 TOYAH,
TOYAH, TOYAH... No, it's
not a Japanese battlecry - it's simply the
enthusiastic chant any group of Ms. Willcox's
fans would be familiar with. Toyah is a multi-faceted
gem, who shines brighter than most, and for many
reasons. Take her career, for instance, outside
the role of colourful, energetic hit-maker. Film
actor, stage, TV, equally loved by the male
population and a beacon of inspiration for the
girls.
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| From what was described
as an 'unproductive school life' her course soon
became clear when, at the age of 19, after
attending the Old Rep Drama School in Birmingham,
she landed a part in the acclaimed director Derek
Jarman's film, a milestone in punk history,
Jubilee. That was in 1977, and before the year
was out, with punk exploding throughout the
flaccid music industry, she had put together her
own Toyah band. Even as the band developed during
1978, she still landed choice parts on screen,
starring alongside the legendary Katherine
Hepburn in the movie The Corn Is Green, with
another role in the BBC production of Quatermass
with John Mills, and then as the memorable
character, Monkey, in the mod classic,
Quadrophenia. With her 1979 single, Victims Of
The Riddle, Toyah and her band were now making
significant inroads into the independent charts -
and you can't get more significant than the
number one slot. The album Sheep Farming In
Barnet, plus a six-track EP added fans by the
thousand. But the thespian in Toyah was still in
demand, as Mr. Jarman booked her again, this time
for Shakespeare, no less, and the film version of
The Tempest. For her role as Miranda, the Evening
Standard nominated Toyah as best newcomer. She
appeared at the ICA in Stephen Poliakoff's
American Days and starred with David Hemmings in
the BBC's Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde. And all the while her recording career
developed with equal success. Bird In Flight and
Ieya brought her towards a more mainstream
audience and by the end of 1980 her album Toyah!
Toyah! Toyah! proved once and for all to music
fans that here was a new force to be reckoned
with. She soon became a household image and a top
five entry with 1981's It's A Mystery. I Want To
Be Free also went top five, and her album,
Anthem, made number 2 in the charts. 1981 was a
glittering year, topped off with Toyah's New
Year's Eve concert being screened live on The Old
Grey Whistle Test. 1982 gave us more great
albums, such as Brave New World (sic) and The
Changeling, plus a double live collection
entitled Warrior Rock. This was also the year
that the Rock & Pop Awards (now The Brits)
voted Toyah their Top Female Artist.
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Her dramatic work on
stage and screen has continued apace in tandem
with her ever-busy recording schedule. In 1987
she starred alongside Wayne Sleep in Cabaret,
worked in radio drama for the BBC and even trod
the hallowed boards of the National Theatre. Her
quest for musical innovation was amply rewarded
with critical acclaim for her album Prostitute,
and with her husband, the legendary guitarist
Robert Fripp, she toured Europe as the 90's
dawned with a new band. More movies, more stage
works - always of discerning quality - Emile
Zola's Therese, for instance, continued to remind
Britain what a talented treasure Toyah really is. Tonight, as you will experience, this
stunning woman's energy remains at it's peak.
Take some great stagecraft, superb music, and
stir in some genuine drama - and Toyah's the name!
By Rob Bainton
'Here And Now'
Tour Program - April 2002
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