ABSTRACT
Poly Styrene defied the White male aura of punk and gave girls permission to actively participate in the punk subculture. Formed in 1976, her band X-Ray Spex featured a saxophone in the lineup, which was unusual for a punk band; the group developed a distinctive sound which centered on the interplay between the sax and Poly’s loud and deliberately defiant singing voice. Starting with a spoken introduction that bears more than a slight resemblance in tone to a speech given in 1976 by Margaret Thatcher, the song announced that punk was humorous, not exclusively White, and not exclusively controlled by Malcolm McLaren. This chapter will explore the significance of the record, both within punk and beyond, by situating it sonically and lyrically within punk and within the pop music of the time, underlining its significance as a lasting legacy of female punk expression.
