Halloween chaos as Toyah and Robert Fripp mutilate Black Sabbath's Children Of The Grave

Toyah and Robert Fripp dressed up for Halloween in their kitchen
(Image credit: Toyah Willcox/Robert Fripp)

While Halloween is celebrated the world over in the parts of the world that celebrate Halloween, one particular household greeted the annual celebration of death and horror with more relish than most.  

Yes, of course we're referring to performing prog-punk power partnership Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp, who seized the opportunity to dress up and play a typically frazzled cover of Black Sabbath's 1971 smash Children Of The Grave

The King Crimson man looks particularly fetching this week, dressed as a mummy, but with added spiders. Or he could be Lawrence of Arabia, but with added spiders. It's difficult to tell. And Toyah? Well, as with most Sunday Lunch performances, she's come dressed as Toyah. But with added spiders.

In an interview with The Telegraph last week, Fripp addressed the fact that the pair's extremely popular videos had "upset some King Crimson fans."

“We’re keenly aware of what people have experienced during lockdown," said Fripp. "I mean, banged up in a small apartment while your mother's dying and you can't go to the funeral. My wife said to me, if all we've done in two years is help one person through their bad time, it's all worth it. 

"So I'm not sure if that meets a criteria of serving what is highest in music, but for me, it's a real undertaking that I respect. And I am quite prepared to strap on a guitar and rock out to a classic riff in order to achieve it."

 “At age 76, why should I give a fuck?," Fripp added. "This is my life."

💯, as young people apparently say.  

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.