Toyah shares her memories of growing up as the 'only punk in the village' and finally finding her people at a Sex Pistols gig.
Toyah shares her memories of growing up as the "only punk in the village" and finally finding her people at a Sex Pistols gig.
In this candid interview with Johnnie, Toyah reflects on the challenges she faced as a young teenager: born with a twisted spine, one leg longer than the other, a club foot and no hip sockets, she spent many years undergoing painful operations and countless physical therapies. This never dimmed her spirit however, and she recalls a host of almost-careers including time spent as a department store hair model and a missed chance to be an ice skating superstar. After defeating the bullies at school, she carved out a niche for herself as a punk - before the term had even been invented.
She would later attend drama school in Birmingham and start to pick up roles that linked her love of music with acting, starting with the leading role of Sue in the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ "Second City Firsts" play 'Glitter' where her character dreamt of appearing on Top of the Pops. Later she would star in the anarchic punk movie 'Jubilee', and as Monkey in The Who-inspired film Quadrophenia. In 1977, Willcox formed a band called Toyah and thanks of the success of her acting career, up to two thousand people would turn to up their gigs - huge crowds for an unsigned band. They did a showcase for Safari Records and the label promptly signed them. The band had its first success with the debut single "Victims of the Riddle", which topped the UK Indie Charts in 1979. In the same year, they released the Sheep Farming in Barnet EP.
Also on the show, Johnnie hears the stories from This Week In Music and adds another record to his Jukebox.
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Clips
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Get Well Soon Steve Harley!
Duration: 02:11
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Toyah remembers being a punk in the 70s!
Duration: 16:41
Music Played
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ABBA
Does Your Mother Know
- Abba Gold (40th Anniversary Edition).
- Polar.
- 015.
-
Blondie
Sunday Girl
- 70's Number Ones Vol 3.
- Old Gold.
- 9.
-
John Lennon
Stand By Me
- GIMME SOME TRUTH. (Deluxe).
- Calderstone.
-
Barry White
Let The Music Play
- Barry White - The Collection.
- Mercury.
-
Neil Diamond
Shilo
- Velvet Gloves And Spit.
- Universal-Island Records Limited.
- 6.
-
Alice Cooper
School's Out
- Sounds Of The 70's (Various Artists).
- Warner E.S.P..
-
James & Bobby Purify
Morning Glory
- North Of Watford Vol 2.
- KRL.
-
Iggy Pop
Lust For Life
- Cigarettes And Alcohol: 40 Modern Anthems (Various Artists).
- Columbia.
-
Lou Reed
Walk On The Wild Side
- Lou Reed - NYC Man.
- BMG.
-
Fleetwood Mac
Rhiannon
- 50 Years - Don't Stop.
- Warner Bros.
- 003.
-
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Fanfare for the Common Man
- The Best Of Emerson Lake & Palmer.
- Atlantic.
-
Michael Jackson
Off The Wall
- Michael Jackson - Off The Wall.
- Epic.
-
T. Rex
Telegram Sam
- The Greatest Hits Of 1972 (Various).
- Premier.
-
The Allman Brothers Band
Blue Sky
- Eat A Peach.
- Mercury Records Limited.
- 8.
-
The Doors
Riders on the Storm
- (CD Single).
- Elektra.
-
Steve Harley & Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Here Comes The Sun
- The Greatest Hits Of 1976 (Various).
- Premier.
-
Paul Simon
Slip Slidin' Away
- The Paul Simon Anthology (Disc 1).
- Warner Bros.
- 7.
-
Fad Gadget
Back To Nature
- 7" single.
- Mute Records.
- 1.
-
David Bowie
The Jean Genie
- David Bowie - Best Of Bowie.
- EMI.
-
Limmie & Family Cookin’
You Can Do Magic
- Afrodisiac (Various Artists).
- Universal Music Tv.
Johnnie's Jukebox: Alice Cooper - School's Out
Johnnie Walker and the Sounds of the 70s listeners curate their own personal jukebox, filled with classic seventies seven inches.
This week they're adding "School's Out" by Alice Cooper released in 1972.
Broadcasts
- Sun 11 Feb 2018 15:00³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 2
- Tue 13 Feb 2018 00:00³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio 2