The reissue of Minx is reviewed in Classic Pop magazine.
• The latest issue of Classic Pop is available to buy instore and online. (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive for the scans – Click below to visit Minna’s website)
Toyah & Robert are referenced a couple of times in the latest issue of Classic Pop magazine, in articles on Trevor Horn and his recently released album, Echoes: Ancient & Modern. Toyah & Robert cover, the Frankie Goes To Hollywood 1983 super hit, Relax, on the album. It’s a radically different version of the song too.
Review: The overriding mood on Echoes is stately and graceful. If that means Horn appears to be trolling adherents of the filth and mayhem of the original Relax by getting Toyah to happily croon over a new just-so glide, think of it instead as a fresh remix. That’ll be Mr Toyah, Robert Fripp, doing its precise guitar. Him and Horn know what they’re doing.
Feature: Then Trevor happened to catch Toyah and Robert Fripp covering Slave To The Rhythm on one of their online lockdown shows, and the deck was duly shuffled.
“I’ve always liked Toyah – I’ve bumped into her loads of times, she’s like a ball of energy. I like her vibe. So they did it. And I think it came out pretty well, even though I was afraid of messing around with it too much. I restrained myself. Robert’s solo is definitely one of my favourite guitar solos I’ve recorded.”
• The latest issue of Classic Pop is available to buy instore and online. (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive for the scans)
Toyah, and Toyah & Robert, are included in the latest issue (#81, May/June 2023) of Classic Pop magazine.
There’s a great, four star, review of the forthcoming Live At Drury Lane CD/DVD and 2LP release, and a mini Sunday Lunch Live – 2023 Rock Party Tour feature. As well as numerous festival appearances this Summer, Sunday Lunch is touring in September and October.
• The latest issue of Classic Pop magazine is available to buy instore and online now. (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive – sending you a big hug Min, I know it’s been a tough couple of weeks for you!)
There are two helpings of Toyah in the latest issue (#79, January/February 2023) of Classic Pop magazine: A review of the forthcoming ‘Rhythm Deluxe Edition’ of studio album In The Court of The Crimson Queen, and Four From Toyah, in a Top 20 EPs feature, with the 1981 release included at #15.
• Click below to view larger versions of both articles. The latest issue of Classic Pop magazine is available to buy in store and online. (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive for both scans)
A four star review of the Anthem Deluxe reissue, by Classic Pop magazine. The 2CD+DVD, colour vinyl and Super Deluxe box set is released on Friday 9th September, and can be pre-ordered here.
Absurdly kept from the top spot by Starsound’s Stars On 45, Toyah’s third album marked her transformation from cult punk to chart revolutionary. With co writer/guitarist Joel Bogen the only survivor from the band’s previous incarnation, the new line-up did a brilliant job of maintaining the ferocity of old while ditching the more outre excesses for facing radio playlists head on. You’ll know It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free, with the pointed Marionette and Pop Star similarly unstoppable bursts of fire.
As ever, archivist Craig Astley is exemplary in unearthing extras. The regular Anthem is back on vinyl, there’s a 2CD+DVD set or the boxset is a mighty 3CD, DVD, 2LP and a 7″ of the Flexipop single Sphinx on proper vinyl. The box’s second LP comprises everything from standalone single Thunder In The Mountains, though annoyingly the Anthem LP is a picture disc in the box. Bah.
Alongside a BBC six-song session, the highlight of the extras are a handful of unreleased instrumentals: why Toyah didn’t turn Dropped Earring into a hit is, well, a mystery. Throw in Toyah causing havoc on the DVD’s TV appearances and you get a fabulous document of an ex-punk rivalling Adam Ant for seizing the moment.
• The latest issue of Classic Pop is on sale now! (Thanks to Minna)
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)
Toyah Willcox will be building on her current success with her Sunday Lunch YouTube series with a residency at Proud’s Cabaret All Stars this November and December.
The punk legend will headline London’s most spectacular cabaret experience from 4 November, leading a cast of world-class cabaret, circus and burlesque superstars at Proud Embankment nearly Waterloo Bridge.
