News & New In The Archive


Ophelia's Shadow and Take The Leap!
Picture discs and CD's

2-Disc CD's and a limited edition picture discs of both Ophelia's Shadow and Take The Leap! will be released 21.11.2025

Pre-order

Ophelia's Shadow
Take The Leap!

For more information visit Official Toyah



Chameleon – The Very Best Of Toyah

Toyah's new compilation
Chameleon – The Very Best of Toyah
on Cherry Red Records is out now

For more information visit Official Toyah

Order

2CD Edition

3CD/Blu-ray Deluxe Edition

2LP Gatefold Gold Vinyl Edition


2026 Songs & Stories Tour

Toyah has announced a 49-date spoken
word tour in the spring 2026

The tickets are on sale now, book yours HERE


Celebrating The Best Of Toyah

Toyah has announced two special shows in
London and Coventry in October 2025

Tickets are available to book now

London
Coventry

Minx , Desire and Prostitute Pic Discs
Plus Deluxe 2CD Editions

Edsel/Demon Records released Limited Edition Picture Discs of Minx (1985), Desire (1987) and Prostitute (1988) and expanded deluxe 2CD editions of Desire and Prostitute on 6.6.2025

Order yours now

MINX pic disc
Desire pic disc
Desire Deluxe CD from Amazon
Desire Deluxe CD from Townsend Music
Prostitute pic disc
Prostitute Deluxe CD from Amazon
Prostitute Deluxe CD from Townsend Music

The 2024 Minx Deluxe Packaging 2-Disc
edition is also available from

Townsend and
Amazon

More more details visit Official Toyah

NEW INTERVIEWS

BBC RADIO LONDON 13.9.2025
BBC RADIO 2 8.8.2025
BBC BREAKFAST AUGUST 2025
BBC RADIO 2, SOUNDS OF THE 80'S 19.7.2025
BBC RADIO SCOTLAND 13.2.2025
LOVE YOUR WEEKEND, ITV 23.11.2024
TOYAH TALKS LOVE IS THE LAW 2024
TOYAH TALKS THE CHANGELING 2023
E4 THE LATE EDITION 24.3.2005
BBC1 LIFE AND TIMES 2000
KENNY LIVE, RTÉ, IRELAND 12.11.1994
ITV THIS MORNING April 1994
ITV THIS MORNING September 1992
ITV HTV WEST RECOLLECTIONS October 1987
SUMMER SUNDAY ITV TV-AM 19.7.1987
PEPSI LIVE! April 1987
BBC BREAKFAST TIME 1.4.1987
BBC1 WOGAN With Sue Lawley 16.4.1986
BBC BREAKFAST TIME June 1985
BBC PEBBLE MILL AT ONE 29.4.1985
SKY TRAX April 1985
BBC BREAKFAST TIME September 1983
HARTY, BBC1 16.11.1983
BBC GET SET, TRAFFORD TANZI SPECIAL 23.4.1983
BBC 1 BREAKFAST TIME 28.3.1983
SOUNDCHECK Issue 1, 1983
GET SET FOR SUMMER, BBC1 July 1982
COUNTDOWN AUSTRALIA 4.4.1982
SUOSIKKI, FINLAND December 1981
PARKINSON, BBC1 October 1981
TISWAS 26.9.1981
ATV TODAY May 1981
TISWAS 14.3.1981
BACK ISSUE FANZINE 1980

Check out all the new stuff on our sister page HERE 

TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO 2
THE SCOTT MILLS
BREAKFAST SHOW
8.8.2025

SCOTT MILLS: Hi! This is Big Guest Friday, and Toyah is here. Good morning!

TOYAH: Good morning you gorgeous creature!

SCOTT MILLS: How are you?

TOYAH: I'm really good. It's a beautiful day out there. It's gorgeous being here with you

SCOTT: Good vibe in here, isn't it?

TOYAH: It's a really good vibe!

SCOTT: How is it possible that you are celebrating 45 years in music?

TOYAH: Well, you're very kind. I actually think it's closer to 50 because I was an actress when I was 18 at the National Theatre and that was 1976. So we're touching that 50 year mark

SCOTT: Yeah, we are

TOYAH: It feels great though!

SCOTT: Yeah, you look amazing as well

TOYAH: Thank you

SCOTT: The summer outfit. We're gonna talk about the hair in a second

TOYAH: Oh, really?!

SCOTT: Everything is just on point as I would expect

TOYAH: Well, thank you so much!

SCOTT: Amazing. Rod says “my first ever gig was toy at Odeon New Street, Birmingham”

TOYAH: Oh, Rod! I remember it because there was a kind of riot on stage that particular night. I have one of these very strange memories Scott


SCOTT: So you can remember this gig?!

TOYAH: I can remember this gig. I can remember what I was wearing. I was all in white and I had tassels that span round me when I used to spin. But about 40 kids stormed the stage

My parents were in the balcony and my mother was so frightened for me. I was having a fantastic time! And then the police had to get us out the building

SCOTT: Oh, god, yeah, that's dramatic!

TOYAH: I know, but that's what rock and roll is about

SCOTT: Yeah. This month we are celebrating all things 80's on Radio 2. Take us back in time. What did the 80's mean for Toyah?

TOYAH: Well, I started in punk in 1977 and by the time I got to the 80's, I felt like a veteran -

SCOTT: Did you?

