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THE CHANGELING
RESURRECTION

TOUR 2012

HTTP://COUNTINGDOWNTO.COM

Here are the dates of the
eagerly awaited

"The Changeling
Resurrection Tour"

Saturday 14th April
Concorde 2
Brighton

TICKETS


Wednesday 18 April
The Tunnels
Bristol

TICKETS


Friday 20 April
Classic Grand
Glasgow

TICKETS


Sunday 22nd April
Bush Hall
London

TICKETS


Saturday 28th April
The Robin 2
Wolverhampton

TICKETS


Monday 30th April
The Ruby Lounge
Manchester

TICKETS


Saturday 5th May
Rhodes Bishop's
Stortford
Hertfordshire

TICKETS


* * *

SUPPORT ON ALL
OF THE GIGS

T E N E K


* * *

SUPPORT IN BRISTOL, LONDON
WOLVERHAMPTON AND
MANCHESTER

A N D I
F R A G G S



* * *

SUPPORT IN
BRIGHTON

Tenek
Kovak


SUPPORT IN
BRISTOL

Tenek
Andi Fraggs
Sinestar


SUPPORT IN
GLASGOW

Tenek
Analog Angel


SUPPORT IN
LONDON

Tenek
Andi Fraggs


SUPPORT IN
WOLVERHAMPTON

Tenek
Andi Fraggs


SUPPORT IN
MANCHESTER

Tenek
Andi Fraggs


* * *


FROM THE OFFICIAL
TOYAH WILLCOX:

Toyah will perform six very special special
live dates in Spring 2012 which celebrate
the 30th anniversary of "The
Changeling" & "Warrior Rock".

THE CHANGELING, often sited as the beginning
of goth, was produced by legendary record
producer Steve Lillywhite. Its accompanying
tour of 1982 produced the live album
WARRIOR ROCK which has been critically
acclaimed as one of the best of all live
albums because of its powerful sound.

Following up the acclaimed 2011 From Sheep
Farming To Anthem Tour, which saw Toyah
perform songs from her first three albums in
the original iconic 80s costumes, comes
a brand new live Toyah show.

Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary
of The Changeling, Toyah & her full band,
will perform a selection of songs from the
album alongside classic material as heard
on the Warrior Rock live album.

THE CHANGELING RESURRECTION is a
treat for Toyah diehards, 1980s fans &
goth/rock music lovers. With only a
handful of dates for 2012 of this
show, it is not to be missed.


* * *

TOYAH.NET "THE CHANGELING"
30th ANNIVERSARY WEBSITE

(A special thank you to
Davie/toyah.net)

TOYAH TALKS MONEY
AND MORE

The Sunday Times "Money"
section 19.2.2012

Please click on the image
to view a larger version

TOYAH
DOLLS

I can't get enough of these brilliant
Toyah dolls by Andi Westhorpe.
The details are just astounding!

Please click on the images to
view largen versions

Check out these and the rest of
Andi's creations in HERE

He has also made some marvelous
mock magazine covers

TOYAH ON
STEVE LAMACQ
MUSIC SHOW
“GOOD DAY - BAD DAY”
BBC RADIO 6
21.12.2011

STEVE: “Good Day Bad Day” - continuing our week talking to stars of this years panto season. Today a team mate of mine - the only time I ever appeared on “Never Mind The Buzzcocks” - I was on the same team as this legend and watching her trying to act out “Centerfold” by The J. Geils Band (Toyah laughs in the background) is something which may tell you quite a lot about her – Toyah Willcox! Hello!

TOYAH: Hello! How are you?

STEVE: Yeah, not too bad, thank you very much. Now - you’re on stage very soon, aren’t you?

TOYAH: 5 o’clock. I’ve already done one show this afternoon and I’m back on at five and I’m having a fantastic day!

STEVE: How much does it take out of you? I mean it must be quite demanding the fact that you have to do so many shows over this short space of time?


TOYAH: OK, it is demanding and if you kind of enter into it thinking “oh, 93 shows in two months” kind of thing – you’re going to get down about it but this is about my 19th pantomime –

STEVE: Is it?

