| Toyah Willcox | |
|---|---|
 Toyah Willcox in concert, 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Toyah Ann Willcox |
| Also known as | Toyah |
| Born | 18 May 1958 |
| Origin | Kings Heath, Birmingham, England |
| Genres | Punk rock, Rock music, New wave |
| Occupations | musician, actress, songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | vocals (plus guitar, keyboards occasionally) |
| Years active | 1977-present |
| Labels | Safari Records, E.G. Records |
| Associated acts | Toyah, Robert Fripp, Sunday All Over The World, Kiss Of Reality |
| Website | http://www.toyahwillcox.com |
Toyah Ann Willcox (born 18 May 1958 in Kings Heath, Birmingham) is an English actress and singer.
Contents |
Early life and career
Toyah's father ran a successful joinery business. She attended Edgbaston C of E College where she gained a GCE pass in music and trained as an actress at the Old Rep Drama School in her home town of Birmingham.
Punk era
She first became well-known during the punk rock era, her appearances in Derek Jarman's 1977 film Jubilee and 1979's Who album-inspired Quadrophenia launching her as a provocative and anti-establishment figure.
Singer
Fronting a band known as Toyah, her singing career was slow to take off and the band released six singles in the UK before finally hitting the charts in 1981, with "It's a Mystery" Followed by several other huge hits including Thunder In The Mountains and "I Want to Be Free". These singles were also successful on an international level. In 1982, she was voted Best Female Singer at the British Rock and Pop Awards — since restyled as The BRIT Awards, or "BRITs" — and in 1986 she married UK guitarist Robert Fripp. She was one of the first acts to score regularly in the UK Singles Chart with EPs. Also in 1986, Willcox sang lead on the Tony Banks track "Lion of Symmetry". In 1987 she made the top fifty with her version of "Echo Beach". In 2001, 'Q' magazine named Toyah number 48 in their top 100 Greatest Women in Music poll, as voted for by readers of the magazine. In 2009, Toyah came 7th in a BBC series naming the 'Queens of British Pop', as voted for by the British Public.
Television and theatre
Since the late seventies, Toyah has become a well-known (and more conventional) face on television and in theatre. She has played straight roles, including in Quatermass (1979), Minder, and in Shakespeare plays, and appeared as a presenter of programmes such as Songs of Praise, Holiday (BBC), and Good Sex Guide Late as well as being a guest panellist on several shows. In 1984 she starred opposite Laurence Olivier in The Ebony Tower and the same year, opposite Katharine Hepburn in the made-for-television movie The Corn is Green, directed by George Cukor. She also appeared in Tales from the Vienna Woods at the National Theatre and in Trafford Tanzi at the Mermaid Theatre.
In 1999, she took the lead in the children's television series Barmy Aunt Boomerang. She also provided the voices for the children's television programmes Teletubbies and Brum. She has also appeared in the reality television series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and I'm Famous and Frightened!. She regularly takes part in Through the Keyhole, and was a guest panellist on Loose Women in 2007.
For a much larger (although incomplete) list of Toyah's television appearances, see below.
Autobiography
Following her 2000 autobiography Living Out Loud, Toyah had a further autobiographical book published in 2005 documenting her experience of cosmetic surgery, Diary of a Facelift.
Radio
She has been heard on radio including the 2002 BBC Radio 4 series The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. In December 2006, she joined the radio drama series Silver Street on the BBC Asian Network as Siobhan Brady.
Recent activities
In 2002, Toyah became a prominent opponent of planned accommodation centres for asylum seekers near the Worcestershire village, Throckmorton. Protesting together with more than 1000 villagers, Willcox said, "The villagers are not anti-asylum seekers and they are not racists," adding that "It was not a simple black and white issue."[1] Commenting on the Government's plans to build asylum centres in other rural areas, Toyah said "This is only the first of 15. The sheer scale is mind-boggling. This is a small country - it's all happening illegally." [2]
She continues to perform with her band, releasing a live DVD in 2005, and has a busy schedule with theatre commitments, including appearing on stage in London's West End performing the title role of Calamity Jane at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 2003.
Toyah was approached to tour Estonia by the Estonian ambassador in 2006, where she went on to form new band 'The Humans'
In 2007, she collaborated with Bill Rieflin as The Humans for live dates in Estonia. Previews of this material can be heard at "The Humans Myspace page". http://www.myspace.com/wearethehumans..
Toyah is writing, recording and co-producing new solo material with long-term collaborator Simon Darlow. A preview of one of these songs, "Latex Messiah", can be heard at Toyah's official MySpace page as well as clips of new songs "Lesser God" and "Heal Ourselves". Toyah is currently negotiating a worldwide publishing deal with Zomba. "Latex Messiah" was released as a single on 29 October 2007; the associated album, In The Court Of The Crimson Queen, was released on 12 September 2008.