TOYAH: Because I'd been through punk, I was then new wave. Then this 80's explosion of synth rock came about. I loved every minute and to do Top Of The Pops on a regular basis

And then we used to come off stage at Top Of The Pops and have a little prop plane waiting for us at a private airfield to take us to Belgium or to Germany where we would do a rock festival and then fly straight back through the night

It was so crazy, so romantic. We were creating our own looks, our own hair, our own clothes. Individualism was huge in the 80's and the boys wore makeup which I thought was gorgeous

SCOTT: Is it the best decade?

TOYAH: I think for music it's a stunning decade

SCOTT: It's a stunning decade and you'll hear all of it on Sounds and on Radio 2 this month. If you search the 80's on Sounds, there's so much for you. We can't really not mention the iconic hair. Would you ever go bright orange again?

TOYAH: I've been thinking about it

SCOTT: Have you?!

TOYAH: Yeah, I have been thinking about it. The reason I have normal looking hair is I can go into acting at any minute and you get called up by casting people. I've got a movie in February and they will not appreciate me having pink hair

SCOTT: What's the movie? Are we allowed to say?

TOYAH: It's a very noir movie. It's about a pathogen on a ship. That's all I can tell you. But my leading man - I'm so excited about my leading man! He's done “Star Wars” and everything. It's gonna be great, really good

I think we're filming on a ship in the North Sea. That will be a problem because I even got seasick when I did “Strictly (Come Dancing)” (below with her partner Neil Jones) I'm not good with being spun round and shaken about but life is busy and it's good


SCOTT: Great. Joanna Lumley was here this time last week. She cuts her own hair

TOYAH: No!

SCOTT: I'm not being funny. That is the work of a hairdresser. Is it not?

TOYAH: Well, the fridge fringe is my own work

SCOTT: Is it?!

TOYAH: I shouldn't admit that because my hairdresser scolds me every time I cut my own fridge. But when you're so busy and you can't get to a hairdresser and you just cannot see -

SCOTT: Snip away!

TOYAH: Just snip away

SCOTT: Yeah, we had Mariah Carey on the show yesterday

TOYAH: Oh, did she know that Katy Perry had been up to the moon?

SCOTT: She did not

TOYAH: I think that's fabulous. What a world to inhabit. I love her

SCOTT: She didn't know and I was the first person to tell her that

TOYAH: But it was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment, because Mariah Carey is so successful, she doesn't have to know what's going on in the world! I love that!

SCOTT: It's Maria's world!

TOYAH: It's Mariah's world!

SCOTT: She said that she had people doing her makeup on a plane while she was asleep. Now think back to the 1980's. That must have happened to you? Tell me the most ridiculously glam thing? I can picture you on Concorde getting your glam done

TOYAH: I can tell you 4 hours ago I got up in my flat in Chiswick and I put my own makeup on. I was still asleep, but I put my own makeup on. What happened with me is my makeup took about 12 hours because I had painted face. I had this massive hair -


SCOTT: Every time?!

TOYAH: It took about 12 hours when I did Drury Lane, Old Grey Whistle Test (above), which, by the way, had 12 million viewers on BBC Two. That took all day to do the makeup and the concert took an hour

SCOTT: And then you take it off and do it all over again!

TOYAH: Oh, take it off and then try and make me look young and beautiful again. It's time consuming. No wonder Mariah Carey has a private jet and sleeps while it's done

SCOTT: What was the most showbiz thing you did in the 80's? Did you go on Concorde?

TOYAH: No, I never did and I'm quite relieved, actually. I'm a bit scared of flying. I think one of the most amazing things I have ever done was to go to tea with the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. I got summoned mid-recording “Anthem”. They said “we want to meet you at St James's (Palace) at four o'clock for tea”

SCOTT: This is amazing!

TOYAH: I went with the designer Katharine Hamnett and we had a wild time. The Queen Mother was just breathtaking. She was so funny, so witty. But then Princess Margaret came in and she was just wicked. So we had tea, we had scones

We were surrounded by their security. I don't know why, whether they thought we might mug them or something. And then I went back to the studio and carried on recording my multi gold album “Anthem”

SCOTT: That's amazing

TOYAH: Yeah

SCOTT: I actually think Margaret and the Queen Mother would have been a right laugh. Was it fun?

TOYAH: They were like a girl gang. Fabulous!

SCOTT: Right! We're going to play one of Toyah's biggest hits, and then we'll get another guest in on Big Guest Friday. Here is “It's A Mystery” on Radio 2!

It's A Mystery plays

SCOTT: Toyah, let me read you some of these. “I saw Toyah at the Isle Of Wight Festival last year (below). I have been a fan since the very start of her career and she was nothing but pure joy. What a beautiful soul she is”. That's from Carmen in Cardiff


TOYAH: Carmen! Hello!

SCOTT: “Toyah is magnificent. I was about six when “It's A Mystery” was in the charts. I was obsessed by such an incredible voice and look because it was so different at the time and she is still incredible today”. That's from Steve

TOYAH: Steve! I love you!

SCOTT: “I was named after Toyah Willcox, born in 1982. My sister loved her when my mom was pregnant and they ended up naming me Toyah. I love my name. Please shout out for me”. That's Toyah from Shetland

TOYAH: Hello Toyah from Shetland!

SCOTT: So many stories, so much love. “I saw Toyah at Hitchin College, maybe 1980. She then gave us a lift back to Stevenage in a clapped out transit van”

TOYAH: I remember it

SCOTT: You remember everything!

TOYAH: I do remember everything!

