[ Thanks to Martyn Hampton, pictured with Toyah, for the pics ]

Had thought about redesigning it all to look like the current version of the site but was having a look at it last week and decided I quite liked how it looked back then. 

Keeping the original layout(s) also helps show how the site has changed over the years. I had reformatted some of the pages so they are available as well as the original.

If nothing else it's a reference tool for much of Toyah's career in the Nougties.

[ Thanks to Katy McAleese for the info ]

• Toyah is namechecked in an article/review in 'The Guardian' on the new Grinderman album. Grinderman are a new band formed by Nick Cave:

Nevertheless, the age of the participants begs certain questions of Grinderman, not least how convincing visceral, nasty rock music is going to sound coming not from a heroin-sodden 21-year-old nihilist, but a father recently spotted having a high old time watching Toyah Wilcox and X Factor runner-up Chico in Aladdin at the Brighton Theatre Royal: Cave was apparently wearing a giant foam hand and singing along to It's Chico Time. 

[ Source: www.arts.guardian.co.uk - Friday 23rd February 2007 ]

• The Kenwood House concert (30th June), previously mentioned recently, appears to have been cancelled.

Included in this will be a concert on 25th August at Battle Abbey, Battle in Hastings. Toyah recorded the album 'The Blue Meaning' in Battle in 1980.

Battle Abbey is not to be confused with Wykehurst Manor, the spookesome building pictured on the cover of 'The Blue Meaning' album.

[ News Source: www.toyahwillcox.com - Saturday 17th February 2007 ]

The News page and Calendar both have new information. The latter boasting new live gigs for Toyah later this year, and confirming which dates she will play at holiday camps in February, March and April.

Toyah will also play a live PA at Blackpool Gay Pride on 19th May at the North Pier Theatre.

[ News Source: www.toyahwillcox.com - Sunday 18th February 2007 ]

Brum : BBC2 - Monday 26th February : 8.30am
Brum and the Football Hero. The adventures of a little car who lives in a motor museum, narrated by Toyah Willcox. Brum scores the winning goal when he comes on as a substitute during a football match.

There are also a few new pics on the 1979 page. The Gallery now has well over 700 pictures in total.

[ Many thanks to Andi Westhorpe ]

Please pay a visit. I'm a bit lonely just now and only have one friend (the omni-present MySpace person, Tom), or bookmark: www.myspace.com/toyahnet.

To mark the occasion I'm hoping to have the Dreamscape Plus page up and running. 

Essentially it will just be a history of the site from when I first thought about it in 1999, its changes etc, through to how it has grown today.

I'd also love to add a few comments and thoughts from visitors who have enjoyed using Dreamscape over the years. 

If anyone has anything they would like to add please email me

[ Click on each to watch the clip - Thanks to Andi ]

It's probably worth pointing out here that Toyah only has one main track on the 'How To Dress Sensibly' album. That being 'A Cup of Tea', though she does contribute (vocal loops)  to other tracks on there.

Look out for more on the album/project at Toyah's Official website soon.

Unfortunately, Toyah left Safari and the single was never released.

Proud Parents : Channel 4 - Thursday 22nd February : 2.05pm
Toyah Willcox. Proud Parents looks at a celebrity's life through the eyes of their parents. Performer, author and TV star Toyah Willcox visits her dad aboard his beloved boat.

Brum : BBC2 - Monday 26th February : 8.30am
Brum and the Football Hero. The adventures of a little car who lives in a motor museum, narrated by Toyah Willcox. Brum scores the winning goal when he comes on as a substitute during a football match.

In case anyone is interested... I still have hundreds, if not thousands, of Toyah pictures to be added to the Gallery. Obviously this will take time, but they'll hopefully eventually be in there, slowly but surely. The Gallery will now also include screen captures, especially for later years when Toyah didn't do so many photo session.

Did you also know... that drummer Steve Sidelync, who worked with Toyah on her 'Prostitute' album is now also Madonna's drummer?

[ Thanks to Stephen Bennett ]

Obviously it is from 1981 and around the time of 'Thunder In The Mountains' but can anyone name the TV show Toyah is appearing on please?

There's a possibility it could be Toyah performing 'Thunder In The Mountains' on Get It Together (03/11/81).

If you can identify this please click on the pic to add your comment to Andi's thread at the Dreamscape Forum.

Thanks!

[ Thanks again to Marcus @ Dreamscape's Forum ]

Just what the Doctor ordered! A fantastic show for the Memorabilis fans: A last minute addition to the show was Toyah Willcox, and when asked about the show she said "It's been an excellent show, I've had a fabulous time, I can't believe how much I've enjoyed myself. Meeting fans and lots of friends has made it so much fun. Please, please have me back!"

[ Source: www.memorabilia.co.uk - 2nd February 2007 ]

[ Thanks to Marcus @ Dreamscape's Forum ]

• BBC series Saving Planet Earth is hosted by David Attenborough and Alan Titchmarsh running over two weeks in Summer 2007. The aim is to try and raise awareness about how human behaviour is driving some creatures to the brink of exinction.

