Toyah and Robert Fripp share a reliably unhinged version of Billy Idol's Rebel Yell

There was good news for the Willcox / Fripp household this week with the announcement that the lady of the house had been selected to join her punk rock peer, William Michael Albert Broad, aka Billy Idol, on the UK shows of his forthcoming Roadside tour.

Naturally, this caused for some celebration, and, as has become traditional for the nation's favourite loved-up couple, said celebration saw Toyah don a summer-friendly outfit while her beau Robert spiked up his hair and popped on a nice waistcoast, before the duo united in an energetic performance of a timeless rock standard, specifically, Billy Idol's 1983 hit single Rebel Yell.

Regular Toyah and Robert watchers will recall that our heroes actually covered this song before, back in September 2021, but who could begrudge the pair another shot at the title track of Mr Idol's 1983 album of the same name? Especially when it gives Toyah the opportunity to plant a lipstick-enhanced smacker on her beloved's forehead. And contribute percussive sounds via her skirt.

Wonderful.

For the sake of completeness, here's that vintage performance from 'back in the day' too, featuring Toyah in a cheerleader outfit. On a trampoline.

Fans of the pair, Toyah and Robert, that is, will note that back in September 2021 Mr Fripp did not fashion his hair into a faux-hawk: different times, truly.

Billy Idol's Roadside tour rolls into the UK for six shows in October, beginning at Manchester's AO Arena on October 13.

And for those who may have missed recent Willcox / Fripp collaborations, here's their takes on Rammstein's Keine Lust, Rage Against The Machine's Killing In The Name, and Radiohead's Creep.

Never a dull moment.

Artists

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.