TOAYH: And I’m learning to be a bit more chilled and a bit more relaxed and I’m really really enjoying the venue I’m in – I’m in St Albans Arena and it’s a really comfortable venue to sing and speak in so I’m having a fantastic time here! And we’re all really excited coz Warrick Davis, who’s in “Life’s Too Short”, he’s in tonight - he’s just picked his tickets up. I’ve worked with Warrick on many pantos and we’re just thrilled to have him in. But it’s just – we get so excited! I think you’re either into panto or you’re not and I get very excited about everything. For me it’s the best way to do Xmas.

STEVE: In this production of the “Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs” you are playing – aren’t you the Wicked Queen?


TOYAH: Yeah, I’m the Wicked Queen. I will never be the young heroine again, I’m too old.

STEVE: No!

TOYAH: I’ve been playing the wicked characters for the last (hesitates) … eight years.

STEVE: Really? So do you have to adopt a persona? Coz You’re not – you don’t strike me as a wicked person, y’see there Toyah?

TOYAH: I love being rude to children (Steve laughs), I don’t have any children and I don’t even know any children and the only time I interact with children is when I do panto. And I think because of that I can really push the boundaries out and be extraordinarily rude to the point that they love it –


STEVE: Right, right. So you’ve obviously - have you grown into these sorts of characters over the years then?

TOYAH: I love it! The baddie is just the best to play because no matter what mood you’re in, you can - even if you’re in a really kindhearted, samaritan of a mood, you can really make people think you’re evil. And if you’re in a really bad mood it doesn’t matter – people think you’re evil anyway! So it’s a win-win situation.

STEVE: Tell us about – because we obviously know your own music, but some people don’t and certainly I didn’t – about your musical taste and I know a couple things about you now which I’d like to share with the listeners if that’s alright? What was the first single you ever bought?

TOYAH: T. Rex “Ride The White Swan” (below). Massive Marc Bolan fan! I saw him on Top Of The Pops and it was love at first sight.


STEVE: Really? And your best gig – and there is a good story here I think, is your best gig a David Bowie show?

TOYAH: It was David Bowie at the Milton Keynes Bowl, it was outdoor festival – it was 1983. I was backstage with Phil Daniels, who I’d been in “Quadrophenia” (below) with and Phil and I we were given access all areas and we walked the gantry up to the back of the stage and Bowie suddenly walked out mid song to have a cigarette … and sat next to us but didn’t speak to us.

And there was 75 000 people out the front and Phil and I just sat there not knowing what to do! It was as if God had manifested and proven himself right and we were rigid with fear and joy at the same time. It was the most amazing concert!


STEVE: No-one teaches a protocol for that do they? It’s the same thing – the first week I joined the “New Musical Express” – I went to the gents toilets and I while I was standing there Mark Smith of The Fall walked in (Toyah laughs). And I loved The Fall but what do you do? It’s one of those moments where you think “I don’t know if I say anything, don’t say anything?” Just move on. So I very silently moved away –

TOYAH: What do you do?! I mean they are away from their persona, they’re away from their God likeness – what do you do? You allow them to be invisible and you know I just wanted to scream my head off “David – I love you!” but you know he would’ve probably hated me for ever and this is before I married Robert Fripp who has worked with him many times. I played it cool and I think I did the right thing.

STEVE: Now – talk us through your "Good Day Bad Day" records. One which is from the depths of time and one relatively new one: The Cure and “The Forest” (below, left) if it’s a good day. What – for that bass guitar line is it?


TOYAH: I just think the opening is a classic lift-you-up and sweep-you-away opening. I have never heard this song and not been lifted by it. It’s fabulous, it’s just classic and I love the fact that it’s really really long.

STEVE: It is! And if it’s a bad day – now, Antony And The Johnsons, this because it tucks at the heart strings?

TOYAH: (noise in the background) If you can hear that in the background they’re just calling us to stage but no panic, we’ve got ten minutes. Antony And The Johnsons, “Hope There's Someone” (above, right) – it’s the voice, it’s the composition, the arrangement. It stands out on it’s own as completely re-inventing a music genre of the “torch” song. It’s also unbelievably sad. It’s the saddest song I’ve ever ever heard – I can not listen to it without wailing!

