IEYA
Encyclopedia
"Ieya" was the fourth UK single from the post-punk band Toyah
, fronted by Toyah Willcox
, and was released in 1980. It was later remixed and re-issued in 1982.
This track became an ever present mainstay of Toyah's live sets, and to this day it is rare for Toyah to play a full set and not perform "Ieya". It's b-side, "Helium Song" was an extended version of the track "Spaced Walking", which, along with "Ieya", featured on the band's first full length release, The Blue Meaning
. Both tracks also featured on the 2005 compilation album The Safari Singles Collection Part 1: 1979-1981.
The single was released in several formats, including three different 7" vinyl releases, and for the first time, a 12" single.
. Toyah explained:
"At the end of the concert the NF were so incensed that the police were called and had to get us out via the Gents window at the back and into a police van, because the NF were outside, kicking in cars, waiting for us at the stage door to kick our heads in. A full-blown riot was in progress", Toyah remembered.
"IEYA", according to the singer, "is about mankind believing in ourselves so much that we believe we are immortal and can become our own gods, therefore challenging God as the Devil, in the form of the Devil; man being the beast".
:
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
Catalogue Number: SAFE P28
Catalogue Number: SAFE L28
Produced by Steve James and Toyah.
Published by Sweet 'n' Sour Songs.
Both sides on all formats ran at 45RPM.
, fronted by Toyah Willcox
, and was released in the summer of 1982. It was available in a different picture sleeve to the original single release, which featured a close up image of part of the album cover of The Blue Meaning
.
The single was a rerecording of the track from the 1980 album The Blue Meaning
, but given a distinctly poppier reworking. It was again backed with "The Helium Song" - the extended version of "Spaced Walking" which was included on the original single two years previously.
A shorter edit of the re-recording appeared on promo singles sent to radio stations and used in jukeboxes. This edit originally featured commercially on the 1984 Toyah Toyah! Toyah! - All the Hits
album and a K-Tel
compilation, Chart Heat. None of the single releases included this edit.
The single edit of this song was included on the 1999 reissue of The Changeling
, while the full length version made its CD debut on the 2005 compilation The Safari Singles Collection Part 2: 1981-1983.
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
This was allegedly pressed because Safari ran out of black vinyl, however its worth noting that the original version of "Ieya" was also released in white and black vinyl variations.
Catalogue Number: SAFE P45
The original single version of "Ieya" was included on the picture disc.
Produced by Nick Tauber, except ◊ produced by Steve James & Toyah.
Published by Sweet 'n' Sour Songs Ltd.
Both sides of all releases ran at 45RPM.
Except ◊:
Toyah (band)
Toyah is the name of the band fronted by Toyah Willcox between 1977 and 1983. The only other consistent band member throughout this period was Joel Bogen, Willcox's principal co-writer and guitarist.-Background :...
, fronted by Toyah Willcox
Toyah Willcox
Toyah Ann Willcox is an English actress and singer. In a career spanning more than thirty years Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, released 22 studio albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films, as well as voicing and presenting numerous television shows...
, and was released in 1980. It was later remixed and re-issued in 1982.
This track became an ever present mainstay of Toyah's live sets, and to this day it is rare for Toyah to play a full set and not perform "Ieya". It's b-side, "Helium Song" was an extended version of the track "Spaced Walking", which, along with "Ieya", featured on the band's first full length release, The Blue Meaning
The Blue Meaning
The Blue Meaning is the second album by Toyah, released in 1980 by Safari Records. Although not the first full-length release, this is often considered to be the band's first "proper" album....
. Both tracks also featured on the 2005 compilation album The Safari Singles Collection Part 1: 1979-1981.
The single was released in several formats, including three different 7" vinyl releases, and for the first time, a 12" single.
Background
"Ieya" started off as a jam, on stage. Some months before its release the band played in Bath. The show, according to Toyah, had gone phenomenally well, but the band had trouble with the National FrontNational Front
The name National Front is used by a number of political parties and coalitions.* Albania — National Front * Belarus — Partyja BPF* Belgium — National Front * Botswana — Botswana National Front...
. Toyah explained:
"At the end of the concert the NF were so incensed that the police were called and had to get us out via the Gents window at the back and into a police van, because the NF were outside, kicking in cars, waiting for us at the stage door to kick our heads in. A full-blown riot was in progress", Toyah remembered.
"IEYA", according to the singer, "is about mankind believing in ourselves so much that we believe we are immortal and can become our own gods, therefore challenging God as the Devil, in the form of the Devil; man being the beast".
