With Toyah Willcox’s Sunday Lunch YouTube series of kitchen-based pop covers currently all the rage, what better time to revisit her band’s second album from 1980, The Blue Meaning, which is getting a newly remastered and expanded release, courtesy of Cherry Red Records.

The release, out 28 May, is the second in a reissue programme of Toyah’s entire Safari Records catalogue.

Produced by Steve James with arrangements by Steve James and ‘Toyah’ the band (Joel Bogen, Pete Bush, Toyah Willcox, Steve Bray and Charlie Francis), The Blue Meaning reached No.1 on the UK Independent Album Chart and No.40 on the main Album Chart in June 1980.

The new release includes the early original version of It’s A Mystery by Blood Donor feat Toyah Willcox that a ‘new’ lineup of Toyah (the band) went on to record and enjoy their first hit single with in 1981.

The album features the fan favourite Ieya considered a signature song by the band, which was also released as a single.

The 2CD version comes with a fully illustrated 24-page booklet containing a brand new introductory note from Toyah, plus rare and unseen imagery including album cover outtakes taken at Wykehurst Place, a gothic revival mansion in Bolney, Sussex.

This expanded edition features 27 remastered bonus tracks including single mixes, live tracks, rarities and unheard demos. Amongst the 20 previously unreleased tracks are the final recordings made by this band lineup including Silence Won’t Do and Jack & Jill. The very first demo of Angels & Demons recorded at Eel Pie Studios, an Alternate Vocal take of Blue Meanings, and three tracks recorded live at the ICA London all make their release debuts.

A sleevenote by Toyah’s archivist Craig Astley with input from Toyah Willcox and Joel Bogen chronicles the creation of the album and reveals the recording origins of the bonus material.

It also includes a DVD (NTSC/Region Free) containing three brand new features with Toyah Willcox; an interview about the album/period, a track-by-track album commentary plus an exclusive acoustic three-song session of songs from the era – all filmed October 2020.

The DVD also includes rare archive BBC TV performances of Mummies and Danced from Friday Night, Saturday Morning (November 1980) available on DVD for the first time ever.

There’s also a strictly limited edition neon pink coloured vinyl version echoing Toyah’s hair colour from the back sleeve.