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C&L's Late Nite Music Club: X-Ray Spex

Title: The Day the World Turned Day Glo

X-Ray Spex were, in my mind, the very best of the one-album-wonder punk bands. Germfree Adolescents is very nearly a perfect album, and then Poly Styrene got religion and quit.

Well, at least she's still alive.

By the way, this is a studio overdub; the track is taken straight from the album and synched up to the live performance. Still, it's such a great song. A somewhat more authentic video is the "Identity" video.

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15 Comments
calgarylady's picture

Punk music is not my usual choice, but X-Ray Spex is OK by me.

nickmagoo's picture

great tune, great band...haven't heard them in years! funny, she now sounds like a slightly poppier version of johnny rotten, especially in the verses.

WebHubTel's picture

Years for me too. Actually I don't ever remember seeing any pictures or videos of the band when I listened back in the late 70's. It was like all about the music back then, man.

She certainly has a clear voice, much better than the quivering vibrato that all these Idol contestants have, including Susan Boyle I'd say. I read a music critic that said a vibrato hides the fact that the singer can't actual hold a note. Either that, or I have no idea what I am talking about. Punk does rule though.

Cramthra's picture

Great song, great band, great video which I've never seen, thanks!

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

when female singers werent judged on looks alone

these women had talent and personality...which made them far sexier than the brittanys, the mileys and whatever else pans itself off as talent today

damn you madonna

want talent??? how about some nina hagen

new york, new york

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CST7XOxw4Dk

Lene Lovich - Lucky Number

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nu2QX3GU-U

Nina Hagen & Lene Lovich - Don't Kill The Animals

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi7kNz2U7Lc

ezdukowski's picture

Patsy Cline???
Siouxsie???
Romeo Void??

Janis Joplin???

Love ALL those videos you posted!!!

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

sad how women in music have devolved since the day

and it wasnt video that killed the pop star...it was corporate radio

and i love siouxsie...who like nina, still looks and sounds great

ezdukowski's picture
Aye

Quite frankly, pretty women bore the shit outta me...

lilybelle's picture

I never knew that about Poly Styrene. She always struck me as the punk version of a Susan Boyle. Oh to quote Leonard Cohen quoting Janis Joplin, "We are ugly, but we've got the music."

Great choice for the music club.

seatech1's picture

Love that 80's punk. Some great artists came out of that movement.

ezdukowski's picture

The Hardcore movement. Which has shaped me into the critical thinking, always questioning man I am today. DOA, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, etc. - yes, rock and roll CAN change your life...

Uncle Joe Mccarthy's picture

god, i loved that band

ezdukowski's picture

Still to this day. D. Boone - rest in peace. Mike Watt - STILL killing it!!

And I remember to this day, Watt talkin about how Boone wanted them to be "sovereign" states, which is why he played his guitar so high on treble. Such a great, talented, and peaceful man, taken from us, way too soon. And yet, Cheney, that evil fuck, still walks the earth...

Edit// -Did I forget to mention.... BAD BRAINS!!! I was listening to "Banned in DC" this morning and thinking; every 20 or so years, something comes along that shakes the fabric of RnR to it's very core, well it's been close to 30, and I've yet to hear ANYTHING that comes close to what these guys did.... stupid kids today.... GET OFF MY LAWN!!! arrrrggghhhh...

Urban Sombrero's picture

Thanks for the video Mr. Neiwert! I would have never put you and old school punk rock together. Sort of a strange bedfellows deal, but I'm glad a fantastic writer like you is an aficionado of the genre.

Pickels's picture

up yours. Besides, my mother told me little girls should be seen and not heard. They don't make'em like that anymore. God Bless Polystyrene wherever u might be.

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