Portrait of Poly Styrene As A Young Artist

In 1978 Alan Yentob directed a documentory about Poly Styrene and it's surfaced through DangerousMinds, so here it is:

X RAY from Zoltan on Vimeo.

The quality is poor and it looks like it's from an old video-tape recording, but it's great to see and hear the young Poly in the year that turned X-Ray Spex into pop stars with three top 30 hits (when that meant huge record sales) and their first album. It's a mixture of the camera following Poly around London and on tour, live footage from Liverpool (Eric's of all places) and Poly providing a voice-over. Who would have though Poly rode a bike around London? I like the short scene when she seemed genuinely pleased to be given a bunch of flowers.

Also on Vimeo is this live recording of the Spex at CBGB's in New York. It sounds better that the 'Live at The Roxy' tapes.

Poly from Zoltan on Vimeo.

Radio 6 Tribute to Poly Styrene

There was a tribute programme to Poly Styrene on Radio 6 last night with some of her classic songs, including her very first single as Mari Elliot, 'Silly Billy'. It was Poly's last interview and it took place a few weeks ago. As well as playing songs from X-Ray Spex and 'Generation Indigo', it also plays two songs from 'Flower Aeroplane' that have possibly never been played on the radio before, 'Beautiful' and 'Airplane'.

Poly sounds quite delightful, with a touch of mischief and fun. Her voice is breathy but she's enthusiastic and positive, wanting to talk and mentioning that she's planning to re-write a couple of new songs with Youth. It's lovely to hear her reminisce about the early days and it's all quite touching. I hope there's more to come.

It's on the BBC iPlayer for a week, so listen to it while you can. Click here.

"This One's For Poly..."

Goldblade paid tribute to Poly Styrene on Tuesday night in Seattle by playing 'Oh Bondage Up Yours', the classic X-Ray Spex song from 1977. The video isn't particularly good and the sound is awful, but it's heart-felt and that's what counts.

Goldblade was the support band for Poly's triumphant 2008 X-Ray Spex gig at The Roundhouse and she joined them on the Christmas single the following year, 'City Of Christmas Ghosts'. For the single alone, I thank Goldblade for making a new Poly song available, and it's a great song too.



Poly is reported to have said that if she's remembered, it'll be for 'Oh Bondage' and she'd rather be remembered for something more spiritual. I suspect she's right, at least by people who don't know her full and varied songbook. But 'Oh Bondage' was the song that made people first notice this girl with a clothes stall and an odd name. I first heard it on a 10" punk compilation in 1977, from the Roxy I think, and then tracked it down to see what was on the B side. And then came all the classic singles and the rest is history.

Also, here is Poly's last rendition of the song from the Roundhouse gig in 2008. It popped up on my iPod this morning and I couldn't help but break out into a big grin for the infectious fun in the voices and the raucous sax, so perfect. And, of course, as I will never tire of saying, I was there that night!

Poly Styrene - Channel 4 News 26 April

It's fitting that Poly leaving us was reported on Channel 4 News yesterday and here it is:



I'm not sure I'd have gone for Tom Robinson and Charles Shaar Murray as the talking heads but it's a nice piece.

There's also a nice article in the New York Times (that even name checks 'Conscious Consumer' but got the release wrong by 10 years). There are lots of articles and tributes from all over the world that show how important and influential Poly was, and how much she was loved.

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.

Kate Bush - 'Deeper Understanding'

It's nice to have some new Kate Bush music, even if it's a remixed old song. Here is 'Deeper Understanding' from the new album, 'Director's Cut'. It's an odd affair but seeing Robbie Coltrane with a rainbow in his mouth kill Noel Fielding can't be bad. Enjoy!

Rock Follies

Do you remember 'Rock Follies' on telly back in 1976 and 1977? If you do, you're probably of 'a certain age'. I bought the albums back then, 'Rock Follies' and 'Rock Follies of 77', and later the CDs and finally the DVDs. There was always some kind of copyright war over Rock Follies but I never paid enough attention really. I liked the music, the characters and the gutsiness of the show.

It was a strange time to produce a show about three women actresses getting into the "rock" business, with punk already gobbing its way through London and out into the rest of the country. The language and images in the show were all wrong for the time, and that was obvious even back then, what with all the hippyness, smoking joints and talk of drugs, ending sentences with 'maaan' and the like - that just didn't work. But we all forgave the details for the whole and for the Little Ladies, the name of the fictional group.