In November 2007, Toyah took on the role of sponsoring the Black Country Urban Park for the Peoples £50M BIG Lottery. In April 2008, Toyah took part in the Great Walk To Beijing alongside other celebrities to raise money for Olivia Newton-John's Cancer charity. In June 2008 she appeared on
On Sunday 5 July she will play at the Bents Park, South Shields in a live outdoor concert, and in October 2009 she made a guest appearance in the BBC1 drama series Casualty.
In 2009, Toyah has found continuing success with her new band 'The Humans. Fronted by Toyah, 'the Humans' also features Bill Reiflin of the internationally successful band R.E.M and Chris Wong. 'The Humans' also features Toyah's husband and 'King Crimson' guitarist Robert Fripp as an occasional member.
Personal life
She currently lives in Pershore, Worcestershire, UK, with her husband Robert Fripp.[3] They married in 1986 in Poole, Dorset.[4]
Discography
Albums
With Toyah (band)
-
Title Year Highest Chart[5] Date Sheep Farming In Barnet 1979 - - The Blue Meaning 1980 40 14 June 1980 Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (live) 22 (certified Silver) 17 January 1981 Anthem 1981 2 (certified Gold) 20 May 1981 The Changeling 1982 6 (certified Silver) ? Warrior Rock: Toyah On Tour 20 ? Love Is The Law 1983 28 ? Mayhem[6] 1985 - -
As a solo artist
-
- Minx (1985) #24 (UK Albums Chart)
- Desire (1987)
- Prostitute (1988)
- Ophelia's Shadow (with members of King Crimson) (1991)
- Take The Leap! (Japan-only release, same content as Leap!) (1994)
- Dreamchild (1994)
- Looking Back (re-recorded versions of old tracks) (1995)
- The Acoustic Album (re-recorded versions of old tracks) (1996)
- Velvet Lined Shell (mini album) (2003)
- In The Court Of The Crimson Queen (2008)
- We Are The Humans (2009) (As part of the band 'The Humans')
Compilations
With Toyah (band):
-
- Toyah! Toyah! Toyah![7] (1984)
- Best Of Toyah (1994)
- Live & More: Live Favourites & Rarities (1998)
- The Very Best Of Toyah (1998)
- Proud, Loud & Heard: The Best Of Toyah (1998)
- The Safari Singles Collection Part I: 1979-1981 (2005)
- The Safari Singles Collection Part II: 1982-1983 (2005)
- Good Morning Universe - The Very Best of Toyah[8](2008)
Collaborations
-
- The Stranglers & Friends Live in Concert (with The Stranglers et al., lead/backing vocals on four tracks) (1982)
- Lion of Symmetry (with Tony Banks on the album Soundtracks) (1986)
- The Lady or the Tiger (with Robert Fripp) (1986)
- Kneeling At The Shrine (with Robert Fripp, Trey Gunn, and Paul Beavis, as Sunday All Over The World) (1991)
- Kiss Of Reality (with Kiss Of Reality, lead vocals on six tracks) (1993)
- The Third Star (by Trey Gunn, lead vocals on the track Symbiotic) (1996)
- Cabaret (with Nigel Planer) (1997)
- How to Dress Sensibly (with various artists collective created by English Eccentrics, backing vocals on track One Cup of Tea) (2007)
Reissues
With Toyah:
-
- Sheep Farming In Barnet (1990)
- The Blue Meaning (1990)
- Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (live recording) (1990)
- Anthem (with extra tracks) (1999)
- The Changeling (with extra tracks) (1999)
- Sheep Farming In Barnet/The Blue Meaning (double CD with extra tracks) (2003)
- Warrior Rock: Toyah On Tour (abridged reissue on one CD) (2003)
- Mayhem (with extra tracks) (2005)
- Love Is The Law (with extra tracks) (2005)
- Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (live recording with extra tracks) (2006)
As a solo artist:
-
- Phoenix (reissue of Dreamchild) (1997)
- Ophelia's Shadow (2003)
- Prostitute (2003)
- Minx (with extra tracks) (2005)
- Take The Leap! (UK release of Japanese album from 1994 with extra tracks) (2006)
Singles / EPs
- Collaborations:
- "Nine To Five" (with Adam Ant as Maneaters) (1982)[9]
- "Lion of Symmetry" (EP with Tony Banks) (1985)
- "Killing Made Easy" (limited release with Family of Noise) (2004)
- With Toyah (band):
| Title | Year | Highest Chart[5] | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Victims of the Riddle | 1979 | - | - |
| Sheep Farming in Barnet EP | - | - | |
| Bird in Flight / Tribal Look | 1980 | - | - |
| Ieya | - | - | |
| Danced (Live) | - | - | |
| Four from Toyah EP | 1981 | 4 | 28 March 1981 |
| I Want to Be Free | 8 | 16 May 1981 | |
| Thunder in the Mountains | 4 | 3 October 1981 | |
| Four More from Toyah EP | 14 | 12 December 1981 | |
| Brave New World | 1982 | 21 | 22 May 1982 |
| Ieya (re-issue) | 48 | 17 July 1982 | |
| Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) | 30 | 9 October 1982 | |
| Rebel Run | 1983 | 24 | 24 September 1983 |
