Category: X-Ray Spex

X-Ray Spex

ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVEN SINGLES : #108

aka The Vinyl Villain incorporating Sexy Loser

# 108: X-Ray Spex – ‘Germfree Adolescents’ (EMI ’78)

Good morning friends,

when it comes to female-fronted punk bands, at least those who joined the party early, The Slits will certainly be mentioned, and so will X-Ray Spex. The thing is, you see: whereas Ari Up always left a bit of a childishly fresh impression, a little bit naïve even, or, at least, acting naïve – Poly Styrene did not. Quite the contrary in fact, she was the prototype of self-confidence, coolness and style. And as a black woman, just 18 years of age in the UK (and we are talking ‘76 here, mind you – NF et al on the rise), your admiration for what Poly achieved in those few years before the end of the decade – as well for feminism as musically – cannot be high enough if you ask me! Honestly, when you’re looking for a guitar-driven blend of Ska and Reggae, presented by a great voice, all you need is X-Ray Spex really! And if you don’t believe me re feminism, perhaps you’ll believe all those Riot Grrrls, Bikini Kill or Bratmobile or Babes In Toyland, who constantly referred to Poly Styrene as a massive influence when they started out in the early 90s.

X-Ray Spex already disbanded in ’79, which means that they weren’t able to provide us with a huge legacy, well, not in terms of records, at least: one album, five singles – but 50% of the singles’ tracks were on the album anyway. Then again, hardly a bad song can be found, all pure energy, clever lyrics, but probably the most remarkable difference in comparison to their combatants of the time was the inclusion of a saxophone – which, until ’77 was played by Lora Logic, a name which might or might not still ring a bell with some of you. Lora left though and got replaced by Rudi Thomson for the album, ‘Germfree Adolescents’, released in November ’78.

As I said, I could easily have picked any of the five singles, as they are all outstanding in their own rights. But I have gone for the album’s title track, I think I always liked it a little bit more than the other tunes

 

mp3: X-Ray Spex – Germfree Adolescents

And before you complain, there are various forms of spellings everywhere around, on the label, on the sleeve, all rather confusing to me: ‘Germ Free Adolescents’, ‘Germfree Adolescents’, ‘Germ Free Adolescence’, ‘Germfree Adolescence’, Germ-Free Adolescents’, ‘Germ-Free Adolescence’ … feel free to go for the one you like most, it’s your language, not mine!

Apart from that, the track is most ace, mind you – I’m sure you agree!

So enjoy,

Dirk

PS: for our overseas and continental readers: ‘S.R.’ used to be a toothpaste in the UK, hence the “cleans her teeth ten times a day, scrub away, scrub away, the S.R. way” – line …

PPS: Poly Styrene died in 2011, being just 54. Cancer sucks!

 

 

 

Damned, M, Members, Police, Sex Pistols, Sparks, Undertones, X-Ray Spex

SHAKEDOWN, 1979 (April)

79

I trust that the first three months of this series has helped to convince any of you who happened to be non-believers that 1979 was very much the greatest year for hit singles in the UK.  So, what did April shower upon us??

While I wasn’t overly keen on the Sex Pistols singles on which Sid Vicious took on the duty of lead vocals, (which is why Something Else was left out previously and C’Mon Everybody will not appear in future), the cash-in this month did hold some appeal.

mp3: Sex Pistols – Silly Thing

Virgin Records really didn’t care too much about facts when it came to Sex Pistols.   The info attached to the 45 states that it’s from the album The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle, when in fact it’s a totally different version.  The album track has Paul Cook on lead vocals and had been recorded in mid-1978.  The single version has Steve Jones on lead vocals, and had been recorded in March 1979, with Bill Price on production duties.

It entered the charts in the first week of April 1979 at #24, and in due course climbed up to #6 as part of what proved to be an eight-week stay in the Top 75.

mp3: The Members – Offshore Banking Business

The wonderful follow-up to Sound of The Suburbs was a reggae-tinged attack on white-collar crime.  Sadly, things have only got worse with the passing of time.