Julie Covington, Charlotte Cornwall and Rula Lenska meshed together nicely, each different but adding something to the whole. It made household names of Julie and Rula, and Rula is still going strong today and instantly recognisable with her mop of curly hair. Charlotte was always in a slightly different space, a bit more serious, more 'Play for Today' than sitcom. Julie made an album, had a couple of minor hits, sang the original 'Evita' (and I still think her 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' is the best and most touching), went on stage and was part of the 'Guys And Dolls' revival cast (that has been drummed into me). I don't know what she's done since.

Anyway, the reason for posting is that I woke up this morning with the chorus from 'Biba Nova' in my head, the blast of 'We're all gonna live forever' that livens up the otherwise rather camp song. Here it is:



That's from the episode when they're taken up by a rich businessman who want to get into the "rock" business and hires image consultants to mould them into a different space. I do love the chorus though...

This is more the Rock Follies I loved and still do, silly dance routines and all.





It really was ground-breaking for its time, with the narrative of the show being broken up by the songs and video sequences - they were always the highlight. More money was spent on the second series but it was still studio-bound. Just imagine what it would've been like if they'd been able to shoot some of the live performances in front of an audience in a real venue. I would've gone. A series with the same actresses set now, having them meet up again after all these years and swap stories... wouldn't that be a great idea? With a few new songs as well, of course. We can always dream...

'Monty Don's Italian Gardens' on BBC2

Monty Don, renowned gardening expert has a short series looking at Italian gardens at the moment on BBC2 and, tonight, he focused on Renaissance gardens in Florence. Naturally, I had to watch it.

It started off with lots of street scenes around Florence, grand views of the (not so green) River Arno and the bridges over it, a short walk through Vasari's Corridor, wandering through the Boboli Gardens and then out into gardens in the countryside around Florence. It was thoroughly enjoyable as Monty explained the artistic principles of the Renaissance applying to formal gardens, the endless greens and the surprise of colourful flowers, the statues and the fountains and streams. It was gloriously sunny. And green. Naturally, there's a book to accompany the series.

It's always a pleasure to see Florence and it's magnificent architecture and art - and I'll now add gardens to that list. It made me wish I'd gone there years ago - decades before I actually did. I need to explore it more, there is so much to see and experience in Florence. The only disappointment with the programme is that it didn't try to analyse the Renaissance landscape and garden in paintings against the reality of the Renaissance garden. Still, it's thoroughly enjoyable and I'll be watching the rest of the series.

Elisabeth Sladen

By now everyone must know that Elisabeth Sladen has died at the tragically young age of 63. Lis played Sarah Jane Smith in 'Doctor Who' for many years in the 1970s and again in the latest incarnation of the series over the last few years, as well as in her own series of 'Adventures'.

I grew up with 'Doctor Who' in the 60s and 70s and, for me, the classic period was the Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker years and Sarah Jane was companion to both Doctors. Her tenure coincided with my early teenage years and when I think of companions the only ones I can really remember are Sarah Jane and Leela (the warrior woman played by Louise Jameson). It was a delight to see Lis reappear as Sarah Jane in an episode of the re-invigorated 'Doctor Who' a few years ago and prove so popular that she got her own spin-off series. And, of course, the faithful K9.

It's strange how some people linger in the memory. I never met Lis and don't remember seeing her in anything else on telly but as soon as I saw her reappear in 'Doctor Who' I knew who she was. And was pleased to see her again. In part it's because I grew up with her on telly every Saturday evening for so long and her portrayal of a common sense and very sympathetic character has stayed in my mind.

It's sad when anyone dies at an early age and Lis touched so many lives. I hope her family can draw some comfort from seeing all the attention paid to her passing and the love and sadness expressed. Bye Lis!

Florentine Faces

There are faces everywhere in Florence, not just the people in the streets and restaurants but faces stare at you from the public statuary, from the walls of buildings and in museums and churches. There are faces of haughty gods striding through the streets, like Neptune:


There are coldly beautiful faces, such as Perseus as he kills Medusa:


There are influential faces like that of Machiavelli:


And the death mask of Dante:


Dante is also found in statuary, with his face based on the death mask:


And Leonardo da Vinci in a niche outside the Uffizi Gallery, along with dozens of other artists:


Possibly most touching is the self-portrait of Michaelangelo which he carved in his final Pieta, with the dead Christ held in his arms: