Cherry Red Chart - Oct - Dec 2005
09 NE Toyah / Wild Essence
31 NE Toyah / Mayhem

Cherry Red DVD Chart - Oct - Dec 2005
02 NE Toyah / Wild Essence: Live In The 21st Century

Shoestring [Find The Lady] : UKTV Drama - Sunday 16th April : 7.50am
Shoestring [Find The Lady] : UKTV Drama - Monday 17th April : 3.40am
A missing beauty queen, a crazed punk guitarist. an unscrupulous businessman, a distraught punk singer. Eddie, scruffy but unruffled, comes up against an elaborate web of lies and intrigue, drugs and death. Featuring Trevor Eve, Christopher Biggins, Gary Holton and Toyah Willcox.

This is more than likely linked to Toyah's appearance, last Friday, at the Spiritual Tides Festival. 

The Museum’s Summer exhibition, which will run from 15 April to 10 September, looks at the many connections of Barnet Borough with the development of popular music in Britain since the 1950s. As well as covering significant venues in the area like the Torrington Arms in North Finchley, which presented rock, blues and jazz for over 40 years until its sad demise last year, and the Refectory in Golders Green, where Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton played some of their earliest gigs, the exhibition looks at individual bands and artists and their music.

Some were born in the area- George Michael, Helen Shapiro, Toyah Willcox; many have come to live here - The Bee Gees, the Spice Girls, Cliff Richard, Long John Baldry; some are even buried here- Billy Fury, Marc Bolan!

It’s a wide-ranging story, and will cover new bands and musicians playing today as well as figures from the past. We hope to have some live music in the Museum Garden and at near-by venues during June and July.

Thanks to a call for contributions for the exhibition new information has been cropping up all the time-but it’s still not too late to contribute! If you have any material which you think might be relevant, please contact Gerrard Roots or Hugh Petrie on 0208 203 0130.

The man who photographed Toyah for the cover of her 1982 album, 'The Changeling' (as well as this wonderful picture of Toyah to the right) was killed in an accident on Saturday 25th March 2006.

BOB CARLOS CLARKE DIES: The British fashion and glamour photographer known for creating sexually charged, sometimes shocking images of women, died on Saturday at the age of 56. His death was an apparent suicide and his rep, Ghislain Pascal of Panic Pictures, confirmed that he had been hit by a train in London. Clarke's career saw him work with large international operations such as Levi's and Volkswagen as well as edgy, subversive designers of rubber fetish outfits. 

"With an obsessive compulsion I've taken more or less the same photographs over and over again during the past three decades," he wrote in his most recently published book, Shooting Sex. "It's not a job, it's an addiction. Having come to England from his native Ireland in 1964, Clarke studied at the West Sussex College of Art, The London College of Printing and The Royal College of Art. 

Despite his talent however, he made no secret of his reasons for doing it. "Do it to get laid," he said in The World's Top Photographers: Nudes. "But get a real job." Pascal, who set up a picture agency with Clarke, said yesterday that he "will be remembered as Britain's answer to Helmut Newton". 

Bob Carlos Clarke was born in Cork, Ireland in 1950, and came to England in 1964 to study art and design at The West Sussex College of Art where he developed an interest in photography. He then went on to The London College of Printing, before completing his degree at the Royal College of Art in 1975.

He worked in almost every sphere of photography, winning numerous awards for his high-profile advertising campaigns, recognition for his photojournalism and portraits of celebrities, and international acclaim from collectors of fine prints.

Bob Carlos Clarke produced five books: The Illustrated Delta of Venus (1979), Obsession (1981), The Dark Summer (1985), White Heat (1990), and Shooting Sex (2003).

To visit Bob's website please click on the pictures.

[ Thanks to Michael Cooney ]

After 'silver surgery'... a golden future?

Growing numbers of middle-aged women feel compelled to have facelifts simply to keep up. There must be a better way, says Elizabeth Grice

Celebrity confessions from the likes of Toyah Willcox, Julie Christie and Anne Robinson and a flood of television programmes devoted to stomach-churning scenes of perfectly healthy people being cut, lifted, sucked, augmented or reduced, have had the bizarre effect of making cosmetic surgery and its satellite procedures a more, not less, appealing option for people who are unhappy in their skins. 

[ News Source: The Telegraph - Monday 27th March 2006 ]

Toyah will be guesting on the show yet again this coming Thursday afternoon , her fifth appearance of March.

Through The Keyhole : BBC2 - Thursday 30th March : 3.00pm
David Frost challenges celebrities to identify famous people by peeping into their homes with the help of Catherine Gee and a camera crew. Starring: Colin Jackson, Toyah Willcox and Peter Sissons. 

Blood Donor, of course, played a crucial part in Toyah's early music evolvement/ history

Charlie Stephenson - vocals/percussion/fire: 
Charlie has breathed fire for most of his life incurring the wrath of local promoters wherever he goes... Unfortunately safety regulations have tightened up since 1977 (BOO!) so he'll have to sing instead. Must be the rubber revolution... 

