Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah is interviewed, about creativity in lockdown, in the third digital issue of Burnt Frowner – The Chris Wade and Dodson & Fogg magazine. Read it here.

Toyah is someone I’ve always admired. She’s a proper artist in the truest sense, a wild creative spirit who has always stuck two fingers up to the face of convention. She’s a singer, artist, actress, producer, writer, TV personality – but just using those words doesn’t really do her justice. Yes she fits these descriptions, but she’s unique. She’s a pop icon, has been so for almost forty years, and she’s still selling tons of albums and playing sold out venues all over the world… well, when they’re open that is.

Despite years of fame, she still comes across as a creative spirit on the edge, an experimenter, a fearless individual defying expectations. She’s been in classic films like Jubilee and Quadrophenia, acted alongside the likes of Laurence Olivier on TV (in The Ebony Tower), scored hit singles across the world, achieved legendary status in the music business, influenced multiple generations of men and women alike, packed out venues all over the world, has maintained a high profile on TV for decades and been a mentor and role model for countless people.

• Continue reading at Burnt Frowner.

New print issues of Dreamscape’s Toyah Fanzine are coming… In the meantime, our free digital lockdown issue – celebrating Toyah Solo – is still available online to read or download.

An hour of chat, fun and quiz questions – with Toyah, Dave Benson Phillips and Owen Paul. It’s the Lock Inn Pub Quiz, episode 10 hosted by Ivo Graham/ Watch/Rewatch at You Tube.

Tomorrow night Let’s Rock and their friends at The Lock Inn Pub Quiz present an ‘80s Special’ featuring Toyah, Owen Paul and Dave Benson Phillips. The show is hosted by Ivo Graham. Expect loads of laughs and some fierce competition! The show premiers at 8:30pm tomorrow on their YouTube channel. Click below to go there.

Toyah chats to Helen of Loving 80s Music about lockdown, Rewind drive-ins, next year’s tour… and much more!

Following last night’s four-hour Let’s Rock Lockdown Fest 2, which Toyah contributed live performances of Dance In The Hurricane and I Want To Be Free to, comes today’s Virtual Woo Fest 2020.

The Next Woo Fest – Virtual Woo!

Normal Woo Fest is cancelled due to Covid-19 however we have moved to an online festival will which will take place on 4th of July.

Supported by the wonderful DRP Group at their studios in Hartlebury. The day will run in a similar way to Comic Relief with free to air viewing but with different donation opportunities to St Richard’s Hospice. The day will include both live and pre-recorded performances from many great musicians including the odd celebrity!

Virtual Woo Fest – bringing the festival to your homes and gardens

Woo Fest music festival is an award winning multi-genre music festival for all ages that raises funds for St Richard’s Hospice, Worcester, England. It’s set in a beautiful location near Upton upon Severn and has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2015 raising over £57K with every single penny from every ticket going to the hospice

It has grown from a small festival of friends and family to the first festival on the calendar for many new friends.

• Visit the official Woo Fest website. Watch today’s virtual Woo Fest by clicking here or below. See a larger version of the festival flyer.

Watch Let’s Rock Lockdown Fest 2 this evening at You Tube. Toyah is playing, along with Fuzzbox, Hazel O’Connor, Go West, Hue and Cry, Chesney Hawkes, Carol Decker/T’Pau and many others. All raising funds for a great cause.

An award-winning county music festival, taking place virtually this summer because of social distancing measures, has secured new big-name acts including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Grant Nicholas, from Feeder, and Toyah Willcox.

Woo Fest, which will be streamed live to homes and gardens around Worcestershire and beyond on Saturday (July 4), will feature a mix of live and pre-recorded sets and will be hosted by Richard ‘Hursty’ Hurst. Previously confirmed performers include Nigel Clark from Dodgy, Andy Bennett, formerly of Ocean Colour Scene, Nick Parker and a host of Woo Fest regulars.

The family-friendly festival, which donates every penny to St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester, was set up in 2015 by Luke Simons and his sister, Ria, in memory of their dad John. Last year Woo Fest was named Best Small Festival at the UK Festival Awards in London.

