Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Four More From Toyah is reissued on Special Neon Violet Vinyl by Cherry Red Records on Friday 9th December 2022.

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Limited quantity of limited edition postcard available from Cherry Red Records whilst stocks last. (NB. These sold out almost immediately)

The release expands the 1981 EP ‘Four More From Toyah’ into an eight- track mini-LP, compiled by Craig Astley and newly remastered from the original master tapes.
Originally released in late November 1981 and lead by the track ‘Good Morning Universe’, the EP was the fourth top 20 charting single for the band in that year, following the ‘Four From Toyah’ EP (lead by ‘It’s A Mystery’), ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Thunder In The Mountains’.

The EP was the first material to be studio-recorded since the departure of drummer Nigel Glockler who was replaced by Simon Phillips. This EP contains eight tracks recorded by the line- up of Toyah Willcox (vocals), Joel Bogen (guitarist, co-writer and co-founder of the Toyah band), Adrian Lee (keyboards), Phil Spalding (bass) and the newly recruited Simon Phillips (drums).

Side A contains all four of the tracks from the original EP.

Side B opens with the previously unreleased, studio recorded tour intro track ‘Go Berserk’, including new vocals and snatches of lyrics from ‘Neon Womb’ and ‘Urban Tribesmen’ plus new dialogue that leads to a chilling crescendo. ‘Go Berserk’ was played before the band walked on stage on the European Tour of winter 1981. It is swiftly followed by the newly remastered ‘Stand Proud’ which often featured as the first song played live (directly after Go Berserk had finished). The track originally appeared on a flexi-disc with initial copies of the ‘Four More From Toyah’ EP.

The third track is ‘Clapham Junction’, an out-take that began in the session for the single ‘Thunder In The Mountains’, was finished with new drum parts from Simon Phillips and vocals/ lyrics from Toyah.

The final track is the last session recorded by this line-up and hails from February 1982. This previously unreleased re-recording of the hit single ‘I Want To Be Free’ was produced by Steve Lillywhite in the Roundhouse Studios and went on to be used as the basis of the band’s television performance on the British Rock & Pop Awards when Toyah was awarded Best Female Singer in early 1982. This track has not previously been released.

All eight tracks are remastered by Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering and approved by Joel Bogen. The sleeve contains an out-take of the EP photography from the Safari archives plus full lyrics on a newly designed inner bag. Initial quantities come with an exclusive postcard.

• Pre-Order Four More From Toyah on Neon Violet Vinyl at Cherry Red (The limited edition with postcard sold out almost immediately!). Read the press release – and see the full tracklist, which includes two previously unreleases tracks – at toyahwillcox.com.

Click on the shots below for an exclusive preview clip. Computer from Toyah Live At The Rainbow for #ToyahTuesday.

One of the most long-awaited titles by Toyah fans finally comes home this November. Toyah Live At The Rainbow will be released on CD+DVD and aqua-blue transparent vinyl LP by Cherry Red Records on Friday 25th November 2022. Pre-order here. (Photos © Cherry Red)

One of the most long-awaited titles by Toyah fans finally comes home this November. ‘Toyah Live At The Rainbow’ will be released on CD+DVD and aqua-blue transparent vinyl LP by Cherry Red Records on Friday 25 November 2022.

Featuring the original 12-song concert film released for the first time ever on DVD, much requested and sought after by fans for decades.

The previously unreleased concert audio is released for the first time ever on CD with seven additional songs, all previously unheard and unreleased; restored exclusively for this release. These include ‘Bird In Flight’, ‘Mummies’, ‘Computer’ and ‘Love Me’.

For this release, the original Rolling Stones multitrack reels have been revisited and remixed from scratch by Nick Watson at Fluid Mastering to create a new full stereo mix of the gig for the first time in its history. All audio remastering was approved by Joel Bogen.

This newly remastered and expanded release is the fifth in the Toyah reissue programme.

Celebrating the much-loved February 1981 concert at North London’s legendary Rainbow Theatre, this hotly anticipated title marks the first time ever the concert audio has been released on vinyl.

At the time, the Toyah band had seen a new line-up with Willcox and Joel Bogen joined by Nigel Glockler, Phil Spalding and Adrian Lee. In February 1981, the lead track ‘It’s A Mystery’, from the EP ‘Four From Toyah’, rose up through the charts and following an appearance on BBC’s Top Of The Pops, saw the band ‘Toyah’ crossover to mainstream singles chart success. This concert, originally due to take place at the Lyceum, was upgraded to the Rainbow following the EP’s success and demand for tickets.