STEVE: Alright – it’s The Cure, Antony And The Johnsons. We’ll just say very quickly – you’re doing some of your own dates next year as well aren’t you? It’s the 30th anniversary of "The Changeling" and "Warrior Rock” which you're taking out on tour?


TOYAH: We’re out on the road – we start in April, we’re going to be gigging all through April, we’re announcing more dates this week on my web site which is toyahwillcox.com. And we will be touring that throughout the year around Europe. It’s going to be a very busy year because I also have a band called The Humans and we’ve got to write album three and tour that as well. So out on the road virtually the whole of 2012.

STEVE: So far today – good day or bad day then? You having a good day?

TOYAH: I’m having a fantastic day!

STEVE: OK. Now there is just the one last thing I’d like you to do for us before I play The Cure for you. What’s your opening line in about 15 minutes time?

TOYAH: I open with “Sympathy For The Devil”, I sing the first chorus and then I speak “It is I, Ivannah, Queen of Marelia, so girls and boys you better watch your behaviour!”

STEVE: That’s superb! Toyah Willcox – have a great rest of the day and thank you very much for coming on!

TOYAH: Thank you, good to talk to you!

STEVE: Take care!

TOYAH: Bye!

TOYAH TALKS
"DESIRE"
AND MORE
WITH
CHRIS LIMB
1987

CHRIS: Shortly after I started running Toyah's fan club I recorded an interview with her. This was not printed in the fan club magazine - it was used as part of my "audio portfolio" for my attempts at getting a job in radio. In it she talks candidly about (the plays) “Cabaret”, “Three Men On A Horse” and (her solo album) “Desire.”

Toyah Willcox appeared earlier this year in the ill fated production of “Cabaret.” Now she’s back in the West End playing Mabel, a 1930’s gangster’s moll in a comedy “Three Men On A Horse” at the Vaudeville Theatre. I asked her how she got the part.

Toyah in "Three Men
On A Horse" 1987

TOYAH: I went along to an audition. I was called to audition for “Three Men On A Horse”, about two months ago at the National Theatre and they sent me the script and you go along and you do a reading with the casting and with the National Theatre you don’t always meet the director straight off. I didn’t meet Jonathan Lynn, who directs the play - I didn’t meet him until a week into rehearsals. So I did the reading with the casting people, got the job and started two weeks later.

CHRIS: Do you enjoy it?

TOYAH: Do I enjoy … ?

CHRIS: Do you enjoy the play now?

TOYAH: Oh, yeah - I enjoy the play very much, it’s great fun. It helps when the mental attitude of the character you’re playing is healthy and the character “Mabel” is just very – I don’t think she’s thick even though on the surface she’s a dumb blonde. I don’t think she’s thick at all, I think she’s quite shrewd and a lot if instinct and things like –instinctive creature.

CHRIS: She seems to be a bit of a Marilyn Monroe type character when I saw it -


TOYAH: Yes, she is a fashion piece of the 30’s. It was very peroxide and women were performing a feminine role then. It’s very very dated to a woman’s place in a society now but at the same time a lot of her reactions and actions are done upon instinct. But anyway, I enjoy it very much and it’s nice to come off stage feeling good rather than wretched. “Cabaret” left me feeling very depressed at the end of each show because it’s just the way “Cabaret” was.

CHRIS: I suppose it has a rather depressing ending?

TOYAH: Yes.

CHRIS: And did you have any doubts about going more or less straight from play to play without leaving time for the promotion of your album “Desire” which was released shortly after “Cabaret” finished?

TOYAH: No, because my attitude toward the music industry isn’t very good at the moment. I don’t feel – I found myself in a situation of emotional prostitution to sell a piece of music. And I’m not prepared to do that any more. “Desire” is my last solo album, I won’t do another one. And I certainly – say if I ever -I’m in a band now and if the band takes off and I want to do a solo vocal project I will never sell it in a way I used to.

Especially in this country because I feel there is an attitude geared towards success, a superficial success rather than the success of the piece music you’ve done. And people don’t see the achievement within the music, they see the achievement on the surface level of you know, what clothes you’re wearing and what TV’s you’ve been on and how many fans turn up when you do something. I think that’s just not important. And I’d rather be - have the music recognised for what it is at that moment. With “Desire” – which was an hell of an album to make - I had a lot of arguments with A&R and things like that.