• Continue reading at Worcester Observer.

Woo Fest secures big-name acts in new virtual format

An award-winning county music festival taking place virtually this summer, because of social distancing measures, has secured new big-name acts including Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Grant Nicholas, from Feeder, and Toyah Willcox.

Woo Fest, which will be streamed live to homes and gardens around Worcestershire and beyond on Saturday 4th July, will feature a mix of live and pre-recorded sets and will be hosted by Richard ‘Hursty’ Hurst. Previously confirmed performers include Nigel Clark from Dodgy, Andy Bennett, formerly of Ocean Colour Scene, Nick Parker and a host of Woo Fest regulars.

The family-friendly festival, which donates every penny to St Richard’s Hospice in Worcester, was set up in 2015 by Luke Simons and his sister, Ria, in memory of their Dad, John. Last year Woo Fest was named Best Small Festival at the UK Festival Awards in London.

Luke Simons, festival organiser, said: “We’ve been blown away by the response from artists keen to take part in a virtual festival this year and support the care that St Richard’s provides locally at the same time.

“With the help of our friends at creative communication agency DRPG, who are streaming the event live on their website, we’re hoping to bring some festival fun to those missing live music events and so much more this summer.”

Woo Fest will take place on Saturday 4th July and will be live streamed on the DRPG Communications website virtualwoofest.drpg.events – Woo Fest will get underway at 3pm and run until 10.30pm.

• Continue reading at strichards.org.uk. See more info on Virtual Woo Fest 2020. The festival will air online here.

Toyah, and many others, got into the retro groove last night for the big 80s Lockdown Fest which aired straight into living rooms. Although free-to-view, Let’s Rock were raising much needed funds on the night for Child Bereavement UK. Watch Let’s Rock 80s Lockdown Fest at You Tube.

She has over 20 albums, 10 films and 40 plays under her belt, but Toyah’s biggest-ever tour has just been thwarted by the lockdown. How is she dealing with this setback, and what positive thoughts can she share with Julie Peasgood and the #notgoingoutclub?

Toyah talks being busy, not touring, the Sunday #lockdown videos, healthy eating and offers a few pearls of wisdom.

• Click below to watch the interview. See the SAGA UK preview clip of Toyah at Twitter.

This is what Birmingham’s celebrities are doing at home during the coronavirus lockdown

Lady Leshurr, Jamelia, Richie Anderson and Toyah Willcox are among the list of Birmingham celebrities using social media to entertain the public during the coronavirus pandemic.

Many of us may be struggling with boredom, home-schooling and working during self-isolation – but we are not alone. Birmingham’s celebrities are finding it tough too.

Punk icon Toyah Willcox, 61, has been busy dancing in her kitchen with husband Robert Fripp.

The performances have had thousands of fans tuning in each week. Dance routines that so far that have included the tango and the twist, can be seen every Sunday on the star’s Twitter page.

The singer and actress has also updated her website with ten top tips filled with ideas of how to spend your time during lockdown.

Some of the star’s creative ways of looking after yourself in quarantine include checking your posture, avoiding sweets, and cooking.

• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail/Live.

For anyone who doesn’t have a Facebook account (and I know a lot of people who don’t, and don’t want one), you can check out Toyah’s posts via her official website rather than at the source.

Robert Fripp in a bee suit and black stockings? Signs of the apocalypse for sure!

There are little lights in this darkness that shine through and make, for a brief moment, the invisible zombie apocalypse seem a bit less horrifying.

One of these for me has been Robert Fripp and his wife Toyah cracking themselves (and the internet) up on her twitter channel. Watch them as they play DIY Dancing with the Stars in their kitchen and flit about as pollinating bees in their back garden.

And yes, that is Robert Fripp, he of the impeccable 3-piece suits and dour resting face, in a full-on bee costume and sheer black stockings. Nice gams, Bob!

• Continue reading at Boing Boing. (Screenshot/Photo © Toyah Willcox)