“I can’t wait to be part of the Proud Cabaret All Stars family and rock out to all the classics at this amazing venue,” says the singer.
“I’m thrilled and honoured to have Toyah join our Proud Cabaret All Stars family,” added CEO Alex Proud. “A true original and real icon, I’ve been a fan since childhood, it’s such an honour and a treat to have her on our stage.”
• Continue reading at Classic Pop. See ticket booking info here.
It’s Posh Pop day. Toyah’s glorious new 10-song studio album is finally released. There isn’t a dud song on the album – “All Killer, No Filler” as they used to say in the 80s!
It’s difficult to choose favourites when every song is good but, for me, the standouts are Barefoot On Mars, Take Me Home, Kill The Rage, Summer Of Love… This has to be my favourite Toyah album since Ophelia’s Shadow.
Here’s a revised/updated round-up of all the relevant, and related, Posh Pop news from the past few days, weeks and months. (All Photos/Images © Toyah Willcox)
• Posh Pop – Purchase Toyah’s new studio album here. The album is available on Deluxe CD+DVD, Standard CD, Colour Vinyl and Digital Download.
• A Limited Edition CD and Colour Vinyl, with an exclusive Toyah signed print, were also available but sold out very quickly.
• Posh Pop, was officially announced on 25.06.21. Watch Toyah announce the release of the new album. Read the official press release at toyahwillcox.com.
• Levitate, the first single from Posh Pop was released on 26.06.21, with the video premiering one day later – Stream the single at Spotify. Watch the video at You Tube – Levitate… No gravity, we’re getting higher…
• Read Toyah’s album interview – talking about the creation/making of Posh Pop and much more – at the NME.
• Within hours of being announced Posh Pop was high up in Amazon’s pre-release charts – See info on this.
• Watch Toyah talk about Levitate and the making of Posh Pop in an episode of Toyah At Home from 26.06.21.
• See the Posh Pop Tour 2021/22 announcement here. Toyah is playing 29 dates between September 2021 and March 2022!
• Zoom Zoom, the second single from Posh Pop was released on 16.07.21, with the video premiering one day later – Stream the single at Spotify. Watch the video at You Tube – Do you want to start a revolution? You can do it in your bedroom…
• Toyah talked Posh Pop, and more, in an interview with ITV News. Listen to the interview.
• Toyah made a selection of Posh Pop Personalised Artworks available last month. See further info on these.
• Summer Of Love, the third single from Posh Pop was released on 06.08.21 – Stream the single at Spotify. Watch the video at You Tube – All we need is a summer of love, let’s get it on, ban the bomb…
• Read Toyah’s August 2021 “Summer Of Love” blog.
• There’s a Posh Pop Toyah At Home Special coming very soon. See info on that, and two new Posh Pop photos, here. (Update: It’s airing tomorrow)
• Space Dance, the video for this song premiered on 21.08.21. Watch the fantastic video.
• Watch the official Posh Pop album release day promo for Toyah’s new album.
• Toyah guested on the Steve Wright In The Afternoon show on BBC Radio 2 show to talk about her new album. More info and a link to Listen to the show here.
• Reviews: Posh Pop reviews by Retro Pop, At The Barrier and Classic Pop. Read the reviews here.
• Toyah appeared on the Sky News channel to talk about Posh Pop. See screen caps from the programme here.
• Toyah Unboxed the CD, CD+DVD and vinyl releases of Posh Pop. Watch the video here.
• Retro Pop: A new Posh Pop interview with Toyah. Read it here.
• Rhythm In My House: A preview of track six from the album was made available, via the video. Watch it here. See some screen caps from the gorgeous video, here.
• Classic Pop: Toyah is on the cover of the latest issue and is interviewed inside, talking about Posh Pop. More info here.
• Breaking Through: Various Posh Pop related news was announced in Toyah’s official newsletter.
As well as the Toyah interview feature in the latest issue of Classic Pop magazine, there is also a review of the Posh Pop album. This is an amazing review of Posh Pop, with the reviewer declaring the album…
“Magnificent. The most full-on and imperious pop album of her entire career.”
