'Identity! A Poly Styrene Retrospective' at 198 Gallery

This afternoon I went to the new exhibition about and by Poly Styrene at the 198 Gallery (the 198 Contemporary Art and Learning Centre) at Herne Hill, up Railton Road from Brixton. Poly grew up in Brixton so the location is appropriate. The exhibition is small but contains some fascinating works by Poly herself from different stages of her life and career. I was particularly pleased to see her little red typewriter that she used to type up her lyrics and, in the typewriter, were the lyrics to 'Plastic Bag' after which this blog is named.

The exhibition has a range of works from some very early photos of X-Ray Spex and Poly's designs for covers of singles to the large works of her as Marie Antoinette that she gave away as cards with her last album, 'Generation Indigo'. I like those images and they show her being playful and cheeky but I've only ever seen them small, as postcards, so it was great to see them full sized as A1 works of collage and they look great. There's also her iconic punk frock that I never guessed would be green since all the photos I've seen are in black in white.

I loved her designs for the cover of 'Transluscence', her first solo album and would never have guessed that she was playing around with the design since I've only ever thought of the record with her in bedouin garb and scarves.

There are a few letters she wrote (including a particularly sad one that shows her state of mind as a young woman), doodles of Johnny Rotten, typed lyrics sheets, screens showing the 1979 Arena documentary and a video for 'Genetic Engineering' that I've never seen before, tour posters and loads more. All of this shows what an all-round creative person Poly was, not just a great songwriter and singer in a punk band. There was clearly so much potential in her that never got to be released or realised. The beauty is in the detail.

Something I learned about Poly is that she clearly loved collages. Punk was, amongst other things, about do-it-yourself so she designed the record sleeves and posters as well as her own clothes and there are some very colourful and expressive artworks here, some with cut-out photos stuck onto newsprint and daubed with paint or ink - it would be great if these could be made into prints. I'm sure they'd raise money to complete the new documentary about Poly to be released next year.

If you get the chance go and see this exhibition. It's only in two rooms but there's a lot packed into those rooms and a lot to love if you like Poly Styrene. I couldn't help but grin as I walked round and then backtracked to look again at some of the exhibits. It's about 20 minutes walk from Brixton tube station and five minutes from Herne Hill overground train station. Ring the bell to get in and you'll be welcomed with open arms.

Thanks to Celeste for sharing so much of her mum's work, some joyous and some sad but all fascinating!

Odd Thoughts On The Train: How Does It Sound Today?

In 'odd thoughts on the train tonight' I was mulling over how music sounds to people today. I'd been talking to a colleague at work about the film 'Pride' and its great soundtrack and then, on the walk to the station, started thinking about earlier music. 'Pride' is set in 1984 and 1985 and I went back to 1977 and hearing The Ramones and The Buzzcocks and how their music had been featured in adverts. Seeing Tommy Ramone as Uncle Monk a few years back in New York (I shook his hand, one of the Ramones brothers!). And then I remembered that 'Anarchy In The UK' by The Sex Pistols popped up on my iPod the other day and how it still sounded visceral and scary. And I wondered how people hear that music today?

Back in the late 70s punk music was the enemy and The Sex Pistols were banned almost everywhere they tried to play. It was rebellion and activism at the same time, a threat to society and something to set us free. It was challenging and that's why I liked it. I'd bought punk records before but it was 'Pretty Vacant' by the Pistols that made me a punk. It was an anthem, a war cry, a call to arms, all in a three minute pop song. It worked for me.

How does it sound today? How do first-time listeners react to it? I don't know because I've been listening to it for 37 years and still love that call-to-arms guitar intro from Steve Jones. If you were 17 and heard it for the first time today how would it affect you (if at all)? Is it just old music from a 70s band that had a few hits?

