Thur 27th Nov: York Grand Opera House
www.grandoperahouseyork.org.uk
0870 606 3595 

Fri 28th Nov: Forum Theatre, Billingham
www.forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk
01642 552 663

The show has six dates for December, two in Hull (2nd and 3rd - added due to overwhelming demand), Preston (11th), Scarborough (12th), Worthing (13th), and the huge Echo Arena show in Liverpool on 27th December.

Toyah has been receiving rave reviews for her performances as The Devil Queen, with many reviewers citing her as one of the best things about the show, and diehard Vampires Rock fans saying she has been a great addition to their favourite show.

Head to BAM Rose Cinema's to see 1977 film "Jubliee" starring Jenny Runacre, Nell Campbell, Toyah Willcox. The story line shadows Queen Elizabeth, as she is thrown into modern day England. 4:30, 6:50, 9:15 p.m.; $11. 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn. (718-636-4100)

Most Fertile Man In Ireland : Sky Movies - Wednesday 3rd Dec : 3.05am
Most Fertile Man In Ireland : RTÉ 2 - Monday 8th Dec : 0.00am
Shy Irish bachelor Eamonn discovers his overly potent sexual abilities at the ripe old age of 24, finding that he can even make a girl pregnant in spite of her using birth control. Eamonn's talents soon inspire a co-worker to help him launch a business whereby he rents himself out as a sure-fire babymaker to local women frustrated in their attempts to procreate. (NB: This is showing on Sky Movies Comedy and Sky Movies Comedy HD simultaneously)

NB: See below (Sunday 23rd November) for more Toyah on TV.

Just in time for a Vampirtastic Christmas!

Toyah's performance as Miranda in the film led to her being nominated as Best Newcomer at the 1980 Evening Standard Film Awards.

A show like no other, Vampires Rock has a twist of rock, a hint of musical theatre and is jam-packed with the anthems you know and love.

You can catch the show when it flies into The Central Theatre in Chatham on Sunday. Set in New York in the year 2030, the undead are livelier than ever, especially in club Live and Let Die, where Baron Von Rockula and The Devil Queen reside.

Toyah said: "My husband, the Baron, is on the lookout for a new bride, but not if I have anything to do with it! I would say 'over my dead body', but then I'm already dead, aren't I?!"

The new bride in question is innocent, aspiring singer, Pandora (Emily Clark), who stumbles across the club in need of a job. Cue a host of classic rock, played live by the Baron's hand picked band, The Lost Boys, and a hint of comedy.

With songs made famous by the likes of AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Joan Jett, Suzi Quatro, Queen and many more, you'll be rocking in the aisles. 

An amazing stage set, pyrotechnics to blow your mind, beautiful dancers and of course Steve Steinman's powerful vocals and sense of humour make sure this show is not to be missed!

I was seven years old when I took my very first plane on my very first trip abroad – to Jersey. Okay, I know that Jersey is perceived as being a part of Britain. But where in the Albion isles do you find turquoise seas and the French hopping just 14 miles across the water on day trips?

Forty-three years later and one hour and 10 minutes from Birmingham Airport and I am back in Jersey, a lot older and wiser. It’s all so easy – with no passport or baggage queues you simply walk off the plane, catch a bus or taxi or, like me, hire a car and drive a maximum of nine or 10 miles to find your port of call. Any further and you’d be in the sea.

We are staying at The Royal Yacht Hotel and Spa, overlooking the waterfront at St Helier… exactly where I stayed 43 years ago! But how things have changed. What I remember as a quaint quayside has grown into a big, busy state-of-the-art harbour, complete with multi-purpose leisure complex, that almost reaches out to the tiny island of Elizabeth Castle about half-a-mile offshore (you can walk out to it at low tide – a wonderful adventure).

I'm here towards the end of winter and the sun is out but the wind is bracing. The Royal Yacht – like its harbour location – has been restored and expanded. The effect is stunning. We are in a swish room with balcony overlooking gardens and the old harbour. Our entrance is by swipe card, and the room has a TV in the bedroom and bathroom, a DVD player, fridge and not a Corby trouser press in sight. 

Instead there’s mood lighting, soft colours and designer furnishings. The room is instantly relaxing, comforting and cosy. It doesn’t matter how cold it might be outside. And anyway, in the basement is Spa Sirène, a top-end spa offering an exotic cocktail of treatments from seaweed wraps to all-over body masks, after which you can take a dip in the swimming pool.

We’re on a three-day break and I’m slightly concerned how we are going to fit everything in. There’s so much to do. I’m a keen walker and I soon discover that the island is bigger than it seems. Jersey measures around nine miles by five, but it expands every day by a huge amount thanks to one of the largest tidal reach in Europe. So at low tide you can end up walking a mile or so across the sands to find the sea. 

Icho and Seymour Towers, for example, were put up 200 years ago to defend Jersey and are cut off daily by the sea. When the tide is out you can take a 2½-hour walk to them, but always with a guide, for you wouldn’t want to get caught amongst the reefs and rocks when the Atlantic rushes back in. The experience is almost unearthly. In all my life I have never seen anything quite like the eerie landscape of spiky rocks and pools that unfolds with the retreating tide.

If all this sounds too strenuous then take the easier option of a walk around the harbour, guessing how much the boats must be worth. Then beat a retreat to Jersey’s cosmopolitan café, bar and restaurant culture. 

We amble back to our hotel for a light lunch – and end up having one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Jersey does ‘food’ really well. In The Royal Yacht’s Café Zephyr I had what I love to eat any time, anywhere – miso soup and sushi. I would never have associated it with Jersey, but it was wonderful. Hubby had a Mediterranean salad so tasty I ate half of that too.

Come pm it was time to explore the town. We set off in search of St Helier’s traditional market and found a lot more. But first came the Victorian Central Market with stalls selling everything from fresh veg to jewellery, and a fabulous centrepiece – an intricate fountain of painted maidens gushing water with fish swimming among coins thrown by visitors. 

St Helier’s streets aren’t quite paved with gold, but the jewellery shops just kept coming – it’s a big theme on this island, as are pearls. Virtually every other shop sells the stuff. There are the usual chain stores too, and lots of smaller independent shops you don’t see on many High Street nowadays.

I return to the hotel laden with clothes, DVDs and dance wear (yes, I even found a dance shop called Centre Stage where I got my touring supply of dance tights!). And then it was spa time.

We’d booked a ‘Husband and Wife’ massage, with two tables in the same peaceful room and two masseurs who gave us stunning all-over deep massages lasting over an hour. They were the best we have ever had, and we returned to our room on cloud nine.

You’re never short of places to eat in Jersey. That evening we catch a taxi to The Salty Dog Bar and Bistro in St Aubin, the pretty harbour across the bay from St Helier. Rumour has it this is the locals’ favourite restaurant and you know what they say: ‘Eat where the locals eat.’ The setting was modest, especially after the hotel’s ultra-modern sharpness. But it was warm and friendly with a menu based on New World fusion and a large variety of fish dishes. 

