Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Toyah’s Celebrating The Best Of Toyah Union Chapel, London, gig from October 2025 was reviewed in Blitzed magazine (Issue #24, January 2026)

GIG REVIEW (By Mik Scarlet)
TOYAH/UNION CHAPEL, LONDON

Surprisingly, I have never seen Toyah live before, so when I saw that she was playing the Union Chapel in Islington I had to see her, and the gig coincided with the release of the Best Of Toyah compilation. On the night I wasn’t feeling that great but struggled to get myself ready, and off my wife and I set. The venue was stunning, if a little interesting around wheelchair access. At least the management had thought about it, and I could actually get in. I even had a front row seat with my name on it… Billy Big Boots me! Soon the room was packed and as I scanned each face it struck me that I wasn’t the oldest person in the room, not by a long chalk. In fact, I felt rather young. Yes, there were a few kids that had come along, but this was mostly a room of fans from way back when.

The support, Rachael Sage, was really good. A mixture of Suzanne Vega, Tori Amos and folk with her own personal twist. Well worth checking out. After Rachael’s short set, the lights came up and the queue for the loos began. So many old bladders all needing to be emptied before the show began. As the lights dipped again, the excitement was palpable. Like so many bands of the era who are still playing, Toyah has some dedicated followers. She came on to the stage like a dervish in black and, from the outset, made the huge space her own.

All the hits were covered, as well as obvious fan favourites. I did forget that Toyah always had a tendency to veer off to ‘prog’. That said, Toyah is a real performer, and this gig was a must see for the fans. Toyah bounced around like a teenager. Her stage craft is second to none and she held the room in the palm of her hand. She talked to the crowd like friends, told them stories I felt they’d heard before but could listen to over and over, along with some new insights into each track. I left a room of older faces, all transfixed and taken back to their youth.

• Toyah is also included in the latest issue (#26, March 2026) of Blitzed magazine, which is on sale now. (Thanks to Colin Dew-Parry)

Toyah Fanzine: Anthem 45th Anniversary issues are now available to order. Celebrating Toyah’s 1981 studio album and much related to that memorable era. More info by clicking below.

Hospital Radio takes a trip down Toyah lane

Torbay broadcaster looks ahead to an evening with the High Priestess of Punk, exploring her 50-year career and chart-topping classics

Obviously, you have to be of a certain age to remember the High Priestess of Punk who burst onto the scene in 1976 both as a musician and actress.

It has been a successful career for her in the 50 years that have followed, she’s been a singer and actor, a TV host and author, a BRIT Award winner and a film star. I am thinking her stories will be interesting and I understand she still has the voice that was so distinctive.

I’m planning ahead and with that in mind I am off to see An Evening with Toyah: Songs and Stories at the Palace Avenue Theatre on March 27.

• Continue reading at Torbay Today.

I’m just about to launch the first fanzines for 2026 – Issues 66 – 68 – and these focus on one of the most incredible and memorable Toyah eras… Anthem.

I love the Anthem band… One of the finest bands in music history – Just listen to Nigel Glockler, his mindblowing brilliance perfectly captured during Toyah’s At The Rainbow gig, but all five members of this band are incredible. I’ll always have a soft spot for Joel Bogen, though.

These fanzines also encompass At The Rainbow, the Anthem Tour and Toyah’s career in 1981 in general… in their 45th Anniversary year!

Official Toyah’s 2026 Songs & Stories tour countdown commenced a few days ago, with these fab photos being shared! Join Toyah on her mammoth 49-date UK tour by buying your tickets here. (Images © All rights reserved)

Toyah was interviewed on Afternoons (with Michelle McManus) last Thursday on BBC Radio Scotland. There was also a play of It’s A Mystery.

Michelle McManus chats to singer, actor, TV host and author Toyah Willcox about her upcoming Songs and Stories tour.

Plus Dominic Corr swings by for the weekly telly review. This week, it’s all about The Lady, Bridgerton Season 4 Part 2, and the Scrubs reboot.

Michelle also provides the perfect soundtrack to your Thursday afternoon, with bops aplenty, and another edition of the Rewind Quiz.

• Listen to the show, and Toyah’s interview, at BBC Sounds for the next few weeks. See also a video clip from the interview here.

• Saturday Song: Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) (Razzmatazz) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Scary Monster (and Super Creeps) – Watch… (Image © Toyah)

Toyah guested on Thordis Fridriksson’s show on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire last week.

Toyah’s veg patch | Toyah Willcox tells us she’s an avid gardener. Listen at BBC Sounds.

There are two new podcasts, with interviews/chats with Toyah, currently available to listen to…

Popnerd | Episode 1: Toyah Willcox
Toyah is a guest on the first episode of Popnerd, a new podcast. In this candid interview, Toyah shares insights into her creative process, how AI has helped her write songs, the importance of collaboration in music, and how she continues to challenge expectations more than four decades on… Listen here.

Very Very Sherrie | Episode 2: Toyah Willcox
Sherrie Hewson kicks off January 2026 with the truly iconic Toyah Willcox for a fascinating podcast interview and it’s an absolute must listen too. From challenging gender norms long before it was fashionable, to speaking with heartbreaking honesty about murder within her family, Toyah opens up like never before. This is a woman who has lived boldly, loved fiercely, and never once apologised for being exactly who she is… Listen here. See a teaser.. and you can also listen at YouTube.

Celebrity Lingo: ITV: Wednesday 11th March: 7.30pm
Series 2, Episode 3. Adil Ray hosts the game of words as Good Morning Britain’s Kate Garraway and This Morning’s Ashley James battle singers Toyah Willcox and Carol Decker to win big money for charity.

