Poly Styrene Film

Poly Styrene Film

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TwigtheWonderkid

Original Poster:

43,327 posts

150 months

Friday 5th March 2021
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Heads up for fans of Poly / X-Ray Spex, the new film about her life, I'm A Cliche, goes out tomorrow (6/3/21) night at 9pm on Sky Arts channel (122) which I think is also on Freeview (11 perhaps) and available thru Now TV.

CeramicMX5ND2

7,697 posts

73 months

Friday 5th March 2021
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Thanks for the reminder! Will set my timer now...

vixen1700

22,860 posts

270 months

Friday 5th March 2021
quotequote all
Cheers for the heads up. smile

Oh Bondage Up Yours was my first single and they were the first band I saw as a 12 year old in 1978 smile

TwigtheWonderkid

Original Poster:

43,327 posts

150 months

Friday 5th March 2021
quotequote all
vixen1700 said:
Cheers for the heads up. smile

Oh Bondage Up Yours was my first single and they were the first band I saw as a 12 year old in 1978 smile
That's such a cool first single. Can't recall mine, but my first LP in 1973 aged 11 was Bowie's Hunky Dory, which I'm pretty pleased about.

Mr Pointy

11,206 posts

159 months

Friday 5th March 2021
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I thought we were back on to capacitors smile

vixen1700

22,860 posts

270 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
That's such a cool first single.
Must admit it's a track I'm really not that keen on and probably hasn't been played in decades, as opposed to:

Day the World Turned Dayglo
Let's Submerge
Art-I-Ficial
Genetic Engineering

Brilliant X-Ray Spex tunes that still sound great over forty years later. smile

droopsnoot

11,902 posts

242 months

Saturday 6th March 2021
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A bit of an evening of it - followed by "White Riot", a film about Rock Against Racism, the Pistols live somewhere, then a film about the Damned.

TwigtheWonderkid

Original Poster:

43,327 posts

150 months

Sunday 7th March 2021
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Enjoyed that, a very sad story really. Lora Logic ended up at the Hari Krishna temple too, doing the whole spiritual eastern mysticism nonsense. I wonder if she gets the irony of her name!!!

Really enjoyed White Riot afterwards. Think I might have seen myself in the footage of the march from Trafalgar Sq to Victoria Park, but it was so long ago that even I struggle to remember what I looked like! I recall X Ray Spex opening that day, Poly was right at the top of her game at that time, before she began to unravel.

vixen1700

22,860 posts

270 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
Enjoyed that, a very sad story really.
Yep, very sad really.

droopsnoot

11,902 posts

242 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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I didn't think much of the Poly Styrene film, but it was mainly down to two things - the very slow voiceover from her daughter, and the very frequent ad breaks. It was interesting enough as it went, but I thought it was an hour film spread out to fill two hours.

I did find "White Riot" a lot more interesting. A lot of unpleasant stuff in it, but it kept my interest a lot more.

Haven't watched the Damned film yet.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

196 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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I watched it slightly delayed so FF though the ads. Personally I thought it was a beautiful film that really fleshed out the story that I knew.

It was very sensitively done, even considering who made it and the historical references to her family history made it all the better.

A solid 10/10 for me.

AW111

9,674 posts

133 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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I hope it turns up is Aus one day. Germfree Adolescent is the first track I recall hearing.

And you needed fairly esoteric taste to find a radio station playing X-Ray Specs in 70's Australia.

TwigtheWonderkid

Original Poster:

43,327 posts

150 months

Monday 8th March 2021
quotequote all
AW111 said:
I hope it turns up is Aus one day. Germfree Adolescent is the first track I recall hearing.

And you needed fairly esoteric taste to find a radio station playing X-Ray Specs in 70's Australia.
I can imagine! John Peel aside, not many radio stations would have been playing them in the UK !!!

anonymous-user

54 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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They were one of my earliest gigs in the mid 70s as a teenager. Possibly headlining or supporting the The Buzzcocks or The Clash.

Ahh, wonderful times!

TwigtheWonderkid

Original Poster:

43,327 posts

150 months

Monday 8th March 2021
quotequote all
I saw them as a support act many times, always great. Then saw them at the Hammersmith Odeon (as it was then) when they were headlining, supported by, from memory, John Cooper Clarke.

Back in the late 70s in London, it was a gig every other night (probably why I ballsed up my O levels) so it's hard to recall who played where. I wish I'd kept a diary now.

Fabulous times.

anonymous-user

54 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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TwigtheWonderkid said:
I saw them as a support act many times, always great. Then saw them at the Hammersmith Odeon (as it was then) when they were headlining, supported by, from memory, John Cooper Clarke.

Back in the late 70s in London, it was a gig every other night (probably why I ballsed up my O levels) so it's hard to recall who played where. I wish I'd kept a diary now.

Fabulous times.
Odeon and Palais were my regular London destinations on the train from Great Missenden. I remember a rather raucous siouxsie and the banshees gig that ended up with the seats being ripped from their mounts and a massive fight erupting.

Like you, wished I’d kept a diary - and my ticket stubs.

LaurasOtherHalf

21,429 posts

196 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Thanks mods for the edit to the thread title

vixen1700

22,860 posts

270 months

Monday 8th March 2021
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Back in the late 70s in London, it was a gig every other night (probably why I ballsed up my O levels) so it's hard to recall who played where. I wish I'd kept a diary now.

Fabulous times.
I'm a bit younger than you, but yeah from '78-'83 being at school in London and the amount of gigs were incredible.
Starting in '78 with X-Ray Spex, Banshees and Ultravox. Then Stiff Little Fingers, Subs, Chelsea, The Antz, Stranglers. Punk nights at the Lyceum and Marquee, Killing Joke, Theatre of Hate. Anarchy Centre in Wapping with Crass, then Centro Iberico in Westbourne Park. Motorhead. 100 Club.
Jumpers for goalposts, oh yes.

My 'O' Levels were rubbish too. frown

lockhart flawse

2,041 posts

235 months

Monday 8th March 2021
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Twig, Vixen - we're obviously pretty similar ages.

Me too except I was in Leeds and Manchester 77-79. Saw lots and lots of bands but not X Ray Spex who I didnt think much of. I remember the bondage single coming out in Sept/October? 77.

Best gig ever was Delta 5, the Mekons and Gang of Four at the Uni in 78 sometime

vixen1700

22,860 posts

270 months

Monday 8th March 2021
quotequote all
lockhart flawse said:
Gang of Four
A band I never really got at the time or for years after, but have grown to to love their sound. smile