One person in particular who tried to stop the album because I wouldn’t do any cover versions. Things like that. I’ve decided not make another solo album. But my commitment to music is greater now than it’s ever been and I’ve now formed a band and I will only work with that band in the public eye.


CHRIS: How do you feel about “Desire” as an end product? Were you pleased the way it came out?

TOYAH: I think it’s got very good songs on it. I’m not pleased with the way – it was taken out of my hands once I’d put the vocals down on it – it was taken out of my hands by someone who I had lots of arguments with who’s now left this office. Because it was him or me.

And I literally divorced myself from the album as soon I’d done the vocals and I’d already shot the album cover and as a piece of marketing, the image and everything I’m very happy with.
The songs I think are very good songs. But I couldn’t get involved on the production side because there was someone involved who I wouldn’t work with. And it became a huge political issue. So I just walked a way from it.

CHRIS: I gather it wasn’t your idea to do the cover versions?

TOYAH: No, not at all. But I could only raise the money to do rest of the album by saying I’d do the cover versions.

CHRIS: Did you actually get to choose the songs you were doing or were they suggested to you as well?

TOYAH: No, they were suggested as well. I mean my biggest argument is “Love’s Unkind” which I think is a pile of trash! And I was stopped from doing interviews because I was mentioning this person and what this person did. And the record company said look "don’t do interviews if you can’t support the album – don’t do it" so literally I had nothing to do with it. Went straight into “Three Men On A Horse”.


CHRIS: And how was it working with your husband on the album because it’s obviously it’s the first real musical project you’ve worked with him?

TOYAH: It was great! I mean he was the only thing that kept me sane on that album. I think the team was very good. We had Mike Hedges producing and Haydn Bendall engineering. Perfect team – no problem at all. Very good musicians as well.

But it just took one nerd who really wanted to put his impression on this album and wouldn’t see me as an individual. Just saw me as a female. And that literally was the cancer within the project.
But working with Robert was great. Robert kept me sane and if anything I had to pull him in on meetings all the time to get things done.

The new band is with Robert and Robert’s contributing the music, I’m contributing the lyrics. We realised that’s the only way that I’ll be able to work within the chauvinistic industry. I’m fed up with fighting men all the time. So if I’m in a band I can just get on do the singing and do the writing and be left alone and let the politics happen with someone else.

Toyah leaving the Vaudeville Theatre
with her husband Robert Fripp in 1987

CHRIS: Do you think that’s something you’ve suffered with for a long time because even though officially in the past you were the “Toyah band” you were always seen as a solo artist?

TOYAH: I didn’t mind that because the band was good and you had a relationship with musicians. What I don’t like and haven’t liked - say on the “Minx”, which I think is a very good album and won’t suffer in time -I didn’t like working with different session musicians coming in for different numbers.

I like having a team that you work with. And I think that is the strength of the music when you have a team with one language and that’s what I’m looking for in the future. I’d tried to get it on this album but just didn’t get it.

CHRIS: It was still just various musicians coming in and going out again?

TOYAH: We had a pretty solid set of musicians but still we didn’t have the rehearsal time. I wanted to tour this album before we recorded it and that just wasn’t feasible and I think the songs would’ve grown from that. Robert believes in that way too.

So what we’ve literally had to do is to put a wall around us to stop these things happening. But I don’t feel bitter - I feel they’re lessons learned. I really don’t think “Desire” is a bad album at all. I think it’s pretty good in places. But I want to take my future seriously and I’ve just had to iron out certain methods really.


CHRIS: What are you planning to do when you finish your run in the play?

TOYAH: Well, I start recording next week. I’m recording with Steve Harley – a separate project and then I go on to record an another single project which is me and Robert, songs that I pulled out off the album because the album wasn’t being recorded in the right way.

And these are songs that have to be performed live so I am still recording on certain levels. Robert and I are writing for the band which we plan to be recording and touring by April next year. But Robert has a King Crimson album to deliver in November.

CHRIS: Oh, it’s still going on then?