SCOTT: It's Big Guest Friday. You've got a greatest hits album and a tour coming up

TOYAH: Yeah. “Chameleon” is a 45 year retrospective of my career. It's fabulous! It's even got the original demos of the singles on. It's got unheard demos. It's fabulous! And then I'm playing Islington, Union Chapel. I've got Warwick Arts Center

Then I'm on the road with Big Country but next year I have 50 dates of a storytelling tour with a new book release. And before that we think we're going to release a brand new album in January. You're the first to hear that

SCOTT: You are incredible!

TOYAH: It's busy!

SCOTT: It's busy. I love it! (A jingle plays) “Radio 2 In The Park!” Craig, you were there last year. Good vibes, isn't it?

2nd GUEST CRAIG DAVID: Beyond good vibes. So many beautiful people together. Got the chance to meet up with Sting after all those years

SCOTT: Who also taught you how to do crosswords?

CRAIG: Absolutely, I learned from the best

TOYAH: No?!

CRAIG: Yeah, we did the “Rise And Fall” video and in the breaks he would just be “come over here, son. Sit down.” “What are we doing over there?” “Let's do the crossword. Keep your mind sharp”. I was like wow! This is with Sting

SCOTT: And that opened everything to Craig

CRAIG: Wordsmith, 16 bars after that


TOYAH: When I did “Quadrophenia” with Sting (above, on the left with Toyah just behind him) he taught me how to sing the backing vocals on “Roxanne”. He's such kind man!

CRAIG: What a dream!

TOYAH: He's such a good teacher!

SCOTT: And you always have a better story!

TOYAH: No, sorry, that wasn't meant to be one-upmanship! That was probably before Craig was born!

CRAIG: It's always love. Like when you've shared things today I've learned so much -

SCOTT: So have I!

CRAIG: And I've always had this profound love for you

SCOTT: Incredible stories is what I meant!

CRAIG: The stories are so deep and rich

TOYAH: Aww

CRAIG: Imagine singing background for “Roxanne”

SCOTT: Yeah, I know!

Listen to the interview

TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO LONDON
WITH CARRIE
AND DAVID GRANT
13.9.2025

It's A Mystery plays

DAVID GRANT: “It's A Mystery” - a massive, massive hit for Toyah Willcox who is with us now. Good morning, Toyah! Welcome to the show!

TOYAH: Thank you so much! Good morning, Carrie! Good morning, David!

CARRIE GRANT & DAVID: Good morning!

DAVID: I want to say how much you inspired me to get back out live, because you have been just tearing it up. You're gigging!

CARRIE: Are you ever home?

DAVID: Are you ever at home?

TOYAH: I'm home today, which is fantastic. Yeah, there's a lot of gigs. I'm about to go out on the road with Adam Ant. Then I have two gigs - Union Chapel, London, Islington at the end of October and Warwick Arts Center

Then I'm on the road with Big Country in December. But next year I have 49 dates on a solo tour and a brand new book called “Meteorite” where I tell really great stories

CARRIE: I bet you've got some -

DAVID: Oh, my goodness!

CARRIE: You've got some stories I can imagine. When David said about featuring all the music - how many songs are on this new project?


TOYAH: There's over 40. On the vinyl there's 20 songs per side and it's a double vinyl. And then on the CD - which is a triple CD because it has my very first blu ray of all the videos. I think there's 28 songs per side and every single one of them has been a single

CARRIE: When you mentioned video there - and I think you were one of the first artists that really got into video. Your videos were amazing, absolutely incredible, weren't they?

TOYAH: I loved making videos because I'm an actress as well. I loved really vibrant strong images - which 45 years ago was quite groundbreaking for a woman to do and I loved it. I loved everyone being shocked at how I looked in the video

It was such an exciting time, but today is equally exciting. And David, we've had this conversation about going out on the road. I believe we were filming a TV program -

DAVID: That's absolutely right!

TOYAH: And you said you wanted to play live again

DAVID: Yes!

TOYAH: Music live is so special. I think our generation - and I think I'm a lot older than both of you - but my generation went to gigs every night

DAVID: Yeah, it's very true. There were gigs to go to. And by the way, no, you're not older than me but kind of you to say so

CARRIE: That's terribly kind

DAVID: Did you imagine when you started making records and started having hits - because you were known as an actress and everybody was like "this is going to be Dame Toyah in a few years time" and you took a sideline into music. Did you imagine that 45 years later you would be playing to packed audiences? Did you imagine that was gonna happen?


TOYAH: No, but this is thanks to technology, thanks to YouTube. in 2001 I received a good old fashioned fax at a theatre I was performing in saying would I like to play Wembley? And I thought it was a joke

I played Wembley four times in this millennium on multi artist bills and I haven't looked back. I've done Glastonbury twice. Isle Of Wight three times. I have not looked back and if someone told me this was going to happen I'd have thought they were just jesting with me

CARRIE: I love your gratitude, it's so beautiful. Toyah, what do you think was your appeal as an artist? Because I remember you so well. I'm absolutely at that age where I would have been a fan. I was a fan. Why do you think your music suddenly took off?

TOYAH: I think it's music and image. I think because I could not compete with the  ideal of beauty expected of women in any form of entertainment industry. I don't have long legs. I am not conventionally beautiful so I presented a part of me that I felt represented me and it hit the zeitgeist

So many young kids could not meet up to this ideal of beauty and we're still battling it today with Instagram and Tiktok and all of that. I just said "this is what I am, this is what I'm giving you". It's all I can do and parents and children just said yes

CARRIE: Yeah, that's fresh

TOYAH: We're all different sounding. We're all different shapes and sizes. So, yes, let's go that way. I think it was the energy and the positivity of it as well

CARRIE: Yeah, which you've never lost, clearly, just listening to you there. So it's “Chameleon – The Very Best Of Toyah”. It has just come out on the 5th of September. Just remind us of those London dates, Toyah, for our London listeners?