My grilled scallops and Robert’s sea bream were served with bright, fresh vegetables and another yummy salad. Then I made the fatal mistake of telling Robert I didn’t want a dessert but would have a spoonful of his. He chose three home-made ice-creams with a caramel sauce also made on the premises. I ate most of it before he could say Salty Dog!

We start our next day with a wake-up walk along the beach then head back to the Jersey Museum and Maritime Museum, both on the waterfront and full of surprises. During World War Two, for example, the Germans occupied the island and ended up almost starving themselves and the inhabitants to death. In an earlier era the celebrated French author Victor Hugo was exiled here and later wrote Les Misérables in neighbouring Guernsey. I even learned a few rollicking sea shanties.

Later, we head across the island to Victoria village, home of the Eric Young Orchid Foundation where a purpose-built nursery displays a wonderful array of jewel-like orchids. This horticulturist’s dream was a calm antidote to my shopping frenzy of the day before. It’s close to an island icon, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Dubbed the ‘zoo that is not a zoo’, its main purpose is the breeding and survival of endangered species worldwide. In addition to its global work, here in Jersey it makes great efforts to recreate habitats for a wide range of animals including gorillas, orang-utans, bears… and even the South American golden poison-dart frog.

Durrell is famous, but Jersey has lots of hidden gems too. Back in St Aubin we come across the delightful Harbour Gallery, an art and textile workshop run by two artists with a passion for all things visual – just like me. The creativity, ideas and standard of work are inspirational. Pat Robson, a co-founder, tells me that Jersey has a large population of artists who all contribute to the space. I was drawn in particular to the intricate beadwork of some of the neck collars on display. There were ideas here of the kind I have only seen in the V&A in London – quite simply, it’s a ‘must visit’ if you enjoy art and fabrics.

Our last evening sees us back at The Royal Yacht dining at the sophisticated Restaurant Sirocco. Even though we only order three courses we get five. Each ‘main’ course is punctuated by small, zesty appetizers like foie gras mousse and berry sorbet. The mains, thankfully, are not huge, but are beautifully presented and served with panache.

My advice in Jersey is always to go for the fish. With 45 miles of coast, clear waters and a thriving local industry, you’re guaranteed great seafood – which is exactly what we had with our red mullet and sea bass.

If you’re a couple who love good food, great views, comfort and surprises, you’ll like Jersey. It has changed a lot since I was last here. And I’m going to have to come back. Even though we had a busy time we only scratched the surface of this little, big island – and that was in winter.

After eight Top 40 singles, 20 albums, ten feature films, hundreds of television shows and countless stage roles, Toyah Willcox is joining the British tour of Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock in the special guest role of the Devil Queen. 

On Thursday, she returns to York, where previously she played Kate in Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew at the Theatre Royal in August 1990, Peter Pan at the Grand Opera House in February 1994 (a year when she also performed at Fibbers), and the title role in Calamity Jane in October 2002, again at the Grand Opera House. 

She has been a punk, she has played Puck, she has presented Songs Of Praise and written a book about having a facelift. Now, at 50, she is starring in a musical spoof cum fantasy concert set in the year 2030 in a New York City where the undead are among us and livelier than ever, especially Steve Steinman’s evil, club-owning, 2,000-year-old Baron Von Rockula. Cue music from Meat Loaf, Queen, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones and Guns N Roses, and Toyah in hot red.

Charles Hutchinson meets the new devil woman ahead of next week’s show. 

Toyah, what possessed you to turn evil for a 44-date tour of Vampires Rock? 

“Steve’s been trying to get me into the show for a couple of years, but I just felt I couldn’t give the time to it at the time. 

“But Steve works like no one else and the important thing about him is that’s he’s a successful independent producer, and he kept asking, and eventually I said I could do 20 dates – and he came back with a list of 44! I said, ‘Okay, okay, I’ll do 44’, and I’m glad I did because, excuse the pun, it’s an absolute scream. 

“My husband [Robert Fripp] saw the show and said this band could blow him off stage, and he’s one of the top ten guitarists in the world.” 

Why has Vampires Rock become such a hit? 

“It seems a ridiculously slight show but it works because it is so clever in that it’s a basic story that we all know so well, as Baron Von Rockula wants to get rid of his 2,000-year-old wife for a younger model. 

“There’s this incredible warmth from the audience because there’s this fine balance between parody and reverence, and that’s where it’s like The Rocky Horror Show: they came long and they’re half the show.” 

Describe your character, the Devil Queen. 

“She’s vile! She’s just pure evil. She’s very glamorous and, for me, she’s the true vampire in the show because she never eases up, whereas Steve is very funny in how he works his character. Mine is just death, death, death, and she’s horrible to everyone.” 

How does this show compare with others you have appeared in? 

“This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever done. I hadn’t seen the show before I agreed to do it, but I did know it had a cult status and it has far more credibility than any other show like this. 

“I think what Steve has now done is create a star product where a star name can come in, like with The Rocky Horror Show. This show is the future of rock’n’roll, creating conceptual shows such as Mamma Mia!. It keeps rock’n’roll going in a new way.” 

Did you choose your red-hot latex costumes for the show? 

“In the past 12 months, in the lead-up to my new album In The Court Of The Crimson Queen and the single Latex Messiah, I’ve been creating Toyah TV on MySpace – which has already had 35,000 hits – and Steve [Steinman] saw all the costumes I’d created for Toyah TV and said, ‘Could we lift them into Vampires Rock’?. So we have.” 

What songs do you sing in Vampires Rock? Do any of your old hits sneak in? 

“I open with a song off my new album, Lesser God, then I go into Twisted Sister’s Burn In Hell…School’s Out, Rebel Yell, Kiss’s God Gave Rock’n’Roll To You, Bon Jovi’s Lay Your Hands On Me, the Osbournes’ Changes, and Guns N Roses’ Sweet Child O’Mine. Fantastic!” 

What happens next for you and Vampires Rock?

“We go into the West End for a week from February 28, in the Shaw Theatre, and that’s already been a success because we have backers coming that week with a view to taking the show to Las Vegas. 

“Then we come back to Retford [where the show’s rehearsals are held] next September to start another 44 shows, and we have TV companies lining up to do a documentary if the show goes to Vegas.” 

* Vampires Rock, with special guest star Toyah Willcox, Grand Opera House, York, Thursday, 7.30pm, few seats left; box office: 0844 847 2322. The Vampires Rock Christmas Tour visits Hull New Theatre, December 2, sold out, and December 3 (tickets 01482 226655), and Futurist Theatre, Scarborough, December 12 (tickets 01723 374500). 

A spooky set scattered with slumped skeletons, bats, an inverted cross, thunder, lightning and billowing smoke greets the audience.

Five very skinny (and very good) musicians enter with dancers writhing in basques, fishnets and high heeled boots. 

A ghoulish voice intones Forgive me, Father, for I will sin, over and over again. God has left the building". 

And all hell is let loose as impressive Steve (Meatloaf) Steinman as Baron Von Rockula with his clown-like side-kick Stringfellow (Mike Taylor) seek to replace his 1,000 year old wife, a remarkably young-looking and energetic Toyah Willcox, with a younger model. Enter Emily Clark as demure Pandora Honey-Box. 

