Listen to The Reunion: Women of Punk at BBC iPlayer.
Sue MacGregor reunites five musicians who embraced the anarchy of punk music and created a unique style of their own.
For many young people, Britain in the late 1970s was a place without hope. Unemployment was high. The value of the pound was low and, despite the feminist activity of the early 1970s, the most many girls aspired to was to marry well and look good. Female role models were hard to fine – especially in music. The only all-girl troupes on Top of the Pops were Legs and Co. Then punk happened.
Women could dress how they liked, behave how they wanted and develop their own sound without being manipulated by the mostly male gatekeepers of the record industry. Young women who didn’t fit the traditional mould of femininity found a new tribe in punk. A place where they could finally be themselves. But the movement attracted fear and aggression from straight society. And few made much money from the short-lived scene.
Sue MacGregor brings together five female punk pioneers: Gaye Advert, bass player in The Adverts, was described as the first female punk star. But the industry focus on her looks caused animosity in the band. Toyah Willcox, an aggressive tomboy, found her emotional rebellion in punk and appeared in Derek Jarman’s cult punk film Jubilee. Gina Birch of The Raincoats played her first gig in November 1977 a few weeks after forming her all-female band. Tessa Pollitt abandoned her A levels to join all girl punk band, The Slits. Vivien Goldman was in the The Flying Lizards and Features Editor on the weekly music paper, Sounds. She is now a Professor of Punk in New York. The guests discuss the impact and legacy of their movement.
The Reunion: BBC Radio 4: Sunday 16th April: 11.15am
The Reunion: BBC Radio 4: Friday 21st April: 9am
Women of Punk. Sue MacGregor presents the series that reunites a group of people intimately involved in a moment of modern history. Women of Punk: Sue reunites five musicians who embraced the anarchy of punk music and created a unique style of their own.
Celebrating the music that special guests cherish and would like to bestow to future generations.
Singer Toyah Willcox chose ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon and Garfunkel and ‘Human Behaviour’ by Bjork.
• Download the podcast at BBC Radio 4’s website.
There’s a great selection of past Toyah at BBC Radio 4 content currently available to listen to at BBC iPlayer Radio; Great Lives: Toyah Willcox on Katharine Hepburn (originally aired in September 2015), Ramblings: Toyah takes Clare Balding for a walk in Worcestershire (February 2013), Woman’s Hour: Toyah on being a punk (February 2012), A Good Read: Book reviews (March 1998), and Saturday Live: Toyah’s shares her secret life (August 2011).
Toyah recorded her appearance on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends, and an acoustic version of It’s A Mystery, earlier today at BBC Broadcasting House, London. Listen to the song, and other previews from tomorrow’s show, by clicking below. Loose Ends airs at 6.15pm on Saturday. (Photo © BBC)
Toyah guests on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends this weekend.
Hosted by Clive Anderson, the lively mix of conversation, music and comedy will include Toyah, Joe Brown, John O’Farrell and music from The Zombies and an acoustic song from Toyah herself.
BBC Radio 4: Loose Ends:
Saturday 7th November: 6.15pm
Clive Anderson and Scottee are joined by Joe Brown, Mackenzie Crook, Toyah Willcox, John O’Farrell and the Zombies for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy.
• Listen live at the BBC Radio 4 website or on BBC iPlayer post-airing. (Thanks to toyahwillcox.com)
Browse the full collection of BBC Radio 4’s Great Lives, including the, recently aired, final episode of Series 37 with Toyah paying tribute to the incredible Katharine Hepburn. Many of the episodes are still available to listen to online via iPlayer, and some are downloadable as podcasts.
Dubbed an ‘oddity’ and ‘box office poison’, she liked to goad the press and public with her eccentric behaviour and unconventional love life. Her career in Hollywood spanned six decades, during which she starred alongside other Hollywood greats, including James Stewart, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy.