There will be previously unseen footage from BBC1 blockbuster Planet Earth and celebrities including Brian Blessed, Toyah Willcox and ex-SAS man Chris Ryan talking about the plight of endangered animals. Tigers, sharks and rhinos are all running out of time. The series is set to end with a live fund-raising event to raise cash for UK conservation charities.

[ Source: 'The Stage' January 2007 ]

• I recently received an email from someone ranting that "It seems former Punk Queen Toyah has sold out... She's doing the M&S adverts and, basically, saying 'You gotta buy our food, it's so opulent and expensive!'"

Hmmm, well I agree that husky voice does sound kinda Toyah-esque but surely anyone with an ear can hear it ISN'T her? That is definitely M&S food, but definitely NOT Toyah.

• Toyah is mentioned in an article on Dr Alice Roberts, of the BBC2 series Don't Die Young: "A strange phenomenon has occurred across the land - teenage boys are starting to become interested in science. It's not because of changes to the National Curriculum but Dr Alice Roberts.

The flame haired Alice - part Lara Croft part Toyah - is currently on a one-woman crusade to get the nation healthy. Her series on BBC2, Don't Die Young, has so far seen her abseiling, conquering her fear of spiders and last night climbing a 250 foot cliff blindfolded..."

[ Source: www.thisislancashire.co.uk - 8th February 2007 ]

Proud Parents : Channel 4 - Thursday 22nd February : 2.05pm
Toyah Willcox. Proud Parents looks at a celebrity's life through the eyes of their parents. Performer, author and TV star Toyah Willcox visits her dad aboard his beloved boat.

She mentioned in her February 2007 webletter that all of these, including the 'Henley Festival' date, will be with Belinda Carlisle and all will be open-air gigs with backing by the 'Here and Now' house band.

Saturday 30th June - Kenwood House, Hampstead
Sunday 15th July - Henley Festival
Saturday 28th July - Essex TBC

NB: All of these are confirmed but subject to change.

[ News Source: Official Toyah e-news/Webletter - February 2007 ]

She first joined the Asian Network drama at the beginning of last December as the estranged mother of one of the show's major characters, Sean.

[ Source: www.bbc.co.uk/silverstreet - February 2007 ]

Fri 23 - Mon 26 February - Skegness
Fri 16 - Mon 19 March - Minehead
Fri 20 - Mon 23 April - Bognor Regis

Not sure which actual date Toyah will play during these weekenders. No doubt toyahwillcox.com will advise on this information nearer the gig dates.

'How To Dress Sensibly' is the debut album from The English Eccentrics.

A new album by a strong group of individuals under the name English Eccentrics. Featuring the voices of Suggs and Toyah Willcox.

The album is available to purchase, via the Singer Records website, by clicking on the album cover. It is priced £12.99.

[ Source: www.singerrecords.com/store - February 2007 ]

At a meeting with producer Ray Singer she mentioned her fondness for layering many tracks of voices together to make a special effect. For the track One Cup Of Tea, Toyah uses this technique to sound like an Indian siren, then using the word "chai", a typical Birmingham expression for tea, she goes back to her roots.
 

[ Source: www.singerrecords.com - February 2007 ]

Helen was inspired by the doyen of the avant-garde, Dame Edith Sitwell. The Sitwells were from the infamous Bloomsbury set of the Twenties. Included in Edith's many diverse and often bizarre activities was a selection of poems called Façade and a book entitled English Eccentrics. All the members of English Eccentrics were born in Great Britain but come from completely different backgrounds...

[ Source: www.singerrecords.com - February 2007 ]

It will be the first time it's been available on home video since a rare BBC Video VHS release in 1985. 

The TV movie stars David Hemmings in the title roles, supported by Ian Bannen, Diana Dors, Toyah Willcox, Clive Swift and Leo McKern. It was directed by Alastair Reid, produced by Jonathan Powell, and adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson's novel by Gerald Savory (a couple of years after adapting Bram Stoker's Dracula for the BBC, as Count Dracula). For a bare-bones disc, Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde has a rather off-putting RRP of £19.99.

The release coincides with a brand new BBC six-part adaptation starring James Nesbitt, due to be screened this spring. Hemmings (The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Gangs Of New York) stars as the virtuous Dr Jekyll who discovers a formula to unleash the dark side of man. The result is Mr Edward Hyde, his depraved inner demon who is let loose to enjoy the more decadent side of Victorian society. As his experiments continue Mr Hyde grows stronger as his creator struggles to control him.

Please go to www.rememberthewighties to complete the questionnaire. If your comments are included in the book you will be credited, and the more comments about Toyah the larger her presence will be in the book ;o))

[ Source: www.remembertheeighties.com - February 2007 ]

[ Thanks to John Wain ]

Live dates for 2007, a new TV show, possible film, new recordings and much more are all mentioned. Toyah also talks about the "strangeness" of life at the moment.

[ News Source: Official Toyah e-news - 2nd Feb 2007 ]