I remember getting angry (and I mean really angry) when I heard the Buzzcocks 'Ever Fallen In Love' (the version by Nouvelle Vague I think) used in a car advert. How dare they? How dare they corrupt something as pure as that song into a song to sell cars?  That's sacrilege and a crime. Of course, Pete might have needed the money so I mellowed but it does raise some questions about whose song it really is.

How do people hear these songs today? Are they historical old pop songs or are they still radical? I have no idea.

Viv Albertine @ the 12Bar Club

As you might remember, I backed Viv Albertine's PledgeMusic campaign to fund her first solo album and it was released in November 2012. I was more than happy to support Viv and was delighted with the result. Viv offered us the opportunity to support her at a showcase to promote the record and the autobiography to be published later this year and I jumped at the chance. The showcase was last night at the 12Bar Club on Denmark Street (also sometimes called Tin Pan Alley) in London.

After a long day at work I finally left for the gig and arrived at Denmark Street just before the start time, gave my name at the door, had my hand stamped with the date (it's a long time since that's happened) and the bloke on the door said to go straight on through. So I did. 

My heart fell slightly when I walked in since the place was dingy and small, but I went to the bar to order a Guinness to celebrate seeing Viv, my first Guinness of 2013. The bar staff just talked to each other in Polish paying no attention to customers so it get's a minus mark for service. Then I walked on and found a small maze of rooms with bare walls and walls covered in ska and TwoTone posters and found the gig room which is about the same size as my living room with bare brick walls and a teeny stage. I stood at the back, roughly in the centre so I'd have a good view.

At first I thought, 'o dear' but then I travelled back in time to the late 70s/early 80s and remembered this is exactly the kind of club I used to go to way back when - small rooms, brick walls - this one just seems to have survived over the last 30 years! It was perfect for a showcase for Viv and I felt strangely comfortable. The stage was about 3 feet tall and just big enough for four people. The room probably holds about 50 people and it was full. It was gloomy with a few lights on the stage and that was it, with the band setting up their instruments (keyboard, violin and a bloke sitting on a wooden box as drums).

Shortly after 7:10pm, someone got on stage in a coat and scarf, carrying a few bags, someone with shoulder-length brown hair. Off came the scarf, coat goes on the stage at the back with her bags and up stands Viv, putting on her guitar before turning round to say hello to the crowd. She wore a white pleated skirt, orange shirt with big collars and a tight suede jacket and said she hoped we didn't mind that she was dressed as a yummy mummy. I didn't mind at all.

The three-piece band came on and, just as they were about to start the first song, Viv's mobile phone went off! She said 'It's probably just Mick...' and crouched down to rummage for her phone and switch it off.

Viv and her band played four songs: 'Don't Believe', ' Becalmed (I Should've Known)' (a song for when you've cocked up big time), 'I Want More' (which is what Viv thinks about before bedtime) and 'Confessions Of A MILF' (I love the line when the little wife sings 'I chose being an artist over being a wife so now I'm going to lead a very lovely life'). They're all favourites so I was happy. I sung along and tapped my feet and nodded my head in time to the beat (man).

There was a slight moment of annoyance during 'I Want More' when a late arrival decided to push past behind me to get to the other side of the room and the bloke politely said 'sorry'. Co-incidentally, Viv fluffed the words and stopped the song to start it again and do it properly so I got the full song and could focus on it and thoroughly enjoy it, joining in to sing, 'No compromise, I want more!”. The bloke? O yeah, that was Mick Jones. I've never met a Clash before (I know it's not quite meeting, but y'know...).

After the four songs the three-piece band left the stage and Viv picked up her MacBook to read from her forthcoming autobiography. She joked that she'd increased the size of the text (and showed us the screen to prove it) to avoid having to go to Specsavers. She then read out the chapter about the White Riot tour with the Clash in 1977 with references to Mick Jones and how they split up at the end of the tour. It's remarkably honest and Viv is terribly brave reading it out knowing that he's in the audience. She also got a lot of laughs as she told the tale of Norman, the tour bus driver, refusing to drive if the Slits were on board and having to be bribed, of locking Ari Up in the toilet so she didn't dance in the aisle of the bus, and the support bands getting together on the final night of the tour to jam a version of the Velvet's 'Sister Ray'.

