Warrior Rock: Toyah on Tour was the second live album by the band Toyah. It was originally released in November 1982 by Safari Records and is the next release in Cherry Red’s comprehensive reissue campaign.
The 15-track double album featured material recorded on 17 and 18 July 1982 at Hammersmith Odeon at the end of The Changeling UK tour. A new 3CD set (compiled by Craig Astley and Joel Bogen) sees the album remastered and expanded to 41 tracks featuring 26 previously unreleased bonus tracks, with a total of 19 different songs from 11 gigs, at nine different locations!
These means that for the first time all four sides of the original vinyl live album are included on CD – unabridged and uncut. The first CD offers 12 of the 15 tracks while CD 2 starts with the last three songs from the concert. After that follows ‘Street Creature’ a mixed and mastered outtake from Hammersmith, soundcheck recordings, and rehearsals from Brixton Fair Deal (now known as Brixton Academy).
SDEtv takes a look at all three physical formats of the recent Toyah The Changeling reissue, including the super deluxe edition box set. The Changeling is out now, via Cherry Red. Watch at You Tube. See also Super Deluxe Edition.
Cherry Red continue to work through Toyah’s Safari Records output and, in September, will reissue the band’s 1982 album, The Changeling, across a number of formats.
The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite and featured just the one single, ‘Brave New World’, which peaked at No 21 in the UK. The album has been newly remastered for this archive release.
Like Anthem, The Changeling is being made available as a big super deluxe edition box set, in addition to a 2CD+DVD package and a coloured vinyl LP version.
The 2CD+DVD version probably offers the best bang for your buck, with a whopping 31 bonus tracks including work-in-progress mixes, instrumental outtakes and demos. 20 of these are previously unreleased and three are new-to-CD. The NTSC, region-free DVD offers a 2023 interview with Toyah Willcox and her track-by-track commentary along with loads of TV appearances from back in the day.
Toyah / Live at Drury Lane
First time on CD, LP and DVD
Cherry Red continue their Safari-era Toyah reissues with Live at Drury Lane, a concert performance from December 1981.
This was broadcast live on the BBC for The Old Grey Whistle Test on Christmas Eve in 1981 and was ‘simulcast’ (as they used to call it) in stereo on BBC Radio One. Live at Drury Lane was never issued on vinyl, CD or cassette but was released as an edited VHS (called ‘Good Morning Universe’) in 1982.
This new reissue is available as a CD+DVD combo pack or as a 2LP set on pink vinyl. The CD contains all 13 songs performed on the night plus three bonus audio tracks recorded live in Milan from earlier on that same Winter Tour. The DVD reinstates ‘War Boys’ and ‘Victims of The Riddle’ which were missing from the VHS, but performed on the night.
Toyah / Four More From Toyah Expanded EP on coloured vinyl
The Four More From Toyah EP was Toyah’s fourth UK single of 1981, following on from the original Four From Toyah EP of February 1981 (featuring ‘It’s A Mystery’), ‘I Want To Be Free’ and ‘Thunder in the Mountains’. The lead track was ‘Good Morning Universe’ and it was the only one of the four to chart outside the top 10 (it peaked at #14 and would be the band’s last top 20 hit in the UK).
Four More From Toyah will be being reissued next week, and is remastered and expanded for a coloured vinyl offering. Side A contains all four of the tracks from the original EP, while side B features the previously unreleased track ‘Go Berserk’ (a song that was played before the band walked on stage on the European tour of winter 1981), ‘Stand Proud’ (from the bonus flexi-disc that came with initial copies of Four More From Toyah), outtake ‘Clapham Junction’, and finally the Steve Lillywhite-produced, previously unreleased, re-make of ‘I Want To Be Free’ (recorded in February 1982).
SDEtv examines the three physical editions of Cherry Red’s reissue of Toyah’s Anthem, including the super deluxe edition box set. Click below to watch.
Toyah / Live at the Rainbow
First time on DVD and CD/LP
Toyah Live at the Rainbow was issued on VHS back in 1981 (and later on laserdisc) but now gets the full reissue treatment with remixed and remastered audio on vinyl and CD as well as a DVD with restored visuals.
The concert was in February 1981 at London’s iconic Rainbow Theatre and includes a performance of ‘It’s A Mystery’. Such was that single’s success (it reached number four as part of the ‘Four From Toyah’ EP) it prompted a gig upgrade from the Lyceum Theatre to The Rainbow.
Live at the Rainbow was originally a 12-song video, but on CD it has been expanded with with seven additional tracks, all previously unheard and unreleased; restored exclusively for this release. These include ‘Bird In Flight’, ‘Mummies’, ‘Computer’ and ‘Love Me’. Three of these seven songs are in mono because the original multi-track masters could not be found. The coloured blue vinyl edition doesn’t include the mono tracks and is therefore a 16-song offering.
Toyah releases special edition of In The Court of the Crimson Queen
Toyah Willcox has recorded a cover of Grace Jones’ 1985 single ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ and added it to a new special ‘Rhythm Deluxe’ edition of her In The Court of the Crimson Queen album. ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ was written by Trevor Horn, Bruce Woolley, Simon Darlow and Stephen Lipson and to those unaware, Darlow has a very long writing/producing association with Toyah, so there’s some logic to the choose of recording, a version of which was first previewed on ‘Toyah and Robert’s Sunday Lunch’ back in July.
It seems curious to release yet another special edition of this album. It first came out in 2008, was reissued in 2013 and then remixed/reissued/expanded in 2019 (when SDE spoke to both Toyah and Simon), so this will be the fourth version! Toyah describes this new version as a “prequel” to 2021’s long-player Posh Pop and calls it the “definitive” version of the record. As well as ‘Slave to the Rhythm’ it also features three brand new remakes of the songs ‘Sensational’, ‘Heal Ourselves’ and ‘Latex Messiah’ featuring the ‘Posh Pop Three’ of Toyah, Simon Darlow and Robert Fripp.
Cherry Red steps up Toyah reissues with massive Anthem box set
1981 album gets the super deluxe treatment
Toyah’s 1981 album Anthem will be reissued in September across three physical formats, one of which is a large seven-disc super deluxe edition box set which comes with a signed print.
The album was the first to feature the new line-up of Toyah Willcox, Joel Bogen, Nigel Glockler, Phil Spalding and Adrian Lee. It reached number two in the UK album charts and contained a pair of top ten hits in ‘It’s A Mystery’ (which was issued in February ’81 as part of the ‘Four From Toyah’ EP) and ‘I Want To Be Free’ which was issued just before the album in May of that same year. Audio for the reissues has been remastered by Nick Watson (from the original master tapes) and approved by Joel Bogen.
Toyah’s 1980 live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! will be reissued by Cherry Red in May.
The album featured a June 1980 performance at Club Lafayette, in Wolverhampton, and was recorded using the Rolling Stones legendary Mobile Recording Unit. The audio for this reissue has been remastered by Nick Watson from the original master tapes.
The CD+DVD deluxe edition includes the ATV documentary, Toyah, in which director Graham Moore follows Toyah around for more than six months capturing rehearsals, studio recording sessions, rehearsals for plays and then in the notorious Battersea warehouse ‘Mayhem’. This documentary has never been issued commercially before (the DVD is NTSC, region-free).
• Official Toyah: Pre-Order “Posh Pop” New Studio Album – Following the acclaim of the recent reissues of her early, groundbreaking albums, on Friday 27 August 2021 Demon Music Group will release the new album Posh Pop by British female music icon, Toyah.
