Women of inspiration: Poly Styrene

women of inspiration:

polY styrene An often overlooked figure in music history, Poly Styrene has recently reappeared in the

media, with the newly released documentary I am a Cliche. Benjamin Forrest takes a close look at the Sky-produced biographic show which explores her legacy...

In many ways, Poly Styrene has fallen into a certain degree of within the new wave/ punk scene in late 1970s UK, X-Ray Spex produced some of the greatest, most profound lyrics of that era. Despite this, the music press only seems to remember the Sex Pistols – the punk equivalent of a manufactured boy band – and the likes of X-Ray Spex are largely forgotten. Or so it was thought. Clearly, many people still remember the force of nature that was Poly Styrene, real name Marianne Joan Elliot-Said. I am a Cliché telling her story, was recently crowdfunded. It aired on Sky Arts.

daughter of Poly Styrene, as she retraces her mother’s steps and tells the incredible (and at points, heartbreaking) story of colour to front a successful rock band in the UK, a tortured genius, and undoubtedly one of the coolest people of the 20th century, but mainly of a mother and how her relationship with daughter Celeste progressed over the course of Poly Styrene’s career. The story of the documentary is told mainly through diary entries (voiced by Ruth Negga), fellow musicians and those who knew her. the shots of Celeste looking through her mother’s personal belongings are cut together with an unbelievable amount of brilliant archive footage, photographs and artwork - of which Poly Styrene created most. It truly is a visual treat to watch.

X-Ray Spex cannot be overstated, and this is shown within the documentary, if only through the people who speak Le Tigre, and The Julie Ruin. Pauline of Sonic Youth. Rhoda Dakar, of The work of Poly Styrene was to them, and to the greater music scene. Without her possible that the Riot Grrrl movement of the period including Vivienne Westwood and Don Letts, interspersed between the personal diary entries.

Image: Channel 4

A stand-out point within the documentary is the period of time Television and Talking Heads to name but a few. Spending the huge prevalence of advertisements and consumerism. These themes were obviously prevalent within her lyrics - for instance,

“It’s 1977 and we are going mad / It’s 1977 and we’ve seen predict how advertising has shaped or damaged the lives of people in the modern day.

Styrene’s time with X-Ray Spex, though that section of her life is undoubtedly fascinating. It also deals with her childhood as a child of mixed-race heritage in the UK and how it caused Marianne to feel like an outcast. The prevalent racist attitudes in the UK during 1960s and ‘70s with regard to the rise of the National Front and Enoch Powell’s infamous biracial perspective, however this documentary deals with the topic in a very informative way. It is an important story to be told in terms of the social history of the UK and is far too often glossed over.

Her struggles with her own mental health, her unsuccessful (or rather, unappreciated) solo career, her dedication to the Hare Krishna movement, and her glorious early 00s a story about a pioneering and gifted poet and lyricist, it is simply a very interesting and important story. The fact it credit she is due is a cause for joy. I am a Cliché is one of the most interesting and well put together music documentaries in recent time. If you are a fan of the band, feminism, music history or social history in general you will likely enjoy this playing catch up with Poly Styrene, not the other way around.”