Safari Records decided to record this unique moment in history as the band were ascending to greater fame and recognition, and before they’d recorded an album to follow the success of ‘It’s A Mystery’.

‘Toyah Live At The Rainbow’ includes the classic tracks ‘It’s A Mystery’, ‘War Boys’, ‘Angels & Demons’, ‘Race Through Space’, ‘Danced’ and ‘Ieya’.

• Pre-Order “Toyah Live At The Rainbow” on CD+DVD and Transparent Aqua Blue Vinyl at Cherry Red, where you can also see the full tracklist for both formats.

Anthem remastered reissues are coming on 9th Sept! The Anthem Tour is coming from 16th Sept too. Anyone pre-ordering any of the three music formats of Anthem from Cherry Red will be entered into a prize draw to win one of 3 exclusive money can’t buy Toyah collector’s items. ⁣

• Click below for further details.

On Friday 9 September, Cherry Red Records will release the newly remastered editions of Toyah’s 1981 Gold-selling album “Anthem”.

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Produced by Nick Tauber, with arrangements by the band and Toyah, the album features a line-up that saw Toyah Willcox and Joel Bogen joined by Nigel Glockler, Phil Spalding and Adrian Lee.

The release is available in three stunning formats:

• Egyptian Gold Vinyl w/inner bag + lyric insert
• Deluxe Expanded 2CD+DVD feat 25 bonus tracks
• Super Deluxe Edition Box Set – 3CD/2LP/1DVD/7”

The first 300 copies of the 2CD+DVD and the Egyptian Gold Vinyl include an exclusive postcard SIGNED BY TOYAH.

These both feature an unseen image from a 1981 photoshoot. A different design accompanies each release. Only available at the Cherry Red website.

Anthem has been remastered by Nick Watson from the original mastertapes and approved by Joel Bogen.

DELUXE EXPANDED 2CD+DVD:

• Toyah Willcox provides a brand-new introduction in the 24-page booklet which contains stunning classic and rare images plus previously unseen outtakes from photoshoots from the period.

• Compiled by Craig Astley, Toyah’s official archivist, who also provides new sleevenotes to the expanded 2CD+DVD release. includes the remastered album complimented by 25 bonus tracks. Amongst these is the standalone hit single Thunder In The Mountains, associated B-Sides and rarities plus 15 previously unreleased tracks.

• A six-song live session recorded on 1 April 1981 at BBC’s Paris Theatre in London, originally broadcast on BBC Radio 1 is released commercially for the first time ever, and includes the classics It’s A Mystery, Angels & Demons, Neon Womb and Ieya.

• Thunder In The Mountains, the third top single of 1981 by the “Anthem” Toyah line-up features along with its B-Side Street Addict, its 12” vinyl-only B-Side Voodoo Doll and a further two unheard instrumental outtakes from the same studio sessions in July/August 1981.

• A previously unreleased unfaded version of the flexi-disc track For You features alongside previously unreleased instrumentals of I Want To Be Free, Jungles Of Jupiter, I Am, Pop Star, and an extended instrumental of It’s A Mystery.

The accompanying DVD (NTSC/Region Free) presents a fascinating new in-depth interview feature with Toyah about the creation of the album plus a track-by-track commentary and exclusive renditions of three “Anthem” songs.

For the first time ever classic footage of Toyah’s 1981 BBC performances of Its A Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Thunder In The Mountains is released on DVD. This includes four different appearances on the legendary Top Of The Pops alongside performances originally broadcast on Something Else, Cheggers Plays Pop and Multi-Coloured Swap Shop.

The DVD also includes the classic promo videos for I Want To Be Free and Thunder In The Mountains, both directed by Godley & Creme.

SUPER DELUXE EDITION BOX SET

Curated and compiled by Craig Astley, Toyah’s official archivist, the limited Super Deluxe Edition of Anthem comes in a 12”x 12” outsize box with lift off lid and includes:

• The deluxe expanded 2CD+DVD set as above

EXCLUSIVE TO THIS BOX SET
• Bonus CD – More Rare & Archive Material contains a further 20 previously unreleased tracks from the archives, newly unearthed and remastered. This includes

• the special studio re-recording of It’s A Mystery used for lip-synching on Top Of The Pops and alternate vocal versions of Revelations, I Want To Be Free, War Boys and Thunder in The Mountains.

• a breathtaking acoustic recording of I Am offers a glimpse into the album recording sessions. Rough mixes of several album tracks also feature alongside previously unheard instrumental outtakes Japan, Dropped Earring and the earliest incarnation of Clapham Junction.

• Album Picture Disc: The 11-track Anthem album is also presented on a 12” picture disc featuring the iconic original album front cover + unseen shot on the reverse.

• Standalone hit single Thunder in the Mountains is expanded into a 12” vinyl mini-album splatter-coloured, and brings together the single, its b-sides and four previously unreleased instrumental versions. This features a newly designed inner bag featuring previously unseen images and full lyrics. The yellow/red coloured splatter vinyl echoes the iconic sunflower hair that Toyah sports on the legendary front cover shot.

• A 7” orange-coloured vinyl EP celebrates the non-LP tracks Sphinx and For You, recorded during the Anthem album sessions and previously issued as a flexi-disc in 1981 with the magazine Flexipop. Marking the first time these two songs have ever been pressed on regular hard vinyl, the EP features a new full colour sleeve and includes instrumental versions of both tracks on its flipside.

• A 44-page perfect bound book: This exclusive book contains stunning rare and unseen colour images from the Safari archives alongside anecdotes and insights from Toyah Willcox about the 11 songs on Anthem + Thunder In The Mountains, plus lyrics for the full album and its associated B-Sides.

• A 12×12-inch print of the album cover illustration is signed by Toyah Willcox.

• Four exclusive colour postcards celebrate the Four From Toyah photography.

TRACK LISTINGS
CD1: ANTHEM + BONUS TRACKS
1 I Want To Be Free
2 Obsolete
3 Pop Star
4 Elocution Lesson
5 Jungles Of Jupiter
6 I Am
7 It’s A Mystery (Album Mix)
8 Masai Boy
9 Marionette
10 Demolition Men
11 We Are

Bonus Tracks

12 It’s A Mystery – EP Version
13 Revelations
14 War Boys
15 Angels & Demons
16 Walkie Talkie
17 Alien
18 Sphinx
19 For You (Unfaded Version)*
20 I Want To Be Free (Instrumental)*

CD2: RARE & ARCHIVE MATERIAL
1 Thunder In The Mountains
2 Street Addict
3 Voodoo Doll
4 War Boys (Live At Paris Theatre London April 1981)*
5 Neon Womb (Live At Paris Theatre London April 1981)*
6 Danced (Live At Paris Theatre London April 1981)*
7 Angels & Demons (Live At Paris Theatre London April 1981)*
8 It’s A Mystery (Live At Paris Theatre London April 1981)*
9 Ieya (Live At Paris Theatre London April 1981)*
10 It’s A Mystery (Extended Instrumental)*
11 I Am (Instrumental)*
12 Pop Star (Instrumental)*
13 Jungles Of Jupiter (Instrumental)*
14 Joel & Phil (Instrumental Outtake)*
15 Turkish Delight (Instrumental Outtake)*
16 Television (Instrumental Outtake)*

* Previously Unreleased

DVD: RARE & ARCHIVE FOOTAGE
1 The Story Behind The Album
2 Track By Track Commentary
3 I Want To Be Free: Electro/Acoustic Session 2021
4 It’s A Mystery: Electro/Acoustic Session 2021
5 We Are: Electro/Acoustic Session 2021
6 I Want To Be Free: Promo Video
7 Thunder In The Mountains: Promo Video
8 It’s A Mystery: Top Of The Pops 19/02/1981
9 It’s A Mystery: Top Of The Pops 19/03/1981
10 I Want To Be Free: Top Of The Pops 21/05/1981
11 Thunder In The Mountains: Top Of The Pops 01/10/1981
12 I Want To Be Free: Cheggers Plays Pop 18/05/1981
13 It’s A Mystery: Swap Shop 10/10/1881
14 Ieya: Something Else 30/10/1981
15 Thunder In The Mountains: Something Else 30/10/1981

Anthem Egyptian Gold Vinyl LP

Side One (Once Upon A Time)
1 I Want To Be Free
2 Obsolete
3 Pop Star
4 Elocution Lesson
5 Jungles Of Jupiter
6 I Am

