10 July 2025

Prostitute is the third solo album by British singer Toyah Willcox. It is a concept album, highly experimental in nature, marking a considerable divergence from Toyah's previous works.

It was inspired particularly by the scrutiny her recent marriage to Robert Fripp was under in the press, which made her feel that she "had gone from all-powerful artist to invisible woman".

The album is filled with fairly simple structures, enhanced with textured but simple percussion, enticing vocals, and consistent, steady rhythms.

At times, as on "The Show," "Homecraft," and "Restless," Willcox's voice and music sound incredibly like Kate Bush's; even the arrangements and harmonies are reminiscent of Kate's.

At other times, a Laurie Anderson quality surfaces, particularly in the occasional spare passage and spoken-word vocal presentation.

"Falling to Earth" gives a nod to Bowie (even in its title), and the upbeat, bouncy "Ghosts in the Universe" sounds suspiciously similar to the Bangles' "Walk Like an Egyptian."

In addition, sounds that bring to mind Adrian Belew are peppered throughout the album.

To top off this hybridized mix, husband Robert Fripp appears uncredited on the opening and closing tracks: His voice is heard in wacky dialogue with Toyah's on "Hello," and that unmistakable Fripp guitar adorns "Ghosts in the Universe."

Toyah’s bold, defiant and most experimental work, the 1988 solo album “Prostitute” is released for the first time ever as an expanded CD edition in deluxe 7” sized gatefold packaging.

This Deluxe 2CD Edition features a previously unreleased live recording of the album from Chichester.

In November/December 1988 Toyah formed a new band Fripp Fripp with musician/husband Robert Fripp and embarked on a 22-date tour.

On the 7 UK and 15 European gigs Toyah performed the Prostitute album live, accompanied by Paul Beavis on live drums as the tour’s first act.

For Toyah fans and collectors, it’s a fascinating document of Toyah performing an impressive volume of vocals, dialogue and lyrics with precision and defiance. The package includes rare imagery, ephemera and a new sleevenote by Toyah archivist Craig Astley.

The album was written and played entirely by Toyah Willcox and Steve Sidelnyk who went on to record and play live with Madonna (Ray of Light, Music), Seal and Richard Ashcroft, amongst many others.

A fiercely independent lyrical work, it is sonically also a radical departure from previous albums comprising drums, vocal and guitar meshed with a scrapbook of samples and found sound.

Toyah explains: “I would get up at four in the morning and capture the dawn chorus, record church bells, snippets of conversations and producer Tony Arnold would marry them into the tracks.

We worked as if we were compiling a scrapbook with glue and paper, old newspaper cuttings, lost love letters, odd thoughts and tons of fractured emotions.”

Track listing

CD1 Lie Down

"Hello" (Toyah Willcox) – 1:20
"Prostitute" (Willcox, Steve Sidelnyc) – 2:58
"Wife" (Willcox) – 3:46
"The Show" (Willcox) – 2:45
"Dream House" (Willcox, Sidelnyc) – 4:29
"Homecraft" (Willcox) – 2:02
"Obsession" (Willcox) – 3:44
"Let the Power Bleed" (Willcox, Sidelnyc) – 4:43
"Restless" (Willcox, Sidelnyc) – 4:05
"Falling to Earth" (Willcox) – 3:26
"Jazz Singers in the Trees" (Willcox, Sidelnyc) – 4:52
"Vale of Evesham" (Willcox) – 2:50
"Ghosts in the Universe" (Willcox, Sidelnyc) – 3:55

CD2 Think of England - Live In Chichester 15.11.1988

1. Hello - 1:20

Written-By – Toyah

2. Prostitute - 3:08