Offshore Banking Business was, in comparison to ‘Suburbs’, a minor hit, only reaching #31, and it would prove to be the last time that The Members troubled the chart compilers.

mp3: M- Pop Muzik

Some folk will argue that this was a novelty number and a bit of an annoyance.   I’ll accept that it did become over-exposed somewhat back in the day and became a bit of an irritant, but the passage of time has more than convinced me that it’s a bona-fide pop classic.

M was the recording name taken by Robin Scott, a man with a fascinating backstory in that he’d been in and around the creative industries for much of the 70s as a singer, recording artist and record producer, as well as being a friend of Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. He also worked with the then emerging film director Julian Temple.

Pop Muzik came into the charts at #53, and would go on to spend 14 weeks in the Top 75, peaking at #2.  It was also a huge hit in many other countries, and probably sold enough copies that ensured its composer would never again have to have any financial concerns, and enabled him to indulge in various creative projects over the next forty-plus years.

mp3: Sparks – The Number One Song In Heaven

I’ve previously written at length about this song, back in December 2016. I summed it up by saying that it was where prog met glam met disco met film soundtrack on one piece of 7″ black vinyl. I also declared it as the celestial song which cleared the decks for the likes of Soft Cell, Pet Shop Boys, Human League and Heaven 17 (as well as many other inferior versions of electro-pop) to come along in the 80s and make a fortune.  The one difference from 2016 and now is that I have since picked up a second-hand copy of the 45, having been without one for more than 30 years.  This one entered the charts at #60 on 21 April 1979.  It peaked at #14 in June 1979 while spending a total of 12 weeks in the Top 75.

mp3: X-Ray Spex – Highly Inflammable

Highly Inflammable was the first new song from X-Ray Spex since the release of the debut album Germ Free Adolescents at the end of the previous year.  It turned out to be their last piece of music for almost 16 years, as the group came to an end when lead singer Poly Styrene announced her departure shortly afterwards.  They would reform for live shows in 1991 and a second and final album would appear in 1995.  Highly Inflammable was their fourth chart 45, but where each of The Day The World Turned Dayglo, Identity and Germ Free Adolescents had all hit at least the Top 30, the final single stalled at #45.

mp3: The Police – Roxanne

Yup, it’s now 45 years since Sting & co. first tasted fame.    If they had had their way, it would have been a full year earlier, as Roxanne was initially released in April 1978 to great indifference.  But America went nuts for the song in early 79 and this led to A&M Records giving it a re-release over here.  The rest, as you might say, is history.

Roxanne came into the charts at #42 on 22 April.   It hung around for 9 weeks and peaked at #12.  I bought the re-released version of the single and that same time, having convinced my parents that going to new wave/post-punk gigs at the Glasgow Apollo wasn’t as dangerous as some tabloid papers would have you believe, I bought a ticket for my first ever live show.

The Police.  Thursday 31 May 1979.  There were two support acts.  Bobby Henry, followed by The Cramps.   I haven’t kept count, but I reckon I’ve been to over 1,000 gigs all-told now.  I still very much remember the first time.

mp3: The Undertones – Jimmy Jimmy

Get Over You had been a flop, so there was quite a lot riding on the next single from Derry’s finest.  Thankfully, the radio stations and record-buying public really took to Jimmy Jimmy over the spring and summer of 79.  It came in at #57, spent 10 weeks in the chart, and peaked at #16.    For all that it’s such an upbeat and anthemic number, it really is a very sad lyric.  One of the band’s finest three minutes, if you don’t mind me saying.

mp3: David Bowie – Boys Keep Swinging

I wasn’t quite at the stage where I was acquainting myself with David Bowie albums.  For now, I was more than happy to make do with the singles.   I had liked most of what I heard on daytime radio, but had never actually bought anything of his until Boys Keep Swinging.  It’s one of those that I can’t quite really put my finger on exactly why this really appealed to the then 15-year-old me, but there’s no denying that seeing it performed on the Kenny Everett TV show proved to be what would now be described as a water-cooler moment, albeit in may case it was in a school playground the next day when a fair bit of homophobic language was involved.  Little did we know the official video would create even more of a buzz.