Available on CD, 180g ‘Space Grey’-coloured vinyl, digital download and deluxe CD+DVD featuring a video album. LP and CD Editions including an exclusive signed print by Toyah are also available – Continue reading…
• Super Deluxe Edition: Toyah / New studio album, Posh Pop – New studio album. Signed vinyl and CD: Toyah Willcox will release a new studio album, Posh Pop, in August and fans can secure signed editions of both vinyl and CD formats.
Written and recorded with her longterm writing partner Simon Darlow (he co-wrote Grace Jones’ Slave to the Rhythm!), the album is described as being “a strong collection of infectious and affirmative pop songs”. Tracks include ‘Summer of Love’, ‘Space Dance’, ‘Levitate’ and ‘Take Me Home’ – Continue reading…
• Retro Pop: Toyah is back with 16th album ‘Posh Pop’ – The ’80s icon will release her first album of original material since 2008 on August 27 – Continue reading…
• PoshPop: More News – Lots more new album news coming soon!
Toyah Willcox, the new queen of ‘Sunday Lunch’ lockdown videos talks to SDE about the reissue of Toyah’s 1980s album The Blue Meaning. This is the second major release in Cherry Red’s reissue campaign, since the label acquired Safari Records in early 2020.
SDE: You’ve been keeping busy during lockdown – I’ve seen the videos – but you must have missed playing live, since you used to do it so much?
Toyah Willcox: Yes, that’s true, but I managed to build a pretty phenomenal… brand name in lockdown. So we’re going to continue with it. It’s been a phenomenon we never expected, and it’s still growing. In a couple of years we’ll have our own TV channel, doing our own TV broadcasts. What seems to have struck home is the very basic truth and simplicity of what we do. We’re not in hi-tech studios or anything like that, but we’ll actually be broadening the whole of that.
1980 debut reissued as 2CD+DVD set & coloured vinyl
Toyah’s debut album Sheep Farming In Barnet has been remastered and expanded and will be reissued in December. Cherry Red bought the Safari Records catalogue earlier this year and Sheep Farming In Barnet represents the start of a planned reissue programme of Toyah’s entire output on that label, including 1981’s hit-packed Anthem.
Originally a six-track EP issued in August 1979, Sheep Farming In Barnet was expanded to full album status the following year with the addition of five further tracks, including both sides ‘Victims Of The Riddle’, Toyah’s first single (released in 1979).
The reissue is fairly straightforward, with two formats on offer: 2CD+DVD and an LP pressed on white vinyl. The former offers the newly remastered album, plus 30 bonus tracks made up of non-album singles, rarities and demos (20 previously unreleased).
A new box celebrating Toyah’s career is on its way • 500 with signed print
Toyah’s solo career is to be celebrated in a new box set due next month from Demon.
Toyah Solo mops up the era from 1985 onwards when Willcox signed as a solo turn to Sony’s Portrait Records and then subsequent EG releases, and comprises of seven CDs and a DVD plus a 48 page book. (If you’re a cursory fan and a bit confused and wondering ‘hang on, wasn’t she always solo?’ it transpires that up until then, Toyah was the name of the band she fronted.)
The box charts the Birmingham post-punk lungsmith’s progression from chart star – with hits such as ‘Soul Passing Through Soul’ and her cover of ‘Echo Beach’ – to increasingly experimental artist and back again, and features the six albums Minx (released 1985) Desire (1987), Prostitute (1988), Ophelia’s Shadow (1991), Take The Leap! and Velvet Lined Shell (both 1994) alongside Remixed, Revisited & Rare 1992-98 which contains updates on some of her biggest hits.
As some of you are probably aware, once Record Store Day is a week old stock is allowed to be sold online under current Record Store Day rules, even if you aren’t a ‘bricks and mortar’ store who was eligible in the first place.
With that in mind I’m pleased to announce that for the first time we’ve got some of the more desirable RSD stock available in the SDE shop, including David Bowie, Madonna, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon and more.
