Poly Styrene

Patti Smith may get a great deal more credit as the godmother of punk, but the archetype for the modern-day feminist punk should really be traced to Poly Styrene, leader of first-wave London punk legends X-ray Spex. Styrene was undoubtedly one of the least conventional front-persons in rock history, male or female -- a chubby, half-white/half-Somalian teenager who still wore braces, not to mention a loud Dayglo wardrobe. She sang in a raw, untutored scream that quavered and shook when she looked to extend her range, a vocal style echoed by riot grrls like Kathleen Hanna and Corin Tucker. Witty and intelligent, she attacked corporations, consumerism, and artificiality with a winning sense of humor. Mixed feelings about her time in the public eye helped lead to a quick exit from the music business, but her place in punk history was already secure.

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