Poly Styrene

Today has been a sad day. It started early with rumours flying round Twitter that Poly Styrene had died. Poly's been ill recently with cancer and was in a hospice on the south coast but I chose not to believe the rumours or join in spreading them - what if they're just the latest, stupid internet rumour? How would Poly feel to find out from the internet that people think she's dead? She's ill enough and needs support to get better, not depressed by thinking people have already written her off. So I didn't believe them.

But later this morning there was finally word from Poly's team which said:

We can confirm that the beautiful Poly Styrene, who has been a true fighter,
won her battle on Monday evening to go to higher places. PSTeam

Much as I was sad to see those words, I could appreciate what they were saying and the gentle and positive way of announcing her death. Such a thoughtful use of words and so typical of anything to do with Poly.

I listened to 'Generation Indigo' going to work this morning and listened to 'Flower Aeroplane' on the way home. I'm now listening to 'Live @ The Roundhouse London 2008' and I'm so pleased to be able to say that I was there the night it was recorded. That was the only time I saw Poly on stage. I never saw X-Ray Spex back in the day and I never met Poly. I would've liked to have had tea with her. Although I never met Poly I did ask her a question through Fanbridge about whether there were any plans to re-master and reissue her previous albums. The answer was, "Hi no plans as yet...thank you for asking." I hope someone picks up on this and re-issues the records.

Twitter has been alive with short messages of sadness all day and, no doubt, blogs are sprouting even as I write my own. I don't really know what I want to say about Poly. I don't particularly care about her influence on Riot Grrrls and all that stuff. I care about her influence on me. I care about her forward looking and challenging songs. I care that she's gone. Or has Poly really gone? Marianne Elliot Said has gone but Poly lives forever along with her legacy. As soon as she uttered those fateful words, 'Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard...' she entered musical and cultural history.

There is now a statement on Poly's website as follows:

Statement

Punk icon (X-ray Spex frontwoman) Poly Styrene passes away

Marianne Elliot Said
July 3rd 1957- April 25th 2011

Poly Styrene was a punk amongst punks. 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. Their landmark album Germ Free Adolescents is a landmark work and a primary influence on Britpop and Riot Grrrl. At the centre of it was PolyStyrene, 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.

At the core of Poly's work from Germ Free Adolescents through Generation Indigo, is a revolutionary with a genuine love for this world and the people and things in it. Her indomitable heart is all over the new material from her championing of cruelty free products ("I Luv Ur Sneakers") to giving voice to marginalized poor people worldwide ("No Rockefeller") to tackling racism ("Colour Blind"). Poly Styrene never stopped exciting us with her incisive world-view, amazing wit, and her adventurous sound. It is impossible to imagine what modern music would be like without her incalculable contributions but it's probably not worth imagining a world that never had Poly Styrene in it.

A thrilling work from a true pioneer and rebel in every sense, Poly Styrene's album Generation Indigo is out now through Future Noise Music and was produced by Youth (The Verve, Killing Joke, The Fireman, Edwyn Collins). The album received rave reviews from Uncut, NME, The Guardian and countless others across the Atlantic. The forward looking Generation Indigo showcases Poly's humorous musings on pop culture, the internet and fashion whilst also tackling heavier subject matter (war and racism) with her politically aware and intelligent lyrics all in the inimitable voice of a genuine icon. Listen to the full Generation Indigo record streaming on AOL Spinner.

Rock journalist John Robb recently interviewed Poly Styrene about her current album. This footage and track by track from Poly Styrene is available to watch here:

It's good to see the outpouring of love and respect on Twitter and Facebook, places that us ordinary folks can say our goodbyes. It's also nice to see messages from the likes of Viv Albertine, Billy Bragg and Amanda Palmer. I hope Poly's daughter, Celeste, takes some comfort from the love we all felt for her mother.

Poly was a devotee of Sri Krishna and I've been searching for appropriate words to bid her farewell. I couldn't find any other than the chant:

"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare"

This chant is also the chorus to Boy George's 'Bow Down Mister'. Whenever I sing along to it in future I shall think of Poly. 'Electric Blue Monsoon' on her latest album is a beautiful love song to Krishna. I hope she has the chance to sing it to him.

You are beautiful and you enriched lives. You changed mine. Thank you for everything.

Farewell Poly. Farewell Marianne. You will be missed but not forgotten.