Charlie Stephenson (vocalist and percussionist of Blood Donor) died peacefully at 2pm on Thursday afternoon, As well as being my oldest friend, it was through his networking that the band ended up rehearsing at Mayhem thus heralding the start of a long association with Toyah. He was a unique individual and will be sorely missed. Keith Hale

[ Please visit: www.blooddonormusic.co.uk ]

Quadrophenia : Thursday 6th April - TCM : 9.00pm
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Directed by Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, Ray Winstone and Toyah Willcox.

As mentioned earlier this month, Quadrophenia is to be reissued on DVD again in the UK. This time as part of the 'True Brit' collection. The DVD will be available to buy from Monday 8th May 2006. 

If you don't have these now is the time to change that, if you do then this special offer is a great opportunity to introduce a friend to Toyah's music at a snip of a price.

Immediately the strength and talent of the live band is apparent, notably the contribution of Simon Phillips on drums who puts on a fantastic show, underpinning every second with his precision drumming, and Toyah herself is in great voice - her voice soaring - and evidently enjoying every moment of the night. This is the sound of a band coming together as one and to this day 'Warrior Rock' remains one of my favourite live albums ever. Remember The Eighties review 'Warriror Rock' 2005.

On Friday March 24th - we begin three days of LIVE SHOWS from Detling Showground Nr Maidstone in Kent at the Spiritual Tides Festival. We thank our sponsors HAUNTING BREAKS (For Now THAT'S Weird) and  TELABRIA (for our morning show live specials). The event is to be opened by TOYAH WILLCOX who will be a guest on our show on Friday March 24th.

Friday 24th  10 a.m. - Midday A SOUTH WEST TODAY SPECIAL - Ross Hemsworth interviews special guests live from the festival, including former pop star and TV presenter TOYAH WILLCOX

• The Hoxton Whores were recently interviewed by 'DMC' magazine (Issue 170, March 22nd 2006), when asked 'What record did you lose your virginity to?' Gary from the band replied: "'It's A Mystery' by Toyah"!

[ Thanks to Brian - More of his pictures from 'Spiritual Tides' - Coming Soon! ]

Dyslexia - Wynford Dore
The Miracle Cure
ISBN: 1844542807

A guide to the Dore programme, this book shows how to identify learning difficulties, explaining attention deficit disorder, autism and asperger's syndrome, and discusses cure. With examples, diagrams, and case studies, it includes advice and solutions, and chapters on how Toyah Willcox and rugby star Kenny Logan conquered dyslexia. 

RRP: £17.99
Format: Hardback, Pages: 272
Publication Date: 25th August 2006
Category: Health & Medical
Publisher: John Blake Publishing Ltd

Toyah will be guesting on the show again this coming Monday afternoon (including Scotland this time), her fourth appearance of March.

Through The Keyhole : BBC2 - Monday 27th March : 3.00pm
David Frost challenges celebrities to identify famous people by peeping into their homes with the help of Catherine Gee and a camera crew. Starring: Colin Jackson, Toyah Willcox and Peter Sissons. 

Pic 1: Angus & Toyah, Pic 2: Toyah and the the tall African tribal chief, Pic 3: Toyah is interviewed for the Sky show Psychic Interactive. Please click on the pictures to zoom the photo of Toyah & the tribal chief.

[ Many thanks to Angus Turner for the pictures and information ]

[ News Source: www.dgmlive.com - Thanks to Owen Keenan ]

Toyah, on white Christmasses: "I only remember ever one white Christmas and it snowed on Christmas Eve and that was just great, it meant everything to us and we’d go off to the Licky Hills and toboggan."

Toyah, on (or under ;o)) Christmas trees: "I loved Christmas as a child and it’s to do with scale because I was a very small child and I could get under the Christmas tree and Mum ordered this Christmas tree that probably was only about seven foot high but to me it was the biggest tree in the world and I used to crawl under it and hide in the corner and look through the lights of the tree and it, it was fabulous. That was my Christmas!"

Toyah, on Christmas morning: "I used to wake at around four in the morning and go into my brother's bed with my stocking, which had miraculously arrived on the end of the bed, and we’d open our stocking, eat all our sweets and go to sleep in the same bed. Then we’d be up at about eight and by that time Mum and Dad had filled the lounge with presents, and they did fill it with presents, and we had an arm chair each with our presents in but the lounge would be locked so we’d go and wake up Mum and Dad with a cup of tea, begging them to open the lounge and they’d open the lounge and there was this magical room full of presents."

[ Thanks again to Andi Westhorpe ]

The guide to what’s Hot ‘n’ Happening in Kent - 20th - 27th March 2006

Spiritual Tides Whole Life Festival:
Kent’s largest environmental and holistic living event, with Toyah Willcox at the opening ceremony.

Date: Friday 24th – Sunday 26th March 2006
Contact: www.spiritualtides.com 

Alternatively, watch Toyah perform I Wanna Be Free and It's a Mystery alongside Altered Images, best known for Happy Birthday, at Littlecote House in Berkshire on June 23. Nick Heyward, of Haircut 100 fame, also joins the party. 

To book any of the weekends, call 0870 240 1111.

[ News Source: Glasgow Herald ]

[ Special THANKS to Andi Westhorpe for these rare shots ]

Through The Keyhole : BBC2 (not Scotland) - Friday 24th March : 3.00pm
David Frost challenges celebrities to identify famous people by peeping into their homes with the help of Catherine Gee and a camera crew. Starring: Colin Jackson, Toyah Willcox and Peter Sissons. 

• Toyah was mentioned in an article this week, on her old IACGMOOH! camp-mate Linda Barker:

Swatch & Learn: When TV home improvement expert Linda Barker entered the I’m A Celebrity jungle she did so with a reputation for being nice and blonde. 

By the time she left, her reputation was cast in bisque and a chunk of Australia had been repainted in a deep gamboge and stencilled in a miniature horse motif. 

Now, some years on, Linda is a big star who counts Antony Worrall Thompson among her pals and has bumped into Toyah Willcox, Danniella Westbrook and Sian Lloyd at parties and “events”. 

[ News Source: www.anorak.co.uk - 21st March 2006 ]

• Toyah opens the 'Spiritual Tides Whole Life Festival' at the Kent Event & Exhibition Centre, Detling this Friday morning (24th March) at 10am. The festival will be open to the public from 24th – 26th March 2006.

Toyah Willcox addressed a Learning and Skills Council event today, celebrating Learning and Skills Council funded projects which have been successful in breaking down barriers to learning and getting more people involved in learning in Suffolk.

Toyah spoke of her own experience of dyslexia and dyspraxia with a motivating story of how she overcame her own barriers to succeed. She was expected to slip through the educational net, but she didn’t, and found her strength in performance at which she excelled.

Amanda Stevens, Head of Social Inclusion at the Learning and Skills Council said today:

"I am delighted to welcome so many people today who have made such a big contribution to widening participation in learning in Suffolk. At the Learning and Skills Council we know the importance of identifying new ways of encouraging young people and adults to learn. And the people we are celebrating here today have done just that. They have approached learning in new ways, made it a positive experience and helped many Suffolk learners to achieve their ambitions."

Toyah Willcox supported these remarks, saying:

"It is never too late to learn. We live in privileged times where education is our right and learning should be a lifetime friend."

The prestigious prizes of the Champions of Learning Awards in Somerset were handed out by actress and singer Toyah Willcox who told the winners: "You are all stars in your own right."

Relyon was nominated for the award by Mhairi Holway after the company set up a brand new learning centre with Court Fields Community School and Richard Huish College in 2005.

Staff at Relyon were asked to fill in a survey about the new centre and many expressed an interest in learning about compute and improving their skills on a wide range of other topics.

Mhairi Holway from Relyon said: "A capable, confident and skilled workforce helps us to deliver our business objectives. The learning centre has already been used extensively to deliver high quality learning programmes on a wide range of topics to staff across the factory and the offices. We have been delighted to work with Court Fields School and Richard Huish on this project."

The Champions of Learning Awards, now in their fourth year, are organised by Somerset Learning and Skills Council to recognise special achievement, sometimes against the odds.

[ News Source: www.thisisthewestcountry.co.uk ]

Back in 1982 Toyah and her band were touring so much that there wasn't enough time to film a promo video for the song.

Using a variety of clips from other Toyah promo videos and TV appearances, including the 'Echo Beach' promo, 'Thunder In The Mountains' promo, 'Brave New World' promo, 'The Vow' from Saturday Superstore, the 'I Want To Be Free' promo, and the 'Soul Passing Through Soul' promo. 

There is even footage from the 1980 ATV Toyah documentary, with the 'Blue Meanings' and 'Ieya' clips being used..

The interesting promo is a showcase for some of Toyah's amazing 80s looks, and reminiscent of the many Madonna montage videos that have been produced over the years.

To quote the creator of the Toyah My Space page: "This beautiful fan video for "Be Proud, Be Loud, Be Heard" is an Erasercuts Production. I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as I do."

[ www.thebansheesandothercreatures.co.uk ]

Over the past year MySpace has become one of the most effective ways for new bands to promote themselves and their music.

Many bands find their first Internet presence through MySpace, which allows them to connect with millions of music listeners on a free home page where they can post photographs, audio clips and tour dates. Established artists often provide a link to their official site or online retailers who sell the band's music and merchandise. 

[ www.myspace.com/toyahwillcox ]

Paul said the crowd response to Toyah was really good and he heard positive comments from gig-goers when leaving the gig.

Last night's set-list included: Echo Beach, Thunder In The Mountains, Hangin' On The Telephone, Jungles Of Jupiter, Sweet Child 'O Mine, Little Tears Of Love, Word Up, It's A Mystery, and She Sells Sanctuary.

The encore song was, of course, I Want To Be Free.

[ Thanks to Paul for the picture, set-list and information ]

[ Thanks to Paul, aka Bluemeaning @ Dreamscape's Forum, for the pictures ]

Most are from the 1980s and were captured by fans at various appearances made by Toyah. 

As they originate from a fans' collection few have been available to view on the internet so these are very collectable.

Please leap on over to the eBay auction website to look at the auction listings, view larger versions, or even make a bid.

[ NB These aren't being auctioned by myself! ]

Derek Jarman: A Celebration 17th Feb – 2nd March 2006 
A riot of vivid colour, provocative thought, visual excitement, political engagement, romantic flight and cinematic genius are just some of the ways one would characterise even a partial retrospective of the work of Derek Jarman . To honour the memory of his death on February 19th 1994, we present a selective season of his work, including features, documentaries, Super-8 shorts and studies and films about his life and work. For those who have never seen Jarman's fabulous, poetic, notorious and life-affirming work on the big-screen, here's your chance - make sure you take it. 