TOYAH: Oh, thank you! It's the Union Chapel on the 28th of October, which is the most astounding venue -

CARRIE: It is!

TOYAH: Warwick Arts Center, the 30th of October. But with Adam Ant and Big Country that's all online. If you look up my name, toyahwillcox.com you'll find it. And can I add to your list a song I wrote called “Blue Meaning”?

CARRIE: Yes!!! You can! Thank you so so much, Toyah!

DAVID: Thank you!

CARRIE: I love it! I love this!


Listen to the interview

TOYAH ON
BBC BREAKFAST
WITH JON KAY AND
SARAH CAMPBELL
AUGUST 2025

SARAH CAMPBELL: Let's talk about your album, because it's not just the songs from there as you might have heard them. There's lots of unique, different things that people won't have heard before. So tell us about the 12 minute instrumental

TOYAH: It's a 45 year career retrospective, a double album. It has the original demo of “It's A Mystery” on it, which has about a 12 minute vocal intro and then another 12 minute instrumental. So myself and the writer, Keith Hale, went into the studio to turn it into a single. I wasn't confident about this song at all because I'm so tomboyish

This song is so beautifully vulnerable and it just was an instant hit. It sold about 75,000 units a day. It took us so much by surprise and it changed my life forever. This year I'm about to be guesting on Adam Ant's tour. We're announcing that next week -

JON KAY: I think you just did!

TOYAH: I've just done it (Jon laughs)

JON: Sorry Adam!


TOYAH: I'm really excited about because I made a movie with Adam Ant in 1977 ("Jubilee", Toyah with co-star Jordan, above) I am playing The Union Chapel, Warwick Arts Center. Then I'm on the road with Big Country. But next year - 49 dates of storytelling in theaters, which is going to be so exciting. Very personal, music, stories, films behind me

JON: Who's been helping you going through the archives? How does that work? Selecting the music?

TOYAH: I have the most brilliant archivist in the world. I met him when he was four years old. His mother brought him into my dressing room, I think somewhere like Glasgow or Newcastle and I became a pen pal (with him). I very quickly realised he knew more about me than I do (Jon laughs)

JON: How old is he now?

TOYAH: About 42

JON: (laughs) I was going to say six

TOYAH: Absolutely stunning. He found tracks such as a song called “Worst In Me” which I wrote with my husband, Robert Fripp. He found this. It took 10 years to find it but he's tenacious. He wouldn't let go. We found it in France

SARAH: Brilliant. He's doing a lot of the work for you?

TOYAH: He does everything for me (Sarah laughs)

JON: You have to ask him about things from your own history and he can tell you?

TOYAH: He delivers a tape to me and he says “this is so brilliant. You did it in such and such” and I go “that's not me”. I don't remember it”. He's my brain at the moment

SARAH: Amazing. That is great. And you do a lot of work with your husband as well?


TOYAH: Yes

SARAH: That's lovely. You're still creating music together and working together?

TOYAH: Absolutely. As social media kicked off in lockdown we started with 100,000 viewers. We're now up to 150 million and we do it because it cheers people up. There's no production values. We're just giving people a reason to laugh at us and with us. We realised in lockdown people needed a lot of cheering up. So we still do it five years later but we love it

JON: Whether it's those videos on YouTube or embracing Tiktok, I guess, is what you think has kept you connected to the audience and the audience of social media -

TOYAH: Funny enough Facebook, social media, YouTube. Not so much Tiktok - I think we're too old for TikTok!

JON: People use your music, don't they, on TikTok -

TOYAH: Oh, yes

JON: And they mouth to it and that kind of thing

TOYAH: They definitely use images on me but social media. Social media was the greatest stepping stone into this millennium that we could have had. Because we're old!

JON: We hear a lot of negative stuff about social media, but for you career wise -

TOYAH: It's been a real positive and to connect with people who are vulnerable. And a lot of my fans are attracted to me because I'm very up. We feel so connected, and we love our audience. We really do 

SARAH: It's been lovely having you

TOYAH: Thank you so much!

SARAH: It's been an absolute joy. The new album “Chameleon - The Very Best Of Toyah” is out on the 5th of September

TOYAH: Thank you


Listen to the interview

TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO 2
SOUNDS OF THE 80'S
WITH GARY DAVIES
19.7.2025

“Good Morning Universe” plays

GARY: Taken from the “Four More From Toyah” EP, “Good Morning Universe” and good evening, Toyah!

TOYAH: Hello, Gary. How are you?

GARY: I'm fine. I'm so happy to have you on the show!

TOYAH: It's so lovely to be here. We're normally in a theatre somewhere

GARY: I know because you came on tour with us for a few of our “Sounds Of The 80'shows

TOYAH: I loved it

GARY: You were amazing

TOYAH: Oh, thank you so much. The audiences were amazing too

GARY: Yeah, they're a lot of fun, weren't they?

TOYAH: A lot of fun! Big singers!

GARY: Yes, like you! Not so big in stature, but -

TOYAH: I'm shrinking fast -

GARY: You can still belt it out

TOYAH: Definitely. I love singing and I've got a good two years of shows booked. That singing ain't gonna stop

GARY: Fantastic! We'll talk more about that in a little while. 45 years of making music and performing (Toyah laughs) and you look incredible


TOYAH: Well, thank you. So do you! You silver fox

GARY: (laughs) I was waiting for it! I still have my silver fox jingle that you did a couple of years ago (Toyah laughs) when I chatted to you when I was doing the Breakfast Show

Your big break was actually in acting, wasn't it? Mid to late 70s. You went from an extra to a starring role at the National Theatre in quite a short space of time. How did that come about?

TOYAH: It was immediate. I was spotted on the streets of Birmingham because I had green and yellow hair about 1975

GARY: Of course you did!

TOYAH: And two brothers - one a director, one a writer, tracked me down to play a girl who breaks into The Top Of The Pop studios to sing at midnight. It was just me, and ironically, Phil Daniels, who we went on to do “Quadrophenia” together - the movie - and Noel Edmunds playing himself. And this showed on TV. It was October 1976 and the next day I was invited to join the National Theatre

I was invited by Kate Nelligan and the German superstar Maximilian Schell. I ascended and ascended. I went into the most extraordinary jobs. I made “Jubilee” with Derek Jarman. I made “The Corn Is Green” starring opposite Katharine Hepburn and I did “Quartermass” with Sir John Mills. It just didn't stop. I managed to form the band at the same time -

GARY: All because of your hair?

TOYAH: All because of my hair and the fact that I just had pre-punk attitude. I was very independent. Made my own clothes. I stood out like a sore thumb but people were fascinated and I just took off. I remember when I arrived at the National Theatre everybody wanted to talk to me because they wanted to know why I was the way I was

Why did I have this strange hair?Why was I making my own clothes? Why did I just happily travel around on my own, not needing anybody in my life. I just had so much opinion and attitude about everything. It was a glorious time

GARY: What came first? Was it the acting or the music?

TOYAH: The acting came first, but ironically I was singing. So it was a play called “Glitter” on BBC Two. I had to write two songs to sing on this TV play and the band that helped me do it were called Bilbo Baggins

GARY: Oh, really?

TOYAH: Yes! They were lovely. I fell in love with all of them. And then life imitates art, I suddenly end up being a singer in real life

GARY: Which we'll talk about more in a mo. We've asked you to choose some of your favorite songs

TOYAH: There's a lot

GARY: I know, and we've got a lot to play tonight, The first one we're going to play is a band you're currently touring with, the Human League

TOYAH: Yes! On Wednesday I played Brighton Beach (below) with Human League and Mark Almond. I love them. I've loved them from the very beginning  


GARY: And why this particular song? “Love Action” 

TOYAH: Because it's very typically 80s. Their sound evolved from the 70s into the 80s. The two girls joined and very much gave them their identity for that period. It just swings. It's beautiful

Human League “Love Action” plays

GARY: Toyah is choosing the music this hour. If you don't like it don't blame me. Blame her (they both laugh)

TOYAH: Thank you!

GARY: There's nobody who's not going to love that Human League “Love Action”

TOYAH: I've loved Human League since the beginning

GARY: Me too

TOYAH: They were so groundbreaking when Martyn Ware was around - who I now work with, with Heaven 17. But I just remember in that very beginning we were doing similar circuits like the Nashville, which was a wonderful gig on the Gloucester Road. David Bowie would turn up to see them

It was the coolest audience all there to see the Human League. They have this fantastic history of just attracting great audiences and really magical people who were so fascinated in what they were writing

GARY: When you think of Toyah outside of your film and music people always associate you with your out there outfits, your hair, your makeup. Where did you get this, I guess, a rebellious sense of style?

TOYAH: I started making my own clothes when I was 12, and that was financial necessity. I'm a Birmingham girl, and I love Birmingham, and you could always buy patterns and the odd bit of material in the shops back then. I taught myself to make clothes

I had no money. My parents had no money and I couldn't go into a shop and buy anything. So I made my own stuff. I was always cutting corners. I never put lining in, I never finished off properly. It started to have its own look, these kind of slightly shredded clothes I became known for

But then I became a hair model. This was accidental. My mother took me to a department store in Birmingham to have my hair cut by a star hair cutter, and he loved my hair so much he started to dye it. So by the time I was 14 I had highly colored hair and I was getting banned from school. My mother was despairing. She would talk to the Samaritans regularly about my behavior (Gary laughs)

I travelled the whole of the UK modeling for a really famous hair company and I wasn't even 16. I'd made my own clothes. I was with my glorious hair cutter, Derek Goddard who's now my neighbor and I've known him all this time


GARY: Is he still cutting your hair?

TOYAH: He cuts and dyes my hair occasionally for movies and stuff like that. We had so much fun because we were in a department store at the end of the day and the hairdressers was on the top floor. They'd lock the shop up. Well, we'd run amok

I can remember running through the bedding department, jumping on every bed, and the security people could never catch us because we knew the department store so well. We were a rebellious bunch of kids who've gone on to have pretty fantastic careers

GARY: We've asked some of our listeners to ask you whatever they want to ask you

TOYAH: (laughs) Yay!

GARY: And we had a message in just here and it says, “Love you, Toyah. I love the fact that I grew up with you as a teenager with your amazing music but also adore the fact that you appeared in The Archers "

TOYAH: Yes!

GARY: “Which I also grew up with and still listen to. How and why did you choose to participate with the storyline?”

