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During their first incarnation (1976–1979), X-Ray Spex released five singles and one album.[1] Their 1977 single "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" and 1978 debut album Germfree Adolescents are widely acclaimed as classic punk releases.[sources 1] The band has briefly reformed several times in the 1990s and 2000s.
Career
Initially, the band featured singer Poly Styrene (born Marion[11] Joan Elliott-Said) (alternatively spelled Marian[12] or Marianne[13]) on vocals, Jak Airport (Jack Stafford) on guitars, Paul Dean on bass, Paul 'B. P.' Hurding on drums, and Lora Logic (born Susan Whitby) on saxophone. This last instrument was an atypical addition to the standard punk instrumental line-up,[14] and became one of the group's most distinctive features. Logic played on only one of the band's records. As she was only fifteen, playing saxophone was a hobby and she left the band to complete her education.[15]
X-Ray Spex's other distinctive musical element was Poly Styrene's voice, which has been variously described as "effervescently discordant"[16] and "powerful enough to drill holes through sheet metal".[17] As Mari Elliot, Styrene had released a reggae single for GTO Records in 1976, "Silly Billy", which had not charted. Born in 1957 in Bromley, Kent, to a Somali father and a British mother, Poly Styrene became the group's public face, and remains one of the most memorable front-women to emerge from the punk movement.[18] Unorthodox in appearance, she wore thick braces on her teeth and once stated that "I said that I wasn't a sex symbol and that if anybody tried to make me one I'd shave my head tomorrow".[19] She later actually did at Johnny Rotten's flat prior to a concert at Victoria Park. Mark Paytress recounts in the liner notes for the 2002 compilation, The Anthology, that Jah Wobble, Rotten's longtime friend and bassist for his post-punk venture PiL, once described Styrene as a "strange girl who often talked of hallucinating. She freaked John out."[20] Rotten, known more for his outspoken dislikes and disdain than for praise and admiration, said of X-Ray Spex in a retrospective punk documentary, "Them, they came out with a sound and attitude and a whole energy—it was just not relating to anything around it—superb."[21]
Styrene was inspired to form a band by seeing the Sex Pistols in Hastings and, through their live performances, she and X-Ray Spex became one of the most talked about acts on the infant punk scene.[22] The band played twice at the punk club The Roxy during its first 100 days. In March, the band played with The Drones and Chelsea. In April, they shared the bill with the Buzzcocks, Wire, and Johnny Moped.[23] Their first Roxy gig was only their second live appearance. It was recorded and their anthem "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" was included on the influential Live at the Roxy WC2 album. Styrene was nineteen years old at the time of the recording.[24] The publicity from this gig led to a "near residency", particularly on Sunday nights, at 'The Man in the Moon' pub, King's Road, Chelsea, and record label interest.[25]
In late September 1977, a studio recording of "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" was released as a single. Today, the 45 is regarded as their most enduring artefact, both as a piece of music and as a sort of proto-grrrl catchphrase.[26][27] Opening with the spoken/screamed line, "Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard but I think—oh, bondage, up yours!", the song could be interpreted as a premonition of the riot grrrl movement 15 years later, although Styrene herself insists it was more intended as an anti-consumerist/anti-capitalist jingle, and was not exclusively feminist in nature.
Lora Logic left the band aged 16 in late 1977 to form a new group called Essential Logic. She was replaced on saxophone, first temporarily by John Glyn (who later joined Wreckless Eric's band), and then permanently by Rudi Thompson (also known as Steve Rudi).[28]
In November 1978, the band released their debut album. With the exception of "Identity", which was partially based on Styrene witnessing Bromley Contingent member Tracie O'Keefe slash her wrists in the restroom of the Roxy, the rest of Germfree Adolescents dealt with the anti consumerist theme.[29] Indeed, The Guardian newspaper described the album as containing "unrivalled anti-consumerism anthems".[30]
X-Ray Spex played at 'Front Row Festival', a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor, Islington in late November and early December 1977.[24] This resulted in the band's inclusion, alongside the likes of Wilko Johnson, 999, The Only Ones, the Saints, The Stranglers, and XTC, on a double album of recordings from the festival. Then, in February 1978, before the release of their second single, X-Ray Spex recorded the first of two sessions for John Peel at BBC Radio 1.[31] Their profile was further enhanced by playing a fortnight's residency at New York's CBGB's, even though the album Germ Free Adolescents was not released in America until 1992.
On 30 April 1978, the band appeared at the Rock Against Racism gig at Victoria Park, Bow, Tower Hamlets. Also on the bill were Steel Pulse, The Clash, The Ruts, Sham 69, Generation X and Tom Robinson Band. Later in the year, to promote the album, X-Ray Spex embarked on their first, and only, full UK tour. Exhausted by touring, Poly Styrene left the band in mid 1979. Footage of her performing with the band was later included in the 1980 film, DOA. She released a solo album, Translucence, before joining the Hare Krishna movement (as did Logic, after she left the band).