JUBILEE: 18th & 23rd Feb
Time Out called it 'Britain's first official punk movie' and it's still hard to think of anything that tops Jubilee when it comes to capturing the spirit of the country in the late 1970s. 

THE TEMPEST: 18th & 23rd Feb
A magical rendering of the Shakespeare play - the first filmed adaptation - that manages to be respectful, iconoclastic, traditional and anachronistic all at once. Whichever way you look at it, Jarman's style feels perfectly suited to the material. 

GLITTERBUG & THE QUEEN IS DEAD: 19th & 27th Feb
Jarman's final statement - a collage of Super8 footage that reflects on his life, beginning with the filmmaker's own image in the mirror and ending with a 'last look' back to the beginning of his artistic career. 

FORTHCOMING: The Tempest. DVD. Directed by Derek Jarman. Heathcote Williams and Toyah Willcox. (For the Shakespeare Association Newsletter. FILM AND VIDEO REVIEWS: Publication expected in April 2006).

[ News Source: Shakespeare & His Critics ]

Toyah is pictured with TCA Press Officer Sharon Gilbert, during an interview with the BBC's Ashley Blake.

Around 60 journalists attend the Spring Gardening Show in May, and BBC Gardeners’ World dedicates its Friday night programme to Malvern

The Malvern Spring Gardening Show (11th - 14th May 2006)
The Three Counties Show (16th - 18th June 2006)
The Malvern Autumn Garden & Country Show (23rd - 24th September 2006)

Jubilee, Quadrophenia, and The Tempest, all with cool artwork, and extras, are well worth the miniscule price which also includes postage.

[ Source: www.play.com ]

100 Greatest Funny Moments : S4C - Sunday 19th March : 11.25pm
We all love an iconic laugh-out-loud TV moment, but forget those tired old scenes you've seen a million times from sitcoms and sketch shows, what we really love are those slip-ups, laughs, gaffes and forgotten gags which come from a diverse range of places; from chat-shows to hidden camera stunts, internet viral attachments to stand-up comedy spots, the controversial, unexpected and often unintentionally funny moments. Narrated by Rob Brydon and featuring interviews with Jon Culshaw, Meera Syal, Paul Kaye, Michael Barrymore and the Jackass team this is promises to be the funniest 100 Greatest ever made.

The 50 Worst Decisions Of All Time : Sky One - Friday 31st March : 9.00pm
We all make mistakes, but this cheeky special spotlights some unforgettable faux-pas. Rebecca Loos, Nick Leeson and Diana 'Cough' Ingram are among those telling their stories.

Divine Intervention
British actress and singer Toyah Willcox would, no doubt be thrilled to learn that in the heart of central Europe her music provides inspiration for an artist’s vivid, energetic paintings. 

Vince Czifra (34) listens to Wilcox’s music in his studio when he creates vast works, spreading the oils across the canvas with bold brush strokes, filling every inch with intense shades of every color of the spectrum. 

Czifra’s scope is large, he always paints on giant canvasses, measuring two and a half meters in height. The size enhances the dynamic impact of the subject matter. His work often features strong, powerful women. The heads and sometimes bodies of what appear to be haughty goddesses look down on the viewer with a proud gaze and dare us to look at them in the eye. The women in the pictures sometimes look a little frightened, shocked by something, but there is an underlying strength to their personalities which bounce off from the canvas and challenge. 

Czifra’s paintings feature a world quite different from the modern bustle of the shopping mall or the office. The colors, composition, the omnipotent presence of the divine beings all suggest another, wilder world; the world of tribal rituals, emotions and instinct. It is interesting, then, that several international hotels and cafés in Budapest have recently shown interest in featuring Czifra’s work as permanent decoration for their walls. Perhaps the sterile corporate world wants to cut loose and enjoy life a little, under the gaze of other-worldly women. 

Born in Debrecen, Czifra is a consummate artist, involved with art, music and dance 24 hours a day. He studied at a college of applied arts and painted in a studio in Debrecen before moving to Budapest with his wife Csilla Deme, a children’s worker. In the early ’90s, life for an artist was a struggle with a dearth of places to paint or even show art and a clique of mediocre painters who wanted to keep all artistic control to themselves. 

"Czifra’s work was called ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and people advised him to show in Britain, Holland or America, but not in Hungary, which seemed strange. People understand his work in London or the United States but they also like it here too," said Deme. 

Czifra’s paintings have found audiences outside Hungary. He has shown in Toronto, where he held an individual exhibition, in Lyons, in a joint show with a French painter and two dealing galleries in Vienna often sell his smaller paintings and graphics. 

At present Czifra is searching for a more expansive studio to provide space for the breadth of his imagination. "He is a real artist, not a business man, who deals in dreams not ideology," said Deme. 

Possibly, maybe... but there is certainly a hint of Toyah in this live pic. It's not so long ago that Alison's amazing vocals were being compared to Toyah too.

Another famous female has also been likened to Toyah. The 'Celebdaq' website recently ran an article that included the following...

