X-Ray Spex

X-Ray Spex were an English punk band from London that formed in 1976.

During their first incarnation (1976–79), X-Ray Spex were “deliberate underachievers” and only managed to release five singles and one album. Nevertheless, their first single, "Oh Bondage Up Yours!", is now acknowledged as a classic punk rock single and the album, Germfree Adolescents, is widely acclaimed as a classic album of the punk rock genre.

Career

Initially, the band featured singer Poly Styrene (born Marion Joan Elliott-Said) (alternatively spelled Marian or Marianne) on vocals, Jak Airport (Jack Stafford) on guitars, Paul Dean on bass, Paul 'B. P.' Hurding on drums, and Lora Logic (born Susan Whitby) on saxophone. This latter instrument was an atypical addition to the standard punk instrumental line-up, and became one of the group's most distinctive features. Lora played on only one of the band's records. As she was only fifteen, playing saxophone was a hobby and she left the band to complete her education.