Interspersed with witty dialogue sprinkled in allusions to the rock canon, all four belted out the rock anthems that propelled the story forward. A brilliant show that had the theatre rocking.

Thanks to Minna for spotting this, Paul for discovering who it was, and Andi for the confirming photo and further info.

Recorded in October 2001, and first transmitted 20th February 2002 on BBC Radio Four, this story is based on a reference from Arthur Conan Doyle's short story The Problem of Thor Bridge.

After years of apparent inactivity, 'The Ghost' is back with a series of thefts. Featuring: Clive Merrison, Andrew Sachs, Toyah Willcox, Roy Hudd, Sion Probert and Sean Baker.

The Biography Channel’s latest observational series from Thumbs Up Productions follows the day-to-day lives of the Hamilton-Parkers - two of the UK's most well respected and renowned psychics.

The six part series documents a meeting between Jane Hamilton-Parker and Angie Best, former wife of football legend George Best for a personal reading.  Jane claims to makes contact with George, as well as his mum and dad and makes some intriguing revelations about Angie’s son Calum, while Eighties pop icon Toyah Willcox is shocked by Craig Hamilton-Parker’s psychic revelations. 

Our Psychic Family : Biography Channel - Thursday 11th Dec : 9.00pm

Proud Parents : Channel 4 - Tuesday 25th November : 12.30pm
Proud Parents looks at a celebrity's life through the eyes of their parents. Performer, author and TV star Toyah Willcox visits her dad aboard his beloved boat. (This will be broadcast simultaneously on Channel 4 HD)

Most Fertile Man In Ireland : Sky Movies - Wednesday 26th Nov : 8.30am
Most Fertile Man In Ireland : Sky Movies - Wednesday 3rd Dec : 3.05am
Twenty-four year old virgin, Eamonn Manley, lives with his mother in Belfast and is painfully shy with the ladies. Things change for Eamonn when Mary Malloy decides to make the first move and soon Mary realises that she is pregnant even though she was using birth control. The doctor discovers that Eamonn has an unusually high sperm count... His mother has the idea that he can help the local ladies who have had problems conceiving a baby... Director: Dudi Appleton. Starring: Kris Marshall, Kathy Kiera Clarke, Bronagh Gallagher, James Nesbitt, Kenneth Cranham, Toyah Willcox and Olivia Nash. (NB: This is showing on Sky Movies Comedy and Sky Movies Comedy HD simultaneously)

Leslie Ash: Face to Face : ITV2 - Friday 28th November : 9.00pm 
Leslie Ash was once a tabloid sweetheart and named the ultimate girl next door thanks to starring roles in Quadrophenia and Men Behaving Badly, but when she opted for a lip-filler to combat the signs of ageing, the results were disastrous. Leslie talks about her experience and investigates what went wrong and why it was allowed to happen. She examines the rapidly growing cosmetic beauty industry and highlights the lack of regulation which should serve as a warning to anyone considering treatment.

Shoestring : Alibi (formerly UKTV Drama) - Thursday 4th Dec : 7.00am
Shoestring : Alibi (formerly UKTV Drama) - Thursda 4th Dec : 1.00pm
Find The Lady. Detective drama series. Shoestring investigates the reported murder of a seaside beauty queen. Starring: Trevor Eve, Michael Medwin, Doran Godwin, Christopher Biggins, Toyah Willcox, and Gary Holton.

Our Psychic Family : Biography Channel - Thursday 11th Dec : 9.00pm
Our Psychic Family : Biography Channel - Thursday 11th Dec : 11.30pm
Our Psychic Family : Biography Channel - Friday 12th Dec : 9.00am
Our Psychic Family : Biography Channel - Friday 12th Dec : 2.00pm
Craig takes a trip to London to meet eighties pop icon, Toyah Willcox. Craig’s revelations of personal information shocks Toyah and she takes away some helpful relationship advice for her husband! 

NB: Please also keep an eye on The Paranormal Channel. Toyah has been popping up sporadically on The Big Black Book Of Horror. The show has a variety of celebrity guests reading ghost and horror stories and airs at 8pm weeknights. The Paranormal Channel is available on Sky Digital, channel 201.

“It’s the largest touring one night production in the country, that’s why it sells out,” says its female star ... and the Forum at Billingham, where it plays a week tonight, is no exception.

Set in New York in 2030, in the Live And Let Die nightclub it seems the undead are livelier than ever.

“I play the Devil Queen and I’m a 2,000-year-old wife,” says Toyah. “My husband the Baron Von Rockula is on the lookout for a new bride and is trying to get rid of me, but not if I have anything to do with it.”

His target is the lovely aspiring singer Pandora who stumbles into the club in search of a job.

Written by Steve Steinman, who plays the Baron, it features lots of humour, and some of the greatest rock anthems ever from Meat Loaf, Rainbow, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Guns N Roses, Queen, Whitesnake, and Cher.

“It has a full rock band, pyrotechnics, singers and dancers,” says Toyah, “and the dialogue is very quick because the songs tell it all.”

The current tour runs to 44 dates with more planned, perhaps without Toyah.

“It’s been non-stop for me. I’ve been writing a new album, I’m shooting a movie in April, and I have to tour the album.”

Fantastic 80s! The Complete Collection - A 5CD, 100 song compilation. 'It's A Mystery' is included on Disc 4, sub-titled "Electric 80s". The others are: Disc 1: 80s Pop Heaven, Disc 2: The Power of 80s Love, Disc 3: The 80s What A Feeling!, and Disc 5: 80s On The Radio. 

Smash Hits Party! - A 4CD, 70 song compilation. 'Thunder In The Mountains' is included on Disc 2.

Both compilations are released on 1st December 2008. Some online retailers are listing 8th December for 'Smash Hits Party!'

Already this year Toyah has been included on '100 Hits - 80s Pop' (It's A Mystery), 'Here And Now - The Very Best Of The 80s' (It's A Mystery), and 'The Edge Of The Seventies' (Ieya).

In 2007 she appeared on 'Electrax' (I Want To Be Free), and 'The No.1 Woman Album' (Don't Fall In Love (I Said)). 

And in 2005, there was 'Electric 80s (It's A Mystery), and 'This Is Not Retro - The Eighties Up To Date' (Little Tears Of Love).

Well known for being a poster girl for punk in her heyday, it seems fitting that Toyah Willcox was chosen to be the leading lady in Steve Steinman's smash hit stage show, Vampires Rock.

Dubbed the new Rocky Horror Show, Vampires Rock is set in the year 2030, when Baron Von Rockula (Steve Steinman) is on the hunt for a new bride.

When Pandora Honey Roseybox arrives to audition for the resident vocalist position at the Live and Let Die Club, little does she know the only job up for grabs is to become the Baron's eternal bride.

At the heart of the show is the evil Baron's attempt to convince Pandora to lose her soul to rock and roll.

Cue songs from the likes of Meat Loaf, Queen, Suzi Quatro, AC/DC, Guns 'n' Roses, Bon Jovi and Alice Cooper.