Elsewhere, Ulrika has been showcasing her new boyfriend and bizarrely he looks just like the last one only with a better dress sense. Pete Doherty has received coverage for getting pen on his face and Scarlett Johansson has appeared in a photo shoot looking like a dead ringer for Toyah Willcox. It's a reputable hive of celebrity activity on the trading floor today, so let us not keep you any longer. 

The main topic of the programme was family days out. Next week focuses on Christmas.

Toyah, on days out in general: "Every Easter mum and dad would take me, and my brother away, to either the Isle Of Wight or to Blackpool and it was really lovely because at that time of year back then, not many families went away, so you were never competing to find space, so it was always magical and that cliché of are we nearly there yet and seeing the sea for the first time just made your heart explode with excitement, It was fabulous."

Toyah, on days out in the family car: "My dad had something called a Princess Rolls which was a mini Rolls Royce but aaarrgghh god they were awful to travel in, I mean it smelt of leather so strongly and in those days every summer we had a cottage in Rock in Cornwall which was a ten hour drive back then from Birmingham because there was no motorways and I could just remember I was sick from beginning to end sitting in the back of one of these cars because of the smell of leather and polish."

Toyah, on days out at the Zoo: "It never occurred to me that these animals had come from a wild habitat and that the Zoo wasn’t a natural habitat for a Polar Bear or for a chimpanzee and I always had my picture taken with a chimpanzee in my arms, which you could do back then and I can remember, I’ve still got the photo, I’m in my school uniform for some reason, I think my mum made me wear it on Saturday and I’ve got this chimpanzee and there’s this backdrop behind me of a nice jungle and I’m holding the chimpanzee and my brother's saying 'which one is the monkey?'."

[ Thanks to Andi Westhorpe for the screen captures & information ]

[ Thanks to Andi Westhorpe for the screen captures ]

Friday 17th March : Minehead (full band) 
Saturday 18th March : Skegness (full band) 
Thursday 11th May : Du Maurier Festival, Cornwall - An Audience With Toyah
Saturday 27th May : Bury St. Edmunds festival (full band) 
Friday 23rd June : Berkshire - Warners We Do Weekends (Here & Now band)
Friday 6th October : Skegness (full band) 
Sunday 26th November : Bognor (Live PA)

[NB 'Desire' was released in 1987 and there is still '(Take The) Leap' to be reissued to compelete the back-catalogue releases]

• ABC have added more US shows and some Canadian gigs to their upcoming dates in May and June and Martin Fry will also be playing a series of dates in Belgium in August and is expected to join TOYAH and HOWARD JONES for a UK tour in october.

[ News Source: www.remembertheeighties.com- 9th March 2006 ]

Mark Ellen, who wrote the article, used to work at 'Smash Hits' and now edits 'The Word', has a rather ridiculous view of Toyah (that he also expressed in the 25 Years Of Smash Hits docu a couple of years back - repeated last night). He seems oblivious to the fact she has recorded music for over 25 years:

"Anyone aiming to sell singles to teenagers had to look sensational and no-one achieved this more theatrically than Toyah, a 23-year old actress briefly playing the part of a punk-pop poet."

[ Source: The Word- Issue #38, April 2006 - Pet Shop Boys cover ]

Back in 1979-82, TOYAH was at the new wave vanguard, but her Mayhem rarities set (Cherry Red **), here bolstered by three cassette-only and five CD-debut bonus tracks, including four demos (totalling 20), demonstrates her experimental, theatrical pop-rock from the off. Pulsing with energy and her distinctive vocals, there's much synth-shaped quirky rock and indie on offer, standouts including a cover of Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas and an early It's A Mystery.

[ Source: Record Collector - Issue #321, March 2006 - Pink Floyd cover ]

Although the make-up adorning Toyah on her Wild Essence (Cherry Red ***) sleeve doesn't do her any favours, the 'offical bootleg recording' demonstrates that when she's not murdering Queen songs for Saturday night telly, she can still deliver on her own material. Hence, we get 16 tracks focusing on catalogue pearls like Thunder In The Mountains and I Want To Be Free, though there are diversions into The Cult and Guns N' Roses songbooks. There are four promo video bonuses, an interview and discography, though the 5.1 Surround Sound package tops out at 80 minutes.

Thanks to Alan @ toyahwillcox.com for the Wild Essence image.

[ Source: Record Collector - Issue #321, March 2006 - Pink Floyd cover ]

A fantastic, fun evening of conversation and song with the one and only Toyah Willcox.

Toyah Willcox enjoys one of the most diverse careers in the world of entertainment. With a string of hit records, countless stage performances and a range of TV appearances to her credit, Toyah is one of the country's most successful, versatile and popular entertainers. She is simply unique.

In addition to performing, Toyah has written her autobiography, Living Out Loud (published in 2000) and the best-selling Diary Of A Facelift (2005).

In tonight's special show, Toyah will talk candidly about her remarkable life and career, sing some of her greatest hits and take questions from the audience.

A combination of live performance and video clips makes this an unmissable opportunity to see and hear about the life and career of Toyah Willcox.