Now 40 years on from her commercial breakthrough, Toyah releases her most full-on and imperious pop album of her entire career
After years of copyright wrangling, the belated reissues of her early albums has finally allowed Toyah to be reassessed. So far, Sheep Farming In Barnet and The Blue Meaning have shown just how adventurous she was among punk peers. Next up will be 1981’s Anthem, the album which sent Toyah mainstream via its hits It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free.
It’s Anthem which Toyah’s 13th full album most closely resembles. It appears having her early work back out has enabled Toyah to be as at peace with her music as such an untenable spirit will ever be.
She’s made excellent questing albums since Anthem, but none have so completely reconciled her fearlessness with a simultaneous love of bloody great big pop songs.
• Read the interview and full review in Issue 71 of Classic Pop. On sale now. Click on the album cover above to buy Posh Pop, on CD, CD+DVD, colour vinyl or Digital Download.
“This issue, we also talk to Toyah who is back with a career-best LP, the brilliant Posh Pop.”
The latest issue of Classic Pop magazine (Sep/Oct 2021 – Issue 71) is out now, and features Toyah on the cover and a new Posh Pop interview… “I was just exploding with ideas”.
The issue also includes Soft Cell, Toyah, Shaun Ryder, Blondie, Goldfrapp, Tony Hadley, Saint Etienne, Tony Arnold, The Blue Nile (from Glasgow and one of my favourite bands!) and much more!
• See the promo tweet here, and full details on how to buy Classic Pop are here.
As well as giving Toyah Solo a four star review, the latest issue (No. 62) of Classic Pop magazine also reviews Toyah’s gig at the Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton in January.
Before her co-headlining tour with Hazel O’Connor kicks off, Toyah runs through a brisk set that maps her career from punk icon to Crimson Queen.
Toyah Willcox is not an easy figure to pin down. From her early days as ‘Punk Princess’, she morphed into a multi-coloured pop star, before enjoying later success with presenting, musical theatre and, perhaps most unexpectedly, children’s television. Hard to imagine for those who recall her in Derek Jarman’s Jubilee or leaping about on TOTP, but there’s a generation of 20-somethings out there who only know Toyah from Teletubbies, Brum and as the lead character in Barmy Aunt Boomerang.
• Issue 62 of Classic Pop magazine is on sale now. (Thanks to Minna of The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive for the scan)
• Toyah Solo: Review: Released this Friday, Toyah’s new box set is reviewed, and given four stars, in the new issue of Classic Pop magazine, which is on sale now.
• Classic Pop: Toyah Solo Review: The complexities of Toyah leaving her band – called Toyah – to become a solo singer – called Toyah – takes up several spreadsheets and pages of footnotes. In short, Solo rounds up the first six albums Toyah made when she left Toyah in 1985…
• Toyah Solo: Official Trailer – View here…
• Toyah Solo: Unboxing the box set: See Toyah unboxing her new, just about to be released, 8-disc box set here…
• Super Deluxe Edition: Out This Week/on 28 February 2020: Toyah Solo 7CD+DVD box – Toyah Solo mops up the era from 1985 onwards when Toyah Willcox signed as a solo artist to Sony’s Portrait Records and then subsequent EG releases, and comprises of seven CDs and a DVD plus a 48 page book – Continue reading…
Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue of Classic Pop Presents… The New Romantics – Special Edition. The 132-page magazine, which is available in four cover variants with Spandau Ballet, Steve Strange, Duran Duran and Boy George covers, was published last week. Click here or below to order online. Here’s a preview of the two-page Toyah Q+A feature. (Thanks to Minna)
Toyah, along with In The Court Of The Crimson Queen co-creator Simon Darlow, is interviewed in the new issue of Classic Pop magazine (May 2019, Issue 52) in a four page feature entitled “Long Live The Queen”.
After more than 40 years in the music business, Toyah Willcox is as creatively hungry as she was in her teens. Classic Pop chats to the high priestess of punk and her long-time collaborator, Simon Darlow about their bold reimagining of 2008 album In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, and why the material deserves a second outing… Here’s a preview of the fab looking feature.
• Classic Pop, Issue 52 is on sale now – or very soon will be. (Thanks to Minna for the preview)
In The Court Of The Crimson Queen is reviewed in the latest issue of Classic Pop magazine (Issue 51, April 2019)
Issue 51 of Classic Pop is on sale now!