And with a combination of music, humour and the dark side, it's little wonder the show, which premiered in 2004, quickly secured itself a cult following.

Now Toyah Willcox is joining the cast and the man behind the show, Steve Steinman, on stage, propelling it into new heights of fame.

"I was attracted to this show from the start on many levels," Toyah said. "I knew it was successful and knew it had a cult following.

"Steve Steinman is a complete success story and that was one of the reasons I wanted to get involved. 

"He's an amazing talented man, and to have put this show together, as well as star in it, is a real achievement.

"The other reason was the fact that this is a rock show. 

"I grew up in Birmingham when rock theatre was first created by Alice Cooper and David Bowie and I loved it. This is really a continuation of that."

Another element that has amazed Toyah is the number of people who come to the event dressed in gothic gear or as vampires, ghosts and ghouls.

"I think that's amazing and proves its success," she said. 

"It's like when people go to see The Rocky Horror show they get all dressed up and I think that's what Vampires Rock is becoming.

"More and more people are talking about it and people will come back and see it again and bring their friends, so it's really exciting to be involved."

Steve Steinman added: "The first five or six rows of people will come to the show dressed in full gear, and that seems to be growing as we take the shows out.

"It makes it more fun, not just for us on stage, but also for the audience. It makes for a great vibe."

As well as touring the UK, Vampires Rock is heading to Las Vegas next year and Steve is already in talks with TV bosses who want to do a reality TV show on it going Stateside.

Toyah said: "That would be unbelievable if that happened, and would really help to spread the word even faster."

Steve added: "This is an absolutely amazing show and with the current credit crunch under way is an absolute bargain.

"You get top music with all of the hits everyone knows the words to, a great storyline and some fabulous costumes."

How do you best describe Vampires Rock? It is basically what happens if you watch too many Hammer horror movies, listen to way too much 70’s and 80’s rock music and then eat cheese before bed time. 

It is what happens when you mix Mama Mia, Return to the Forbidden Planet and The Beetlejuice Review  from Universal Studios in Orlando. 

Essentially Vampire Rocks is a pantomime for grown ups (well to be fair, 15 year old boys judging by the costumes the female cast members were wearing).

It has all the elements of a great Rock Show with a touch of panto thrown in. Imagine if you will Allo allo  married with an Alice Cooper gig and I think you should have it. 

All the great clichés were there; guitarists spitting blood whilst playing Eddie Van Halen  inspired guitar licks. 

Bare chested long haired bad boy musicians and leather and lace clad starlets (hence the attraction for adolescents…..or any other male with a pulse). 

Skulls heads with brightly lit eyes, coffins, smoke machines, huge flash bombs, gothic thrones, the whole cast wearing false fangs, the short portly bloke in a pink leotard…..a script written on a postage stamp (folded in half). Steve Steinman, Meatloaf impersonator (and a good job he does of it to) and Toyah Willcox. 

Now I defy anybody of a certain age group not to have a soft spot for Toyah and considering this girl turned 50 in May 08 she can still rock better than most of them.

Playing the Devil Queen and wearing costumes that I reckon she must have brought with her from her old days she belted out classic tunes such as Gunz N Roses ‘Sweet Child of Mine’ with such style and passion most of us were left with big stupid grins on our faces.. 

I suppose I had better just quickly explain what the whole concept of Vampires Rock is so that you might have a small clue as to what I am talking about. 

Essentially it is a vehicle for Steve Steinman (clearly a made up name) who headed the acclaimed Meatloaf Story which has toured and performed in Bristol several times (I believe he has also appeared on Stars in Their Eyes). 

With VR the premise is simple. It’s a covers gig wrapped around a flimsy story line of Vampires. But hey, haven’t I already said that it felt like a good old rock gig from the 70’s & 80’s. 

It works well as it never tries to be something that it isn’t. It isn’t pretentious. It isn’t trying to make any musical statements. It isn’t cutting edge. It’s purely and simply rock & roll pantomime with some great songs, daft panto banter and of course for the 15 year olds…those girls. 

To be honest, if all us covers bands in the city went and put as much effort into the performance as this lot have I think our audience sizes might be a tad higher. 

My only complaint of the evening was the sound quality (my sincere apologies to the sound engineer as I am sure there was good reason for this). 

The guitars could have been quite a bit louder (I think my mother could have sat through it) and the vocals a little more blended….as for the feed back whistling…ouch! But hey, I not going to nit pick as it was a great show. 

Basically, it did what it said on the tin….it entertained! And I for one would go and see it again.

Toyah, 50, who is in the middle of a 44-date run which ends at the Liverpool Echo Arena on December 27, says some performances have been hit by mysterious problems.

“I believe Vampire’s Rock is cursed, absolutely I do,” says Toyah, who plays the Devil Queen. “The lid of the coffin [used during the opening stages of the show] has been closing down on Mike Taylor [who plays the Baron’s butler Stringfellow] even though it doesn’t have a lock on it.”

She adds: “On Hallowe’en in Ipswich, people started fainting, saying they were overcome by spirits. There have also been some instances where the keyboard inexplicably changed its settings, even though no one had touched it beforehand.

“Something happens every night. It was as if we are haunted. But it doesn’t give me the chills – I actually love it. It’s fabulous. I’ve more reservations about presenting Songs Of Praise." 

This tour is especially good because Toyah is on board. She's a really lovely lady and she's nice to work with. Because she's been in the public eye for years she attracts new audiences and it's good for me because she gives me advice on how to keep my voice strong. She's definitely added something to the show.

Read the full interview here.

• Check out Paul Lomas' Facebook here to see Toyah performing 'Lesser God' from Vampires Rock. You will need to register with Facebook.

• Some more post-show photos of Toyah, from Manchester and Blackppol. Pictured with Toyah are, clockwise, Roger, Michael and Paul. (Thanks to Andrew, Paul & Michael for the pics).

It's a return visit to the resort for the actress and rock star who was here for Gay pride last year.

"I was on North Pier and it seemed very shaky," she said. "I thought 'this is moving' so I did my show and ran."

In a career spanning over 30 years, Toyah has notched up 13 top 40 singles, recorded 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays, made 10 feature films and presented hundreds of TV programmes from The Good Sex Guide Late to Songs of Praise.

"I've always been careful to try and maintain a healthy career balance," she says. "I've been lucky with good management.

"Most of the time I create documentaries – I'm lucky in that people phone me about work – not the other way round."

Her acting career began at the Old Rep Drama School in her home town of Birmingham and her breakthrough was playing Mad in Derek Jarman's 1977 epic punk film Jubilee.

It was later that year she put her first band together and within two years she was juggling hit records with roles such as Miranda in The Tempest and Monkey in the film Quadrophenia.

"It was a case of my chart success interrupting a healthy acting career," says Toyah.

That's part of the reason she had no qualms about joining up with Steve Steinman in Vampires Rock.

"It's one or those shows that is growing and growing," she says. "I was asked if I could go into it and I thought 'why not?' It's one of the largest touring one night shows in the country with a full band and a full show – and it's a rock show rather than a concert."

