In Week 24, Robert recalls his time working with Toyah in Sunday All Over The World, and we listen to him playing on Blondie’s Fade Away And Radiate on the Spotify playlist.
The band Sunday All Over The World grew out of the improvisational work Robert had begun with Toyah in 1985. One of the pieces they had worked on for the Claymont Children’s School project would later appear on the band’s Kneeling At The Shrine album, with the addition of Stick player Trey Gunn and drummer Paul Beavis. Initially known as Fripp, fripp, the group began rehearsals in October 1988 and played three warm-up shows at Moles Club in Bath in early November, followed by four further UK performances in aid of charities including Greenpeace and Salisbury Arts Centre. They then toured in the Netherlands and Germany.
The following year saw the band change its name, record an album at Tony Arnold’s Courthouse Studio in Cranborne, and tour the UK, concluding at Salisbury City Hall close to where Robert and Toyah were then living.
• Continue reading at DGM Live. Browse more of Robert Fripp @80. See also Mothership from the @80 series.
Spectral Songs is a mixtape for Halloween that collects dark, macabre and gothic moments from Toyah’s catalogue.
Perfect for the season of witches, ghosts, beasts, demons and voodoo. It’s a frightfully good listen. Playlist available now at Spotify…
Spooky season approaches – though judging by where I live some people celebrate Halloween throughout October these days! – and a brand new Sunday Lunch yesterday…Toyah & Robert performed a spirited (I’ll get my coat!) Season Of The Witch, originally released by Donovan but covered by numerous artists over the past 60 years!
• Watch Toyah & Robert in spooky mode here. NB: I’ll update later in the week with related press etc. (Image © Toyah)
I want Blackpool to be City of Culture because it would mean the country has woken up to how special it is
TV personality Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has described Blackpool potentially becoming UK City of Culture 2029 as “the most extraordinary accolade”, while singer Toyah Willcox has called the seaside resort “a gem within the UK”.
The celebrities voiced their support for Blackpool after the resort was shortlisted as one of four finalists in the prestigious national City of Culture competition, alongside Wrexham, Sheffield and Milton Keynes.
• Continue reading at the Blackpool Gazette. See more reports on Toyah’s Wishing Star at Blackpool Illuminations here. (Photo © Toyah)
Fab day out in Dundee with Sharon, Bob & Irene. Busy day but we found time to have an amazing long lunch at Yamms. So good!
• See Dreamscape’s other 2026 “tour dates” :) here! (Photo © David Fleming)
• Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Highway To Hell – Watch… (Image © Toyah)
I’m sending Carl my very best wishes as the last few months have been tough. Please take a look at his Just Giving crowdfunding page – all for an amazing cause – by clicking below. All the best to you Carl x
Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Monday 26th October: 9pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Visage, Five Star, Divine, Cher, The Jam, Bananarama, Dead Or Alive, Bucks Fizz, ABC, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Madonna, Adam & The Ants, A Flock Of Seagulls, Roxy Music, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Su Pollard, Toyah herself and more in this crazy countdown! See the full Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30 playlist here.
“Well, I’ve been taking an affectionate look at fellow pop stars and their styles so I had to balance things out with that. My hair, make-up and outfit on Thunder In The Mountains was pretty crazy. But I loved it!”
80’s popstar spotted at Himley Hall in Dudley
Singer, actress and television personality Toyah Willcox has been spotted enjoying a visit to a popular Halloween attraction in Dudley.
The star shared a photograph on social media during a trip to XCon, which is taking place at Himley Hall, saying she was “so happy” to be there alongside fellow musician Jayne Harris for a “spooky day”.
XCon has transformed the grounds of Himley Hall into a hub for horror, sci-fi and fantasy fans, featuring celebrity guests, themed attractions, traders and entertainment throughout the event.
Toyah, who rose to fame in the late 1970s and early 1980s with hits including It’s a Mystery and Thunder in the Mountains, remains one of Britain’s most recognisable performers. In recent years she has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity through television appearances, touring and her hugely successful online projects with husband Robert Fripp.
• Continue reading at Dudley News. See also Facebook and Instagram.
While on the subject of Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), released exactly 44 years ago this month, there’s been a great selection of rare/unseen photos from that era made available for the anniversary of the single and countdown to the release of Twenty-Four From Toyah, the CD Singles box set that features every Toyah single from 1979 to 1987! See more of the rare shots from 1982 here and here. Watch an “Anniversary Edit”, featuring a selection of performances including Top Of The Pops, Crackerjack and Popcorn, here.
• Pre-order Twenty-Four From Toyah at Cherry Red. (Photos © Cherry Red)
“Soul deep!” – Next weekend there’s a repeat airing on BBC Four for the retro episode of Top Of The Pops with Toyah performing the euphoric Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)… This was Toyah’s final ever Top Of The Pops studio appearance and is showing again on BBC Four this Friday and early Saturday. Most, if not all, of Toyah’s early Eighties Top Of The Pops appearances – both in the studio and on promo video – have been repeated over the last few years on BBC Four. See Dreamscape’s news on these here.
Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Friday 23rd October: 8pm
Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Saturday 24th October: 2.15am
21.10.1982. Peter Powell presents the weekly pop chart show, first broadcast in October 1982. Includes appearances from The Piranhas, Toyah, The Kids from Fame, Imagination, Kool and the Gang, Bauhaus, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Sharon Redd and Shakin’ Stevens.
We had a fantastic day in Glasgow last week which culminated with seeing Transvision Vamp at the o2 Academy. We had breakfast at The Crystal Palace, visited GoMA (Gallery of Modern Art) on Royal Exchange Square, spent some time in the city centre, lunch at Wendy’s on Sauchiehall Street and then a great time at the gig. The band are on top form and Wendy was sounding amazing. Glasgow gave the band such a welcome!
• See Dreamscape’s other 2026 “tour dates” :) here! (Photos © David Fleming)
It’s the return of Dreamscape’s “Toyah Newsy Bits & Pieces”, the first for almost five years!
• Toyah 2026 #1: Coinciding with the news about Toyah supporting The Human League at their York Museum Gardens concert in July 2027, this << new photo of Toyah was published!
• Toyah 2026 #2: Is it a preview of the Future Dreaming imagery? Or a different photo shoot altogether? I guess time will tell. Great shot anyway! (Photo © Toyah)
• Toyah’s Christmas Party: Rachael Sage joins Toyah as support act on her Christmas Party tour! Tickets are on sale now…
• Burning Shed #1: is now the official home for Toyah’s handcrafted and handwritten bespoke items, artworks and merchandise range.
• Burning Shed #2: To coincide with the shop’s launch, a new T-shirt featuring Toyah’s bold and distinctive hand-painted logo is now available to pre-order. Shipping from 20 November.
• Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Freak – Watch… (Image © Toyah)
Toyah’s Blog for October is a Vlog with lots of news and a great update about Future Dreaming (see below). Watch at toyahwillcox.com YouTube. (Screenshot from a video that is © Toyah)
Toyah talks Future Dreaming: “We’re really excited because it’s going back to the beginning, 45… 50 years ago, we’ve got back to that intensity of ideas, behind the album artwork, so that people get something that’s enriching, that’s lovely to have in the hand, that they can explore while listening to the music.
The music is about contradictions. It takes you on a journey, and I don’t think you can guess what it is even if you tried. Everything lyrically is about, almost being in love with things that keep you on a knife edge and that is the contradiction… These are love songs but they’re very dark and they go into dark places and… That’s all I’m gonna tell you!”
Guy Garvey – From The Vaults: Sky Arts: Friday 23rd October: 8pm
1981. Series 3, episode 4. The Elbow frontman introduces clips from the TV archives from 1981, featuring performances by New Order, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, Adam and the Ants, Kirsty MacColl, Kim Wilde and Toyah. Also featured are Elvis Costello & the Attractions, Madness, the Belle Stars, Dave Edmunds with the Stray Cats, and Secret Affair, and there are interviews with the Human League’s Philip Oakey, and Simon Le Bon and John Taylor from Duran Duran.
2026 marks the 50th year of Toyah’s career! Her very first professional job, playing the role of Sue in the BBC’s “Second City First” television play, Glitter, aired in November 1976 – having been filmed in 1975.
One of the first “Toyah 50” posts at the start of the year wished the Four From Toyah EP, Toyah’s sixth UK single, Happy 45th Anniversary and we’re returning to FFT as it’s such a crucial element of Toyah’s discography and it’s importance can never be underestimated.
Four From Toyah – featuring It’s A Mystery, Revelations, War Boys and Angels & Demons (all worthy of being standalone single releases or the lead song on the EP) was Toyah’s chart breakthrough release after three years of albums, singles and tours. It could be said that it changed everything and, at least, had a huge effect on the trajectory of Toyah’s career. Click below to view Dreamscape’s 30th Anniversary feature on the EP, from 2011. (In Memory of Keith Hale)
We had a great day out in Glasgow a couple of weeks ago. It was one of those eventful days where so much happened and we even bumped into Scotland’s strongest men (and brothers!), Luke & Tom Stoltman. A fun day!
• See Dreamscape’s other 2026 “tour dates” :) here! (Photos © David Fleming)
The Chase: Celebrity Special: Challenge: Monday 26th October: 7pm
Bradley Walsh hosts the quiz show as four celebrities take on the Chaser. Singer Toyah Willcox, ex-footballer John Barnes, writer Germaine Greer and heavyweight boxer Audley Harrison pit their wits against one of the country’s finest quiz brains in the hope of winning thousands of pounds for their chosen charities.
• Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – I Wanna Be Sedated – Watch… (Image © Toyah)
More live Toyah dates recently announced, Rock Against Ageism in November 2026 and The Human League at York Museum Gardens in July 2027.
• Browse all of Toyah’s upcoming confirmed 2026/27 live dates and appearances at toyahwillcox.com.
