Poly Styrene
Poly Styrene (3 July 1957 – 25 April 2011),[1][2] was a British musician. She was best known as the singer in the early punk rock band X-Ray Spex.
Poly Styrene | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Marianne Joan Elliott-Said |
| Born | 3 July 1957 Bromley, Kent, England |
| Died | 25 April 2011 (aged 53) Sussex, England |
| Genres | Punk, rock, New Wave, dub |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, songwriter |
| Years active | 1976–2011 |
| Labels | Universal, EMI/Virgin, Future Noise Music |
| Associated acts | X-Ray Spex |
Early life
She was born in 1957 in Bromley, Kent, and raised in Brixton, London.[3] Her mother raised her alone.[4] Her father was a Somali aristocrat.[5][6] She ran away from home as a teenager and lived in empty houses.[4] She saw the Sex Pistols perform on her birthday in 1975.[7] That gave her the idea to start her own punk band X-Ray Spex. She was an unusual music start because she wore braces, was mixed race, and dressed differently.[8]
Personal life
Poly Styrene's real name was Marianne Joan Elliott-Said. She lived in St Leonards, East Sussex.[5] She joined the Hare Krishna movement in 1983.[9]
In 1991, Poly Styrene was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.[3] She had breast cancer which metastasised to her spine. She died of breast cancer on 25 April 2011 at the age of 53.[1][2][10]
List of solo recordings
Albums
- Translucence (United Artists, 1980)
- Flower Aeroplane (2004)[11]
- Generation Indigo (Future Noise Music, 2011)
EPs
- Gods & Goddesses (Awesome, 1986)
Singles
- "Silly Billy"/"What A Way"—as Mari Elliot (GTO, 1976)
- "Talk In Toytown"/"Sub Tropical" (United Artists, 1980)
- "City Of Christmas Ghosts"—Goldblade featuring Poly Styrene (Damaged Goods, 2008)
- "Black Christmas" (2010)[12]
- "Virtual Boyfriend" (2011)[13]
- "Ghoulish" (2011)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Punk icon Poly Styrene dies at 53". BBC News. 26 April 2011. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13193968. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Poly Styrene dies, aged 53 Archived 2013-04-20 at Archive.today, Digital Spy, 26 April 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Poly Styrene". 26 April 2011 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 ""The return of punk's first lady". [[The Independent]] 21 November 2008". Independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 August 2011. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Philby, Charlotte (April 19, 2008). My secret life: Poly Styrene, Singer, 51. London. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-poly-styrene-singer-51-811129.html. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ↑ Abbene, Jillian (2008). on the record with Poly Styrene. http://www.sugarbuzzmagazine.com/bands/polystyrene/poly.html. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ↑ "x-ray spex official site/diary3". www.x-rayspex.com. Archived from the original on 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
- ↑ "Poly Styrene Music News & Info". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ↑ "When 'gay' Boy George was rejected to be part of Hare Krishna movement". www.topnews.in. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ↑ "X-Ray Spex's Poly Styrene dies of cancer". New Musical Express. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
- ↑ "x-ray spex official site - poly's solo activity". www.x-rayspex.com. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2011-10-22.
- ↑ X-Ray Spex Poly Styrene to release solo album. October 29, 2010. http://www.nme.com/news/x-ray-spex/53626. Retrieved April 26, 2011.
- ↑ "Poly Styrene Takes Aim at Technology's Failings in 'Virtual Boyfriend' Video". Spinner UK. 9 February 2011. Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
Other websites
- Poly Styrene's official website
- Poly's Punky Party Archived 2008-05-26 at the Wayback Machine