Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

Farewell, Poly Styrene and Phoebe Snow

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I was shocked to read that punk icon Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex died of breast cancer at 53. I frequently listen to X-Ray Spex at the gym to get revved up.

In other sad songstress news, ’70s singer Phoebe Snow died of complications from a brain hemorrhage she had last year. She was 60. Damn! Neither Poly nor Phoebe got as far as they should have in the music business. Poly was misdiagnosed as schizophrenic and later diagnosed as bipolar;  Phoebe dropped out to care for her severely brain-damaged daughter, Valerie. But what they did accomplish was special. Thanks for the memories, ladies.

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  5. I wish we were designed better, made to last.

    Phoebe Snow and Two Fisted Love. Why are these ladies getting older (barely old at that) and dying?

    Singing might be the best gift of all.

  6. Oh… X-Ray Spex, what an awesome band. Poly was cool. I can listen to The Day The World Turned Day-Glo 100X in a row and not get bored.

  9. Great minds think alike…I just made a Poly Styrene post at my blog.

    I loved X-Ray Spex so much…the band that inspired many girl punk/alternative bands afterward.

    I shall have to dig out my cassette of Germ-Free Adolescents to listen to in homage.

  12. I’ll never forget hearing all those commercial jingles Phoebe Snow did, thinking why these, why isn’t she a major recording star? And then I heard the story about her daughter.