Multi-talented Toyah just loves getting back to her roots
Jun 30 2009 by Sam Wonfor, The Journal
Since the early 80s, Toyah Willcox has been a name synonymous with something. Whether it be pink hair, alternative remedies, plastic surgery or an iconic children’s TV show. Sam Wonfor talks to her ahead of a return to her (non-hair-related) roots.
“Anne asked me to look at the pilot she had made ... I loved it. I said ‘this is the new Magic Roundabout’. I put that tiny voice-over on the beginning and the end ... and ended up having to have security guards,” she laughs before explaining.
“At the time, I was filming BBC Holiday Watchdog, and we literally couldn’t film for kids who were fans of the Teletubbies. We were getting mobbed.”
Now much as I could talk all day about the merits of my toddler’s favourite first-thing-in-the-morning viewing pleasures, the reason for the chat is a lot more exciting – for fans of Toyah anyway ... the aforementioned toddler would doubtless beg to differ.
Toyah is headlining a female-heavy line-up at this weekend’s free South Tyneside Summer Festival concert at Bents Park, South Shields.
She, along with the former T’Pau leading lady Carol Decker and BBC1 talent show Fame Academy runner-up Sinead Quinn, will play on Sunday.
“We are doing an extended set,” she promises.
“So we will be putting some real Toyah fan material from the albums (including a couple of tracks from last year’s solo release In The Court Of The Crimson Queen and Guns ’n’ Roses’ Sweet Child O’mine).
“The thing is, is that the solo stuff is such a different and very young energy. And it’s about nostalgia.
“I really, really love doing the open-air shows. They’re so much about the fun side of what I do.
“I don’t often look back, but I really appreciate what those songs did for me and enjoy performing them ... and we’re always trying to find new ways of making them fresh and exciting.”
Indulging in a slice of nostalgia isn’t anything new for Toyah. Since 2002 she has been a regular on the global Here and Now circuit which sees groups of music stars from yesteryear (and usually the 80s) trotting out their chart-high-risers in quick succession.
“I do them all year round,” she confirms, as well as mentioning the tours she undertakes as the star of musical, Vampires Rock (just 50 dates this year) and those related to her new music project, The Humans which sees her collaborating with REM's Bill Rieflin, Chris Wong and her husband, Robert Fripp.