Available from WHSmith, Tesco, independent newsagents, Tesco Ireland and Easons, the new issue of Classic Pop is on sale now!
This month, we have an exclusive interview with Bananarama‘s Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward as they return with their first new studio album in a decade. We also meet iconic duo Hall & Oates before their UK arena tour and talk to Gary Numan as part of our look into the superfan phenomenon.
Our packed new album reviews section includes Bananarama, Edwyn Collins, Toyah, Andy Bell and The Chemical Brothers. On the reissues front, we revisit New Order‘s debut Movement plus re-releases from Prince, Kate Bush, R.E.M, David Bowie and more.
Toyah’s recent interview with Classic Pop magazine is now available to read in full online at the mag’s website – Don’t miss our interview with the fascinating Toyah who tells us all about the new wave of success she’s enjoying…
Toyah is included in Classic Pop magazine’s Poparazzi feature in their latest issue – No. 46 with Spandau Ballet on the cover.
READERS SHARE THEIR FAVOURITE PHOTOS AS THEY GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES IN PLANET POP
Toyah Willcox with Zak Jenkinson
“This photo of Toyah and myself was taken when my old band The Silent Age supported her at Corporation in Sheffield, in September 2012, on the Changeling Resurrection Tour.
“My first ever gig was seeing Toyah at Sheffield City Hall on the same album tour back in 1982 and I’ve been a massive fan ever since, so it was a dream come true to be supporting her 30 years later.
“She was so lovely to us all and came to chat with the band in our dressing room before the show, signed lots of vinyl and talked about how excited she was at the third album by The Humans that she was in the middle of writing, and then wished us good luck for the gig. It was such a fantastic night – I think this photo captures it perfectly.”
• Classic Pop magazine, Issue 46 is out now. See Dreamscape’s original post on The Silent Age supporting Toyah, back in 2012, here. (Thanks to Zak Jenkinson)
Issue 44 of Classic Pop magazine, which includes a six-page Toyah feature, is on sale now. See below for a (non readable) preview of this.
Get your copy in-store for just £5.99. Alternatively, you can buy a digital issue at the Classic Pop website. Available in-store from WH Smith, Tesco, Tesco Ireland, independent newsagents, Eason and selected McColls.
In the latest issue we speak to Soft Cell‘s Marc Almond and Dave Ball as they prepare for their farewell gig at the O2 in London and release a career-spanning boxset, Keychains & Snowstorms. We also take a look at their Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret LP in our Classic Album feature.
Elsewhere, we have an exclusive interview with the world’s biggest record producer, Mark Ronson, catch up with The Proclaimers who return with their politicised new album Angry Cyclist and talk to Level 42‘s Mark King about his life in pop’s funkiest band.
This month, we look back on the glory days of house music and Toyah tells us how she brought the punk aesthetic to the pop world.
• Visit the Classic Pop website or Twitter. (Thanks to Minna for the magazine scans)
Look out for the next issue (44, September 2018) of Classic Pop magazine. It includes a six-page interview feature on/with Toyah. The magazine is published in around a week’s time, so not long to wait. In the meantime click below to browse our previous updates on Toyah in Classic Pop.
As previously mentioned, Toyah is interviewed in the latest issue of Classic Pop magazine, in their “Godmothers Of Pop” feature.
From punk rock to Top Of The Pops, cinema and theatre to All Star Mr & Mrs – it’s been a frantically varied 33 years since Toyah’s first hit single It’s A Mystery and the Four From Toyah EP in 1981. We caught up with her at the start of an autumn packed full of live dates…
One of my personal highlights from your back catalogue is the acoustic album from 1994. The piano version of It’s A Mystery was very striking…
I liked the orchestral version as well. Every so often I’m given the chance to do something outside the norm. I’m touring an acoustic show at the moment and it’s going down a storm. It’s lovely that you can see the songwiriting, you can see the song. The song isn’t veiled with noise.
• Issue 13 (September 2014) is available now. Visit classicpop.com. (Thanks to Lärwi)
