Oh Bondage! Up Yours!

O yes, a bit of an attention-seeking cliche to start off with ('I Am A Cliche') but the old ones work for me!

If only I could pogo round the room (and if I had the energy in this debilitating heat) I would do so most joyously. X-Ray Spex was always one of my favourite punk bands in the '70s and their one and only album, 'Germ Free Adolescents' is a classic I've never tired of. 'Identity' and 'The Day The World Turned Day-Glo' are right up there - or slightly behind - 'Anarchy In The UK' and 'Pretty Vacant'. Along with the Pistols, this was a band worth listening to, and I have ever since 1978 (including a few tracks on my iPod).

The new compilation album, 'Let's Submerge - The Anthology' seems to include everything they ever recorded, studio, live and demo versions. There's a great backing track called 'Prefabricated Icon' which, every time I hear the intro, I keep expecting Poly to launch into a stinging song about faux stars or something but she remains silent. It includes her first single (pre-Spex) and a great version of 'Age' credited to Poly Styrene - that went onto my iPod instantly.

I never saw them live but remember seeing X-Ray Spex on Top Of The Pops for the first time in 1978 and thinking' what the...?' when there was Poly with braces on her teeth fronting a band of scruffy oiks who were all over the place. But what a wonderful sound they made. Loud. Scary. Challenging. And with great day-glo socks! On the strength of her involvement with X-Ray Spex I even got Laura Logic's 12" single when it came out - I remember the blue and pink cover but not the tracks. I'd like to hear it again. Whenever I hear wailing sax of a certain kind, I think of Laura.

It was very odd to see Poly/Marion on the 'Punk' documentary, a nice, thoughtful, quiet spoken lady. How we all change. But ...

I'd love a reunion. Please?