TOYAH: Oh yeah. So we’re pretty busy on the music side. It’s just focusing and developing. I go to Australia with him in February to be writing and recording for the band project. So I’ll probably leave “Three Men On A Horse” by February.

CHRIS: So is this quite a long time in a play then? A long time commitment to the play?

TOYAH: Six month commitment. I’m due to leave at Xmas but I might stay on. I don’t want to have any holiday or anything like that so I’ll stay on 'til my next work commitment and there’s possibly a film. Robert’s doing music for a science fiction film next year and they’re interested in me for the second female lead. But I don’t know if I’ve got that yet. If I get that that will radically change next year.


CHRIS: How’s the play been received generally by the press and everything?

TOYAH: It’s a hit by the press. It’s a huge hit. We haven’t had a bad review yet. The only criticism I had it was in the paper called “The Stage” which said I hadn’t got the rhythm of my accent right and that’s literally the only criticism I’ve had. In the industry and in the review stages it’s the biggest hit I’ve ever had. And it’s now selling out so it looks it will be running after I’ve left, easily.

CHRIS: So it must be in a way much more satisfying than “Cabaret” because in “Cabaret” you were joining a successful production already whereas in this thing you help start something up?

TOYAH: Well, it’s – I try not be involved on that level because I don’t think that is of importance to a performer. It certainly is a very gratifying play to do, because you’re working with a team – I think that if you work with good people they pull you up to their level. And I’ve learned a lot from this team. They’re highly professional, highly skilled and very nice people to go with it.

They’ve pulled me out of the black rut I ended up in after “Cabaret” because the “Cabaret” thing was a battle to keep going and it is nice to step into something like this that’s lighthearted and good. And it’s been appreciated. But I had the same with “Trafford Tanzi” - that was very enjoyable too. And it just all helps alter your attitude.

Toyah in "Cabaret" 1987

CHRIS: Out of all the acting mediums which to do prefer? I mean you’ve been working in the theatre a lot lately but would you like to get into a television series or a film or something like that?

TOYAH: I’d like – I don’t think I want to get into a series as such. I like short term things. So to do a film over a space of three months or to do TV over three months is perfect. Yes, I’d like that. In an ideal world I’d like to spend my year: six months on stage doing a theatre, three months doing a film and three months touring a band. In a perfect world.

But that’s just impossible. I’m not really in a league of doing films regularly. I haven’t done a film now for four years. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of. That’s quite natural and it’s quite normal. But I would like to be involved in that media more because through work I improve. If I don’t work I can loose five years experience through not working for six months.

CHRIS: Would you like to get involved in films on the other side of the cameras, perhaps directing or anything like that?


TOYAH: No, the only time I would like to get involved in that is to make my own videos and direct my own videos, budget them and everything. Because I do think it’s almost a contaminated area, it’s over budgeted. A lot of money is spent. OK, it gives people employment but I think money is wasted in certain areas. I’d like to be involved more on that.

Usually I just story board. Get involved on the image side and leave the rest up to a team and I’d quite like to be just more involved on the three minute epic. But really directing humans beings within the acting field - I don’t think I'm made for that.

CHRIS: Not even if it was perhaps some project that you were acting in and directing it?

TOYAH: No, I don’t think so. I think I might one day, just once. But it’s certainly not a life time ambition. I think it’s been many people’s downfall apart from Orson Wells or someone like that who are epic people and have that kind of energy. But I think - I suppose a few women have done it. Who’s done it? Umm – oh god, Diane Keaton’s done it I think, with success and a few other women. American women seem good at it. But I just don’t think I’m cut out for that.

CHRIS: What would you like to be most remembered for? Because you’ve come from being a “punk” singer as a lot of people called to being a respected and serious actress but what would you most like people in the next century to remember you for?


TOYAH: I’ll be remembered for what I do around the age of 50 to 55. I won’t be remembered for the last ten years and in a way don’t feel I’ve done - I’ve touched anything I really want to do in the last ten years. I’ve looked on that as my training for what I’ll hopefully get onto next. I think I’ll be remembered as a performer, singing and acting but not within – not touching remotely on what I’ve done so far. I don’t know what it’ll be but I kind of know that I’ll be remembered for my middle age rather than my teenage.