[ Source: Du Maurier 10th Festival booklet - March 2006 - Thanks to Paul Lomas ]

Stay tuned to the Official Toyah Website for further updates on the tour

Toyah Willcox – iconic pop personality, actress, writer and presenter – will be opening a new and exciting event at the Kent Event & Exhibition Centre, Detling. The highly anticipated Spiritual Tides Whole Life Festival will be open to the public from 24th – 26th March 2006 and brings together a whole wealth of ideas and information aimed at helping people bring about positive change in their lives and the environment. It was this variety that first caught the celebrity’s attention:

"I am attracted to the diversity of this Festival as there seems to be a real energy and vibrancy to it. It brings together so many fascinating ideas and innovations. I think the idea of a holistic life, where each part is in balance, is very appealing - whether it’s your work, your family or your physical, emotional or spiritual well being - especially in a world where this can seem increasingly difficult to achieve. But what also seems to make this show so unusual is that it recognizes the importance of the environment in this balance and, with so many challenges facing our planet, that has to be a good thing."

The show integrates areas such as Complementary & Alternative Health, Environmental Awareness & Sustainable Living, Spirituality, Personal Development, Mysticism, Conservation, Organic Farming and 'Green' innovations, in one colourful, accessible and, above all, fun event for all the family. Whether you are looking for guidance in your life, practical ways to help the environment, how to enhance your health & wellbeing or maybe take a peek into the future of sustainable transportation, you will find it all and much more at the Spiritual Tides Whole Life Festival. With around 200 exhibitors and over 100 talks & workshops running throughout the weekend (including some workshops specially created for ‘kids and teens’) there’s loads to see and do. Or you could simply relax and indulge yourself with the vast array of natural products and therapies on offer. And don’t forget: Sunday 26th March is Mother’s Day, you will find plenty on offer to treat and pamper all the Mums!

Then, after the excitement of the day, why not come and experience an evening of live music/entertainment? Enjoy varied line-ups including performances of Gambian Drumming, Positive ‘electro-pop’ and ‘hauntingly beautiful’ vocal compositions.
The Spiritual Tides Whole Life Festival is brought to you in association with the Kent Messenger Group along with Paradigm Shift, Alternatives, Permaculture and Positive Health Magazines. There are also three official Internet Radio Stations who will be running interviews with exhibitors & visitors throughout the event, plus Sky TV’s Psychic Interactive will be joining us, offering one to one readings, TV coverage and more...

Join TOYAH on Friday 24th March at 10am for the opening ceremony at the Kent Pavilion. For full details of this unique & amazing event, including an up to date listing of exhibitors, talks & workshops, visit www.spiritualtides.com. An event not to be missed in 2006!

London 1964: two rival youth cults emerge - the mods and the rockers - with explosive consequences. For Jimmy (Phil Daniels) and his sharp-suited, pill-popping, scooter-riding mates, being a mod is a way of life. It's their generation.

Together they head off to Brighton for an orgy of drugs, thrills and violent confrontation against the rockers. Jimmy never wants to stray from his maxim: "I don't wanna be like everybody else, that's why I'm a mod, see?" Will Jimmy emerge a hero or will he be disillusioned by his way of life?

Quadrophenia airs on the TCM channel tonight.

Quadrophenia : Saturday 11th March - TCM : 9.00pm
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Directed by Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, Ray Winstone and Toyah Willcox.

Museum staff are keen to hear from anyone who has information on popular music in the borough, or who has relevant material which they would be prepared to lend to the exhibition. (All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged.) Please telephone the Curator on 0208 203 0130 or email him at gerrard.roots@barnet.gov.uk

Stars to shine in Fowey
The line up for this year's Daphne Du Maurier Festival has been announced. A variety of musicians and celebrities will be delighting locals and holiday makers alike in what has become an important date in the world of the arts.

Over the years the Daphne Du Maurier Festival has grown into a massive event which sees a diverse range of people taking to the stage.

The day one line-up of broadcaster Sue MacGregor; writer, presenter, director and doctor of medicine Jonathan Miller and former High Priestess of Punk, turned actress and presenter Toyah Willcox shows just how diverse the ten days will be.

The Festival takes place in and around Fowey between Thursday 11 and Saturday 20 May. It is organised and promoted by Restormel Borough Council. 

Tickets go on sale from Monday, 13th March.

Toyah, of course, played a great set at the club in mid-February, the first artist to appear in the shiny new venue. The ad uses a small live picture of Toyah (taken by John Shepherd).

See February News for great pictures and the set-list from the PA.

Springtime Uncovered... An outstanding line-up for Spring at the all new multi million pound Flamingo night club.

[ Source: 'Bent' magazine - February 2006 - Thanks to Paul Lomas ]

So much has happened over the past 72 months, it would take quite a while to list even half of what Toyah has crammed into them, but here's a few of the highlights:

The Official Toyah website is launched... Picasso's Women... 'Living Out Loud'... Toyah receives an Honorary Doctorate... Beyond Medicine...Here & Now Tour 2002... Calamity Jane... 'Little Tears Of Love'... various live gigs all over the place... Rock Legends... 25th Anniversary Gig... 'Velvet Lined Shell'... Jubilee/The Tempest DVD... 'Killing Made Easy'... I'm A Celebrity... Best Of The 80s Tour 2004... various classic CD reissues/issues (esp 'Love Is The Law' & 'Mayhem')... 'Diary Of A Facelift'... An Audience With Toyah Willcox... Wild Essence DVD... plus much much much more...

