TOYAH ON
TISWAS
ATV
26.9.1981

HOST SALLY JAMES: Hello and welcome to Toyah. I'm glad we're going right in close on you (on the camera). Incredible makeup you're wearing

TOYAH: Oh yes, it's my cement for today

SALLY: You look very different actually in the video earlier, from the new single (“Thunder In The Mountains”)

TOYAH: Yes, it's based in the future. I took the ideas from sort of Aztec combined with Boadicea (Boudica). The big hair, doing everything with the bow and arrow and all that rubbish

SALLY: How did you get your hair completely to stick out like that? Was it sort of five cans of hair lacquer?

TOYAH: I had great big wig. I have my real hair underneath and an enormous wig on the back. It looked like a flying saucer had landed on the head in certain places, and that's how we did it. It was just sprayed solid with lacquer so when I was on the chariot it wouldn't blow off. It was great

SALLY: Where you get these ideas from?

TOYAH: The chariot idea came from the people who made the video. Kevin Godley and Lol Creme from 10CC who I always make videos with because they're two great guys

SALLY: Yeah, it looked amazing. (I was ) just mentioning about your makeup. You've got your own makeup?


TOYAH: The makeup range is the cheapest range on the market. I aimed it purely for teenagers to play with. It's an experiment because I want to bring out things such as stick on tattoos and body paints and things like that. It's purely fun

SALLY: All sort of gold and things?

TOYAH: Oh, yes, but I'm not a designer or anything like that

SALLY: It's just an experiment?

TOYAH: It's another branch out

SALLY: A fan of yours - his name is Gary Price - sent in a photo. Can we have a look at this. He's actually had the front of his car -

TOYAH: Oh God, yes! He turned up at Hammersmith Odeon

SALLY: He painted (the bonnet) with you Toyah. I think that's incredible, don't you?

TOYAH: He's mad. He's a great painter, though

SALLY: So talking of a fan like that - it must be quite impossible for you to go out anywhere and not be mobbed, looking the way that you do. It's not as if you can slope around -

TOYAH: It's usually parents that mob me. “Oh, you're Toyah arent you? My little daughter wants your autograph” and the daughter is nowhere to be seen. It's wonderful. I really enjoy it

Anyone who's watching who lives on my road - the doorbell is disconnected (blows a raspberry to the camera). That's the main problem, the doorbell where I live. But we disconnect it

SALLY: Do you ever try and disguise yourself so you can slope out and do anything?

TOYAH: Yeah, I wear a wig sometimes

SALLY: You do? Does it work? Or do people still find you?


TOYAH: No, they go “oh, you've got a wig on?” and then they get close and “oh, you're Toyah, aren't you?!”

SALLY: It creates even more attention?

TOYAH: Put it this way, it's very flattering. I really don't mind

SALLY: What about visiting other countries?

TOYAH: We go away to Europe in November. We'll be back for Christmas with a special mini tour where we end up, on the 23rd of December, doing a charity show for under 16's at Drury Lane theatre

Then on 24th we're doing a live show which is televised nationwide by the Beep (the BBC) on the night (below). So if anyone can't get tickets that hopefully makes up for it

SALLY: So you're doing a special show for under 16's. You're doing this earlier in the day, so the under 16's can come?

TOYAH: Yes, it will be around six o'clock

SALLY: That's a good idea

TOYAH: It's to practice the set and everything

SALLY: So many kids -

TOYAH: They don't get in

SALLY: They can't go when it's at eight o'clock at night. I know you brought along the personal garment


TOYAH: (puts on a funny accent) Yeah, it was in the video but I don't think you actually see it. It's a sort of studded thing that you wear around your neck. I thought some nice little gremlin might want it

SALLY: I'm sure they would. Have you had a chance to think of a question? I know I should have asked you this about an hour ago

TOYAH: Oh, my God! (laughs)

SALLY: Can we quickly rustle up a question

TOYAH: What's my middle name?

SALLY: What's Toyah's middle name to win this. Entries to our usual address. Tiswas, ATV Land, Birmingham B1 2JP

Watch the interview HERE

Watch Toyah singing "I'm A Misery" and getting hit with cream pies during the same show HERE