Poly Styrene, most known as the lead for X Ray Spex, died at the age of 53 of breast/spinal cancer. She was an inspiration to me, more riot grrrl than the riot grrrls, and famous too for shaving her head long before Sinead O’Connor did. She was a trained opera singer. She was an early critic of plastic consumer culture — thus her name. Their song Oh Bondage, Up Yours has always been one of my favorites, a rallying cry; the voice-over at the start of the song intones:
Some say little girls should be seen and not heard.
I say: OH BONDAGE UP YOURS
FUCK CANCER.