TOYAH: I was so flattered to be asked to do it because The Archers, I mean, it's iconic. It's been there all my life. I believe it's been all my life. I'm 67. They contacted me a couple of years ago and they said they had this storyline about a fête (an outdoor festival) There's a guest star that comes to open the fête and would I do it? Without a shadow of doubt I said yes

I live 34 miles away from The Archers studio and in the early noughties I was a star on the soap Silver Street, which was made next door to The Archers. So it's like going home for me. I loved it. I was working with these iconic actresses and honestly I just had to behave normally because I was so excited

GARY: “Evening Gary, really enjoying tonight's show. Can you ask Toyah what she considers the high point of her career to be? For such a talented artist and actress there must be many. However, may I suggest it was perhaps when she won a heat of Celebrity Mastermind”

TOYAH: (laughs) Oh, yeah!

GARY: That's from Alistair, Helen and cockapoo Luther

TOYAH: Thank you cockapoo and thank you Alistair and Helen. I do agree. Mastermind was incredible because - I'll tell you a secret. That day I was coming down with flu and I managed to get through the show without losing it. My subject matter was Boadicea

I was so lucky. I just really got it right. Now the thing about Boadicea is there's only 160 pages to study on her life because no one knows anything about her. If I'd chosen Nelson or chocolate, I would have had centuries of paper to read


GARY: Smart!

TOYAH: I was smart

GARY: Very smart! Your next track, one of my favorite bands too, Talk Talk

TOYAH: It's just so cool. Everybody when I was starting in music - so I was already having hits by this time - I was doing “Anthem”, “Love Is The Law, “The Changeling”. Everybody in the studio would talk about Talk Talk. They'd talk about how the voice complemented the music and the music complemented the voice, the production. How cool their presentation was. They were the ultimate cool 

Talk Talk “It's My Life” plays

GARY: Sounds Of The 80's on BBC Radio two with Toyah, who is our special guest this hour of the show and is choosing the music. I just love Mark Hollis' voice

TOYAH: It's beautiful, isn't it?

GARY: And they were such an underrated band

TOYAH: Do you think?!

GARY: I think so, yes! I think they should have had a lot bigger success than they did

TOYAH: I'd be in the studio with Steve Lilywhite, a worldwide producer, going on “how would Talk Talk do this”

GARY: Yeah, I think musicians adored them but in terms of commercial success they should have been so much bigger

TOYAH: Well, maybe it's like Scott Walker. That voice lived beyond his selling career and he became a massive auditorium filler. Talk Talk might be the same that people will want to see the legendary Talk Talk

GARY: You got signed to Safari records in 1979. Was that a doddle getting signed? Was everybody chasing you?

TOYAH: No! I was probably the only remaining unsigned artist in the world in 1979. Whenever I played - and the pub circuit was very healthy then - 2000 kids would turn up and shut the town down. It was getting to a point where the industry could not ignore me. Safari asked me to do a showcase at a time when I was making “Quadrophenia” with Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash and Sting

I remember saying to Sting, “I've got to go to London during the lunch hour and I've got to do a showcase”. He was so kind and he told me what to do. "Stay calm, focus on the music, focus on tuning". I went to London, did the showcase, got the deal, and I came back to filming “Quadrophenia” in Brighton. I said, Sting “I've got a deal!” and he gave me this huge hug. He was so happy for me!


GARY: Was it hard for labels, I guess, to take your music seriously because you were such a well known actress?

TOYAH: It was a problem, funnily enough. But also the lisp - and the lisp was very prominent - robably more prominent than now. But everyone loves my character and my individuality and my drive. I was very original in how I wrote. I didn't write to a commercial audience

I wrote about fantasy and strange scenarios and people found it quite exotic and punky. But they didn't quite get me as an actress and a singer. Back then people just didn't do that

GARY: It was like two different jobs

TOYAH: It was two different jobs and the acting fraternity did not want you to be a singer and vice versa. But I just fought and stood my ground. Within a couple of years, and I think you came to see this, I was starring in “Trafford Tanzi” at The Mermaid (theatre), which was a smash critical hit for me

It was acting and singing. After that I ended up making a film with Sir Laurence Olivier. So I did manage to go right in at the top and stay up there for quite a long time on the acting  

GARY: I remember. I mean you're still huge but back then you were a big, big star

TOYAH: It was groundbreaking for me,yes

GARY: Chas Cook says, “can you ask Toyah can she remember coming to Dumfries” -

TOYAH: Yes, I can (giggles)

GARY: “In the late 80's to open a Toyah makeup shop

TOYAH: Yes! (Gary laughs) I loved the Toyah makeup! I have people come up to me even today saying they own it. Someone somewhere is selling this vintage makeup online. I loved it! I went to Dumfries and they gave me a crystal vase with two rabbits on that's in my front window where I live now. I have such happy memories of this makeup

GARY: Aww. “We usually catch up on BBC Sounds but tonight we are listening live because we both love Toyah. So please say hi to my wife, Carol, long term Toyah fan" 

TOYAH: Hello, Carol

GARY: “Tell her I love her so much. From Graham, long term Toyah fan and two pups Poppy and Fern

TOYAH: Aww. Hello Graham!

GARY: I think we'd better play your first single chart hit, shall we?

TOYAH: Yes, please!

GARY: Lead track from the “Four From Toyah” EP, here is “It's A Mystery”

“It's A Mystery” plays

GARY: Toyah's first hit “It's A Mystery”. How did you feel back then when this became really successful?