From Toyah Willcox @ everyone at toyahwillcox.com 

Thanks muchly to Toyah, John & all @ tw.com. We're not worthy!! :o))

The Smash Hits Story : Channel 4 - Saturday 11th March : 11.00pm

This week Toyah briefly talked about Sex Education at school and childhood Birthday Parties. Last week, boyfriends and clothes. [ Thanks to Andi ]

• Toyah also guested on Wednesday's Through The keyhole too (see below for screen caps from Tuesday's programme). That's two days in a row she appeared on this panel show!

• Look out for Toyah in an upcoming issue of 'Now' magazine, and in the pages of the 'Daily Mirror' (mid-April), taking part in a sex survey for the middle-aged woman!

This will be available to read @ the Official website over the next couple of days. Including info on a couple of the songs Toyah will play in the Faith & Music documentary on ITV1 later in 2006, and the bands she will tour with this Autumn.

[ News Source: www.toyahwillcox.com - e-news ]

Over the forthcoming weeks and months I'm hoping, time permitting, to change the past six years of News to this design. It'll take time but I'll get there eventually.

The remainder of the old site will be an archive (for reference/nostalgia/etc) and Dreamscape will predominantly now be a Toyah News Page, hence that title above. That means the only page that will be updated will be this main page. 

Having said that I'm hoping to, as I've already been doing over the past couple of months, to update News very regularly. This will, obviously, depend on how much Toyah News there is to update with. There's the possibility of more frequent "Somewhere In The Distance" (ie. memorable Toyah past events) additions too.

"Every bits as hilarious as the title suggests", The Observer

Toyah, of course, plays a fertility doctor in the film. A small role, which only took one day of filming, but possibly the pivotal character if you consider the title of the production.

When 24-year-old virgin Eamonn discovers he has the most potent sperm in Belfast he recognises it as an opportunity to make his fortune, overnight he transforms himself into a one-man sperm bank. 

Business is booming until he is sucked into the "troubles" and finds his crown jewels dangling in the fires of political distrust and religious intolerance. 

'John Robb is supremely qualified to talk about punk rock', Mick Jones, The Clash

Toyah, on the longevity of Punk: "I think, quite honestly, nobody cared if it was going to run and run. It really was the ethos of not caring!"

Toyah, on the Sex Pistol's first Birmingham gig: "I was in the audience. It was on New Street. It was unbelievably bad! I was talking to John (Robb) about it. Suddenly all these misfits, who didn't know where they belonged, ended up in this club that night. We kind of looked at each other and thought, 'this is where we belong', but the Sex Pistols were so bad, and we did not respond to them. Johnny walked off after three songs, we were just completely blank. We did not know what had hit us, we almost needed the education of the next 12 months to tell us that they were gonna be really good."

Toyah, on being at THAT gig: "Yeah, I've been saying it for 30 years!"

Toyah, on life before Punk: "(Before Punk there was)... Farah Fawcett Majors!! 

Toyah, on how Punk affected women: "It was a fantastic time for women. Because if you weren't phenomenally beautiful you were invisible, and then suddenly Punk came along, and you really counted, as long as you looked different to everyone else. That was me!! The short, fat one suddenly got noticed!"

Toyah, on the simplicity of Punk: "If you knew three guitar chords, and you knew someone who was willing to play those three chords... The bands weren't rubbish because the energy and the ideas were fantastic, but they weren't from that middle-class, overeducated background. Everything was raw."

Toyah, on her early days: "I came out of Birmingahm. I went to public school. I came from quite a strict family background, and I knew I didn't belong in the 'get married, have kids zone', and Punk allowed me to really express myself. I started dyeing my hair when I was about 14 much to my mother's dismay. And then when I moved to London and really discovered Punk, I felt like an outsider that had found a home, because I was just not like your normal, quiet, attractive woman. There was nothing like that about me! And when you look at Siouxsie Banshee and Jordan, the real Jordan, it gave us the freedom and the confidence to just be... different from what we were expected to be!"

This edition had previously been aired on UK Style, and saw Toyah, and others, on the subject of "Girlfriends".

There will be further editions of What Women Really Want on UKTV Bright Ideas each weekend over the coming weeks and months. Toyah contributed to, at least, another two of these.

Three bands are featured for what promises to be another great party night. Bleach, the ultimate tribute to Blondie, will be followed by Wham/Duran and then to finish the evening Toyah and her band will take the stage.

Ticket price per person: £15, £8 under 12s 
Increases to £17.00 & £9.50 from 12th May, inc. reservations
Festival Box Office: 01284 769505 

[ Thanks to Angus Turner ]

A unique Environmental & Holistic Living event dedicated to promoting the very best in Environmentally & Ecologically aware living, Spiritual & Personal development plus Complementary & Alternative Health.

There will be a host of events, workshops, presentations etc taking place at the Kent Event & Exhibition Centre from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th March (Plus Workshops only on Thursday 23rd & Monday 27th March).

Latest News: TOYAH Willcox - iconic pop star, actress, writer and presenter - will be officially opening the Spiritual Tide Whole Life Festival at 10am on Friday 24th March.