Boys Keep Swinging came in at #31 on 29 April.  It climbed all the way to #7, and in doing so, gave Bowie his first Top 10 hit since Sound and Vision some two years previously.

mp3: The Damned – Love Song

Another of the new entries on 29 April.  This was the sixth single by The Damned, but proved to be the first time they hit the charts, and is all the evidence you need that the post-punk/new wave sounds had really become part of the mainstream.  It came in at #44, and before too long it had cracked the Top 20.

As I said earlier, and the whole point of this series, 1979 was a great year for singles (albeit the really big sellers were dreadful).

JC

Blondie, Buzzcocks, Chic, Clash, Funkadelic, Ian Dury & The Blockheads, X-Ray Spex

SHAKEDOWN, 1979 (January, part one)

79

Last month, in the final part of the year-long series on the singles charts of 1983, I promised that the next series along such a theme would be a 45-year look back at the 45s that were making all the noise in 1979.  The difference being that I won’t be looking at the charts in any depth, but aiming instead to celebrate (mostly) those post-punk/new wave/alt singles which attracted the attention of the record-buying public.  Makes sense to start in January…..

mp3: Ian Dury and The Blockheads – Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

Released in November 1978, it enjoyed a gradual climb up the charts to eventually reach #1 on 21 January, having patiently waited its turn for a couple of weeks at #2 behind Y.M.C.A, by The Village People.  It has proved to be one of the most memorable, engaging, enduring and enjoyable singles of the era of appeal to music fans of all ages and with all tastes. And one of the few songs in which I don’t mind a sax solo.

mp3: Chic – Le Freak

Another that had been released in November 78 but reached its peak of #7 in January 79.  It commemorates Studio 54 in New York City for its notoriously long customer waiting lines, exclusive clientele, and discourteous bouncers. According to Nile Rodgers, the song was devised during New Year’s Eve 1977, as a result of his and Bernard Edwards’ being refused entrance to the nightclub, where they had been invited by Grace Jones, due to her failure to notify the nightclub’s staff. The lyrics of the refrain were originally “Fuck off!” as that was what the bouncer had said as he slammed the door closed.

mp3: Funkadelic – One Nation Under A Groove

The only hit single in the UK for Funkadelic, and from what was their tenth album, having started out in 1970.  I wasn’t quite 16 years of age at this point in time, and my musical tastes were still evolving. I didn’t know too much about funk, but I recognised immediately that this was a very special sounding track.

mp3: The Clash – Tommy Gun

It peaked at #19 in the final chart of the previous year, but was still hanging around during January, and indeed beyond.  As Joe Strummer would late explain in the liner notes to the Clash On Broadway box set, he got the idea to write “Tommy Gun” when it occurred to him that terrorists – like rock and movie stars – probably enjoy reading the press about their so-called triumphs.  Memorable in the main for Topper Headon’s drumming sounding like a machine gun as much as the lyrics condemning mindless violence.

mp3: Buzzcocks – Promises

This peaked at #20 in the final chart of the previous year, but was still just about hanging around into January. It was the band’s seventh single, and had maintained the momentum, of Ever Fallen In Love…and indeed was a song in a similar vein, given it dealt with a love affair gone wrong.  There were no longer any hard and fast rules that such songs had to be sloppy.

mp3: Blondie – Hanging On The Telephone

This just qualifies and no more.  It was a big hit (#5) in November 1978 but thanks to its 11-week stay in the Top 7 meant it was still listed come January.  A fast and frantic cover version, it was the second single to be lifted from Parallel Lines….the real biggie was just about to hit the shops.

mp3: X-Ray Spex- Germ Free Adolescents

As with the above 45, this qualifies and no more.  It had reached #19 in November 1978 but thanks to what proved to a 12-week stay in the Top 75, it was still listed come January. A single from an album by a band whom I grew to only really appreciate in later years upon realising how much of an influence it all was on what was to come.

The intention had been to cover all of the month in one post, but having already hit seven absolute belters from just the first week of the singles chart of January 1979, it’s probably a good idea to draw breath.