TOYAH: Oh, I was so happy because it proved to my mum and dad I was really a singer. I obviously had done the National Theatre. I'd made two movies with Derek Jarman and Katharine Hepburn but suddenly I charted with this song and it was still at the height of my punk/new wave fame. The song came from left of field. It was a demo by a friend of mine called Keith Hale of Blood Donor. It was a 28 minute track  

GARY: Really?!

TOYAH: Yeah and we turned it into a single and it took off. It was immediate! On the first week it completely sold out of its first print run. We had to hire men in white vans to go around record shops buying broken vinyl to get to the factories to reprint it to get it back in the shops for the Saturday to get that chart placing. And we did it. We got that very precious Top 30 entry and by the Thursday I was on Top Of The Pops and I've never looked back

GARY: Amazing. Toyah is with us till the end of the show. We're playing some of her favorite songs and another of her faves from Billy Idol coming up next

Billy Idol “Mony Mony” plays

GARY: Billy Idol, “Mony Mony”, one of Toyah's favorite songs. You supported Billy Idol?

TOYAH: Yeah! I opened for his arena tour in 2022. He had Steve Stevens in the band on guitar at the same time. So I'm married to a guitarist called Robert Fripp, who Steve Stevens really loves. So Robert would come with me and oh boy, they'd be at Steve Stephens' foot pedals on stage talking about what foot pedals he uses. But Billy was fantastic

GARY: I interviewed him recently for “Tracks Of My Years”. He's still fierce, isn't he?

TOYAH: He's fabulous! This classic rock and the feel of the drums is so amazing! I would stay and watch him every night and sitting next to me would be the Prodigy. There'd be these incredible artists backstage wanting to see Billy. It was so exciting for me to actually open in these arenas, especially Wembley, and just knowing that I was part of this family. I loved it!

GARY: I want to talk about “Chameleon” which is a new career spanning collection of your work. It's out on September 5th on double vinyl, two CD and three CD and Blu-ray formats

TOYAH: Yeah, my first Blu-ray release which is fantastic!

GARY: Amazing. How did you decide what to put on here?

TOYAH: Well, I have a very brilliant archivist called Craig. I've known him since he was four years old. He had a picture with me in my dressing room in Glasgow, something like 1986 (EDIT: It was 1983) and he's now my archivist. Craig, if you're listening - you are the beneficiary of my will as well (Gary laughs) He put this together. He's just phenomenal

GARY: Did he know this before by the way?

TOYAH: No, I just told him. Happy birthday, Craig (Gary laughs) He knows every demo I've made, every song I've written that's never been heard. He put it all together and it is beautiful. It's a fantastic collection


GARY: I love the fact that Shirley Manson of Garbage and Republica's Saffron (above in the middle with Toyah and Lene Lovich) have contributed to the liner notes. Do you know these girls?

TOYAH: Yes, I toured with Saffron in 2022 as well. I adore Saffron. She's my soul sister. Shirley Manson I have got to know over recent years. She very kindly wrote a bit on her socials saying that I did inspire her but at the time she was too cool to admit it. So she's contributed to the booklet in “Chameleon” saying that I did inspire her and that's so kind of her

GARY: I'm going to play one of the tracks on the album which is “Echo Beach”. Why did you decide to cover this?

TOYAH: I was making an album called “Desire” at Abbey Road and Hayden Bendel, who was at the time Kate Bush's engineer, said “I want to hear you sing “Echo Beach””. He presented me with this track that he had produced. He said “would you sing to it?” and I did

GARY: And here it is, never been released before -

TOYAH: Oh, yes (it has)!

GARY: Oh, of course it was released -

TOYAH: Top 20!

GARY: Late 80's

TOYAH: Yeah

“Echo Beach” plays

GARY: Toyah with “Echo Beach” taken from a forthcoming album “Chameleon”. You're going to be doing two special shows to celebrate the release of the album, aren't you?

TOYAH: Yeah, we're playing Islington Chapel on October 28th. I can't wait. It's such a beautiful venue - 

GARY: It is gorgeous

TOYAH: We're filming it too. Then I've got the Warwick Arts Centre on the 30th of October. If anybody wants details, look on toyawillcox.com

GARY: And you're on the road with Big Country in December?

TOYAH: Yes, I can't wait! They're friends of mine so it's going to be a real rocking tour!

GARY: And then “The Songs and Stories Tour”. Now, this is huge  

TOYAH: It's huge!


GARY: This kicks off March 22nd in Chelmsford and basically just goes all over the UK for months

TOYAH: Three months

GARY: Phew!

TOYAH: I've written a new book that's going to be accompanying it. I'm really looking forward to it because it's very intimate

GARY: Is his is the biggest tour you've ever done?

TOYAH: Lengthwise for music, yes. I toured “Calamity Jane”, the musical, for two years but I've never quite done anything like this. I want to be able to discuss stories with the audience that I never get a chance to tell because the context is never quite right. So it's quite intimate, very revealing

I want to inspire people because I get a lot of parents bring their children to see me to give them confidence. It's like, “well, if Toyah can do it - and she has a lisp and she's not exactly tall - you can do it too”. So this means a lot

GARY: So just dye your hair!

TOYAH: Dye your hair! Make your own clothes

GARY: “Tell Toyah, I had “Thunder In The Mountains” as a seven inch single when I was 13. I put a pin through all the strands of the punk rocker hair on the cover and I would hold it up to the light whilst playing the song and her hair would be twinkling away”, says Mark

TOYAH: Oh, that's so clever! I love that, Mark. I'm gonna go home and do that to my single cover!