Side Two (Happy Ever After?)
7 It’s A Mystery (Album Mix)
8 Masai Boy
9 Marionette
10 Demolition Men
11 We Are

SUPER DELUXE EDITION BOX SET ONLY

CD3 – ANTHEM – MORE RARE & ARCHIVE MATERIAL
All Previously Unreleased

1. It’s A Mystery – Top Of The Pops Version
2. Revelations Alternate Vocal
3. War Boys Alternate Mix
4. I Want To Be Free Alternate Vocal
5. I Am Acoustic
6. Pop Star Rough Mix
7. Marionette Rough Mix
8. Demolition Men Rough Mix
9. Thunder In The Mountains Alternate Vocal
10. Walkie Talkie Instrumental
11. Japan Instrumental Outtake
12. The Door Is A Whore Instrumental
13. For You Instrumental
14. Masai Boy Instrumental
15. Alien Instrumental
16. Thunder In The Mountains Original Instrumental
17. Street Addict Instrumental
18. Voodoo Doll Instrumental
19. Clapham Junction Original Instrumental
20. Dropped Earring Instrumental

Vinyl One: Anthem Picture Disc (same as Egyptian Gold Vinyl LP)

Side One (Once Upon A Time)
1 I Want To Be Free
2 Obsolete
3 Pop Star
4 Elocution Lesson
5 Jungles Of Jupiter
6 I Am

Side Two (Happy Ever After?)
7 It’s A Mystery (Album Mix)
8 Masai Boy
9 Marionette
10 Demolition Men
11 We Are

Vinyl Two: Thunder In The Mountains

Side One (Thunder Side)
1. Thunder In The Mountains
2. Street Addict
3. Voodoo Doll
4. Clapham Junction

Side Two (Lightning Side)
1. Thunder In The Mountains Original Instrumental
2. Street Addict Instrumental
3. Voodoo Doll Instrumental
4. Clapham Junction Original Instrumental

Vinyl Three: Sphinx/For You

Side One:
1. Sphinx
2. For You

Side Two
1. Sphinx Instrumental Demo
2. For You Instrumental

• Pre-Order Anthem on 2CD+DVD, Gold Vinyl & Super Deluxe Edition at Cherry Red (The editions with signed postcards will no doubt have sold out almost immediately!). Read the press release at toyahwillcox.com. Watch Toyah announcing the release during this morning’s Toyah At Home (which also includes an incredibly rare performance of It’s A Mystery from Italian music show Popcorn).

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! 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.

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.

Pre-order Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, in deluxe formats, by clicking on the CD+DVD back cover…

A preview of the live performance of Danced performed live in June 1980 at Club Lafayette, Wolverhampton is premiering on Toyah’s Official You Tube channel on 5th April. As featured on the DVD with the Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! Deluxe CD+DVD release from Cherry Red Records. Released Friday 13 May 2022.

Toyah’s 1980 live album gets deluxe reissue with CD/DVD and limited vinyl editions

Toyah’s 1980 live album is the latest in her back catalogue to be reissued.

The third instalment of Cherry Red Records’ campaign sees the star’s Safari Records LP ‘Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!’ revisited and expanded for a new release.

The recorded gig took place on June 17, 1980 at the legendary Club Lafayette, Wolverhampton and was recorded on the Rolling Stones’ Mobile Recording Unit.

It’s been remastered from the original master tapes by Nick Watson and a CD/DVD edition features the full concert setlist – including the previously unreleased songs She, a reprise of Danced and an unedited complete version of Neon Womb, which originally faded early as the B-Side of live single Danced – paired with a DVD of the 1980 television documentary ‘Toyah’.

• Continue reading at Retro Pop. Pre-Order Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! at Cherry Red.

Following the deluxe releases of Sheep Farming In Barnet in 2020, and The Blue Meaning in 2021, comes the third Cherry Red release from Toyah’s Safari albums discography, Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, the live album with the glorious artwork by Dexter Brown.

Press Announcement from toyahwillcox.com and Cherry Red:

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!’,  released on Friday 13 May 2022.

PRE-ORDER NOW FROM CHERRY RED WITH LIMITED EDITION SIGNED POSTCARDS WHILST STOCKS LAST…. One design for the LP Edition, one for the CD+DVD Edition

The album is released as an expanded deluxe CD+DVD and a Limited Edition Coloured Vinyl LP.

The live album 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 17 June 1980 at the legendary Club Lafayette, Wolverhampton where Sex Pistols, Led Zeppelin and Stevie Wonder all performed. The gig was recorded on the Rolling Stones’ Mobile Recording Unit and has been remastered from the original master tapes by Nick Watson.

With sleevenotes by Craig Astley, Toyah’s official archivist, who also compiled the package, 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. Directed by Graham Moore and originally broadcast by the ATV (former name for ITV) network on 17 November 1980, it followed Toyah for over half a year capturing band rehearsals, studio recording sessions, play rehearsals and in her then-home, the notorious Battersea warehouse ‘Mayhem’.

The CD+DVD features the previously unreleased songs ‘She’, a reprise of ‘Danced’ and an unedited complete version of ‘Neon Womb’ which originally faded early as the B-Side of live single ‘Danced’.

The CD+DVD contains a fully illustrated 24-page booklet featuring an introductory note from Toyah alongside rare and unseen photography of Toyah and the band line-up which disbanded before this album’s original release.

The documentary features promo-style video footage for the songs ‘Blue Meanings’ and ‘Neon Womb’ alongside concert footage of ‘Danced’, ‘Insects’ and ‘Ieya’ as heard on the live album.

LP and CD: Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!
1 Victims Of The Riddle
2 Indecision
3 Love Me
4 Vision
5 Bird In Flight
6 Tribal Look
7 Danced
8 Insects
9 Race Through Space
10 Ieya

CD-only Bonus Tracks
11 Ghosts
12 Neon Womb (Unedited)*
13 She*
14 Danced (Encore Version)*
*Previously unreleased

DVD in CD+DVD Edition
Toyah: ATV Documentary
Including promo video-style footage of ‘Neon Womb’ and ‘Blue Meanings’ and concert footage of ‘Insects’, ‘Danced’ and ‘Ieya’.

• Pre-Order Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! on colour vinyl and CD at Cherry Red (The editions with signed postcards sold out almost immediately!). Read the press release at toyahwillcox.com. Watch Toyah announcing the release during this morning’s Toyah At Home.

The dedication and commitment of the super fan is something we never take for granted at Cherry Red. Their passion and energy for artists is the lifeblood of any musician’s career, and in our latest blog piece we celebrate that with a wonderful piece by writer and designer Chris Limb.

Chris has been a steadfast Toyah fan since the early 80s and wrote I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan; a fascinating example of loyalty and affection that serves as a window into the soul of any ardent music lover.

It is 1981. I am seeing Toyah play live. For the first time I am actually in the same room as her, albeit a very large room. There she is, over there. I can see her with my eyes.

It is 1991. I am putting together the latest issue of the Toyah Fan Club magazine Tellurian, a cut and paste concoction of photocopied articles as well as a handwritten letter to the fans from Toyah herself. I am typing up the lyrics for her new album Ophelia’s Shadow to include in it; once finished I’ll then take it to a print shop in Store Street WC1 to get a few hundred copies run off.

It is 2001. I am in a recording studio in Nuneaton where Toyah is recording guest vocals on a track by the band Chester with whom I currently play bass. The track will eventually be put out under the band name Family of Noise.

It is 2011. I am putting the finishing touches to the manuscript for my memoir I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan which grew out of a series of blog posts I’d written about my experiences some thirty years previously. I am about to self-publish this as both a paperback and an ebook.

It is 2021. I am writing this blog entry about Toyah and the impression she’s made on my life over the past 40 plus years.

• Continue reading at Cherry Red. Browse Dreamscape’s I Was A Teenage Toyah Fan news archive. There’s much more IWATTF content in our vast News Archive (scroll to around 2010 – 2012).

Toyah and Cherry Red Records are delighted to announce the newly remastered and expanded release of Toyah’s 1980 album “The Blue Meaning” on 28 May 2021. This is the second in a reissue programme of Toyah’s entire Safari Records catalogue.

PRE-ORDER NOW

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

Remastered by Nick Watson from the original mastertapes and original sources, overseen and approved by Joel Bogen. The album features the ultimate fan favourite ‘Ieya’ considered a signature song by the band, which was also released as a single.

2-CD+DVD digipack with a fully illustrated 24-page booklet containing a brand new introduction note from Toyah plus rare and unseen imagery including album cover outtakes taken at Wykehurst Place, a gothic revival mansion in Bolney, Sussex.

