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Concrete Jungle presents

X-Ray Spex

Photo by John Couzens

Roundhouse

September 6, 2008

ary Couzens

A review by Mary Couzens for EXTRA! EXTRA!

Back in the summer of 1976, when seventeen year old Poly Styrene formed X-Ray Spex, following an advert she’d run in NME and Melody Maker calling for ‘young punx who want to stick it together,’ there was no way she could have guessed that thirty odd years later, she’d once again be performing her original feminist anthem, ‘Oh Bondage, Up Yours!’ and other songs like ‘Germ Free Adolescence’ which, she and her group had been famous for ‘in the day,’ as they say, at London’s Roundhouse. However, the band’s many fans were up for this gig and stayed that way throughout, some of them forming, as Goldblade’s front man had jokingly referred to the ever-expanding gaggle of body-slamming, mostly male enthusiasts up front, one of the biggest mosh pits seen at the Roundhouse ever, at least in recent years.

When we entered the Roundhouse, there was no mistaking that the young woman performing onstage was Styrene’s daughter, the resemblance was so striking both in appearance and buoyancy as Celeste definitely has her mother’s optimistic regardless of subject matter being addressed, delivery, as evidenced on lines like, ‘I’m a loser, I’m a mummy’s girl, I’m just that bitch next door.’ However, her songs had more of a tendency towards Ska than the jazz flavoured sound of X-Ray Spex, which, nonetheless, still seemed welcome to many in the slowly gathering pre head-liners crowd. As we’d walked in while Celeste and her band, Debutant Disco were performing, we only heard their last two numbers, but the group showed promise, in particular their lead singer, with her vocals, reminiscent of her mother’s winning blend of sweetness and snarl.

Poly Styrene’s daughter Celeste opens the show
Photo by John Couzens

Second band Goldblade came on like gangbusters. As their many fans in the crowd shouted along with their songs, particularly, ‘Fighting in the Dancehall, F*****g in the Streets,’ their front-man, John Robb continually stressed that he was doing it all tongue in cheek as evidenced by his rolling eyes and manic body contortions, which were aped by the more ape like in the crowd and acknowledged with knowing smiles and chuckles by others. ‘My Name is Psycho’ was another big crowd-pleaser. The band played hard, rocking out with all their might, though, given the proper venue, which the Roundhouse, unfortunately, was not, it seemed as though they might have been opened up even more. As it was, maximum sweat was expended, with little return considering their hard playing and the front man Robb's strenuous, no holds barred workout. Despite the fact that Goldblade occasionally seemed to be firing blanks on this occasion, more due to the nature of the venue and the mixed tastes of the crowd possibly, the band did hit the mark sometimes, often providing comic moments in the process, with Robb at one point, putting his hand on the foreheads of those faithful to ‘the power of rock n roll,’ during one number, and toying good naturedly with a line-up of ladies, of all ages and sizes during another. One bespecled middle aged gal who seemed somewhat squeamish at the outset, appeared to be enticing, (or trying to) the drummer by wriggling alongside of his kit by the end of her two song time on stage, a breaking down of inhibitions which was great fun to witness. But perhaps that’s the point, that despite the fact that Goldblade would have probably needed to expend much less effort to be even more entertaining in a venue such as, say the 100 Club, they seemed to be somewhat out of their depth on the cavernous stage of the Roundhouse, despite all of their hard work.

Having said all of that, their front-man, John Robb seemed a likeable chap, despite his aping, and his band seemed as though given the right atmosphere, they’d be razor sharp, with an appropriately black, comic edge. Goldblade’s latest album, Mutiny was released on Sept. 1 and they are currently undertaking an extensive U.K. tour which will culminate in their appearance at the Rebellion Festival London, at the Forum on Sat. December 13, along with headliners The Dammed, and 999, The U.K. Subs, Penetration, The Yobs, Radio Stars, The Shapes and more, to be announced. www.rebellionfestivals.com

Goldblade at the Roundhouse
Photo by John Couzens

Poly Styrene fooled the crowd by opening her band X-Ray Spex’s set with her singular hit, ‘Oh Bondage, Up Yours!’ which, of course, opens with the line, ‘Some people say little girl should be seen and not heard, but I say…’ In light of the way elbows had begun to fly (with a little too much abandon for comfort) near the end of Goldblade’s set, in anticipation of the headlining act, the decision to open with the potentially madness inducing number, was undoubtedly, wise. For, as it was, once X-Ray Spex had begun their set, it was already no longer possible for us to remain where we were, four or five layers of onlookers away from the stage. As Goldblade’s front man had invited all of the shovers and body slamming types in the house to come down to the front, those of us who’d come to simply watch the show (and possibly dance) rather than inadvertently or, occasionally, gratuitously, beat up on our fellow man (or woman), were forced to step back in order to give the more aggressive amongst us sufficient room in which to express themselves. However, it’s a testament to X-Ray Spec’s and Poly’s popularity that by the end of her band’s set, we were nearly at the back of the house, where the sound was, admittedly, a bit better, though its muddiness had obscured most of the words of the songs throughout their set to the point that if you didn’t know them already, you weren’t going to hear them there. Pity really, as Styrene’s songs often tended to have more content than they were originally given credit for, and some of the youngsters in the mixed age crowd might have been surprised to realise that. The grand finale of the set was another rendition of ‘Oh Bondage, Up Yours!’ which found daughters Celeste and another young woman (didn’t catch her name) sharing a microphone with Styrene on the song’s pivotal, still packs a feminist punch - line.

Poly Styrene at the Roundhouse
Photo by John Couzens

Styrene herself was in fine voice and just as cheerily unpretentious as ever in a full skirted, knee length black chiffon dress, high antique gold Doc Marten boots and a fuchsia sequined beret on one side of her shiny shoulder length hair. Her bright pink lipstick matched the sash on her dress. As she sang ‘Dark and Eerie and Really Late,’ (a kind of punkified version of ‘Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh, My’ from The Wizard of Oz), a song which seemed to be as good-natured as it was fast and loud, it was remarkable to hear just how unique she still sounds, and to realise how unusual her vocal delivery was, and still is. The paradoxes being enacted between Styrene’s unwaveringly cheery delivery and the body surfing, slamming, and beer throwing going on in the audience were also something to behold.

The band itself was on form too, with its saxophonist wailing in at all the right moments, particularly on ‘Bloody War’, and ‘Oh, Bondage,’ with the drummer, bass player and guitarist all enabling an authentically vintage mix. X-Ray Spex was always known for having their own distinctively choppy, somewhat jazzy sound, and over time, it has come to be credited as being quite an influentional sound as well, as it inspired many rockers to incorporate a more jazzy, sax driven strain into their mixes. Though, in many ways now, it seems very much of its time. However, the fact that the band still manages to exude that late seventies garage band sound that newer bands just never seem to be able to capture is something in and of itself. So much so, that their set provided a well – executed, fond trip down memory lane. But, it was also one that served as a potent reminder that X-Ray Spex and their front woman Poly Styrene richly deserve their retrospective, but nonetheless, secure place in the annals of punk rock history.

www.roundhouse.org.uk

www.xrayspex.org

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