After the passing of Ari-Up from the Slits last October ,the sad news today is that another female Punk icon has fallen at a shockingly early age.
Poly Styrene (Marianne Joan Elliott-Said) died yesterday of cancer aged 53.
Poly understood the DIY message of Punk better than most as she realised it wasn’t about slavishly following a set look or wearing an official uniform. She recognised that the whole ethos was not about jumping on a rebellious bandwagon but about finding your own self expression.
For women, Punk Rock was particularly liberating as it meant you didn’t have to look like you’d just stepped off a catwalk onto the stage. Poly looked frumpy and awkward but this was a major part of her appeal as it mocked the celebrity image that dominates the media to this day. Continue reading