JC

X-Ray Spex

ONE-OFF PIECES OF VINYL (4)

R-443144-1369250204-3615

I used to have three singles by X-Ray Spex in my collection, but they were lost many years ago as part of the shambolic episode in Edinburgh that I’ve mentioned a few times over the years.  I never got round to replacing them, mainly as they weren’t always the easiest to come across in second-hand shops, certainly in Glasgow.

A couple of years ago, a dear friend of this blog very generously gifted me a spare copy of Germfree Adolescents, the band’s debut album from 1978.  I was thrilled to be on the end of such generosity, not least as it took its place as the only piece of vinyl by X-Ray Spex in the collection, and given the price of second-hand records by post-punk bands, it is likely to stay that way for quite some time.

It wasn’t an album I bought back in the day.  I wanted to, but there was only so much vinyl that could be purchased from pocket money, the paper round and the notes placed inside birthday cards….besides, many of the tracks had already been issued as singles or b-sides.

At the time, I never quite appreciated just how young Poly Styrene was when her band became such an important part of the post-punk scene in the UK.  She was barely 20-years of age, just six years older than me, but the difference between a 14-year-old and a 20-year-old is about as wide as it ever can be in any aspect of the age gap….I just saw her as another grown-up adult singing with a band and appearing on my TV screen on shows like Top of The Pops.  It’s only as I look back at what I was like when I had just left my teens to see just how incredible an achievement it was for her to be up on those stages, even more so when the difficult upbringing she had experienced became more widely known many years later.

I’ve often wondered when listening to Germ Free Adolescents as to how Poly Styrene would have grown and evolved in the digital era rather than the late 70s.  She would have surely very quickly become a role model for so many people, disaffected or otherwise, while the music she and her bandmates were making would have found a wider audience than was the case – the album didn’t get any higher than #30 while there was just the one single to make the Top 20.  One thing for sure, is that she would easily have found a platform to express her views, thoughts and opinions and not had to rely on the whims of editors and reporters from the music papers with their own more narrow agendas and outlooks on life.

mp3: X-Ray Spex – Identity
mp3: X-Ray Spex – Art-I-Ficial
mp3: X-Ray Spex – Germ Free Adolescents
mp3: X-Ray Spex – I Am A Poseur

I am a poseur and I don’t care I like to make people stare I am a poseur and I don’t careI like to make people stare
Exhibition is the name Voyeurism is the game Stereoscopic is the show Viewing time makes it grow

As I was saying, Poly would have fitted in perfectly with the modern era, but back then the men who ran the music and entertainment industries didn’t know what to make of her.

JC

Poly Styrene, X-Ray Spex

POLY STYRENE : OH, TALKING HEADS UP YOURS!

A GUEST POSTING by flimflamfan

“Oh, for fuck sake!” “Whit!?” “Oh, come on!” “What a load of shite!” “Prick!” (whether male or female). These are but a small sample of my regular responses to interviews by nonentities (Talking Heads) all too keen to embarrass themselves with their ignorance re: the one, the only Poly Styrene.

I’m not one for musical heroes, although I’ll confess to flirting with the notion on a number of occasions, but Poly comes as close as I’m ever likely to get. She entered my life at a very early age and while I can’t recall hearing the previous singles it was the X-Ray Spex single Germ Free Adolescents that captured my imagination. I was indeed adolescent but couldn’t claim with any certainty to be germ free.

My friend, who’s family had ‘disposable income’, had an older sister and brother who regularly bought the most amazing music. The brother obsessively defaced his every purchase with his initials – usually in the top, right-hand corner with a inky. I owe a great deal to his musical guidance but, I digress … of course, he had all of the previous singles and told me that an LP was to be released soon. I wouldn’t be in a position to buy an LP so I waited …

Some weeks later the LP Germ Free Adolescents was released, and as was my way, I inveigled an opportunity to listen. It was breath-taking – every single thing about it. Everything! Once I achieved a little disposable income of my own (some years later), I would re-buy the LP if ever I saw it in a 2nd hand or bargain bin. I’d then give it to someone who I thought might appreciate it.

X-Ray Spex – Germfree Adolescents

I can’t recall being aware of the band splitting but I was aware that Poly Styrene was to release a solo LP, Translucence (1980) from which only one single, Talk in Toytown, would be released. I loved this LP. I still do.

