R.I.P. Punk Pioneer Poly Styrene

Sad news this morning, made sadder by the fact that she'd just re-emerged from a long hiatus. Poly lost a short battle with cancer. She was 53. NPR's All Things Considered just ran a piece on her yesterday. A simple statement on her website, dated today, reads:

We can confirm that the beautiful Poly Styrene, who has been a true fighter, won her battle on Monday evening to go to higher places.

Love,
PS team.

Born Marianne Elliott-Said, as a teen she formed X-Ray Spex, whose Germ Free Adolescents is routinely listed among the most important albums in rock history, certainly in the annuals of punk. The band's "Oh Bondage Up Yours!", featuring her spoken word intro and unhinged vocal, is a one-of-a-kind landmark from that era (and for which we'd always reserve a place for it on the Modern Rock 500 at WOXY).



X-Ray Spex ran its course within a few short years and split in 1979. Solo debut Translucence came in 1980 before she gravitated to the Hare Krsihna movement, releasing the spiritually tinged Gods & Goddesses EP in 1984. Aside from the infrequent public appearance or X-Ray Spex reunion show, she pretty much remained out of the spotlight. Her first record in 7 years, Generation Indigo was just released in Britain last month.

05 80's-X Ray Spex-Oh Bondage up yours by club80s

08-X-Ray Spex Identity by tommy t

New Tunes Tuesday / The Big Beat 'cast 13

Bigger, badder and back like a heart attack, here comes the latest and greatest Big Beat'cast. A weekly fairly regular selection of handpicked tunes - mostly new - curated by yours truly. Simply press play to stream the show in its entirety and relive the experience of yesteryear: not actually knowing what comes next. Y'know, kinda like radio. Retro! Or, simply download it and listen at your leisure. If'n you wanna peek, the tracklisting is after the jump.

The Big Beat 'cast 13 - 26 April 2011 by The Big Beat on Mixcloud

Let's Talk About Blog, Vol. 2

...because there really was a Volume 1.  Just sayin'.

So, this 3-week hiatus has made for a pretty tidy break from the blogosphere.  To be honest, I probably went over two weeks between logins here and, for the most part, that's extended to Facebook and Twitter as well.  I'm telling you, my Klout score has been in freefall!  Truthfully?  I've enjoyed the break.

Now, before anyone gets the idea that I'm backing away from this li'l endeavor, well you're just wrong there, bub (or bubette, I s'pose).  But you know how whenever a sports season ends, you tend to take a little time away? I mean, unless you're just crazy nuts about (American) football, for example, after the Super Bowl you tend to give it a breather, right?   Same thing after the Champions League or World Cup final, it's not like talk at the watercooler is going to be who's gonna be in the semis in 12 months time.  It's just....time....to chill.  Well, for as much as I (and this blog) had whipped myself into a fine froth over SXSW last month, to me, it was like the season-ending championship game.  It felt like my entire blogging pursuit had been leading up to that.  So when it finished, I sought that season-ending break.  Got me? 

New Tunes Tuesday - 5 April 2011

Reverting back to the ol' NTT format to bring you a handful of new ones this week....


THE ANTLERS "Parentheses" (Frenchkiss), from Burst Apart -
[STREAM] The Antlers - Parentheses by Frenchkiss

WU LYF "LYF" (self-released), from Go Tell Fire To The Mountain
[DOWNLOAD] WU LYF - LYF by Nialler9


THURSTON MOORE "Benediction" (Matador), from Demolished Thoughts -
[DOWNLOAD] Thurston Moore - Benediction by brooklynvegan


KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS "Yellow Man" (Sixteen Tambourines), from Keep Shelly In Athens (cassette) -
[STREAM] Keep Shelly in Athens - Yellow Man by Sixteen Tambourines Recs


ERRORS "Magna Encarta" (Rock Action), from 7" single -
[STREAM] Magna Encarta by Errors


GRIMES "Vanessa" (Hippos in Tanks/Arbutus), from split 12" EP (w/ d'Eon) -
[DOWNLOAD] Grimes, "Vanessa" by The FADER


CLOCK OPERA "Belongings" (Moshi Moshi), single -
[STREAM] Clock Opera - Belongings by moshi moshi music


THE GOOD NATURED "Wolves" (Regal), free download -
[DOWNLOAD] The Good Natured - Wolves by The Good Natured


SIGUR ROS "Svefn-G-Englar (1999 demo)" (n/a) -
[STREAM] svefn-g-englar demo 1999 by sigur rós