Part of what Viv read aloud was to do with the gig in Newcastle. Viv recalled it as being and looking poor and grey. My memories of Newcastle in the '70s are definitely on the grey side, lacking in colour and life, so I share her views. I found this blog about the gig (that I didn't attend since I wasn't a student but I bought the record) and it shares some of Viv's recollections.

Then it was all over. Viv said goodnight and we did the clap-clap-clap thing until the background music started playing again and Viv put her laptop away. People started moving away, space cleared and that was it. I didn't take any photos since it didn't seem right.

I moved to the side of the stage thinking, 'I'm not leaving without saying hello' and, of course, Viv was chatting to someone she seemed to know, then someone else came up and someone else for a hug. I'm standing there. Then I thought, if I don't say something I'll miss my chance so I said, 'Hello Viv, loved the show' and she started chatting to me. Asked my name and, after I told her she replied with 'O yes, you're one of my backers, thank you' – I was quietly delighted to be remembered!

I said I was pleased she'd played 'I Want More' since it's one of my favourites and that I agreed with what she'd said about Newcastle on the White Riot tour. She told me to pick up my freebies (that I think of as presents) from the desk at the front and told me to get a poster, a handwritten setlist and a CD single. I said 'bye' and she said 'bye'.

On the way out I had to squeeze past Glen Matlock. I think he's stalking me … After meeting him a few times at gigs over the last year or so I've decided he seems to follow me round (the cheeky fellow, but he obviously knows that I know the best places to go).

Then I went up to the front desk to pick up my presents, carefully rolled up the (numbered) poster to carry home as a trophy and left the club with a big smile on my face and lots of memories to cherish as I headed to Tottenham Court Road station. I felt a bit like a teenager again, seeing a hero and rushing home holding my trophies carefully. I listened to Viv on my iPod on the way home (a big difference from being a teenager), thinking and reminiscing.

Viv was fab. She sang songs, she did riffing, she did chatting, she did reading, she did laughing, she did intense honesty and she did loveliness. She is a hero. She's playing at Nambucca, a club on Holloway Road on 23 February so I've bought tickets to see her. It is my job as a fan.  As I've blogged before, it's the job of my heroes to tell me about new records, books and tours and it's my job to get them, attend gigs and tell everyone I can about them. It's a sacred deal, y'know.

Some Day All The Adults Will Die - Hayward Gallery

I went along to see 'Some Day All The Adults Will Die: Punk Design 1971-1984', a small exhibition at The Hayward Gallery last week to see the roots of punk design and how it evolved but I think it's over-selling itself somewhat. Bill it as an exhibition of posters, fanzines and limited-edition 7” singles and I'm with you all the way. 

It's only two small rooms plus a corridor upstairs at the Hayward but it was packed with memories and smiles for me. There were lots of references to the Sex Pistols but I saw nothing for The Clash or X-Ray Spex, and only one mention of The Jam. Lots of the names of bands meant nothing to me (but probably meant everything to the curator) since we were in the territory of bands coming together for a few gigs and then splitting into various off-shoots but it was the energy and enthusiasm that seeped from the posters and records that entranced me. This was DIY culture writ large.

I loved glancing around the wall of fanzines and spotting an edition I'd actually bought back in the day. Then looking over the wall of 7” singles and seeing a rather battered cover for the Swell Maps whereas mine is rather more pristine. I also loved looking in a glass case at some cassette singles – were they in a a glass because they were cassettes (a now lost technology to anyone under 30) or because they were rare? I don't know, but it made me smile.

The whole exhibition made me smile. It's rather incomplete in that there's nothing about fashion or any of the other visual or tactile arts – it really is about posters, record covers and fanzines and there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe one day we'll get a more all-encompassing exhibition about punk, but not today. If you're at a loose end on the Southbank with half an hour (or less) to spare the head on over to the Hayward Gallery and take a look.

