Poly Styrene

Marianne Joan Elliott-Said (3 July 1957 – 25 April 2011), known by the stage name Poly Styrene, was a British musician, singer-songwriter, and frontwoman for the punk rock band X-Ray Spex.

She was born in Bromley, Kent and raised in Brixton, London. After seeing the Sex Pistols' performance at the Pier Pavilion in Hastings on 3rd July 1976, she decided to form the band. Poly Styrene, a name she chose from the 'Yellow Pages' when she was 'looking for a name of the time, something plastic.' She was described by Billboard as the "archetype for the modern-day feminist punk"; because she wore dental braces, stood against the typical sex object female of 1970s rock star, sported a gaudy Dayglo wardrobe, and was of mixed race. She was "one of the least conventional front-persons in rock history, male or female". Initially, the band featured singer Poly Styrene, 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 latter instrument was an atypical addition to the standard punk instrumental line-up, and became one of the group's most distinctive features. Lora played on only one of the band's records.

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. 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.

In late September 1977, a studio recording of "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" was released as a single. Today, the record is regarded as their most enduring artefact, both as a piece of music and as a sort of proto-grrrl catchphrase. 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.

In November 1978, the band released their debut album, Germfree Adolescents. With the exception of "Identity", which was partially based on Styrene witnessing a friend slash her wrists in the restroom of the Roxy, the rest of the album dealt with the anti consumerist theme. They played at 'Front Row Festival', at the Hope and Anchor, in late November and early December 1977. Then, in February 1978, before the release of their second single, they recorded the first of two sessions for John Peel at BBC Radio1. They also played a fortnight's residency at New York's CBGB's. On 30 April 1978, the band appeared at the Rock Against Racism gig at Victoria Park. 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.



After the original line-up of X-Ray Spex broke up, Poly Styrene recorded a solo album, Translucence, in 1980. She died of cancer on 25 April 2011, at the age of 53.