TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO 2
BREAKFAST SHOW
WITH GARY DAVIES
16.8.2022

GARY: What can I say that my guest this morning? She’s released more than 20 albums, she's written books, appeared in more than 40 stage productions

Over 10 movies, presented and starred in so many TV shows it's impossible to name them all. Toured the world and best of all she's an 80s icon and she's with me right now on Zoom from home - Toyah Willcox. Good morning!

TOYAH: Gary. It's so lovely to see you. My goodness, you are a silver fox!

GARY: (laughs) And you're still a blonde bombshell I'm pleased to see. How are you doing?

TOYAH: I'm really really good. It's been a fantastic year - being able to play live. See my fans again, release new music. It's been very special

GARY: So you come from Small Heath in Birmingham (NB It’s King’s Heath). How proud were you when the Commonwealth Games came to Brum?

TOYAH: I am super proud of Birmingham. The Commonwealth Games was effortlessly perfect. Everyone just did so well. Birmingham as a city did brilliantly and I find Birmingham very exciting in this millennium

I was making a movie in Birmingham on a little back street about 2007 called “Battleship Earth” (she means “Invasion Planet Earth”) and we were suddenly approached by Steven Spielberg, who was shooting a test sequence for one of his movies on this street

And I found out that even Spielberg loves Birmingham, and the thought that the Eurovision Song Contest could come from Birmingham next year! We've got to champion this!

GARY: I think that would be an amazing idea. And listen, you're an outrageous and an adventurous person. What if you represented us in the Eurovision Song Contest?

TOYAH: Oh, that's just too scary -

GARY: C’mon!

TOYAH: You know, Sam, this year, I mean, my goodness! What a superstar!

GARY: And like you’re not? You’re not exactly shy and retiring are you, Toyah?

TOYAH: I'm not shy and retiring and I certainly could give a good match to Norway's usual entries, especially when it comes to costumes, etc etc. I would do it if I was asked. I think this is a competition for young, new, undiscovered brilliant talent. But I would do it

GARY: There's no rules. I think we should put you in the fray. Talk to me about your crazy lunch sessions on YouTube -

TOYAH: Sunday Lunch

GARY: It’s good to see you're not calming down

TOYAH: It's good to see me dressed as well this morning (they both laugh) It started with a 28 second clip I posted in the first three weeks of lockdown two years ago of me teaching my husband Robert Fripp to dance

He can't tell his left foot from his right foot and we got 100,000 responses within five minutes of me posting this on YouTube from people, who were alone in lockdown and saying that we had given them something to smile about and how much they love that clip

And for the last two and a half years we've continued to do it. We now have 110 million hits worldwide. We've even been approached about a movie being made about it -

GARY: Seriously?!

TOYAH: Yeah, and we're taking it on the road in October 2023. It's actually become absolutely epic in our life

GARY: It’s brilliant! I mean your husband, Robert Fripp, his facial expressions - they are mind blowing, just the way he looks. And you. I mean, you should be ashamed of yourself at that age! (jokingly, laughs)

TOYAH: I'm 64 and proud of it

GARY: You look fantastic!

TOYAH: Well, thank you. And as you know, Gary, we remain rockers. Age is just a number. And I love the fact that my husband, who is 76, behaves just as badly as me. He is an absolute rock god, he should be an actor

He's so brilliant and this is why he's on my single “Slave To The Rhythm” because he's a great guitarist. The world knows this. He's played with Bowie, Talking Heads, Blondie. He's even played with The Damned

And of course he has his band King Crimson, but we now have our band, The Posh Pop Three and our first album in August went to number one in about 36 charts. In the main charts, it went to 22. And this has really launched us and it led to me playing the Isle of Wight for the first time ever in my career in June

GARY: I want to talk about that. But I also want to play your new single. It's a cover of Grace Jones’ “Slave To The Rhythm”. I'll play it now and we'll chat about it afterwards, OK?

TOYAH: Thank you!

GARY: Can I introduce it in the style of Grace Jones?

TOYAH: I'd like to hear that

GARY: (does the voice over like in the beginning of the Grace Jones version) Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Toyah Willcox

(Plays “Slave To The Rhythm”)

GARY: Toyah together with Robert Fripp, “Slave To The Rhythm”. That is Toyah’s brand new single and she's with us live on the show this morning. That is so good

TOYAH: Thank you. We wanted something different to the iconic version that Grace Jones did. And we have had Trevor Horn’s blessing. Trevor Horn produced it and my long term writing partner Simon Darlow, who produced this new single … he was kind of the original writer on “Slave To The Rhythm” and I was the demo singer. So this song has one hell of a history and a story not only in my life, but in Grace Jones' life as well

GARY: Are you a big fan of Grace Jones? Have you met her?