The four time Oscar award winning actress Katharine Hepburn is this week’s Great Life. She is championed by singer and actress Toyah Willcox. The expert is Dr Mark Glancy – Reader in Film History, at Queen Mary, University of London. The presenter is Matthew Parris. The producer is Perminder Khatkar.
BBC Radio 4: Tuesday 29th September: 4.30pm/Friday 2nd October: 11pm
Great Lives, Series 37 – Episode 9 of 9
Toyah discusses, the inspirational, Katharine Hepburn in an upcoming edition of BBC Radio 4’s Great Lives.
Great Lives: BBC Radio 4
Tue 29th Sep: 4.30pm/Friday 2nd Oct: 11pm
Biographical series in which guests choose someone who has inspired their lives, presented by Matthew Parris. Toyah Willcox champions the life of Katharine Hepburn, who she met and worked with.
Tune into World at One today at 1:40pm, on BBC Radio 4, to hear Toyah on a feature which looks forward to Kate Bush’s opening night of ‘Before The Dawn’ tonight at Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith.
World at One: BBC Radio 4: Tuesday 26th Aug: 1pm
National and international news with Edward Stourton. Listeners can share their views via email: wato@bbc.co.UK or on twitter: #wato.
More chances to listen to John Shuttleworth’s Lounge Music. Toyah guests in John’s new series later this month. The programme will also be available at BBC iPlayer post-airing.
John Shuttleworth’s Lounge Music: BBC Radio 4: Sunday 27th July: 7.15pm
John Shuttleworth’s Lounge Music: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Friday 1st August: 7.30am
John Shuttleworth invites musical guests to his Sheffield home to sing one of his songs and one of their own, if they are lucky. 3: Mary is not happy, as John has invited Toyah Willcox to the lounge and she is worried that Toyah will live up to her wild 80s image and wreak havoc in the house.
John Shuttleworth’s Lounge Music: BBC Radio 4: Sunday 27th July: 7.15pm
John Shuttleworth invites musical guests to his Sheffield home to sing one of his songs and one of their own, if they are lucky. 3: Mary is not happy, as John has invited Toyah Willcox to the lounge and she is worried that Toyah will live up to her wild 80s image and wreak havoc in the house.
Musical moment of the week comes in John Shuttleworth’s Lounge Music (Sunday, 7.15pm, Radio 4) in which he welcomes guests to his lovely home, offers them a cup of tea, demonstrates his less-than-complete mastery of his electronic keyboard, and tries to stop them being bothered by his manager Ken in the conservatory. In a regular feature called Under The Covers, guests are invited to perform one of their host’s tunes. This week, cockney songsmith Chas Hodges chooses Shopkeepers In The North, John’s poignant meditation on the relative merits of the retail experience above and below the Wash, and he plays and sings it with the delicacy and accomplishment you would expect from somebody who’s been in bands since before the Beatles. Future guests being warned to watch the sharp edges on the wicker furniture will include Toyah Willcox and Leee John. They’ll have to go some to better Chas.
• Continue reading at The Guardian.
Since the mid-1980s, aspiring singer/songwriter, John Shuttleworth has been posting audio cassettes of his “finest songs to date” to pop stars throughout the land, in the hope that someone would record his material. But all to no avail.
However, the BBC has very kindly given John a series and asked him to invite pop starts to bring their music to his Sheffield home. So it is that Chas and Dave, Heaven 17, Toyah Willcox and Lee John find themselves in John’s lounge having tea with wife Mary, being flirted with by Mary’s friend Joan and hassled by John’s agent Ken Worthington, as they try and perform not only one their greatest hits but more importantly, one of John’s.
• Visit the BBC website. It looks likely that Toyah will guest on John’s show on either Sunday 27th July or 3rd August.
Toyah’s guest presenter edition of BBC Radio 4’s Ramblings, which aired last Thursday and Saturday and has been online at BBC iPlayer all week, is now also available to download.
