Poly Styrene, of the early British punk band X-Ray Spex, passed away yesterday from breast cancer.
Rumors started last night on Twitter that she had died, and her camp confirmed the news this morning. A press release called her “a punk amongst punks” and said:
“A groundbreaking presence that left an unrepeatable mark on the musical landscape, she made history the moment she uttered, “Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard but I think oh bondage up yours!” The influence of Poly and X-ray Spex has been felt far and wide ever since. The seminal album Germ Free Adolescents is a landmark work and a primary influence on Britpop and Riot Grrrl. At the center of it was Poly Styrene, a bi-racial feminist punk with the perfect voice to soundtrack rebellion. Poly never sacrificed the intelligence or the fun in her music and style. Her trademark braces and dayglo clothes were a playful rejection of the status quo and of conformity and complacency. She dissected gender politics, consumer culture, and the obsessions of modern life in a way that made us all want sing along with her.”
Poly Styrene’s solo album, Generation Indigo, was released today. It’s available for streaming.
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