Without Styrene, the group lost its momentum and split up. Hurding and Airport went on to form Classix Nouveaux, while Paul Dean and Rudi Thompson went on to form Agent Orange with Anthony "Tex" Doughty, who would later become a founding member of Transvision Vamp.
The first incarnation of X-Ray Spex existed from mid-1976 to 1979, during which time they released five singles—"Oh Bondage Up Yours!", "Identity", "The Day the World Turned Day-Glo", "Germfree Adolescents", and "Highly Inflammable"—and one album, Germfree Adolescents.[17][32] One retrospective review described the singles as "not only riveting examples of high-energy punk, but contained provocative, thoughtful lyrics berating the urban synthetic fashions of the 70s and urging individual expression".[33]
The same reviewer in The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music sums up the band's 1970s contribution as "one of the most inventive, original and genuinely exciting groups to emerge during the punk era".[33]
Reformation
In 1991, X-Ray Spex reformed for a surprise sell-out gig at the Brixton Academy, where Poly appeared in a blue foam dress with an army helmet (to her regret).[34] The group reformed again in 1995 with a line-up of Styrene, Dean and Logic to release a new album Conscious Consumer. Although heralded as the first in a trilogy, the album was not a commercial success. Styrene later explained[35] that touring and promotional work suffered an abrupt end when she was run over by a fire engine in central London, suffering a fractured pelvis. The following year X-Ray Spex played at the 20th Anniversary of Punk Festival in Blackpool minus Poly Styrene, overcoming her last-minute decision to withdraw by recruiting a replacement female singer named Poly Filla. The band disbanded, but later releases include a compilation of the group's early records, a live album, and an anthology of all the aforementioned.
Jak Airport later worked for the BBC's corporate and public relations department under his real name, Jack Stafford; he died on 13 August 2004 of cancer.[17]
On 28 April 2008, Poly Styrene gave a performance of "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" in front of more than 10,000 people at the Love Music Hate Racism free concert in Victoria Park, East London.[citation needed]
The band including original bass player Paul Dean, played what was described as a raucous comeback gig[36] and in front of an audience of 3,000 full at The Roundhouse in London on 6 September 2008. The gig consisted of Germfree Adolescents in its entirety, with the exception of "Plastic Bag".[36] A DVD and CD of the Roundhouse performance was released in November 2009 on the Year Zero Label by Future Noise Music.[29]Symond Lawes, working as Concrete Jungle Productions, with Poly Styrene, produced the live show at Camden Roundhouse in 2008.[37]
Poly Styrene died of spinal and breast cancer on 25 April 2011 in East Sussex, England, at the age of 53.[38]
Documentary and biography
Styrene is the subject of a documentary Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché. The documentary was directed by Paul Sng, and was co-written by Styrene's daughter, Celeste Bell (who also narrates), and author Zoë Howe. The documentary comes in conjunction with the 40-year anniversary of Germfree Adolescents. Bell said, "This film will be a celebration of the life and work of my mother, an artist who deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest front women of all time; a little girl with a big voice whose words are more relevant than ever".[39] Bell and Howe have co-written a biography about Styrene.[39] The book titled Day Glo: The Poly Styrene Story was released in the United States in September 2019.[40]
Essential Logic are an English post-punk band formed in 1978 by saxophonist Lora Logic after leaving X-Ray Spex. The band initially consisted of Lora on vocals, Phil Legg on guitar and vocals, William Bennett on guitar, Mark Turner on bass guitar, Rich Tea on drums and Dave Wright on saxophone. Turner was later replaced by Sean Oliver on bass. The band split in 1981 and reformed in 2001.
The Punk Rock Movie is a British 1978 film that was assembled from Super 8 camera footage shot by Don Letts, the disc jockey at The Roxy club during the early days of the UK punk rock movement, principally during the 100 days in 1977 in which punk acts were featured at The Roxy club in London.
The Roxy was a fashionable nightclub located at 41–43 Neal Street in London's Covent Garden, known for hosting the flowering British punk music scene in its infancy.
999 are an English punk rock band, formed in London in December 1976. From 1976 to 1985, their line-up consisted of Nick Cash, Guy Days, Jon Watson and Pablo LaBritain (drums). LaBritain was temporarily replaced in 1980 by drummer Paul Edward while he recovered from a motor accident. Bassist Jon Watson left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Danny Palmer, who was succeeded by Arturo Bassick in 1991.
Penetration is a punk rock band from County Durham, England formed in 1976. They re-formed in 2001 with several new members. Their debut single, "Don't Dictate", is now acknowledged as a classic punk rock single and their debut album, Moving Targets (1978), is still widely admired.
Tom Robinson Band (TRB) are a British rock band, established in 1976 by singer, songwriter and bassist Tom Robinson. The band's debut single "2-4-6-8 Motorway" was a top five hit on the UK Singles Chart in 1977, and their third single, "Up Against the Wall", is seen by some as a classic punk rock single; while their debut album, Power in the Darkness (1978), is regarded as a definitive late-1970s punk album. Their song "Glad to Be Gay" is considered a British national gay anthem.
Germfree Adolescents is the 1978 debut album of English punk rock band X-Ray Spex. It contained the UK hit singles "The Day the World Turned Dayglo", "Identity" and "Germ Free Adolescents" which reached No. 18 in November 1978. Upon release, the critics noted it was not all new material: five songs on the twelve tracks had already been released on A-sides and B-sides of singles.
Eater are an early British punk rock band from North London who took their name from a Marc Bolan lyric.
Marianne Joan Elliott-Said, known by the stage name Poly Styrene, was an English musician, singer-songwriter, and frontwoman for the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Conscious Consumer is the second and final studio album by English punk rock band X-Ray Spex, the first new material recorded by the band in seventeen years. It was recorded in 1995 and released in September of that year by record label Receiver. The album saw the return of saxophonist Lora Logic, sacked from the original incarnation of the band but reconciled with singer Poly Styrene during the 80s, as well as original bassist Paul Dean.
Unboxed is a compilation album of early singles and the EP Call Now by the band Free Kitten, released in 1994.
Puncture were an early English punk rock group. Founded in the summer of 1976, this Islington, London based, four-piece combo consisted of Paul McCallum (guitar/vocals), Steve Counsel (bass/vocals), Jak Stafford (guitar/vocals) and "The Fabulous" Marty Truss (drums). Their influences ranged from early The Who, The Kinks, Small Faces, to Roxy Music, David Bowie, blues, rhythm and blues, and The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.
The Drones are an English punk rock band from Manchester, England. For a period of time, the band were in their early days produced and managed by Paul Morley.
Johnny Moped are an English punk rock group formed in South London in the mid-1970s, who once had Chrissie Hynde and Captain Sensible as members.
The Roxy London WC2 is a live album of recordings taken from various punk bands that played at The Roxy club in Covent Garden, London between January and April 1977.
D.O.A.: A Right of Passage is a 1980 rockumentary film directed by Lech Kowalski about the origin of punk rock. The rockumentary takes interview and concert footage of some of punk rock's earliest bands of the late 1970s scene. It features live performances by the Sex Pistols, The Dead Boys, Generation X, The Rich Kids, X-Ray Spex, and Sham 69, with additional music from The Clash, Iggy Pop, and Augustus Pablo.
Lora Logic is a British saxophonist, singer and songwriter from Wembley, London. Logic was a founding member of London punk band X-Ray Spex, and wrote the saxophone parts for their debut album, Germfree Adolescents. After leaving X-Ray Spex, Logic founded her own band, Essential Logic, which released one full-length album in 1979. Logic has been called "one of post-punk's most notable atypical girls."
"Oh Bondage Up Yours!" is the debut single by English punk rock band X-Ray Spex. Released in September 1977, it is regarded by critics as a prototypic example of British punk, though it was not a chart hit.
Jak Airport was the guitarist of 1970s punk band X-Ray Spex and new wave band Classix Nouveaux.
Falcon Stuart was a British photographer, retailer, filmmaker, manager and music producer associated with X-Ray Spex, Adam and the Ants, and Danielle Dax amongst others.
References
↑ Strong, M.C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate. p.184. ISBN1-84195-335-0.
↑ Joynson, Vernon (2001). Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk. Wolverhampton: Borderline Publications. p.448. ISBN1-899855-13-0. An essential ingredient of any punk collection
↑ Thompson, Dave (2000). Punk. Ontario: Collector's Guide Publication. p.102. ISBN1-896522-27-0. It was a tremendous record… Whatever else X-Ray Spex might achieve, Oh Bondage had already done more than most groups manage in an entire career
↑ Du Noyer, Paul (1998). Encyclopedia of Albums: 1,000 Best-Ever Albums. Bristol: Dempsey Parr. p.89. ISBN1-84084-031-5. They aimed their fluorescent bile at the vapidity and sterility of the modern world, specifically the increasingly consumerist nature of society, in classic sax-drenched anthems
↑ Dimery, Robert (2005). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. London: Cassell. p.420. The whole record is a thunderingly radical and real; production is straightforward and merely delivers the sound of a scorching, hectic band unto the listener
↑ The Guardian (November 2007). 1,000 Albums To Hear Before You Die. London. With anti-fashion icon Poly Styrene as frontwoman, and a 15-year-old Lora Logic on sax, X-Ray Spex offered neon DIY rock'n'roll that proved punk wasn't all self-harm and safety pins.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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