Guest presenter, Toyah Willcox, joins listener, Cathy Dreyer, as she completes yet another circuit of a short local route which she has chosen to walk 365 times.
• Visit the BBC Radio 4 website to download the programme.
As previously mentioned, Toyah guest presents this week’s edition of Ramblings on ‘BBC Radio 4’. Here are a couple of photos of Toyah and Cathy Dreyer (with Buster) from the walk. Visit the Ramblings website to view larger versions of the photos and full details on this Thursday’s programme. (Photos © BBC)
• Visit Cathy’s Walking In A Circle blog. The page on the Ramblings walk is here.
A reminder that there are two upcoming radio appearances for Toyah this week. Today on Jowheretogo on ‘ne1fm102.5′ and Thursday, guest presenting Ramblings on ‘BBC Radio 4’.
Jowheretogo: ne1fm102.5:
Monday 14th October: 12.00pm
Jo Oliver presents listeners with an hour of information on what’s on in the local area, including gigs, theatre, comedy and more. This Monday’s show has an interview with Toyah who is at Legends Rock Club next Friday – fun starts at 12.
Ramblings: BBC Radio 4: Thursday 17th October: 3.00pm
Ramblings: BBC Radio 4: Saturday 19th October: 6.07am
5: The Same Walk 365 Times. Walking series. Guest presenter Toyah Willcox joins listener Cathy Dreyer as she completes yet another circuit of a short local route in Oxfordshire that she has chosen to walk 365 times.
As previously mentioned, Toyah is one of the Guest Presenters in the latest series of BBC Radio 4’s, highly popular, Ramblings.
Ramblings: BBC Radio 4: Thu 17th Oct: 3pm
Ramblings: BBC Radio 4: Sat 19th Oct: 6.07am
5: The Same Walk 365 Times. Walking series. Guest presenter Toyah Willcox joins listener Cathy Dreyer as she completes yet another circuit of a short local route in Oxfordshire that she has chosen to walk 365 times.
The programme can be listed to online as it airs at the Ramblings website and will also be available, post-broadcast, at BBC iPlayer.
Toyah has recorded an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Ramblings as a Guest Presenter. The programme, usually presented by Clare Balding, will air on the station on Thursday 17th October.
Toyah was a guest on Ramblings earlier this year when Clare interviewed her at Croome Park in Worcestershire. The programme is still available to listen to at BBC iPlayer. It’s also downloadable as a podcast at iTunes. That edition is also included in Ramblings – Clare’s top 30, pretty special as there have been 25 series of the programme.
• Browse all of Dreamscape’s Ramblings news here. Visit the Ramblings website. There’s also a full transcript of the episode at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive.
Toyah’s excellent episode of BBC Radio 4’s Ramblings, which aired a couple of times over the last few days, is available for the next four weeks as a BBC podcast.
Ramblings with Clare Balding: Toyah Willcox at Croome Landscape Park
Thu, 28 Feb 13: Duration: 25 mins
Actress and singer, Toyah Willcox, takes Clare Balding on a windy walk around Croome Landscape Park in Worcestershire.
• Visit the BBC Podcasts & Downloads page and the Ramblings hompage.
Toyah’s edition of Ramblings airs on BBC Radio 4 this afternoon at 3pm. It’s also repeated at 6am on Saturday morning.
Ramblings: BBC Radio 4: Thu 28th February: 3.00pm
Ramblings: BBC Radio 4: Sat 2nd March: 6.00am
Toyah Willcox. Clare Balding is walking for self-improvement. Actress and singer Toyah Willcox takes Clare for a walk in rural Worcestershire.
For Toyah, who has had problems with her joints, including a hip replacement, walking is the perfect exercise. She says it helps her to keep her weight down and remain active. Episode 4 of 6.
The programme will also be available at BBC iPlayer and as a podcast after it airs today.
• Browse all of our Ramblings news here. A huge thank you to bbc.co.uk for including Dreamscape in their Related Links for Toyah’s Ramblings episode.
