X-Ray Spex

about

X-Ray Spex were an English punk band from London that formed in 1976. The original line-up featured singer Poly Styrene (born Marianne Joan Elliott-Said) 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 latter instrument was an atypical addition to the standard punk instrumental line-up, and became one of the group's most distinctive features. X-Ray Spex's other distinctive musical element was Poly Styrene's voice, which has been variously described as "effervescently discordant" and "powerful enough to drill holes through sheet metal". As Mari Elliot, Poly had released a reggae single for GTO Records in 1976, "Silly Billy", which had not charted. Born in 1957 in Brixton, London, of Somali-English parentage, Poly Styrene became the group's public face, and remains one of the most memorable front-women to emerge from the punk movement. Poly Sytrene also became one of the first high-profile black people in punk rock. She wore braces on her teeth and once stated that "If anybody tried to make me a sex symbol I would shave my head tomorrow". 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", "Germ Free Adolescents", and "Highly Inflammable" - and one album, Germ Free Adolescents. The album and title single reached 30 and 19 in their respective charts, although "Oh

you might also explore

top songs

albums

Germ Free Adolescents

Germfree Adolescents

Germ Free Adolescents: The Anthology

Live @ The Roundhouse London 2008

Germ Free Adolescents - The Anthology

Germ Free Adolescents (Deluxe Edition)

Nag Nag Nag

Conscious Consumer

Germ Free Adolescents (Extended Version)

Let's Submerge: The Anthology

The Anthology

Live at the Roxy Club

similar artists