HELLO THERE!
As the first week in September returns to summer, I am hugely grateful for the last three months.
Most of the festivals where rain-free but a few had deluges which quite frankly brought out the spirit of human resilience in everyone especially Reepham!
During our set in Reepham Fest, Norfolk the audience witnessed three weather seasons during our 90 minute set. We started with simple rain, moved to storm clouds and thunder and ended on brilliant sunshine and a clear blue sky. We performed to a dramatic opera of weather contradictions.
Playing Cropredy, Wickham, Glastonbury and Isle Of Wight this year has been as important to me as playing The Old Grey Whistle Test Christmas Special on Christmas Eve 1981, viewed live by 12 million people.
It has been a special year. Another highlight was Robert Plant coming to see us at Cropredy and phoning us the next day to give us a full positive critic of the show.
I am an artist who is visibly supported by my unique audience. You cannot guess how tangible your belief is. This year especially I’ve seen how hard life is generally for everyone and how music heals and I want you to know we are all in this together. Fripp and I are now planning 2024 and there are some wonderful surprises to be announced.
I have just spent the week filming in Leeds with a fantastic team of creative people. More on that soon!
As I write we have just played STORMIN THE CASTLE at Witton Castle……it was a rollercoaster experience. Our sound person came back stage after and said “I put my hand up, I accidentally swapped a cable and it caused a 3 second delay between front of house and the stage”….it was a nightmare but after three songs we all started to realise, we shut down the stage monitors and all followed the front PA. The show was a huge success, the tent was rammed and hopefully no-one noticed the band and myself having kittens.
My work always has haphazard journeys, but once I finished in Leeds, I went south to my home in the Midlands so I could unpack/repack, do the laundry, pick up hubby and drive back past Leeds and on to Witton Castle…..all within a 12 hour window.
Leeds has changed since I was last here in 2016 appearing in the movie LIES WE TELL. It has become a buzzing media city.
When Channel 4 where asking cities to enter bids for it’s relocation out of London I was seriously behind Birmingham winning the bid, but Leeds won and I am happy for this city because it is now becoming a hub of media creative excellence, I have made three films in the past ten years based in this area and loved every moment.
After Witton Castle I am travelling to Cornwall to research waterfront homes. This is a new venture for both Robert and myself, we are prepping Fripp for when he is in his 80s and myself in my 70s, for when we both need to take life easy.
As a child my family would spend 10 hours in the car every summer, travelling to Cornwall to visit aunts who ran B&B’s in Marazion, near Penzance.
I remember the car sickness, even the humiliating pee breaks on the grass verges in full site of the traffic jams…. I must have been about 3yrs old!
Part of our Honeymoon in 1986 was spent in Penzance at the Egyptian House. Frippy and I escaped to Penzance the day after our wedding to avoid the Paparazzi who where following us as newlyweds. It is a place that even today my brother, sister and myself meet up at as much as time allows.
I have always dreamed of taking up surfing…..who knows, eventually in my 70s I might get around to actually doing it!
Two weeks ago I performed at Norwich Let’s Rock with Carol Decker and she told me about her pending surgery and the terror of waiting to find out if she has bowel cancer……THANKFULLY SHE HAS HAD THE ALL CLEAR NOW.
Carol is one hell of a trooper. When we work together we have the best “catch up’s”. I find myself grounded by her common sense and strength of self-identity. We both want to do the next ELECTRIC LADIES tour (perhaps in 2025) with Claire Grogan and we keep badgering everyone about it. It would be a RIOT. So far Claire says no…..but Carol and I will keep badgering!
I contacted Carol today and she is recovering quickly and so happy the surgery is done and thanks the brilliant NHS staff who took great care of her.
In three weeks the 2023 remaster of THE CHANGELING album is finally out in its various editions on Cherry Red. I know how much many of you love this album. There are previews now on Spotify, iTunes and the other digital platforms.
So it’s coming very soon with tons of images you’ve not seen, bonus tracks of versions you’ve not heard, and the relevant B-SIDES. The reissue has just received 4 stars in Classic Pop mag.
We are ALSO just three weeks from the SUNDAY LUNCH ROCK PARTY starting!! It will ROCK. It will be FUN. It is a Rock show but high energy. The set list is stunning, the band are stunning and me…..well let’s say there is going to be healthy amounts of TOYAH MADNESS.
if you still need tickets please head to the GIGS PAGE for all the updated ticket links as some of the websites have sold out of their allocation!
WE SINCERELY HOPE YOU CAN COME!
BE PROUD, BE LOUD, BE HEARD.
LOTS OF LOVE
TOYAH
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX