X-Ray Spex
Background information
OriginLondon, England
GenresPunk rock, new wave
Years active1976–1979, 1991, 1995–1996, 2008
Labels
  • Virgin
  • EMI International
  • Receiver
  • Universal
  • Future Noise
SpinoffsClassix Nouveaux
Past members
Websitex-rayspex.com

X-Ray Spex was an English punk rock band formed in 1976 in London.

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, of both Somali and British parentage, 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.

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]

Discography

Albums

Live

  • Live at the Roxy (March 1991: Receiver, RRCD 140); live recordings from 1977
  • Live @ the Roundhouse London 2008 (November 2009: Year Zero, YZCDDVD01); CD and DVD of live recordings from September 2008

Compilation

  • Let's Submerge: The Anthology (2006: Castle Music CMEDD1378); 2 CD Compilation

Singles

  • "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" / "I Am a Cliché" (September 1977: Virgin Records, VS 189); also released as a 12" single (VS 189–12)
  • "The Day the World Turned Day-Glo" / "I Am a Poseur" (March 1978: EMI International, INT 553) – No. 23 UK Singles Chart[41]
  • "Identity" / "Let's Submerge" (July 1978: EMI International, INT 563) – No. 24 UK
  • "Germfree Adolescents" / "Age" (October 1978: EMI International, INT 573) – No. 19 UK
  • "Highly Inflammable" / "Warrior in Woolworths" (April 1979: EMI International, INT 583) – No. 45 UK

Appearances on various artist compilations (selective)

Listing of those various artist compilation albums mentioned in the text of the main article:

See also

Reference notes

  1. ↑ [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

References

  1. ↑ Strong, M.C. (2003). The Great Indie Discography. Edinburgh: Canongate. p. 184. ISBN 1-84195-335-0.
  2. ↑ Mojo (October 2001) – 100 Punk Scorchers, Issue 95, London;
  3. ↑ Joynson, Vernon (2001). Up Yours! A Guide to UK Punk, New Wave & Early Post Punk. Wolverhampton: Borderline Publications. p. 448. ISBN 1-899855-13-0. An essential ingredient of any punk collection
  4. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2000). Punk. Ontario: Collector's Guide Publication. p. 102. ISBN 1-896522-27-0. 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
  5. ↑ Gardner, Steve (1996). "Hiljaiset Levyt: 100 Best Punk singles". Archived from the original on 24 August 2014. Revolt-in-plastic punk. Weird arty stuff with saxophone
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin (1994). All Time Top 1000 Albums. Enfield: Guinness Publishing. p. 236. A colourful explosion of sound
  7. ↑ "Hiljaiset Levyt: PUNKNET 77 - 100 Best Punk LP's". Hiljaiset.sci.fi. 4 March 1996. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  8. ↑ Du Noyer, Paul (1998). Encyclopedia of Albums: 1,000 Best-Ever Albums. Bristol: Dempsey Parr. p. 89. ISBN 1-84084-031-5. 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
  9. ↑ 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
  10. ↑ 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)
  11. ↑ "X-Ray Spex singer Poly Styrene dies at 53". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  12. ↑ "My secret life: Poly Styrene, Singer, 51". The Independent. 19 April 2008.
  13. ↑ "Punk icon Poly Styrene dies at 53". Bbc.com. 26 April 2011.
  14. ↑ "Mixtape Madness: great indie rock sax solos". Death and Taxes Magazine. 24 February 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  15. ↑ "x-ray spex official site/x-ray spex history". X-rayspex.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  16. ↑ Dave Thompson (19 March 2002). "The Anthology – X-Ray Spex | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  17. 1 2 3
  18. ↑ "Are you ready to fly?". The Guardian. 9 May 2003. Archived from the original on 18 February 2006. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  19. ↑ Murray, Charles Shaar (1978). "No Pop, No Style Poly Styrene is Still Strictly Roots". NME (published 13 May 1978). Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  20. ↑ Cinderella's Big Score: Women of the Punk and Indie Underground by Maria Raha
  21. ↑ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  22. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. p. 730. ISBN 0-87930-607-6.
  23. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2000). Punk. Ontario: Collector's Guide Publication. pp. 61–62.
  24. 1 2 Thompson, Dave (2000). Punk. Ontario: Collector's Guide Publication. p. 102.
  25. ↑ Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. San Francisco: Miller Freeman Books. p. 730.
  26. ↑ Michelle Lee, "Oh bondage up yours! The early punk movement—and the women who made it rock, Off Our Backs, Nov/Dec 2002
  27. ↑ "BOFH: Oh Bondage Up Yours! (article demonstrating the use of the song title as a catchphrase)". The Register. Retrieved 23 May 2008.
  28. ↑ Tyler, Kieron (2005). Germ Free Adolescents Expanded (CD liner).
  29. 1 2 Archived 6 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  30. ↑ The Guardian (November 2007). 1,000 Albums To Hear Before You Die. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  31. ↑ "Radio 1 - Keeping It Peel - X-Ray Spex". BBC. 20 February 1978. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  32. ↑ "Hiljaiset Levyt: PUNKNET 77 - X-Ray Spex". Hiljaiset.sci.fi. Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  33. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (2002). Virgin Encyclopedia of 70s Music. London: Virgin Books. p. 503. ISBN 1-85227-947-8.
  34. ↑ "My secret life: Poly Styrene". The Independent. 19 April 2008.
  35. ↑ Archived 3 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  36. 1 2 "X-Ray Spex pack out London's Roundhouse | News". NME. 8 September 2008. Archived from the original on 11 September 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  37. ↑ "From Concrete Jungle Festival to X-ray Spex live at the Roundhouse". symondlawes.blogspot.co.uk. 19 March 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  38. ↑ "X-Ray Spex's Poly Styrene dies of cancer". NME. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  39. 1 2 "Poly Styrene, X-Ray Spex frontwoman and punk icon, subject of new documentary". 29 March 2017.
  40. ↑ "Celeste Bell | Day Glo: The Poly Styrene Story". Celeste Bell. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  41. 1 2 3 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 612. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  42. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 344. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
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