Panda Eyes

If you mention 'panda eyes' to me then I think of three things: 1) pandas, 2) Dusty Springfield, and 3) Gaye Advert (Black).

Gaye Black is part of a new art exhibition titled, 'Pandamonium' at the Signal Gallery. It was the Signal that hosted the small but fascinating 'Punk & Beyond' exhibition curated by Gaye Black last year so it's nice to see Gaye involved in another exhibition there.

I've said it before (and will probably say it again) but in the punk late '70s everyone loved Gaye Advert. Before Debbie Harry there was Gaye Advert. I suspect she hated being the poster girl for punk but at least she was never seen in anything other than a tee shirt and leather jacket. And, of course, her panda eyes.

Here's one of the grown-up Gaye Black's artworks in the exhibition - I love the pirate symbolism:

Never Mind The Expanded Bollocks

It's 35 years since 'Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols' was released and, to celebrate the anniversary, the Pistols have signed their back catalogue to Universal Music UK and will be releasing an expanded version of the album. The announcement from John Lydon states:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Sex Pistols have left Virgin Records to sign to Universal Music Catalogue UK. The back catalogue deal will be for the world excluding North America.

"Music can be great, when done by the great.
The Sex Pistols are the greatest.
Universal now has a trophy room,
Music is the imitation of nature,
The Sex Pistols are nature,
So please give generously.
Thank You"
Johnny Rotten

An expanded and repackaged edition of 'Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols' will be scheduled for release later in 2012 to commemorate its 35th anniversary. There will also be other releases throughout 2012 and beyond.

Famous for inspiring a generation to rise against the musical establishment in the late 1970s, the Sex Pistols changed the face of music and popular culture overnight with one of the most influential and controversial records in British music history. 35 years after its release, Never Mind The Bollocks and the Sex Pistols' legacy continues to grow as new generations discover its powerful message and still relevant, seminal songs.

Look out for more information on the new releases soon... Keep an eye on SexPistolsOfficial.Com and www.facebook.com/sexpistolsofficial...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm intrigued by what might be included on an expanded version of the record but we'll no doubt find out in good time. It would be nice to think there'll be gigs later in the year to promote the release ....

The Complete Poly Styrene?

Every now and then I see incorrect statements about Poly Styrene's career and I yearn to put them right. Statements that X-Ray Spex only made one album and that Poly only did two solo albums, both incorrect. So, for my own peace of mind, I'm laying down what I think is Poly's full discography - I'm sure I'll miss something out or not know of some musical foray some place - so please feel free to add to this post if you know of something I've missed.

Silly Billy/What A Way [Single 1976]

Poly's first single was under her own (shortened) name of Mari Elliott. 'Silly Billy' is a pop reggae song about a girl who falls pregnant by a lad called Billy Smith who vanishes to Kingston. "Billy you silly to mess with this filly" isn't one of Poly's best lyrics but I always like the inventiveness of using an unplanned pregnancy as the theme for her first foray into the music biz. 'What A Way' was the 'b' side of the single and it's laid back, almost jazzy Caribbean reggae sunshine sound reminds me of the sound of Poly's first solo album, 'Translucence'.

Little Mari Elliott then emerged later in 1976, fully formed as the magnificent Poly Styrene with her anthem, 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!'

Oh Bondage Up Yours/I Am A Cliche [Single 1977]

The first X-Ray Spex single screamed into our lives with the spoken introduction, "Some people think little girls should be seen and not heard, But I think OH BONDAGE UP YOURS! 1-2-3-4!" before the drums and guitar started and then the unique sax joined the fray. It still sounds young and frantic, challenging and full of energy. In one of her last interviews Poly commented that this is the song she'll probably be remembered for - her first in some ways - and that's true. But what a song!