• Saturday Song: Obsolete (Acoustic) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s new Sunday Lunch – Gimme Gimme – Watch… (Image © Toyah)

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.

A few weeks ago I found a big box of photos I haven’t seen for, at least, 35 years. This was a real treasure trove of a photos from a happy childhood and they brought back a lot of memories… and, from a fan perspective, this correlates to Toyah’s 50 year career.

I’ve been a fan of Toyah’s amazingly eclectic career for 46 years of those 50. Here’s me in 1982 and 1983 (above) and this week! (below) Yup, us Toyah fans have a lot of staying power!!

The Women Who Rock!: BBC Radio Two: Sunday 8th March: 3.00am
The 1960s. Series 1, episode 1. Venturing from the 1960s onward decade by decade, this series focuses on the female rockstars who conquered a predominantly male-influenced genre. Tony Blackburn begins with a look at the groundbreaking 1960s, where Tina Turner, Grace Slick, Nico, PP Arnold and Janis Joplin led the charge when it came to rock vocals. Featuring the origin of one of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll songs of all time, River Deep Mountain High, how Janis Joplin greatly inspired Evanescence front woman Amy Lee and the rise of psychedelic rock in San Francisco with Grace Slick.

The Women Who Rock!: BBC Radio Two: Sunday 8th March: 3.30am
The 1970s. Series 1, episode 2. Bob Harris focuses his attentions on female rock artists on the 1970s, focusing on female rockers who broke the mold for all who followed. Among those features is Suzi Quatro, who inspired countless women to pick up instruments and play rock, including Joan Jett. Toyah and Wendy James of Transvision Vamp recount the influence of Patti Smith on punk rock. Also spotlighted are two women in the same band – Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac – and Debbie Harry of Blondie fame.

50 Wild Women Of The 80s!: NOW 80s: Wednesday 4th March: 10pm
Brilliant songs, big voices, blazing hair & bags of attitude – the ladies of the 80s had the lot! From Toyah to Tina & Joan Jett to Janet Jackson.

Punk ‘high priestess’ to spill the beans in Plymouth

‘It’ll be really exciting for me to look back on my career’

Punk singer Toyah will spill the beans about her lengthy showbiz career – and sing a few songs – during an “intimate” show in Plymouth this year.

Toyah has often been dubbed “the high priestess of punk”. She made her name – shortened from Toyah Wilcox – during the late 1970s when she appeared in the punk movie Jubilee, the mod movie Quadrophenia and brought out the first of a string of hit records which saw the likes of It’s a Mystery, I Want to be Free and Thunder in the Mountains ride high in the singles chart.

• Continue reading at Plymouth Live.

The Chase: Celebrity Special: Challenge: Saturday 7th March: 6pm
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.

• Saturday Song: Echo Beach (Surf Mix) – Watch… • Toyah & Robert: UpBeat Moments – Watch… • Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Love In An Elevator – Watch… (Image © Toyah)

Celebrity Help! My House Is Haunted: Really: Tuesday 10th January: 1.00am
Toyah Willcox. Series 1, episode 5. The team undergoes one of the most terrifying investigations yet when visiting Toyah Willcox, who has experienced strange activity in her home ever since she moved in.

Toyah guested on Grant Stott’s Vinyl Collective last Friday on BBC Radio Scotland… Choosing her favourite vinyl, along with plays of I Want To Be Free, It’s A Mystery and some classic retro tracks. Listen for the next few weeks at BBC Sounds.

Grant uttered the classic chant…”Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!” after playing I Want To Be Free and advising listeners Toyah would be appearing on Side Two of his show.

This week on Grant Stott’s Vinyl Collective, Toyah Willcox, the acclaimed British singer-songwriter, actress, and author, shares her favourite vinyl record.

Grant will have an all-female Punk/New Wave Trailblazers ‘Double’ on Side 2 of the show, plus, a countdown of the top 10 albums this week in 1983. He’ll also have another cracking Into The Groove 12” and a Magnificent 7″

All that, plus music from Blondie, Kraftwerk, Yazoo, Daft Punk, The Silencers, Larry Carlton and more..

Toyah’s Wonderful World Of Weird
Mrs. Charleston’s Balcony
An original short story
Written & read by Toyah Willcox

A brand new short story – the tenth – written by and narrated by Toyah!

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the Wonderful World of Weird returns with a typically wonderful Toyah tale.

“I have always loved short stories, they can inhabit any world from suburbia to the fantastic. When time is short and long distances need to be travelled, the short story has taken me to places i willingly want to go to. So whether you have five minutes to spare, or you want to escape for a while…join me and my love of the unpredictable. Welcome to Toyah’s Wonderful World of Weird…”

• Listen at Toyah’s official You Tube and Facebook. Browse our other Toyah’s Wonderful World Of Weird posts, here. (Image © Toyah)

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.

I’m celebrating this awesome landmark via cherry picked moments from Toyah’s 50 years as an artist: Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Writer, Storyteller… This also means I can simultaneously revisit past work from 26+ years of Dreamscape too.

Desire, Toyah’s sophomore solo album, was released in 1987 on E’G Records and was a real departure for her musically, lyrically, sonically… It’s recently been released on deluxe, expanded, 2CD and vinyl picture disc. It was also an important part of Toyah’s first ever box set, Toyah Solo, released in 2020.

• Please click below to dive in, be rescued, or maybe just have a read of Dreamscape’s Desire feature from January 2012… and stay tuned for more #Toyah50 celebrating.