Kings Heath Walk of Stars to go ahead despite savage fire at famous former music venue: Kings Heath resident Trevor Burton, a founding member of 1960s rock band The Move, is due to be the second celebrity inducted onto the Walk in June, following Toyah Willcox.

• Leicester Bangs: Legendary gig venue destroyed in Birmingham Kings Heath fire: A Kings Heath Walk of Fame, honouring the area’s musical and comedy heritage, had also been planned to start outside the building with a star marking singer Toyah Willcox.

• King’s Heath Walk Of Fame: “Fire at Kings Heath Venue where The Beatles one played”.

• Learning To Say Nothing: Burning down the house…: It would seem that living in this part of Birmingham is rapidly becoming a hazardous business.

• Birmingham Post: Arson suspected as fire hits Birmingham venue where The Beatles played: Kings-Heath-born Toyah Willcox was the first person to be honoured on the Kings Heath Walk of Fame which was unveiled along York Road last July. Bob Prew, who helped organise the initiative, said the plaque now lies under the building’s smouldering rubble. He said: “It’s devastating because the Ritz Ballroom was one of the major venues in the 1960s.”

• Birmingham Mail: Fire at Kings Heath venue where The Beatles once played: “The roof is totally collapsed. It’s the old Ritz Ballroom . It’s sad for Kings Heath as on Cash Converters – which has collapsed – there was a plaque for Toyah Willcox.”

• BBC News: Ex-Beatles gig venue destroyed in Kings Heath fire: A Kings Heath Walk of Fame, honouring the area’s musical and comedy heritage, had also been planned to start outside the building with a star marking singer Toyah Willcox.

• Buzzfeed: 23 Amazing Smash Hits Covers From The ’80s: Quite clearly the greatest magazine of our time – 7. Toyah, May 1982.

• Telford & Wrekin Council: Hormonal Housewives on tour!: Hormonal Housewives are in Telford as part of their Spring Tour 2013 and you are in for a treat with this hilarious show presented by British pop icon Toyah Willcox.

• An Actor Pantos: Let’s get Critical – The Sequel: SLEEPING BEAUTY, Marlowe Theatre Canterbury: Toyah Willcox and Gareth Gates were the stars and really worked hard for their billing.  Willcox especially proved particularly eager to take part and was a very good baddy!

BBC Breakfast Time went on air 30 years ago this morning. The original programme logo and memorable theme tune still remind me of getting ready for school.

Toyah has guested on the programme numerous times over the years: In 1983, talking about ‘Love Is The Law’ and The Ebony Tower; in 1985, around ‘Minx’ time, talking about a tour that didn’t happen (see below); in 1987, talking about ‘Desire’ and Cabaret; in 2007, talking about panto in Reading and in 2008, talking about Vampires Rock.

BBC Breakfast is celebrating 30 years of broadcasting with a trip down memory lane

Considered a “huge risk” when it launched on 17 January 1983, Breakfast Time was the UK’s first regular national breakfast show. Famous for its magazine-style approach, it combined news and lighter features. The 30th anniversary show will feature appearances from some of the original team.

Introduced two weeks before rival broadcaster ITV’s TV-am with David Frost, Breakfast Time hoped to lure audiences away from radio with a combination of news, travel information and lifestyle segments. Although breakfast TV had been the staple diet in the US for three decades, the British public was wary of the innovation in 1983.

• Continue reading at BBC News. View Toyah’s 1985 Breakfast Time appearance below.