The Day The World Turned Day-Glo/I Am A Poseur [Single 1978]

A threat and a promise, this was Poly in future-proofing mode, singing in 1978 about things we still haven't solved 35 years later. Consumerism, waste, the environment, greed - it's all in there in a powerful set of lyrics and thundering sound, dragging you along and into the song whether you want it or not. I loved seeing the Spex on 'Top Of The Pops' with this blasting out from the screen, Poly dressed to the nines.

It had that iconic day-glo world on the cover of the single. My copy of the single is on bright orange vinyl. What colour is yours?



Identity/Let's Submerge [Single 1978]

A great song about confused teenagers of any age, people modelling themselves on others and not being themselves. It's just as valid today with the celeb culture taking over the news and magazines. "When you look in the mirror do you see yourself? Do you see yourself on the TV screen?'.

Germ-Free Adolescents/Age [Single 1978]

A slower song for the Spex this time but still with a burning message about leaving humanity behind and becoming artificial through excessive use of cleanliness and beauty products. Be who you are. "Her phobia is infection, she needs one to survive."

Germ-Free Adolescents [Album 1978]

The three Spex singles all appear on the classic album, 'Germ-Free Adolescents'. This is the crowning glory of X-Ray Spex and certainly one of the top 50 best albums of all time in my view. It's been released various times, usually with an expanded track listing to include 'Oh Bondage' and 'I Am A Cliche' but the original track listing was:

Side1: 'Art-I-Ficial', 'Obsessed With You', 'Warrior In Woolworths', 'Let's Submerge', 'I Can't Do Anything' and 'Identity'.

Side 2: 'Genetic Engineering', 'I Live Off You', 'I Am A Poseur', 'Germ-Free Adolescents'', 'Plastic Bag' and 'The Day The World Turned Day-Glo'.

I know that's the right track listing because I've copied it from my original copy of the album. The edges of the cover may be a bit worn but it's from love, not neglect. Have I mentioned that this blog is named after Poly's song on side 2 of the record?

Highly Inflammable/Warrior In Woolworths [Single 1979]

The final single from the Spex, a mid-tempo song with the sax clearly in the lead with a staccato riff and with some early keyboard synth sounds in the background. This is a far cry from the savage sax and guitar of the early singles and makes me wonder where Poly and the Spex would've gone next if they'd stayed together.

Talk In Toytown/Sub Tropical [Single 1980]

The lead single from Poly's first solo album, 'Translucence'. It features early synth sounds with a sort of gentle reggae rhythm. Gossip isn't cool, kids.

Translucence [Album 1980]

This offers a very different sound for Poly, with gentle rhythms, calypso and reggae, jazzy in places. This is an album for lounging in the garden on a sunny Sunday afternoon rather than bouncing round the room in your day-glo socks. All new songs except for a re-recorded version of 'Age'.

The track listing is: 'Dreaming'. 'Talk In Toytown', Skydive', 'The Day That Time Forgot', 'Shades, 'Essence', 'Hip City Hip', 'Bicycle Song', 'Sub Tropical', 'Translucence'. 'Age' and 'Goodbye'.

Gods & Godesses [EP 1986] & Trick Of The Witch/Paramatma [Single 1986]

A four-track 12" ep, with the first track also being released as a single. The songs are: 'Trick Of The Witch', 'Paramatma', 'Sacred Temple' and 'Big Boy Big Toy'. I love 'Trick Of The Witch' with it's hard chugging guitar, synths and killer beats - why wasn't it a hit? "It's just a trick of the witch, she flicks the on-off switch...".

Love (by The Dream Academy) [Single 1990]

This songs is by The Dream Academy, a cover of the John Lennon song and sounds very much of its time, but Poly is there right up front in the mix chanting away. She also featured in the video.

Poly is also credited sometimes for arranging the chanting on Boy George's 'Bow Down Mister' but I don't know if that's true. Is it?