In The Court of the Crimson Queen
Limited Edition purple vinyl
Exclusive to Record Store Day 2019, Demon Records proudly present a re-imagining of Toyah’ s 2008 album release. Toyah and producer/co-writer Simon Darlow have remixed and added instrumentation to all the songs. These mixes appear for the first time on vinyl, and this release will also have completely new artwork. Pressed on Translucent Purple 180g Vinyl
Toyah Willcox, and her producer and songwriting partner Simon Darlow, dropped by SDE last month to discuss Toyah’s new album In The Court of the Crimson Queen. Watch the 35-minute video interview, below.
In The Court Of The Crimson Queen is out now as a 2CD expanded deluxe set. Toyah is on tour right now and you can check out the dates on her website.
SDE has a bundle of Record Store Day releases from Demon Records to give away!
One winner will receive the Suede Head Music 3LP coloured vinyl set, The League of Gentlemen Live Again! 2LP, Heaven 17‘s Bigger Than America on coloured vinyl, Toyah‘s new album In The Court of the Crimson Queen on purple vinyl and the Marc Bolan/T. Rex bump ‘n’ grind set on blue vinyl.
One runner-up will win Suede, Marc Bolan/T. Rex and Heaven 17.
This competition, open to all, that will end at midnight BST on Sunday 28 April 2019. Good luck and enter below!
Duran Duran, Emma Bunton, Nick Cave, Nirvana, Norah Jones, Pet Shop Boys, Suede, The Spice Girls, Toyah, Various Artists, Warren Ellis.
Toyah Willcox / In The Court of the Crimson Queen
2CD Deluxe Edition
UK punk/pop legend Toyah Willcox releases a two-CD deluxe edition of her 2008 album In The Court of the Crimson Queen. Look out for an SDE ‘on the sofa’ interview with Toyah later this week.
Toyah Willcox / In The Court of the Crimson Queen 2CD deluxe edition
2CD deluxe • Four new tracks • Remixed • Ltd signed exclusive
UK punk/pop legend Toyah Willcox will release a two-CD deluxe edition of her 2008 album In The Court of the Crimson Queen in April.
The album has been completely remixed by Toyah’s producer and longtime writing partner Simon Darlow (his writing credits include Buggles & Grace Jones‘ ‘Slave to the Rhythm’) and features new instrumentation, including additional keyboards and live drums to replace the programmed rhythms of past editions.
This new deluxe edition also features four brand new songs (in a resequenced track listing) including a new opener, in the stomping ‘Dance in the Hurricane’ and ‘Our Hearts Still Beat’, an epic and emotional closer.
The album’s title is of course a reference to King Crimon‘s 1969 debut and of course Toyah is married to the band’s guitarist Robert Fripp! This deluxe set features new artwork and is presented as a digipak with a 24-page booklet. For the exclusive edition (only available via Amazon UK) 1000 are signed by both Toyah and Simon Darlow.
In The Court of the Crimson Queen deluxe edition will be released on 12 April 2019. A special coloured vinyl edition will be available a day later at participating independent records shops for Record Store Day.
Listen to this important message from Toyah and then head over to Super Deluxe Edition to read about all about the new 2CD deluxe edition of In the Court of the Crimson Queen. Signed copies available!
Exclusively on vinyl next month comes eighties alternative. This offers 30 ‘alternative’ eighties songs from a variety of artists including Scritti Politti, Pixies, Propaganda, Bauhaus and John Foxx.
As is often the case with these kind of compilations the definition of ‘alternative’ is rather broad, so as well as the artists above, tracks from Howard Jones, Bronski Beat and Dead Or Alive also feature.
No CD release for this 2LP set, which is clearly designed to appeal to those who have re-embraced vinyl, and it’s pretty good value at under £17 in the UK. eighties alternative is released on 1 June 2018 on Demon Records.
• Continue reading at Super Deluxe Edition. More info on this here. (NB: I Want To Be Free by Toyah is included on LP2 of this double vinyl album).
Toyah / Warrior Rock: Toyah On Tour