Set in New York in 2030, the undead are among us and livelier than ever, none more so than in club Live and Let Die, where aspiring singer Pandora (Emily Clarke) arrives to audition to be resident vocalist.

Little does she know that the only job on offer is to be the eternal bride of evil Baron Von Rockula (Steve Steinman) alongside current spouse the Devil Queen (Toyah).

It's been one of her busiest years – a best selling Best Of album, a record audience for her documentary on insomnia ("l am an insomniac - so I've got a lot of time on my hands"), a free festival in King's Lynn performing to 15,000 people and playing Billie Piper's mum in Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

She has also embraced new ways of marketing her past and future recording product.

"I-Tunes and YouTube are phenomenal vehicles - I've taught myself all about them because I saw them as the way ahead."

Hence the Official Toyah MySpace site which previews her new material and the Toyah YouTube channel with her videos.

Rockers, like vampires, never die... they simply stake a claim to your heart by belting out timeless tunes that live on forever in the memory.

Red-haired rebel Toyah Willcox is currently spending her evenings with the undead as a cadaverous cast and mystical musicians blast their way through some of the greatest rock anthems ever written and performed.

Tracks from Meat Loaf, Rainbow, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, the Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, Queen, Whitesnake, Bonnie Tyler and Cher are given fresh life as Vampires Rock prepares to bring pulsating sounds and pyrotechnics to the Victoria Theatre, Halifax.

Toyah, who turned 50 this year, shows no sign of ageing – thanks in part to a facelift five years ago – as she dons a figure-hugging red outfit and headgear shaped like ram's horns to star in Vampires Rock as the Devil Queen, wife of the supremely evil Baron Von Rockula.

The role is light years from some of her previous incarnations in the 1990s as the narrator of the BBC children's show Teletubbies and a presenter of Songs of Praise series.

But, as she points out, these appearances were more than 10 years ago. And she currently has a workload that would terrify most actresses half her age.

The Vampires Rock tour began in Retford, Nottinghamshire, in mid-September and finishes in London next February. But there will be time for her to enjoy Christmas and set about other projects, including the third series of Secret Diary of a Call Girl, starring Billie Piper, which is due to be filmed in the spring.

The musical comedy Vampires Rock is set in the future in New York, when the undead are livelier than ever and the charismatic and supremely evil Baron Von Rockula, owner of the Live and Let Die Club, is seeking a woman to agree to eternal immortality, be his queen and live forever.

The baron is played by Steve Steinman, who made his name as a Meat Loaf tribute act. The evil baron is looking to "trade in" Toyah's Devil Queen for another model.

"What I like about this show is that it is not every night, the dates are in batches," she says. "I am doing a lot of TV at the moment and I have an album in the iTunes chart and I'm preparing that for commercial release next Easter.

"I'm filming Supersize Me and Ready, Steady Cook at the moment, so it's quite mad.

"Originally I told Steve that I could fit in 20 dates and he said 44 theatres wanted the show. So I'm with film crews in the morning and as long as I'm at the theatre by 4pm, that's all that bothers him.

"I think Steve started the show in smaller venues but it has become so successful that he is booking larger and larger venues. We are going back to some places – Hull sold out immedaiately so we're going back for a second date.

"I open with one of my new songs, Lesser God, and the show is really about establishing the story through the lyrics of major rock anthems. The story is very light, but it's very loud rock and amazing pyrotechnics.

"People who have not seen the show before and don't know what it is are stunned. It's a very accomplished rock show. The band are phenomenal.

"It lacks the pomp of West End shows and is very inclusive of the audience. It's very lively, high-energy music and I get to play the baddie, which is a lot of fun. It is beautifully visual. I think people have been blown away by it."

Vampires Rock is on at the Victoria Theatre, Halifax on Thursday, November 20 (7.30pm).

• 'In The Court Of The Crimson Queen' will be released commercially at Easter 2009. The album, which has delighted many Toyah fans, is currently available via iTunes, www.remembertheeighties.com, and at venues visited by the Vampires Rock tour.

• Toyah was mentioned in yesterday's 'Mirror', in an article titled "Meet Britain's only psychic family". 

Craig and Jane Hamilton-Parker, a husband and wife psychic team, together with their two daughters as well as extended aunts, uncles, grandmother and great grandmother are Britain’s only psychic family.

They're the stars of a new TV documentary starting next week, which sees them meet Angie Best, former wife of football legend George Best, for a personal reading - as well as giving advice from beyond the grave to Eighties popstar Toyah Willcox.

• Toyah was also mentioned in a recent article in the 'Lancashire Evening Post':

Self-confessed eccentric Lord Odin admits his unusual name has raised more than a few eyebrows over the years. But it could have been a lot wackier as his other choice when he decided to change it by deed poll nearly 30 years ago was Mickey Mouse.

And it is singer and actress Toyah Willcox he has got to thank for the change after hearing her on a radio programme talking about unusual names.

Read the full article here.

• Look out for a special anouncement soon on something Toyah will be doing in May 2009!

Toyah has also been heard making sporadic announcements on the channel, which launched in June, such as "I'm Toyah, and you're watching The Paranormal Channel". She also may reappaear on The Big Black Book Of Horror. The Paranormal Channel is available on Sky Digital, channel 201.

The outcome of the unusual combination is a show called Vampires Rock, a musical comedy set in New York in 2030. The story goes that the undead are among us and livelier than ever — and none more so than in the club Live and Let Die.

Vampire Rocks started touring the UK in September and has sold out at many venues. It stopped off at Exmouth Pavilion last Friday. Steve Steinman, the creator and singing force behind some of the world's best-selling rock musical concerts, plays the charismatic and supremely evil Baron Von Rockula, owner of the Live and Let Die Club. In search of a bride, the baron must convince his chosen one to agree to eternal immortality, to be his queen and live for ever.

Aspiring singer Pandora (Emily Clark) arrives to audition for the resident vocalist position at the club, but little does she know the only job on offer is to be his eternal bride.

Cue a host of classic rock, played live by the baron's hand-picked band, The Lost Boys, and a hint of comedy as the baron and his sidekick, Stringfellow (Mike Taylor), attempt to convince Pandora to lose her soul to rock and roll.
The spellbinding cast and musicians blast their way through rock anthems from the likes of Meat Loaf, Rainbow, AC/DC, Alice Cooper, the Stones, Bon Jovi, Queen, Whitesnake, Bonnie Tyler and Cher.

It had the audience rocking in the aisles — on their knees with their air guitars above their heads.

Toyah Willcox stars as the Devil Queen, who the baron wants to trade in for a younger model.

It's been a busy year for the 50-year-old, who has also had her first studio album in 14 years, created Toyah TV and walked the Gobi Desert and the Great Wall of China with Olivia Newton-John and Danni Minogue.

Toyah's character is a femme fatale devil in high-heeled boots belting out classic rock anthems.