This expanded edition features 27 remastered bonus tracks including single mixes, live tracks, rarities and unheard demos compiled by Craig Astley. Amongst the 20 previously unreleased tracks are the final recordings made by this band line-up including ‘Silence Won’t Do’ and ‘Jack & Jill’, as seen being recorded on the 1980 ITV documentary “Toyah” and have been long awaited by fans for forty years.

The very first demo of ‘Angels & Demons’ recorded at Eel Pie Studios, an Alternate Vocal take of ‘Blue Meanings’ with the previously unheard original longer song outro and three tracks recorded live at the ICA London all make their release debuts.

Includes the early original version of ‘It’s A Mystery’ by Blood Donor feat Toyah Willcox that a ‘new’ line-up of Toyah ‘the band’ went on to record and enjoy their first hit single with in 1981.
A sleevenote by Toyah’s archivist Craig Astley, with input from Toyah Willcox and Joel Bogen, chronicles the creation of the album and reveals the recording origins of the bonus material.

Includes a DVD (NTSC/Region Free) containing three brand new features with Toyah Willcox, an interview about the album/period, a track-by-track album commentary and an exclusive acoustic three-song session of songs from the era – all filmed October 2020.

The DVD also includes rare archive BBC TV performances of ‘Mummies’ and ‘Danced’ from Friday Night, Saturday Morning (November 1980) available on DVD for the first time ever.

Strictly limited edition neon pink coloured vinyl echoes Toyah’s hair colour from the back sleeve and the colourful glow surrounding the gothic mansion, Wykehurst Place in Sussex on the LP’s front cover. The vinyl LP features the original album track listing and features rare unseen imagery plus full album lyrics.

Initial copies of the Vinyl LP from Cherry Red website come with a signed postcard by Toyah – design exclusive to the LP pre-order. Initial copies of the 2CD+DVD from Cherry Red website come with a signed postcard by Toyah – design exclusive to the 2CD+DVD pre-order.

• Continue reading at toyahwillcox.com to see the full tracklist, hear a preview track and read further details on the release. Pre-order The Blue Meaning, 2CD/1DVD Deluxe Edition, and Limited Edition Colour Vinyl LP here.

Cherry Red Records, who release Sheep Farming In Barnet as a deluxe CD set next month, recently interviewed Toyah.

The Toyah Willcox story is an in-depth interview which looks at who the real Toyah is, what motivates her and how she became so successful. She also shares many fascinating stories from her incredible career.

A new, Sheep Farming In Barnet/Early Years, interview with Toyah, from Cherry Red’s My Favourite Flavour magazine. A classic SFIB era photo of Toyah is also included on the cover!

According to the sleevenotes of the lavish re-issue of Toyah’s debut album ‘Sheep Farming In Barnet’ her progress to punk icon, then pop star, really began back in 1975…

“Back then I just wanted to get out of school, get out of Birmingham. I definitely wanted to act and sing, but there was no way I was equipped for that. I think I was lucky to have been born at the right time and been around for the punk movement, that allowed every shape, size, sound and form into the fold. If you had something to express or to say back then, punk accepted it. That was the saving grace for me.

“I’d left home and got a job at the National Theatre in London, school hadn’t really prepared me for life, I had to land on my feet and learn to adapt to the outside world and somehow mould myself into what I wanted to be.

“At the National, an actor called Ian Charleson introduced me to Derek Jarman who was about to start work on his film Jubilee and around the same time I got into a punk band and started writing with Joel Bogen. We started playing the pub circuit and I was embraced by that whole community, they were amazing times.”

• Continue reading here. (Thanks to Sharon Dickson for the scans)

Toyah & Cherry Red Records are delighted to announce the long-awaited newly remastered and expanded release of Toyah’s debut album Sheep Farming In Barnet which kickstarts a reissue programme of Toyah’s entire Safari Records catalogue.

Sheep Farming In Barnet will be reissued on 4 December 2020 as a limited edition white vinyl LP and expanded 2CD+DVD package.

Limited quantities of both formats come with a different design postcard signed by Toyah.

Produced by Steve James and Keith Hale (Blood Donor), the album reached number 1 on the UK Independent Albums in February 1980 and celebrates its fortieth anniversary in 2020.

The album has been remastered from the original mastertapes and the 2CD+DVD package includes 30 bonus tracks including 20 that are previously unreleased.

