TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO DEVON
WITH RICHARD GREEN
8.6.2019

Recorded at the Let's Rock Wales 2019 festival in Tredegar Park, Newport

RICHARD GREEN: It's the BBC at The Let's Rock festival and Toyah!

TOYAH: Hello!

RICHARD: Hello! How are you doing?

TOYAH: I'm really good, it's the most perfect day. Summer is definitely here! The audience are already up for it. It's barely one o'clock and they're just having the time of their lives! This is what it's about. This is about them. It's about good weather and a beautiful location

RICHARD: It is. So a relatively short set. Shorter than if you were doing your own show, of course -

TOYAH: Well, there's a big difference between two hours and 20 minutes so today is a bit of a holiday (laughs)

RICHARD: Yes. It's all the big hits. What are you opening with today?

TOYAH: I'm opening with “Good Morning Universe”. Then “Echo Beach”, “Thunder In The Mountains”, “It's A Mystery”, “I Want To Be Free” -

RICHARD: They're all great songs that people love to sing along to -

TOYAH: Yeah. It never occurred to me to put new material in. My album that was out in April went into the charts but it never occurred to me to feature any of that (laughs) This is an 80s festival so I'm happy doing that

RICHARD: They would've fitted though, because they are songs of empowerment and so are some of the songs you're doing today?

TOYAH: They would've definitely fitted. What's interesting is we're told, if we're doing an 80s, show to “keep it 80s” but I didn't realise that a lot of artists just don't -

RICHARD: They sneak a tune in -

TOYAH: Yeah, they don't do what they're told. So next time I'll sneak in “Hurricane” and “21st Century Super Sister” and “Sensational”

RICHARD: So what's been happening recently for you? You've had the new album out. I think your husband had a birthday recently as well. Did you have a party?

TOYAH: It's was my birthday, our anniversary and his birthday. We don't have parties. My husband is, what's known famously, as a recluse. We have a home in the South of France. We went there and had beautiful food. We didn't have good weather, it rained every day ...

RICHARD: And what's happening with “In The Court OF The Crimson Queen” because you've got the autumn tour coming?

TOYAH: Yeah. I'm touring all year. I started touring the album in March. I go right up to Wembley Arena in December. There's a lot of really lovely things going on

I'm in the Bristol area at the end of October playing The Fleece, which is my favourite venue in the area. It's hot, it's sweaty. People queue around the block to get in and that for me is what music is about

It's that whole social gathering of people just wanting desperately to get in and then giving them a 150% in a lovely sweaty atmosphere. I'm just working the whole year doing music. The album has been a phenomenal success. It's been a critical success so that's going to keep me going

RICHARD: Absolutely superb. Today may be a shorter set but they're well into it, you're well into it, it's the perfect mix on a summer Saturday …

TOYAH: I think 80s music is coming to its own. Its free of the politics of the 80s now and it's almost free of the fashion to a certain extent

I think people choose to go back to the fashion if they want to but there's just something about the longevity of the music and the music stands out like no other decade - 

RICHARD: Why do you think that is, Toyah?

TOYAH: I think it's because it's about the audience, it's a shared experience with the audience. The audience can identify with what we're doing

It's highly individualistic and I think people want to be seen as individuals today more than any other time in history. So I just think it's all encompassing. I know I wrote it for stadiums so it's perfect when you've got an environment like today  

RICHARD: I've seen you turn up at backstage at these events and you get the Toyah regailia out. I'm always very impressed with the stylish stuff you get dressed in and go on stage. Do you have to put on a Toyah persona? Is there a Toyah persona? Is it different from the Toyah I'm speaking to now, for example?

TOYAH: There's reasons there's two Toyahs. I manage myself and I have to be a business woman. It's not preferable, I just can't find anyone to manage me who has my energy and my knowledge. I am boasting here. I'm really good at managing myself but it means there has to be two people

The Toyah that goes on stage has to be accessible, likeable, and has to be openhearted towards the audience. So there is a switch. I wish there wasn't and one day I might find a manager and I can just be the real me. Because when you're in business you have to be slightly hard-edged

So when I go on stage, no matter what's going on in my personal life, no matter how I feel about business - I go on stage for the audience . That's all who matters. They have come to liste, fall in love with music, to have a good time and to feel safe and feel happy. I feel really passionately about that. I want people to go away from seeing me knowing that life is good

RICHARD: And when does that switch happen? Does that happen in the wings when you're just about to burst on stage or does it happen when you don the clothing in the dressing room?

TOYAH: It's in the wings. When we're playing to 30 to 60 thousand people you're in the wings trying to connect with what you are when you're a singer and you've got people just talking to you saying “so, how has your week been?” (Richard laughs) “Did you like lunch today?” And it's like please! Please! I've got to find myself! It's the moment your foot hits the stage

RICHARD: Is there any nerves now?

TOYAH: Yes, there is -

RICHARD: Still?

TOYAH: There's always nerves because there's responsibility and there's expectations to deal with. That will always be the way. I've never walked on stage so confident I haven't had to think about it. I'm always very concerned and aware of what could go wrong is I'm not focussed

RICHARD: And that's probably the best way to be. You've got to have a frisson of nerves even after many years because it keeps you vibrant on stage -

TOYAH: I agree 

RICHARD: So what are your hopes for "In The Court Of The Crimson Queen"? I know you've got good feedback already. What are you generally hoping for form this album?

TOYAH: It's a very open album, it's a very direct album. It's me talking to a third person about them being so special, not to feel judged, not to feel that if you don't look like Kim Kardashian it's a problem and if you're not as wealthy as Robbie Williams ... Who cares? 

This is an album that says we are all utterly unique, we're all part of one community. Lot of the reviews have picked up on the fact its a very joyous album. One reviewer wrote (about) "Dance In The Hurricane" that it's just life changing because it has pinpointed that what we go through in life will be challenging but we remain the same -

RICHARD: An album about love in all its aspects, perhaps -

TOYAH: Yes

RICHARD: We're going to hear one of the songs from the album right now, "Dance In The Hurricane". This is one of the five new songs, isn't it?

TOYAH: Yes. The new songs came about because I'm an actress as well. I was appearing in a film called "In Extremis", a horror film. It won lots of awards round the world. I have a cameo in it, which is just fabulous! And Steve Stone, the director, needed and outro song

I don't think Steve will mind me saying this but he has a child who is severely unwell and it's day by day living. "In Extremis" is about his experience as a father living with a child that might not be with us or is going to be ill for a long time

He wanted an outro song about this very very heartbreaking film and my co-writer Simon Darlow and I came up with "Our Hearts Still Beat". So that is one of the songs on the album. It lead to quite a few new songs because a lot of movies ask me to write outro songs

"Dance In The Hurricane" became a song that we wanted to write about the continuation of relationships with people who might not be here any more

I don't know about you but I'm still very connected to my parents. I feel that they still guide me and "Dance In The Hurricane" is about learning to live without those you love