She describes it as a sort of Rocky Horror Show, with songs providing a narrative, and plenty of pyrotechnics and costume changes. Her character is manipulative, always threatening to kick her husband out and beat up Pandora. Although vile, she says audiences just love it and she always gets huge cheers

Proud Parents : Channel 4 - Tuesday 25th November : 12.30pm
Proud Parents looks at a celebrity's life through the eyes of their parents. Performer, author and TV star Toyah Willcox visits her dad aboard his beloved boat. (This will be broadcast simultaneously on Channel 4 HD)

Currently the cheapest is Amazon UK @ £9.98 and HMV a miniscule one pence extra at £9.99.

The 'Time Warp' Rocky Horror website have stacks of information on the DVD, and the 2006 Royal Court Gala Night itself. Click here to visit 'Time Warp'.

Other DVD News: Secret Diary Of A Call Girl: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (4 Disc) will be released on 2nd March 2009. Series/Season 1 is already available on DVD but it appears Series 2 won't be made available on its own.

No artwork or Special Features have been announced as yet.

Toyah Willcox is having the time of her life performing in rock 'n' roll musical extravaganza Vampires Rock. 

"Steve Steinman (the man behind the hugely successful show) had been asking me to do it for a couple of years but my filming schedule was always too tight," she said. 

"This year I said: 'OK, I'll give you 20 dates' and Steve being the absolutely brilliant businessman he is, came back with 44 dates! 

"But I'm having the time of my life. I'm loving every moment of it. There's such a buzz around the show, it's fantastic." 

Vampires Rock premiered in 2004. Rave reviews and standing ovations across Britain soon followed. 

The show, which features music from Meat Loaf, Queen, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper and Guns 'n' Roses, combines a twist of rock, vampires and comedy. 

The latest version of the show is set in 2030 New York city. Baron Von Rockula (Steinman), owner of the Live and Let Die Club, is searching for a new bride, someone he can persuade to sell her soul to rock 'n' roll. 

The reason the show is such a success, according to Toyah, is because of its unique mix of tongue-in-cheek comedy and skilled musicians. 

"The band are fantastic," she said. 

"I'm married to one of the top 10 guitarists in the world (Robert Fripp) and he says these guys can outplay him, that's how good they are. 

"The show is very clever in that it is an arena show set in a theatre. It's mind-blowing. There are pyrotechnics and it's very loud, like a rock concert. From the stage you often see the audience's jaws drop open. It's spectacular. 

"It's funny too, for the fact it's quite ridiculous at times. It's sometimes almost a parody of the songs but done in a very clever way. It doesn't try to be Les Mis. It's a powerful show for people who love rock 'n' roll. There certainly isn't a flat moment in the show." 

Steinman, who made his name as a Meatloaf tribute artist, agreed that there's no other show like it. 

"We know how to work the crowd and they keep coming back, which is the sign of success," he said. 

"The same people will come back night after night five or six times and you think 'You must be off your head' but they're enjoying it." 

And he shared the secret of his success. 

"I've stuck with the northern crowd," he said. 

"I'm from Oldham, our singer is from Blackburn and all the crew are northern. There's lots of talent in the north and, as well as producing a 100 per cent professional show, we've got a good sense of humour, which the crowd loves." 

l See Vampires Rock at Blackpool Opera House on Saturday, November 15. For tickets call 0870 380 1111. Visit www.vampiresrock.com

• From Highland News: Getting Toyah to join this year's tour was a coup for Steve. He makes it sound simple to get her to join the show following last year's guest, Twisted Sister's Eddie Ojada.

"Toyah has always been a singer and I have seen her live and she always came across as a really nice person. So I emailed her and asked her if she'd be interested in being in the show. I think the timing was wrong for her last year, but she's now in the show and has signed up for next year's too playing the queen of the vampires who wins through in the end."

• From Warwick Courier: This year the actor decided to add a new character, the Devil Queen, played by Toyah Willcox and he believes it has made the show even better. He added: "She is a legend and such a nice person.

"I took a risk when I first decided to use her as you have to get on when you are on the road all the time but she's first rate and it has been a pleasure working with her."

• From Inverness Courier: The show also has a genuine pop star in Toyah, though Steinman concedes she is not a singer who would automatically be linked with hard rock. "If you come to the show you can see why we chose her," he said. "She just takes it to a different dimension." Toyah seems to enjoy the show so much that she has signed up for another year, including the show's first ever London run.

• Vampires Rock played Weston-Super-Mare Playhouse Theatre last night. Tonight the show hits the Pavilion Theatre in Exmouth, tomorrow night it's Princess Theatre in Torquay, and Sunday the City Hall in Salisbury.

• From The Official Vampires Rock website: We are pleased to announce that Vampires Rock will be supporting the Green Standards charity to help build schools in deprived countries. We are in the process of helping the children of Romania with there first school in a box program. More on this story as it comes in.

To view a comprehensive feature on all of Toyah's previous front covers please click here.

Slipping into a saucy skin-tight red leather costume and killer heels is one thing. Wearing the body-hugging costume while giving your all in a high-energy musical that requires you to sing and dance on stage is quite another, especially when, whisper it, the wearer turned 50 earlier this year.

At an age when some gals have quietly begun eyeing up outfits to disguise middle-age spread, singer and actress Toyah Willcox is getting ready to don an outfit that skims her body like a second skin.

Luckily, she’s in extremely good shape, as those with tickets for Vampires Rock, a lively rollercoaster of a horror musical which visits Inverness and Aberdeen this month, will soon see for themselves.

Vampires Rock, a tongue-in-cheek comedy created by Steve Steinman, is set in New York in the year 2030, when the rather lively undead are living among us. Steve Steinman, with his typical sense of cheeky humour, plays the charismatic and supremely evil Baron Von Rockula, owner of the Live and Let Die Club.

In search of a bride, the Baron must convince his chosen one to agree to eternal immortality, to be his queen and live forever.

Enter the equally watchable and talented Ms Willcox.

“I play the devil Queen who is married to Baron Von Rockula, a part which men and women in the audience can relate to as it is about the biggest cliche in history – man wants to trade in current wife for a younger version.

“In this case, the baron wants to trade in his 2,000-year-old wife, that’s me, for a newer model, ” said Toyah.

“The audience love the story and go bonkers, but there’s a twist in the tale which allows my character to develop throughout the show and fight to get him back.

“We use classic rock songs and anthems to carry the story right the way through the show with numbers by Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper, White Snake, Cher, Rolling Stones, Billy Idol – the list goes on and on.

“One of the reasons people love the show, especially those who are into rock music, is because there’s a full band on stage – there are no corners cut on this production.

“It’s full of pyrotechnics, has a great stage set and fabulous costumes.

“It’s quite glam rock, too, and harks back to the 1970s when you had the likes of Roxy Music, David Bowie, T Rex and Alice Cooper all donning eye liner and wearing high heels.

“My costume is very much part of that era and it slots in beautifully,”

Which brings us rather neatly to that showstopping costume. How does she manage to stay slim enough to fit into it?

“I’m on stage with four of the most beautiful dancers I’ve ever worked with and they’re all well under 25.

“That makes you work hard but, to be honest, I can’t eat very much while I’m rehearsing and have to do about 200 sit-ups a day, which at times is miserable,” said the star, who has an impressive 32 years under her showbiz belt.

Despite constant demands on her time – she has a new album out and tours regularly with her band, she’s a TV favourite guesting on everything from Tonight with Trevor Macdonald to I’m a Celebrity . . . Get Me Out of Here! – Toyah was keen to get back to live theatre.

“Vampires Rock has been around for about five years and in all that time I’ve never heard anything but good of it,” she said.

“Where it is exceptional, purely on a business level, is that it sells out almost everywhere, yet it is a relatively brand-new, untold story.

“Steve Steinman, who created it, has been asking me for two years to come on board. This is the year I said yes, and already it seems that the show and me are made for each other.”

While Toyah always goes down a storm when she plays live, it’s in front of the camera that she feels right at home.

“I have tackled music, film, television, theatre, plays, reality shows, but I think now is a very interesting time in terms of media, because no one knows where anything is going, but the one constant is that people want live shows and, luckily for me, that’s what I do.”

Recently, Toyah played Billie Piper’s mother in the TV show Diary of a Call Girl, and next year she’s set to film a British movie called The Power of Three.

One movie she will always be linked to is the cult 1979 movie Quadrophenia, which tells the story of two rival gangs of 1960s mods and rockers and set to the music of The Who.

“I’m really glad I took part in the film, not just because I got to work with Sting and Phil Daniels, but because it was quite an experience just filming it.

“We could never have guessed at the longevity the film would enjoy, and it’s great to see generation after generation discovering the film and identifying with it.”

Vampires Rock is at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, on Wednesday, November 12. There are only a limited number of tickets remaining. Call 01463 234 234. The performance at the Music Hall, Aberdeen, on Friday, November 14 is now sold out.

Quadrophenia : Sky Movies Indie - Thursday 20th November : 00.10am
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. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.

Toyah takes the call in her dressing room at Manchester's Palace Theatre. 

She's cheerful and excited and getting ready for a photo shoot when I ask her about the Vampires Rock tour. 

She said: "It's a fabulous show. It's a bit like Rocky Horror Show, it has a following all of its own. Audiences have come along dressed as Dracula, vampires, ghosts and ghouls. We're a good ten days into the tour now and we've been selling out the venues which is great. 

"I play the part of the devil queen. I'm 200 years old and the queen to Baron Von Rockula played by Steve Steinman. The story is he wants a younger wife. It's a story that goes down well with the audience. It is basically a heavy rock concert with a storyline."

When Vampires Rock premiered in 2004, it was immediately popular. Now the hit show, that according to the marketing blurb "combines a unique twist of rock, vampires, and comedy", is back for a new 44-date UK tour. 

Toyah said: "I think I get about four or five songs on my own and I'm involved in some of the big group songs. It has been fantastic so far and I'm having lots of fun."

With a career that has spanned more than 30 years, Toyah is no stranger to the stage. Over the year's she's notched up an impressive 13 top 40 singles, 20 albums, made ten feature films and presented hundreds of TV shows.

And this year she has brought out a new album - In the Court of the Crimson Queen. She said: "It's coming out commercially next Easter and it's been doing well on the iTunes charts."

More recently she's appeared in the hit TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl for ITV2, alongside Billie Piper.

During Vampires Rock she sings not only her own songs from her new album but also numbers by Twisted Sisters, Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Guns and Roses and the Osbournes. 

Toyah said: "It's a very loud show. The costumes are fantastic. What I love about Vampires Rock is that it doesn't cut any corners. There are pyrotechnics  and excellent lighting. It is a visual experience."

The year is 2030 and Baron Von Rockula (Steinman) is searching for a new bride. When Pandora Honey Roseybox arrives to audition for the resident vocalist position at the Live and Let Die club, little does she know, the only job on offer is to be the Baron's eternal bride.

The night of classic rock is played out by the Baron's hand-picked band, The Lost Boys, and more than a hint of comedy thanks to his sidekick Stringfellow. 

At the heart of the show is the evil baron's attempt to convince Pandora to lose her soul to rock and roll.

Toyah, 50, said: "It reminds me of the visual rock I grew up with in Birmingham."

From her home in Worcestershire, Toyah is used to spending time on the road. 

She said: "I've been touring for 30 years so I'm used to it. I'm an on-the-road person."

[ Courtesy of The Official Vampires Rock website ]

What's the highlight of your career?: "I've enjoyed this year more than any other. It's been the perfect mix. I've played Billie Piper's mum in Secret Diary of a Call Girl. I played to 30,000 in the Here and Now 80s show and I've got 44 dates on Vampires Rock and a new album."

What's your most embarrassing moment?: "When I forget a lyric. I've la la la-ad through verses before now. Every night I get nervous."

Tell us something about yourself which our readers won't know?: "I collect rare stones, I love crystals."

What's your diva demand in the dressing room?: "I don't drink or smoke. I like a nice cup of tea."

What car do you drive?: "A Peugeot 207."

[ Courtesy of The Official Vampires Rock website ]

However that is exactly what Steve Steinman's Vampires Rock show is. It has been around for a few years now gaining a loyal following, which has built up to such an extent that this independently produced show is able to fill concert halls and arenas with ease.

Even though it may sound boring on paper, in reality it is an incredible show with a full band of very talented musicians, singers, and backing dancers. All of which keep you mesmerised throughout the evening.

Over the years Steve Steinman (vocalist) who plays Baron Von Rockula has tried to keep the Dracula looks for bride story fresh and vibrant by attracting special guests to appear in the show. Last year it was ex-Twisted Sister guitarist Eddie O'Jeda who had an incredible impact on the dynamics of the show, and this year the special guest was Toyah Willcox.

Before seeing the show, I was wondering why Steve had chosen Toyah to have a part in the show, I certainly wouldn’t have classed her as being suitable for rock music, thankfully though after watching the show, I walked away in awe of Toyahs vocal ability. Even today she is able to produce an incredibly powerful vocal attack on the senses.

For those of you who have still not seen this show, the story is about a naïve singer by the name of Pandora Rosie Honeybox who turns up for an audition to become the singer for the band at the Live and Let Die club in New York.

During the auditions the club owner Baron Von Rockula (Steve Steinman) takes a great interest in Pandora and through his powers of hypnosis he manages to persuade her to become his wife.

This story unfolds whilst interjected with classic rock songs such as 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'Highway To Hell', 'Bat Out Of Hell' and 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'. Yes at times the dialogue before the songs is quite cheesy, but witty.

With Steve being the main star in the Meat Loaf Story shows, Vampires Rock is littered with song references to Meat Loaf, for example like when Stringfellow (Baron Von Rockulas bartender) is talking to Pandora and said something along the lines of "For Crying Out Loud, I didn't think you would make it in time" or when he is explaining to her that she had better get out of the club quickly and, "run like a... Bat Out Of Hell". Admittedly the show thrives on being witty and at times cheesy, but it does it in an entertaining way, which keeps you enthralled.

