Poly Styrene was the first female punk icon I was ever obsessed with. I was in High School at the time, and really how could I not fall in love with this cute girl with bright clothes, curly hair, chubby cheeks and braces who thumbed her nose at all authority and conventions. Up until then I hadn’t really listened to or known much female-fronted punk. Not because I was all “girls suck and can’t play guitar” or some shit… I just wasn’t seeking it out, nor was anyone really introducing it to me. I sadly was under the impression that any good band with a girl in it, probably had one for the novelty of it. Oh and I also hated saxophones.

But in spite of all of that I found Xray Spex and fell in love with them. And while that didn’t inspire me to hunt down more bands with sax, it did broaden my horizons and lead me to Siouxsie, L7, The Delta 5, Bikini Kill, The Slits, That Dog, Huggy Bear and countless others.

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 center of it was Poly Styrene, 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.

Poly was only 53 and she finally succumbed to a battle with cancer late last night. Sadly, I haven’t thrown on any Xray Spex in a really long time. And I also feel a bit guilty because for the past year the Bloglin had been getting loads of emails about Poly’s new musical projects, none of which we ever posted about. So it’s a tough spot to not only learn of her death but try and fondly remember someone in my old age I now feel I’ve forsaken. But I guess that’s what sadly sometimes happens.

So while it may have been a good long while since I thought of or listened to anything of Poly’s, as a teen, she truly clued me in to the notion that girls could do anything boys could and be just as badass about it. She was as fuckin’ punk rock as it got for me and I thank her for that. She oozed rebelliousness in away that was never contrived, always poignant and is still unmatched. So much so, that when I think of “punk,” my mind to this day more readily goes to images Poly than say Joe Strummer, Joey Ramone or your street corner Crustos. So stop what you’re doing now and tracks down a copy of Germfree Adolescents and pay the women the respect for every incredible thing she helped spawn.

- My Pal the Crook