TOYAH: Oh, gosh. Talk about about originality!

GARY: Did she inspire you?

TOYAH: Well, actually my career started almost 10 years before Grace’s career (they both laugh) But what I will say is everything she's done is absolute perfection. Perfection in artistic terms and originality and my goodness, she's amazing on stage

GARY: She is, isn't she? So tell me about the new album. When's it coming out?

TOYAH: Well, we have done a reimagining of “In The Court Of The Crimson Queen” (above) with Robert Fripp on it, and this single will be on it. Pre-orders (are open) now, (it will be released) 10th of February, but I've got a lot going on before then - I'm touring with Billy Idol and so much more -

GARY: I know! You're so busy! So you've got a tour with Billy Idol in October, which is gonna be brilliant. And then you're off on your Anthem 40 + 1 Tour

TOYAH: Yes, that was supposed to be obviously last year and “Anthem” is my big multi-gold album from 1981 which I'm touring right through September, October into November. And luckily Billy Idol’s arena tour fits perfectly with the “Anthem” tour. So I'm touring two shows at once

GARY: You’re a workaholic, aren’t you?

TOYAH: Well, I'm very, very grateful to see that audience again (laughs)

GARY: Tell me about the Isle Of Wight Festival? So you played it for the first time this year. How was it?

TOYAH: It was absolutely extraordinary because I played the big tent and as I stood in the wings waiting I thought a few thousand people will come in, but the crowds just came and came and they were just ramming that tent

And I think we had about 12,000 people crammed into that tent and people who couldn't get in. And I have a 45 year career with 28 albums to fit into a set. That's a lot to do - and 15 hit singles. So I cherry-picked right from the punk moments through to the present day. We even did “Slave To The Rhythm” and it was magnificent

GARY: I've got a few messages coming in here. Trish says good morning, Toyah. I've been a huge fan all my years. I still love your “Anthem” album. Loved you at The Rebellion -

TOYAH: Rebellion was amazing! On the promenade at Blackpool

GARY: Richard in Tamworth says please tell Toyah my 13 year old son Fraser saw her on Saturday night and she now has a new fan. He loved her and said her ending was awesome

TOYAH: Well, I would like to send my love to that brilliant audience. They were out there in 37 degree heat. 10,000 people absolutely loving the music. Thank you Tamworth

GARY: Amazing. I've got to ask you about the movie “Give Them Wings”, which is coming out. And it's based on an incredible true story, isn't it?

TOYAH: This is the story of Paul Hodgson, who when he was very young, he contracted meningitis and became paraplegic. His mother was called Alice and she looked after him til she had a stroke. Then Paul looked after her and he was lost in the system. He didn't get any help. So this is a true story

It's released now, we finished it just a month before lockdown. I've been nominated by the best critics award for the Richard Harris Festival as the surprise actress of the season for my role as “Alice” (Toyah with the director Sean Cronin (on the right) and Bill Fellows who plays Norman Hodgson, below) It’s a phenomenal story

GARY: You a play his mother?

TOYAH: Yes, I play his mother and believe it or not as sad and as crazy as this story is - because he is a Darlington football fan and he used to go to the football in his wheelchair and he would chant obscenities at the opposition

He even used to get beaten up and he'd still be shouting obscenities at the opposition. Paul Hodgson is still with us. He's a brilliant, brilliant script writer. And he's just the most amazing man and he will sit in his wheelchair and tell you like it is

GARY: Still shouting obscenities! Love it!

TOYAH: He tells people the truth!

GARY: Trevor in Eastborne says I was lucky to see Toyah at the Isle of Wight. She was amazing! Gave a great performance. James in Northern Ireland: Toyah played at the Let's Rock Festival here and her and her band were fantastic, Toyah rocked and she jumped about just like she's a teenager … I’ve just had a text saying - is it true? You're on The Archers this week?!

TOYAH: Yes! (they both laugh)

GARY: How was that?!

TOYAH: It was fabulous! We recorded it at The Archers studio in Birmingham. I was on with the icon called Pat. I was there with all the characters, loving every moment of it and I can't tell you the storyline but it's so funny

GARY: Listen, I can't tell you what a pleasure it has been to have you on the show this morning. I love the fact that you grow old disgracefully. Long may it continue. Her new single “Slave To The Rhythm” is out now and you can get tickets for Anthem 40 +1 Tour and you can catch her on The Archers! Thank you, Toyah!

TOYAH: Thank you, Gary! Thank you, everybody!