Throughout the evening Baron Von Rockula talks to the crowd in such away that he makes you feel part of the show, and above all I think it is this ability to make everyone in the room feel special that gains Vampires Rock a loyal following.

Toyah Willcox as the Devil Queen, came across as confident, at times scary, but very convincing in the part she was playing, and not only does she deserve all the praise and limelight, she has raised the profile of this show to a new level which has gained it the exposure that this show truly deserves.

In fact even though Mr Steinman has got a brilliant voice, Toyah did outshine him on the duets, her vocal ability is in a league of its own, and one can only hope that Steve tries to keep her in the show for next year.

The music is faultless, and during the interludes in-between songs when the actors stray away from the script or start to laugh, in any other show it would be criticised, however in this show it seems to fit in nicely and makes it even more enjoyable.

Unashamedly cheesy, at times witty, and great music throughout performed by a talented set of musicians, this is good family entertainment at its best. Guaranteed to leave you with a smile that stretches from ear to ear.

The only question is, who will be the special guest be next year?

Toyah receives a couple of mentions during the interview and he also chooses her as one of his Top Eighties icons.

Banish the gloom with a blast of the 80s
And then, in the dying weeks of 1980, Adam & The Ants' Antmusic changed pop forever. 

“I loved it for its pounding tribal drums, for Adam's bold theatrical glamour, for the whole package. It was new and exciting and I felt I understood,” he says. The single almost topped the charts, and coincided with a tour that took in the local Odeon. “I was only thirteen, so I didn't go, but that the Ants came to Chelmsford at all felt like being touched by greatness.”

The New Romantic movement, synthesizers and futuristic haircuts began to dominate the charts. There was Ultravox with Vienna, Human League's huge hit Don't You Want Me and Soft Cell's Tainted Love. Spandau Ballet and Duran Duran burst onto the scene, as did Depeche Mode. There's Kim Wilde - and Toyah, who will become a recurring part of Richard's life for years to come. The autumn of 1982 sees Culture Club appear on Top of the Pops. 

Famous Five: Richard Evans's top Eighties icons

Toyah: On Valentine's Day, 1981, she releases the four-track EP Four From Toyah. “She's a colourful, charismatic, rebellious figure and I'm hooked. A trip to Parrot Records in Chelmsford reveals that Toyah has already released three albums, including a live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! which is the one I buy, the first album I purchase with my own money.”

Read the full article here.

Legendary singer and TV personality Toyah Willcox joins hit show ‘Steve Steinman’s Vampires Rock’

Toyah stars as the Devil Queen, the long suffering wife of Baron Von Rockula, played by Steve Steinman. A show like no other, Vampires Rock has a twist of rock, a hint of musical theatre and is jam packed with the greatest anthems you know and love!

And you can catch the show when it flies into Salisbury City Hall, on Sunday 9th November, but you better be quick, as it’s for one night only!

Set in New York in the year 2030, the undead are livelier than ever, especially in club ‘Live and Let Die’, where Baron Von Rockula and The Devil Queen reside. Toyah says: “My husband, the Baron, is on the look out for a new bride, but not if I have anything to do with it!

I would say ‘over my dead body’, but then I’m already dead, aren’t I?!”

The new bride in question is innocent, aspiring singer, Pandora (Emily Clark), who stumbles across the club in need of a job. Cue a host of classic rock, played live by the Baron’s hand picked band, The Lost Boys, and a hint of comedy, as the Baron and his sidekick, Stringfellow (Mike Taylor) attempt to convince Pandora to lose her soul to rock and roll!

With songs made famous by the likes of AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Bon Jovi, Meat Loaf, Joan Jett, Suzi Quatro, Queen and many more, you’ll be rocking in the aisles (or on your knees with your air guitar above your head!) 

Toyah continues: “I’m thrilled to be joining the show! I’ve done a lot of theatre in the past and this show is so much fun. Where else could you get to dress up in costumes like this and sing your favourite rock songs?”

An amazing stage set, pyrotechnics to blow your mind, beautiful dancers and of course Steve Steinman’s famously powerful vocals and sense of humour, make sure this show is not to be missed!

Tickets cost £18.50 and are going like a ‘Bat Out of Hell!’ to get your hands on some call the box office on 01722 434 434 or visit www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk

For more information please visit www.vampiresrock.com 

Very exciting news for next year – I'm doing seven shows with Boy George, Kim Wilde, Claire Grogan and Howard Jones and more. To be honest, I never wanted to do a “where are they now” type tour but when I heard it was Kim, Boy George and Howard, I wanted to be part of it. I asked Toyah about these tours and she told me they're great fun. I said to her lets get the promoter to do a Diva's type tour with other fab women artists. Toyah and I were disappointed that our proposed joint concerts are now not happening. Sorry to all of you that they've been postponed also apologies that my autobiography isn't coming out yet. The publishers approached felt another re-write is necessary and I have to agree with them. So I'm waiting for the right co-writer to come my way.

Closest to her heart is an apartment in the seaside town of Menton, which she completed on last June and cost £271,800. She spent five months improving the property, which she says she fell in love with instantly.

“I’ve always dreamt of owning a property with French windows that open out onto a sea view and when I walked into this apartment, I felt instantly attached to it,” she says.

Wisely, Toyah rents her two-bedroom property out when she’s not there, using a local agent, Tracy Egan at A-Plus Properties for between 600 and 950 Euro a week. “She finds the sort of people I’d want to rent it out to – people who love gardens and the outdoors, and who will respect it,” she says. 

The property is typical of bohemian Menton, with its sun bleached shutters and antique appearance.

“The French don’t go for properties like this, they don’t like anything old or decrepit,” Toyah says, which is more in line with her second property, an ultra-modern steel and glass one-bedroom apartment in nearby Eze, which she bought off-plan. 

The apartment appeals to the local French rental market, which generally prefers more modern buildings. It was the £720-a-month that this investment earned that allowed Toyah to buy her Menton apartment. 

Toyah is an astute business woman, with a property portfolio of three houses in the UK as well as her apartments on the French Riviera. She is mortgage free in the UK and spots the potential for investment in Menton, saying: “My apartment in Menton is a place of peace for me – but it’s also a very exciting business venture. I’m always looking at what else I might want to buy here.”

NB: This article is a couple of months old but I thought I'd add it anyway as it's just appeared on my news feed.

The show was a sell-out, but by the end none of the seats were being used as the successful combination of well-performed rock and audience involvement got the crowd on their feet.

Vampires Rock has been a celebration of classic rock tracks for several years, with rock favourites such as Welcome to the Jungle, White Wedding and Hell's Bells woven into a tongue-in-cheek tale of bloodsucking and debauchery.

But this year the show has evolved, both in terms of plot and profile, with the addition of Toyah Willcox to the cast. While she may have been brought in for the media impact, her performance made what has always been a good show even better.

A particular highlight was the Steinman/Willcox duet on Changes, most recently a hit for Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne.But the main success of the show comes from the to-and-fro between the cast and the audience, meaning a trip to the theatre becomes a real interactive experience. Whichever way you look at it, Vampires Rock is a triumph, and the standing ovation at the end of the show was richly deserved.