Live At The Roxy [Album 1991]

A short album of X-Ray Spex playing live at The Roxy in London in 1978, with 'Oh Bondage' featuring twice in best punk tradition of just keeping on playing your songs again and again until you fall off the stage . It's a live album and not particularly well recorded but it's a solid dose of real punk. This album is more for completists since the tracks have appeared elsewhere, most recently on the 'Let's Submerge' compilation album.

The track listing is: 'Oh Bondage Up Yours!', 'Identity', 'Let's Submerge', 'Plastic Bag', 'I Live Off You', 'I Am A Cliche', 'I Cant Do Anything', 'Oh Bondage Up Yours'.

Conscious Consumer [Album 1995]

This was an X-Ray Spex reunion record of sorts, with both Lora Logic and Paul Dean joining Poly and new musicians to make what I think is a great pop record. It doesn't have the raucous vocals and wild music of the first album but, after an 18 year break, why would it? The world had moved on by then and so had Poly and the band. It includes some great songs, some of which Poly played at the Spex reunion gig at the Roundhouse in 2008.

The songs are all on familiar themes for Poly - consumerism (of course), identity, her spiritualism, peace, vegetarianism, it's all there. My favourite song from the album is the final track, 'Party', that tells the tale of Poly going to a party and meeting all sorts of people. I love the chorus that has Poly in desperately honest mood: "Did you enjoy the party you went to the other night?/No, not really not really, no not really at all/I was bored stiff all night!" She then goes on to tell us about the boy who wanted to 'make love' to her, Prima who wanted to have a sex change and a guy wearing a tee shirt with the slogan 'destroy' (Mr Lydon or Mr Vicious anyone?). It's a classic three minute bouncy pop song and you must love it.

The track listing is: 'Cigarettes', 'Junk Food Junkie', 'Crystal Clear', 'India', 'Dog In Sweden', Hi Chaperone', 'Good Time Girl', 'Melancholy', 'Sophia', 'Peace Meal', 'Prayer For Peace', 'Party'.

Flower Aeroplane [Album 2004]

Poly describes this album as 'Mantra with muscle' on the back of the CD case. Half the songs are new and in dance-beats mode, the other half being re-recorded from 'Translucence'. As I wrote when I first got hold of the album through the X-Ray Spex website,

It's described as, 'An eclectic mix of soothing transcendent sounds with a metal edge' on the Spex site and as 'Mantra with muscle' on the back of the CD. The overall sound is calming and inspiring as Poly takes the listener on a trip on her flower aeroplane while singing a love song to Govinda. The album opens with the gentle dance beats of 'Atomic Rainbow' before moving on to the first of several songs re-recorded from her 'Translucence' album from 1980, repeating the jazzy-calypso feel that engulfs you in tropical sunshine. It works very well, the mixing of styles, a melange of journeys with Poly occasionally reciting Sanskrit prayers. And, in context, it works excellently. I was entranced on my first listen.

The track listing is: 'Atomic Rainbow', 'Essence', 'Beautiful', 'Spring', 'Shades', 'Sub-Tropical', 'Nice', 'B-Conscious', 'Airplane', 'Dreaming', 'Pink', Bi-Cycle', Earth Mantra'.

Let's Submerge - The Anthology [Album 2006]

There have been various collections of X-Ray Spex but this is my collection of choice since it has (as far as I know) everything from the '70s on it. It's a two disc set that includes all the singles and 'Germ-Free Adolescents', a few backing tracks, John Peel sessions, 'Live At The Roxy' and a bundle of demo tracks for the singles and album. It also includes Poly's solo version of 'Age' and the two songs released in 1976 as Mari Elliott.

Eye Witness (by The Brian James Gang ft Poly Styrene) [Album Track 2007]

Poly duetted with Brian James on this song on his self-titled album. It's very different for both of them, a slow acoustic duet.