GARY: “Tell Toyah my step brother and I are huge fans. We both remember to this day the fantastic gig at Hammersmith Odeon 1982”. They've actually sent the ticket stub to prove it (Toyah laughs) “We danced the night away on that hot June evening”

And Jill Buckland said “I'm thrilled that you've got Toyah on the show. I'd like to ask her a question. I've always loved your song, “The Vow” with its spellbinding lyrics and fabulous video. Can you tell me your inspiration for the song?”

TOYAH: The inspiration is about brotherly love. It's a reflection of another planet going through what we go through a lot on this planet and that's conflict. There's a man holding his brother in his arms praying for him to breathe again. So it's a very powerful song

GARY: And we're going to play it now

“The Vow” plays

GARY: Toyah and “The Vow”. We're running out of time! We need to do (a jingle plays) “The Sloppy Bit with Gary Davis” and Toyah Willcox. This is our romantic interlude. Before we speak to the caller I want to talk about Robert, your husband and where you met him 

TOYAH: We were introduced by Princess Michael of Kent - (bewlow with Toyah in 1983)


GARY: What!?

TOYAH: At the Nordoff and Robbins (a music therapy charity) luncheon. She grabbed both of our hands, pulled us together and said “I want a picture with both of you”. That was 1983. I didn't see Robert again until 1985 when he proposed to me. He waited that two years knowing he I was his wife

GARY: Wow!

TOYAH: He just said, “I know you're my wife. Marry me”.

GARY: Wow!

TOYAH: It's extraordinary, isn't it? We've been together for 39 years and I love him more today than ever before. He's wonderful

GARY: What's the secret of 39 years together? Is it true you live in separate houses?

TOYAH: Yes! (they both cackle) It's true. I have an old water mill which is four miles from his home. We are crossing between homes every day, but we have separate houses

GARY: Wow!

TOYAH: We lived together during lockdown and that was wonderful but then there was just no room for me in his house once the world got back to normal

GARY: Sunday is my favorite day because I have “Sunday Lunch” with you every week

TOYAH: Oh, thank you!

GARY: For anyone who hasn't seen it you have to check out Toyah's YouTube channel - 

TOYAH: It's fun!

GARY: You are outrageous! (Toyah laughs)

TOYAH: It's silly. 150 million views we've had now

GARY: The things you get poor Robert to do!

TOYAH: I know! We've got a new one coming out next week. I can't wait! I get him in wigs. I get him in tutus. I get him in punk makeup. He's only 79. He doesn't know what's going on!

GARY: You were knocking bread rolls off his head the other week!

TOYAH: With Chesney Hawkes!


GARY: With Chesney Hawkes! I know! (laughs) Alison Hepworth, hello! In Whitefield in Manchester

ALISON: (On the phone) Hi

GARY: Hi! Say hi to Toyah

ALISON: Hi Toyah!

TOYAH: Hello, Alison, how are you this evening?

ALISON: I'm good but I'm just packing all my stuff up to move out now (laughs)

TOYAH: Oh, how's it going?

GARY: Why are you packing your stuff?

ALISON: After hearing your story

GARY: Oh, OK (laughs) Who's this song for? This is for Rick, is it?

ALISON: It is for Rick, yes

GARY: Talk to me about Rick because you met him through “Sounds Of The 80's” Facebook group. Is that right?

ALISON: I did, yeah, back in 2021 during your live show. We were chatting away as a group because during lockdown there was thousands of us on there chatting. We got talking about some of the tunes you were playing, Gary, and we realised we lived around the corner from each other  

GARY: Amazing!

ALISON: We met up, went for a walk and we've been inseparable ever since

GARY: Fantastic. And what happened to you on Monday?

ALISON: He proposed to me

TOYAH: Ooh, yay!

GARY: Congratulations!

ALISON: So the first wedding, Gary

GARY: The first wedding from the “Sounds Of The 80's” Facebook group! Amazing! I love that! Going to play this song by The Cure for you. Is that alright?

ALISON: Of course, that's perfect for us. Thank you  

GARY: Congratulations to you both

TOYAH: Congratulations, Alison and to you both

GARY: Well done

ALISON: Thank you!

GARY: See you soon

ALISON: Bye, bye


GARY: Ann in Busby near Glasgow says “Gary, probably the most entertaining hour of my recent years listening to you in Toyah”

TOYAH: Oh, lovely!

GARY: “I spent my younger days driving around Grantham in a Ford Escort with flames on the wheel arches and yellow fur interior with Toyah's cassette blaring out. People would say dodgy looking car but great music”

TOYAH: I love that!

GARY: And this is from John O'Connor in Cork City. “Can I ask does Toyah still think humans come from afar?”

TOYAH: Yes! I'm absolutely convinced

GARY: Really?

TOYAH: Yeah, we arrived on a meteorite

GARY: (not convinced) You think so?

TOYAH: Yeah, I think we hopped from Mars as well

GARY: I love it! Listen, it's been so much fun having you on the show   

TOYAH: I've loved it. It's been so special. Thank you to you and your listeners. It's been great
 
GARY: And thank you for all the messages. Good luck with the album “Chameleon”. Good luck with the tour. Like you said you're going to be very busy for the next couple of years

TOYAH: Yes! We've got so many surprises coming. It's great

GARY: Can't wait!  

TOYAH: Good to see you, Gary

GARY: Going to leave you with this absolute belter. It just sums you up this song

TOYAH: I want to be free!!!

GARY: Thank you, Toyah

“I Want To Be Free” plays

Listen to the interview