The 7” single Victims Of The Riddle (1979) was Toyah’s very first release and is included here. This was followed up by 6-track mini-album Sheep Farming In Barnet that contained three tracks per-side on a 33 1/3 playing 7” vinyl. This mini-album was then expanded to a full length 11-track album (originally for the German market) in early 1980 by adding the Victims 7” A-Side/B-Sides and some further tracks also recorded at Chappell Studios, London.

This album contains the fan favourites Race Through Space, Neon Womb and Danced, all of which went on to become signature songs for the band. Non-album Double A-Side single Bird In Flight/Tribal Look produced by The Boys’ lead singer Matt Dangerfield is also included.

2CD+DVD digipack with a fully illustrated 24-page booklet containing a brand new introductory note from Toyah plus rare and unseen imagery including album cover shots taken at RAF Fylingdales Early Warning site, Yorkshire.

The album has been remastered by Nick Watson from the original mastertapes with mastering approved by Joel Bogen.

The expanded 2CD+DVD edition features 30 bonus tracks compiled by Craig Astley and is made up of non-album singles, rarities and demos. Amongst the 20 previously unreleased tracks are versions originally recorded for Shoestring, the original improvisation vocal that became Victims of The Riddle and the band’s first ever pre-signing 1978 demos.

Includes a sleevenote by Toyah’s archivist Craig Astley, researched with input from co-writer/guitarist Joel Bogen, chronicles the creation of the album, musician line-ups and reveals the recording origins of the album and bonus material for the first time.

The package includes a DVD (NTSC/Region Free) containing two brand new features with Toyah Willcox; ‘The Story Behind The Album’ is an in-depth interview about the album/period, a Track-by-Track Album Commentary interview plus an exclusive acoustic three-song session of songs from the era – all filmed August 2020.

The DVD also includes rare archive TV footage available on DVD for the first time ever including a 1979 interview/performance clips of Race Through Space filmed at Toyah’s Battersea warehouse ‘Mayhem’ for broadcast on What’s On (ITV Midlands-only region) and two songs, Danced, Indecision, filmed February 1980 for BBC’s The Old Grey Whistle Test.

• Continue reading at toyahwillcox.com to see the full tracklist, hear a preview track and read further details on the release. Pre-order Sheep Farming In Barnet, 2CD/1DVD Deluxe Edition, and Limited Edition Colour Vinyl LP here.

Band shots, solo shots, live shots! – Amazing, previously unseen, photos from the Sheep Farming In Barnet era and beyond have been shared on Toyah’s official social media spaces over the past fortnight… (Photos © 1, 3 & 4. Cherry Red Records Ltd, 2. Watkins/Astley)

Something special coming soon on Cherry Red – Announcement on Toyah At Home, airing from 11am, today at the official Toyah You Tube channel and Facebook page. (Photos/Images © 1. Neil Anderson, 2. Official Toyah, 3. Cherry Red Records Ltd)

It’s not often, Toyah’s debut 1979 single, Victims Of The Riddle is included on a compilation!

It is one of 58 tracks on the forthcoming Musik Music Musique – 1980 | The Dawn Of Synth Pop, A new 3CD set exploring the arrival of synth pop and the dawn of a new musical era. Released by Cherry Red Records on 31st July 2020.

The set features music by OMD, The Human League, Ultravox, Toyah, Spandau Ballet, Kim Wilde, Philip Lynott, The Buggles, Fad Gadget, Suicide, John Foxx, DAF, Dalek I Love You, Visage, The Residents, Yello.

58 tracks marking the transition of electronic pop from the outer reaches of eccentricity and novelty to the very heart of a musical mainstream it would quickly dominate.

• Contine to the Cherry Red Records website for further info.

Fresh up and exclusive to cherryred.tv – The Safari Records Story with John Craig (interviewed by Iain McNay). John Craig was the co-founder and CEO of Safari Records, an Independent label which flourished between 1977 and 1985. One of the label’s first signings was Wayne County, the controversial American artist who had helped to build his profile by performing at Max’s Kansas city club in New York. His Track ‘Fuck Off’ (also known as ‘If you don’t want to fuck me baby fuck off’) was a top Independent selling single in the UK for nearly a year. Wayne then became Jayne – one of the first transgender artists. Safari also had two successful albums with the Boys before signing Toyah in 1979. This led to consistent single and album chart success for the label. John talks us through the stories behind these and many other signings. Watch his fascinating story.