Necronomicon reference
Necronomicon reference ("Zion, Zuberon, Necronomicon") had to do with a paranormal experience of her own. In a 1980 interview Toyah related how nightmare images which were regularly visiting her when she was five all came back to her later in the paintings of H. R. GigerH. R. Giger
Hans Rudolf "Ruedi" Giger is a Swiss surrealist painter, sculptor, and set designer. He won an Academy Award for Best Achievement for Visual Effects for his design work on the film Alien.-Early life:...
:
7" Black Vinyl
- A: Ieya (5:13 Edit) [Willcox/Bogen/Bush]
- B: Helium Song (Spaced Walking) [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
7" White Vinyl
- A: Ieya (5:13 Edit) [Willcox/Bogen/Bush]
- B: Helium Song (Spaced Walking) [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
7" Picture Disc Vinyl
- A: Ieya (5:13 Edit) [Willcox/Bogen/Bush]
- B: Helium Song (Spaced Walking) [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE P28
12" Black Vinyl
- A: Ieya (Album Version) [Willcox/Bogen/Bush]
- B: Helium Song (Spaced Walking) [Willcox/Bush]
12" White Vinyl
- A: Ieya (Album Version) [Willcox/Bogen/Bush]
- B: Helium Song (Spaced Walking) [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE L28
Produced by Steve James and Toyah.
Published by Sweet 'n' Sour Songs.
Both sides on all formats ran at 45RPM.
1982 Re-issue
The re-issue of "Ieya" was the eleventh UK single by the band ToyahToyah (band)
Toyah is the name of the band fronted by Toyah Willcox between 1977 and 1983. The only other consistent band member throughout this period was Joel Bogen, Willcox's principal co-writer and guitarist.-Background :...
, fronted by Toyah Willcox
Toyah Willcox
Toyah Ann Willcox is an English actress and singer. In a career spanning more than thirty years Toyah has had 13 top 40 singles, released 22 studio albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films, as well as voicing and presenting numerous television shows...
, and was released in the summer of 1982. It was available in a different picture sleeve to the original single release, which featured a close up image of part of the album cover of The Blue Meaning
The Blue Meaning
The Blue Meaning is the second album by Toyah, released in 1980 by Safari Records. Although not the first full-length release, this is often considered to be the band's first "proper" album....
.
The single was a rerecording of the track from the 1980 album The Blue Meaning
The Blue Meaning
The Blue Meaning is the second album by Toyah, released in 1980 by Safari Records. Although not the first full-length release, this is often considered to be the band's first "proper" album....
, but given a distinctly poppier reworking. It was again backed with "The Helium Song" - the extended version of "Spaced Walking" which was included on the original single two years previously.
A shorter edit of the re-recording appeared on promo singles sent to radio stations and used in jukeboxes. This edit originally featured commercially on the 1984 Toyah Toyah! Toyah! - All the Hits
Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (compilation)
Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! is a compilation of tracks by Toyah, mostly from singles and EPs...
album and a K-Tel
K-tel
K-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series...
compilation, Chart Heat. None of the single releases included this edit.
The single edit of this song was included on the 1999 reissue of The Changeling
The Changeling (album)
The Changeling was Toyah's follow-up album to the critically acclaimed Anthem. Although it has a similar overall sound, the band's writing took a darker, almost gothic direction...
, while the full length version made its CD debut on the 2005 compilation The Safari Singles Collection Part 2: 1981-1983.
7" Black Vinyl
- A: Ieya [Willcox/Bush/Bogen]
- B: The Helium Song (Spaced Walking)◊ [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
7" White Vinyl
- A: Ieya [Willcox/Bush/Bogen]
- B: The Helium Song (Spaced Walking)◊ [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE 28
This was allegedly pressed because Safari ran out of black vinyl, however its worth noting that the original version of "Ieya" was also released in white and black vinyl variations.
7" Transparent Picture Disc Vinyl
- A: Ieya (1980 Original version - Edit)◊ [Willcox/Bush/Bogen]
- B: The Helium Song (Spaced Walking)◊ [Willcox/Bush]
Catalogue Number: SAFE P45
The original single version of "Ieya" was included on the picture disc.
Produced by Nick Tauber, except ◊ produced by Steve James & Toyah.
Published by Sweet 'n' Sour Songs Ltd.
Both sides of all releases ran at 45RPM.
Personnel
- Toyah Willcox : vocals
- Joel Bogen : guitar
- Phil Spalding : bass
- Simon Phillips : drums
- Simon Darlow: keyboards
Except ◊:
- Toyah Willcox : vocals
- Joel Bogen : guitar
- Mark Henry : bass
- Steve Bray : drums
- Peter Bush : keyboards