"I am attracted to the diversity of this Festival as there seems to be a real energy and vibrancy to it. It brings together so many fascinating ideas and innovations.  I think the idea of a holistic life, where each part is in balance, is very appealing - whether it’s your work, your family or your physical, emotional or spiritual well being - especially in a world where this can seem increasingly difficult to achieve. But what also seems to make this show so unusual is that it recognizes the importance of the environment in this balance and, with so many challenges facing our planet, that has to be a good thing." Toyah Willcox

What makes this event unique is the blend of exhibitors - it is a celebration of the extraordinary diversity that now exists to help everyone achieve greater harmony in their own lives and with their surroundings.

Spiritual Tide brings together ancient wisdom, traditional skills and crafts and cutting-edge innovations to provide you with a myriad of ideas to create a truly holistic life.

The Spiritual Tides Festival 2006
24th/25th/26th March
Kent Event & Exhibition Centre
County Showground, Detling Kent

Website: www.spiritualtides.com

[ Please visit the website to download a 32-page brochure on this event ]

Toyah Willcox enjoys one of the most diverse careers in the world of entertainment. With a string of hit records, countless stage performances and a range of TV appearances to her credit, Toyah is one of the country’s most successful, versatile and popular entertainers. She is simply unique.

In addition to performing, Toyah has written her autobiography, Living Out Loud (published in 2000) and the best-selling Diary of a Facelift (2005). 

In tonight’s special show, Toyah will talk candidly about her remarkable life and career, sing some of her greatest hits and take questions from the audience.

A combination of live performance and video clips makes this an unmissable opportunity to see and hear about the life and career of Toyah.

Date: Thursday 11th May 2006
Time: 20:00
Venue: Festival Marquee, Fowey, Cornwall
Standard Price: £16.50

Included in the season is Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, Quincy, Jonathan Creek, Columbo, Poirot and, of course, Murder, She Wrote.

Murder Mystery Sundays, every Sunday from 11am on UKTV Gold, sees Miss Marple go head-to-head with Columbo and Jessica Fletcher from Murder, She Wrote. But have you ever wondered how these three accomplished crime-crackers would sit in a list of the top ten TV sleuths of all time? Wonder no more! 

What Women Really Want (Premiere): Saturday 4th & Sunday 5th, from 11am
What do women really want? Well, tune in to this fast and funny exposé of the contemporary female mindset and find out. Narrated by Ulrika Jonsson, celebs such as Jodie Marsh, Jenny Eclair, Sarah Cawood and Toyah Willcox will be chewing the fat on everything from Victoria Beckham’s beauty secrets to who buys condoms in supermarkets to shock the prying public. This eye-opening series is also jam-packed with gripping true-life stories and indispensable advice from relationship and fashion experts. In the first of the weekend’s two double helpings the focus is on kids. How do the likes of Carol Smillie and Emma Forbes bring up their little darlings? Who admits to shamelessly spoiling their offspring? Who’s bored doing bedtime stories and who says, “You cannot do it all, you cannot have it all, you cannot be perfect”? 

[ News Source: www.uktv.co.uk ]

Not sure how recent this is but it's an interesting read and features a groovy pic of Toyah:

FOOD / NUTRITION: PROVAMEL FROM ALPRO

THE TASK: Bloomsbury Communications was initially appointed by provamel to promote the role of soya in lowering high cholestero. Within a short period of time Bloomsbury Communications took over responsibility for promoting the Provamel from Alpro range to consumers and the health food trade. The objective was to gain press attention for the products, particularly in women's magazines, highlighting Alpro's superior taste and the importance of including soya in a healthy balanced diet. 

ACTIVITY: Bloomsbury organised press briefings at IPC Media and National Magazines to publicise the launch of its new chilled soya milk, Soya Fresh. We selected Toyah Willcox, the well known musician, actress and TV presenter to promote the product. Toyah gave press interviews and discussed her own health and fitness regime, explaining how Soya Fresh fits into her diet. Both briefings were well attended by the key health and food journalists who were invited to taste a Soya Fresh Smoothie. In addition, a prize draw competition for a weekend at Grayshott Hall Health Resort was held to entice journalists along.

RESULT: Toyah was widely interviewed by newspapers and magazines and was able to mention Alpro Soya Fresh throughout these interviews, whilst stressing the health benefits and the superior taste of the Alpro range.

Please check back to Dreamscape soon for a full transcript of Toyah's interview.

[ Thanks to Andi Westhorpe for the great screen caps ]

"You can never tie me down, cos I am floating free, you'll never tie me to the ground, with your reality... "

Yes, the wonderful Glitter, Toyah's first ever television singing/acting appearance, was screened at the London Barbican last night, as part of St Etienne's 'Popfiction' mini season.

The half-hour drama, filmed in 1975 and originally broadcast as part of the BBC Second City Firsts series in 1976 also stars Phil Daniels, Dorothy Vernon, and Noel Edmonds.

This is, to my knowledge anyway, the first time this has been shown on a cinema screen.

[ Huge thanks to Andi Westhorpe ]

Check out the 'Myomancy' website for an interesting interview with Wyndord Dore, the man behind the treatment Toyah recently spoke about in the 'Daily Mail'. Toyah is even mentioned briefly during the article.

Through The Keyhole : BBC2 - Tuesday 7th March : 3.00pm