CHRIS: Thanks very much.

TOYAH: Thank you!

You can listen to the interview HERE

Chris Limb is the author of
I Was A Teeange Toyah Fan

Toyah with Chris in October 2011

TOYAH LIVE
AT THE RAINBOW
1981
&
THE BEAT CLUB
GERMANY
1982

A double treat for Toyah fans!

The legendary 21.2 1981 gig at The Rainbow,
which was released back then as a BBC video,
has now popped up in Youtube -
all 54 glorious minutes of it!

TRACK LIST

War Boys
Neon Womb
Waiting
Tribal Look
Ghosts
Victims Of The Riddle
Race Though Space
Angels & Demons
Insects
It's A Mystery
Danced
Ieya

And even better than that The Beat Club
concert from Germany 1982 is on
Youtube now as well!

SUPPORT A CHARITY
CHOSEN BY TOYAH

By buying a print of this fabulous painting by
Melissa Mailer-Yates (based on Toyah's 1982
"Brave New World" image) you can

support a charity chosen by Toyah.

St. Richard’s Hospice in Worcester looked
after Toyah's mother Barbara Willcox
during her illness earlier this year.
She passed away 2.9.2011.

The painting will be on display in Las Vegas next
April during "The Creative Face" Exhibition.
Toyah will also be performing live.

T*O*U*R
A*R*C*H*I*V*E

CLASSICS
REVISITED

During 2011 the 30th anniversary
"FROM SHEEP FARMING
TO ANTHEM”
tour rocked the width and
breadth of the country.

The fans were in 21st century Toyah heaven
during the 23 gigs with classics like
"Bird In Flight", "Neon Womb","IEYA",
"Jungles Of Jupiter, "We Are", Demolition Men",
plus many other all time favourites.

THE BAND
LINE-UP

Toyah Willcox: Verbals + Unusual Sounds
Chris Wong: Guitar
Tim Rose: Bass
Andy Doble: Keyboards
Shan Chana: Drums



Check out the ever brilliant
toyah.net's page dedicated to the tour
HERE including my review of the
Leicester Square (17.6.2011) gig

Toyah Official has a
"From Sheep Farming To Anthem"
tour page with photos
and videos as well



TOYAH TALKS
MUSIC

Toyah talks music in the
toyah.net interview
"Sheep Farming To
Anthem and beyond"


TOYAH ON THE ANDREW
EASTON SHOW 12.7.2011

The tour, the costumes, the make-up,
the hair and much more!

Read the interview
HERE

MY PHOTOS FROM
THE LEICESTER
SQUARE THEATRE
17.6.2011

More fantastic photos from The Leicester
Square Theatre by CHRIS JEPSON
HERE and HERE


OFFICIAL TOYAH photos including
some great backstage shots
HERE


TOYAH.NET "From Sheep Farming
To Anthem" photo gallery
HERE


VIDEOS FROM THE LEICESTER
SQUARE THEATRE
17.6.2011








My tribute to Toyah's amazing career:
song from 1981 - photos from 2011
(by Greg Fowler, Chris Jepson,
Damon King (thank you)
and myself.

MORE VIDEOS FROM
THE LEICESTER
SQUARE THEATRE
17.6.2011

War Boys

Demolition Men

Masai Boy

Good Morning Universe

Neon Womb

Pop Star

Blue Meanings

Good Morning Universe / Rebel Run

Elusive Stranger



PHOTOS FROM THE
02 ACADEMY
LONDON
5.11.2011

A special thank you to
Martin Saint


More photos from
02 Academy

HERE
(Thank you to
Damon King)

and

HERE
(Thank you to
James Hammick)


VIDEOS FROM THE
02 ACADEMY
LONDON
5.11.2011

IEYA

Demolition Men

Latex Messiah

War Boys

Bird In Flight

Good Morning Universe

Neon Womb

Thunder In The Mountains

Danced


SOME LYRICS


Computer

Love Me

Obsolete

Bird In Flight

Elusive Stanger

Blue Meanings

For You

A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU to
Davie (Dreamscape - toyah.net),
toyahwillcox.com plus all
photographers who's
images I've used