X-Ray Spex: The band that made Beth Ditto “rethink everything”
At the helm of indie rock giants Gossip, Beth Ditto established herself as one of the most talented vocalists of the genre. Founded in Olympia, Washington, her group became known for their unique style of indie dance-rock, combining punk influences with a more modern sound of euphoria. For Ditto, it was the influence of old school punk rock that set her on her path to musical greatness.
Olympia has an incredibly rich musical history, a centre for post-hardcore and folk-punk genres, and an essential influence in establishing the riot grrrl movement. Perhaps this rich tapestry of punk attracted Ditto and her bandmates to attend Evergreen State College, where they soon set about forming Gossip.
Gossip were firmly entrenched in punk ethics, releasing their debut recording on the legendary independent record label K Records before heading off on tour with fellow Olympia punks Sleater-Kinney. While Gossip were more so embraced by the indie rock scene of the early 2000s than the DIY punk of the late 1990s, the roots of the band were illustrated by Ditto’s deep appreciation for punk rock.
Talking about her most influential records, the Gossip singer picked out Germ Free Adolescents by X-Ray Spex as a life-altering album. “I came of age listening to riot grrrl bands and queercore bands and I heard this record not realising it wasn’t new in the ’90s,” she explained to Tidal in 2017, “The subjects of the songs, the look, production…you wouldn’t know it wasn’t made in the ’90s, or even last year for that matter.”
X-Ray Spex were a fiercely original group within the first wave of UK punk bands. With songs concerning the horrors of capitalism, consumerism and female oppression, the band’s frontwoman, Poly Styrene, formed a truly unique voice against the backdrop of a male-dominated scene. Although the lyrical genius of Styrene went somewhat underappreciated during her time, the music of X-Ray Spex later acted as a huge influence on riot grrrl and queercore punk movements.
Queercore, as a genre, emerged from punk rock during the 1980s, often rebelling against societal attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community. Although Poly Styrene was not openly part of that community, her lyrics, which often centred around gender identity and oppression, overlapped with many of the themes common within the queercore movement. Testament to the pioneering sounds of X-Ray Spex, Ditto continued, “Sort of the way I felt about the first time I heard the Wipers and wondered, ‘Who is this Nirvana ripoff band?’ Those bands that stop you in your tracks and make you rethink everything you thought you knew!”
Ditto disbanded Gossip in 2016 to pursue fashion, as well as a solo career. Her debut solo album, Fake Sugar, embraced southern rock influences and a generally more mellow sound as opposed to the intense dance-rock of Gossip. Nevertheless, the incredible influence of artists like Poly Styrene and X-Ray Spex remains obvious within her sound.