Poly Styrene – Dreaming

In general, I believe it was panned for being too unlike X-Ray Spex. Musically, that could possibly be argued but lyrically it couldn’t. Even musically it would be rather a stretch as Translucence hinted at the sound of Poly’s debut single Silly Billy (released as Mari Elliot) and the b-side What a Way (1976). The comparison is there for anyone truly listening.

Mari Elliot – Silly Billy
Mari Elliot – What a Way

Somewhere between 1984 (I think?) and 1986 I acquired an address to write to Poly. Taking this as an invitation I did so and was extremely surprised to receive a reply – not from Poly – but from her manager Falcon Stuart. Mr Stuart may have learned to regret that 1st reply? A few letters in and I was informed that Poly would be going into the studio and new material would be released. It was all suitably vague but it piqued my interest and then some.

Gods and Goddesses (single and 4 track 12” e.p.) was released to mild disinterest to most but to joy for me. It was a superb release. I wrote immediately to inform Poly of my joy. How thrilled she must have been? The performance below pre-dates the release date by 3 years.

From this point on, until the release of the Poly’s LP Generation Indigo (2011), it was largely reported, in knowing musical documentaries, that Poly was a recluse no longer involved in music. This was not the case.

In 1990 she sang and chanted on the Dream Academy’s cover version of John Lennon’s Love – enjoying an extended appearance on the 12” Hare Krishna mix.

Live LPs and compilations aside X-Ray Spex had – if talking heads are to be believed – released but one studio LP – this is constantly replayed as fact. The fact is that in 1995 X-Ray Spex released their 2nd LP Conscious Consumer. As you might have guessed by now, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

X-Ray Spex – Party

Below is a video for a stripped-down version of Prayer for Peace – this version appeared in 1983.

Flower Aeroplane was released in 2004 and revisited some of the songs that 1st appeared on Translucence.

2008 saw her team up with Goldblade for City of Christmas Ghosts. In was also in 2008 that my wee world was gripped by X-Ray Spex fever – the band was to play London Roundhouse in September of that year, a day before my birthday. I had to be there. I was … but not before a little drama. I managed to damage my right arm – leaving it in a sling – just days before the gig. I was gutted. There was no way I’d be able to get into the belly of the crowd. Arrrrrrrgh! With my sling visible and my Amphetameanies t-shirt worn with some pride we entered the Roundhouse. I was buzzing. The place was all but packed and peppered with ageing life-time punks who could only live in London.

I was ecstatic. The band were just astonishing; everything I could ever have wanted they delivered and a little bit more …

As we stood to the rear ‘due to my ’disability’ we were assaulted by the most dreadful loud-mouth bore. On and on he went about himself and his career it was more than distracting, it was fucking disgraceful behaviour and that’s exactly what I told the ‘celebrity’ Paul Kaye. I also pointed out that I was here to listen to X-Ray Spex, not him, and that he should be fucking ashamed of himself. I swore a lot. I was very, very angry. Mr Kaye trundled off with some snot hanging onto his every word.  Prick!

You may recall, you may not – I’ve been going on a while now that:

a. I had a habit of writing to Poly
b. X-Ray Spex delivered a little more at the Roundhouse gig
c. It was my birthday – just about

I wrote to Poly (via a new address I had acquired. Scary, huh?) explaining I’d be coming to the gig and could she ‘do’ a little something for me. What a chancer. She did.

All is revealed in the video below. It’s a highlight of my life. I’m not kidding. If you listen carefully to the introduction at 0.25, you’ll maybe understand my delight.

In 2010 Poly released Black Christmas as a stand-alone single. It was quickly followed by the sublime LP Generation Indigo and it’s 2 singles Virtual Boyfriend and Ghoulish.

This was a standout track from Generation Indigo

Poly Styrene – Kitsch

To all those that promote to the notion that X-Ray Spex released one LP and that Poly Styrene was a recluse I say, fuck right fucking off! I haven’t mellowed.

I sign off with this. Not one of Helen Love’s best but I uphold the sentiment.

flimflamfan