Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

A new interview with Toyah, from the Yorkshire Times, ahead of the Sounds Of The 80s gigs later this month.

BBC Radio 2 presenter Gary Davies has announced a nationwide 2024 tour for the live version of his show Sounds of the 80s, which will include an appearance from Toyah.

Ahead of the tour, Toyah spoke to the Yorkshire Times.

What can people expect when they come to the Sounds of the 80s show?

Anyone who attends one of the evenings will find an atmosphere where the audience can be themselves dancing and singing to their favourite tracks from a classic period in pop music. There was such a broad spectrum of music at the time from artists like Bananarama, Prince, and T’Pau, among others, including myself.

I think what will work beautifully is that the stage will be constantly active. Gary will be on there plus the dancers, and a stage set that is Gary’s Radio 2 studio and there will also be live performances from myself and other artists such as Carol Decker from T’Pau and Denise Pearson from 5 Star.

Why do you think the 1980s were such a golden period for popular music?

It was all very hedonistic, none of us thought beyond the 80s. It was difficult in the 90s to sell music from the previous decade, but that all changed with the Millennium. People wanted to hear all those iconic songs again. Part of the success of those tracks is the narrative of the songs; we really were traditional song writers then, writing about people’s attitudes and what they needed in their lives.

So, Toyah, tell us about your best 80s memories.

There were many good memories appearing on Top of the Pops. One of the happiest memories is the magnitude of what we did. For instance, on Christmas Eve in 1981, I played the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, which went out live on television, bringing in twelve million viewers, which at the time was phenomenal.

• Continue reading at the Yorkshire Times. Further information and ticket links available at toyahwillcox.com.

Independent Venue Week: Toyah Willcox, Dan Donnelly & Mik Artistik at Square Chapel

For the second year, Square Chapel Arts Centre will be offering a programme of events as part of Independent Venue Week. A national celebration of live music and comedy, the events are performed in, and organised by, independent venues like the Halifax arts centre. This year’s line-up for gig goers includes the fascinating musician and comedian Mik Artistik, punk princess Toyah Willcox, The Wonder Stuff ‘s Dan Donnelly, and Clinton Baptiste from Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights.

On Saturday 1 February, Square Chapel welcomes back punk princess and cult stage actress, Toyah Willcox.

Willcox is a uniquely gifted performer and an inextinguishable flame. Charismatic, outspoken and impossible to categorise, she is one of Britain’s beloved household names – an award-winning rock legend, renowned stage and screen actress (Jubilee, Quadrophenia) and music composer. Toyah has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in over twenty feature films and presented hundreds of television programmes.

The film Jubilee, starring Toyah, and directed by Derek Jarman, will commence at 4.45pm, followed by an ‘in conversation’ with Toyah and hosted by BBC 6 Music presenter, Chris Hawkins. The evening will end with a live gig from Toyah and her band. Tickets for all three elements of this event are priced at £30.

• Continue reading at the Yorkshire Times. See more info on the Jubilee film screening, In Conversation with Toyah, and full band gig here.