TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO WILTSHIRE
WITH SUE DAVIES
8.2.2020

SUE DAVIES: She may present TV shows as diverse as "The Good Sex Guide" and "Songs Of Praise" – I wonder if they were scheduled on the name night? But at heart Toyah Willcox is rock God, quite frankly

A former Wiltshire resident Toyah will be joining up with Hazel O'Connor to bring "Electric Ladies of the 80s" to the Wyvern Theatre on the 16th of April

It's no mystery she's on the show then. Sorry, couldn't resist. Now, Toyah, it's like buy one get one free. How much fun has it been getting this tour ready then?

TOYAH: (on the phone) (laughs) Buy one get one free! It's been great, thank you. We started rehearsals in November (below) because we want to make the show about individuals and our individuality but we also want part of the show to be the first time ever that we, Hazel and I, have sung together

So this is taking quite a lot of planning. It's very exciting, works beautifully. What's so unique about this particular show is Hazel and I are very much part of same time in the 80s. We're early 80s and anyone that goes to the big 80s festivals and comes to see us all perform - right from ABC, Tony Hadley to me and Hazel, very much know that the 80s was so diverse. It had many different sounds but Hazel and I are firmly fixed in the early 80s

SUE: Is that a sort of cross between punk and new wave?

TOYAH: It started in '77 and had huge success before the 80s but there was something about the 80s that defined out sound. New technology, very popular use of the synthesizer. When you look right back to the late 70s and the 80s everyone was scared that the introduction of the synthesizer into modern music would stop people using real musicians. That is a forecast that never came true

But the electronic synthesizer and something called sequensing, which is when you get very fast notes together, is all part of our sound. Human League started it

SUE: Given the roles you've both had in that crossover sounds like this has been 40 years in the making - you two coming together?

TOYAH: Yes, it's almost 40 years too late! We've been meaning to do this for so many decades and it's only really become possible this year because both of us are very busy. We're touring constantly and we just feel so lucky that we found this gap in the year when we can make it happen

SUE: So how does the evening work? You both do your own hits and then you collaborate as well?

TOYAH: Yes, there's a lot of hits to do obviously. Hazel is opening, at the moment - this might change. We might decide to change it every night. Hazel is opening with her two musicians, with her very folk style and then she will work with the band

It's my band she's using and then there's an interval and then I come on and do all the hits. Then we work together as the grand finale. That's what's happening at the moment. It could all change!

SUE: And your paths crossed in the past because when the movie "Breaking Glass" was coming out and they were auditioning … Did you go for that role as well that Hazel actually got?

TOYAH: When you audition for a film you obviously see everyone and there was a time when Kate Bush, Hazel and I were all in the same room. I remember it was very nerve-racking because Kate Bush was very well established. Hazel was like me, relatively new to the business at that particular time and we all went in individually to see the directors

It's just astonishing to think you've got these three performers in the waiting room at the same time. But that happens so much. I go up for movies all the time and you find yourself sitting opposite the most incredible actors and you think "oh my God! I'll never get the job" but there was that moment, yes

SUE: Oh, to be a fly on the wall! With Hazel O'Connor, Toyah and Kate Bush all going for the same gig! Amazing! When you were banging out all the hits in the 80s – did you imagine you'd still be gigging now?

TOYAH: I wouldn't because you ask if I would imagine that in the 80s … I wouldn't have imagined it in 2000. What happened around 2001 the big arena shows started to happen for 80s music. By that time I was presenting "The Heaven And Earth Show", "Songs Of Praise", doing lots of art programmes on BBC2

I was also working as an actress. I had a good old fashioned fax from a promoter asking would I consider doing an arena tour? My jaw hit the floor! I said yes, obviously, because I never thought anything like that could happen. And I've not looked back

SUE: You survived the 80s – your hair survived the 80s as well 

TOYAH: Yeah, the hair took a terrible time through the 80s because we used so much hairspray, so much backcombing, so many heated hair tongs. Science hadn't invented what it has invented today so we used everything we could find from hot bricks right through to egg white to keep our hair standing on end

SUE: Did you? I used egg white as well!

TOYAH: In photo shoots, yes

SUE: I just used it normally and after a couple of hours I'm thinking what's that I can smell? You had to be upwind from me back in the 1980s 

TOYAH: There was a time when I didn't wash my hair for a week and it really was very unpleasant

SUE: (laughs) Different times, Toyah! And of course it's a lovely welcome back to Wiltshire because you lived in Broad Chalke for over a decade?

TOYAH: 12 years we lived there. I absolutely adored it. It was a wonderful place but we love where we live. We live on the river Avon now. If we took a boat and travelled for three weeks we would probably end up at the Close, the back of Edward Heath's house in Salisbury. But yes, we loved living in the Salisbury area, it's such a vibrant place 

SUE: We're really looking forward to you joining Hazel. As you say you've you've been friends for a long time (Toyah with Hazel in 1982, below)so we thought we'd put that to the test, Toyah. Are you ready for a challenge?

TOYAH: Oh, you're going to ask me questions, aren't you? That's so cruel

SUE: Yes, it is. It is true but I'm loving the fact that you say go for it (Toyah laughs) So how well do you know Hazel? We've done a jingle. As you can imagine there's been a lot of time and money spent on this … So here's your jingle, Toyah

Plays a really badly made jingle, Toyah is dying with laughter

SUE: And that is the correct reaction (Toyah is cackling) So, three questions. Let's see how well you know Hazel. It's not going to be embarrassing with the tour coming up and everything. In 1980 then relatively unknown band Duran Duran supported Hazel on her UK tour. Is that true or is that false?

TOYAH: Well, I gave Duran Duran their very first TV showing on a show called "Look! Here!", which I presented at Pebble Mill. I don't think it's true. I tell you why. To have a band that big open for you causes technical problems on stage. So I'm going to say untrue

SUE: I'm sorry, it's true

TOYAH: (amazed) Is it?!

SUE: It's true! Back in 1980 they opened for Hazel. C'mon you can turn this around! This is not going to be embarrassing Toyah! What star sign is Hazel?

TOYAH: Taurus

SUE: Not even a doubt about that! It's correct, well done. Final question. Who's the tallest? Is it you or is it Hazel?

TOYAH: Hazel

SUE: It is absolutely right! Well done, two out of three! The tour can go on, which is good news! Toyah Willcox, thank you so much for joining us

TOYAH: It's a pleasure, thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the Wyvern in Swindon

SUE: Oh, she can sell a gig! We love a bit of Toyah Willcox on the show. Tickets selling really fast for her "Electric Ladies of the 80s" gig, she's joined by Hazel O'Connor the 16th of April at the Wyvern Theatre in Swindon