City Of Christmas Ghosts (by Goldblade ft Poly Styrene) [Single 2008]

This song came out of the blue, a few months after Poly's triumphant X-Ray Spex gig at the Roundhouse in September 2008. Goldblade were the support band that night so they clearly hit it off. It's terrifically simple and bouncy, just what you need from a punk Christmas single. It includes the phrase that made me tear up when I heard it last Christmas, "Raise a toast to the ghosts of the friends we lost last year". That was the first time I'd heard it since Poly left us and I did raise a glass.

Live At The Roundhouse London 2008 [Album 2009 + DVD]

This is the CD and DVD package of the live gig at The Roundhouse in 2008. It's a lovely package with a good booklet inside full of photos and lyrics. It's particularly special to me since I was there that night and saw and heard Poly for the first and only time. It was a great privilege to see her on that stage a the Roundhouse, somewhere she last played in 1978. It was very lucky for me since I was going into hospital the following day for an operation so I went with great memories.

The songs included all the hits and bright lights from 'Germ-Free Adolescents', a few from 'Conscious Consumer' and a new song, 'Bloody War'. 'Bloody War' includes the refrain, 'Code pink, code pink, code pink yeah' and must be a relative of the very different 'Code Pink Dub' on 'Generation Indigo'.



Black Christmas [Single 2010]

Another single out of the blue that announced that Poly was back and there was an album to follow. It was given away free when you signed up to her mailing list and I did - I would've anyway! It's in punky reggae 70s style and it was great seeing Poly in the video with her daughter Celeste (who looks just like her mum). Needless to say, I play it endlessly each Christmas.

Virtual Boyfriend [Single 2011]

The first single from the album, 'Generation Indigo', downloaded as soon as it was available. Naturally. It was accompanied by remixes from Creep and from Leigh Dickson

Generation Indigo [Album 2011]

The long awaited album from Poly, 'Generation Indigo' was released on 25 March, just four weeks before Poly left us. It received universal critical acclaim and is full of perfect three-minute pop songs. As I said at the time:

This isn't an old punx last throw of the dice, this is a vibrant album full of hope and positive messages, written by someone who's experienced life and still believes in love and a higher spirituality.

One of my favourites (well, they're all favourites) is 'Electric Blue Monsoon' which I hear as a love-song to Krishna, although you might hear it as something else. I love 'No Rockefeller', an upbeat reggae skank reminding us that the majority of the world lives in poverty. I love 'L.U.V.' that tells us that love is all that really matters. I love 'Code Pink Dub' that tells us there must be a return of love and light and we need peace. I love 'White Gold' in which Poly wishes she could fly a plane of ice cubes to the desert. I love 'Thrash City', Poly's response to the madness that is modern London. I love the whole album. And so should you.

That says it all, really.

The track listing is: 'I Luv Ur Sneakers', 'Virtual Boyfriend', 'Generation Indigo', 'Kitsch', 'White Gold', 'L.U.V.', 'Ghoulish', 'Code Pink Dub', 'Colour Blind', 'Thrash City', 'No Rockefeller', 'Electric Blue Monsoon'.

The iTunes download edition includes a bonus track, 'Virtual Boyfriend (Youth Dance Mix)'. An early version of 'Code Pink Dub' has also surfaced on Youtube. There may be more in the vaults, songs that didn't make it onto the album for whatever reason.

Ghoulish [Single 2011]

This was a posthumous single and was released with a remix by Hercules & Love Affair. It was announced with the release of a great video to the song depicting a casting for a Michael Jackson look-alike. The video was made with love and ends with the words 'We *heart* Poly'. Which we do.



No Rockefeller (Wass N Burls Remix)/Black Christmas [Single 2011]

This final single was the result of a remix competition for 'No Rockefeller' and was released with the 'Black Christmas' single plus a remix of 'Black Christmas' by Khan. It was billed as the Somali Refugee Appeal single with all monies going to that charity.

And there you have it. As far as I know, this is the complete Poly Styrene - unless you know that I've missed something out. Have I?

Wouldn't it be great if someone pulled all this music together into a box set, remastered, re-packaged and high production values. How do you lobby for a box-set?