| The Vow | 50 | 12 November 1983 |
- As a solo artist:
| Title | Year | Highest Chart[5] | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Don't Fall in Love (I Said)" | 1985 | 22 | 27 April 1985 |
| "Soul Passing Through Soul" | 57 | 29 June 1985 | |
| "World in Action" | 93 | 21 September 1985 | |
| Echo Beach | 1987 | 54 | 25 April 1987 |
| "Moonlight Dancing" | - | - | |
| "Out of the Blue" | 1993 | - | - |
| "Now and Then" | 1994 | - | - |
| "Little Tears of Love" (limited release) | 2002 | - | - |
| "Latex Messiah (Viva La Rebel in You)" (Digital release)> | 2007 | - | 29 October 2007 |
Filmography
- Jubilee (1977) Mad
- The Corn is Green (1979) Bessie Watty
- The Tempest (1979) Miranda
- Quadrophenia (1979) Monkey
- The Ebony Tower (1984) Anne
- Anchoress (1993) Pauline Carpenter
- Julie and the Cadillacs (1999) Barbara Gifford
- The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (1999) Dr Johnson
- Three To Tango (2009) Michelle
TV appearances
- Quatermass (1979) Sal
- Shoestring (1979)
- Minder (1980)
- Tales of the Unexpected (1982) Marigold - Blue Marigold episode
- The Ebony Tower (1983) Anne (The Freak) - with Laurence Olivier
- Pop Quiz Christmas Special (1984)
- French & Saunders (1988) Herself
- Boudicca (1988)
- Cluedo (1990) Miss Scarlet (An ITV Programme)
- First Night on TV (1992) (Toyah hosted this arts programme)
- Thirty Years in the TARDIS (Doctor Who Documentary. VHS release AKA "More Than 30 Years In The TARDIS) (1993) Herself
- Presenting...Toyah on VH1 (1997)
- Boys From The Black Country - The Slade Story (1998) (Toyah presents this programme)
- It's Slade (1999) (Toyah appears in this documentary)
- Barmy Aunt Boomerang (1999)
- Rock Legends (2002) (Herself)
- Open House Panto Special (2002)
- Proud Parents. Channel 4 (2006) Herself
- Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007)[10]
- In Your Dreams (2008) Herself
- Living With The Dead (2008)
- Celebrity Mastermind (2008)
- Psychic Therapy (2009) Herself
- Celeb Experiences (2009) Herself
- Hole In The Wall (2009) Herself
- Celebrity Brides Unveiled (2008) Herself
- Celebrity Life Skills (2009) Herself
- The One Show (2009) Toyah discusses Marc Bolan and his influence on her
- Casualty, BBC TV Series, Season 24 Episode 6, guest appearance, Hazel Tillier, (screened 10 October 2009)
- Celebrity Ready Steady Cook Christmas Special (2008) Herself
Toyah has also appeared in many shows looking back on popular culture, including the 'I'm a celebrity' series, and various 'Top 100 favourite' shows.
Music videos
- Toyah at the Rainbow (1981) (live recording from Rainbow Theatre)
- Good Morning Universe (1982) (live BBC recording from Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)
- Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (1984) (companion to K-tel LP of same name; compilation of four pop videos and one live track)
- Wild Essence - Live in the 21st Century (2005) (live recording)
Other music compilations
- Urgh! A Music War (1981) (live performances by various artists, featuring Toyah's Danced)
Notes
- ^ BBC News website
- ^ Telegraph website
- ^ Worcester News website
- ^ Marriages England and Wales 1984-2005
- ^ a b c Chart Stats - Toyah
- ^ collection of unreleased & archive material
- ^ Also known as Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! All The Hits. This K-tel release is sometimes confused with the earlier 1980 live album of the same name but it contains different material: it's a compilation of various studio-recorded singles-chart hits and other tracks originally released between 1979 and 1983.
- ^ Double CD including solo material and unreleased demos/mixes spanning the whole of Toyah's musical career thus far.
- ^ Released as cash-in single. Originally appeared on the Jubilee Original Soundtrack album.
- ^ TV Easy magazine, Issue 22-28th Sept, page 4
References
- Astley, Craig (2000 - 2008). "Official Toyah Willcox Web Site, The". http://www.toyahwillcox.com.
- Evans, Gayna (July 1982). Toyah. Proteus. ISBN 0-86276-102-6.
- Gilligan, Bev & Driscol, Margarette (1982). Official Toyah Special, The. Grandreams ltd. ISBN 0-86227-071-5.
- Roberts, David (23 May 2003). British Hit Singles (16th Edition). Guinness World Records ltd. ISBN 0-85112-190-X.
- West, Mike (April 1982). Toyah. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-0062-0.
- Willcox, Toyah (17 August 2000). Living Out Loud. Hodder & Stoughton ltd. ISBN 0-340-74570-3.
- Willcox, Toyah (17 March 2005). Diary of a Facelift. Michael O'Mara Books. ISBN 1-84317-135-X.
External links
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