[15] X-Ray Spex's other distinctive musical element was Poly Styrene's voice, which has been variously described as "effervescently discordant"[16] and "powerful enough to drill holes through sheet metal".

Born in 1957 in Bromley, Kent, to a Somali father and a British mother, Poly Styrene became the group's public face, and remains one of the most memorable front-women to emerge from the punk movement.

Mark Paytress recounts in the liner notes for the 2002 compilation, The Anthology, that Jah Wobble, Rotten's longtime friend and bassist for his post-punk venture PiL, once described Styrene as a "strange girl who often talked of hallucinating.

"[21] Styrene was inspired to form a band by seeing the Sex Pistols in Hastings and, through their live performances, she and X-Ray Spex became one of the most talked about acts on the infant punk scene.

[24] The publicity from this gig led to a "near residency", particularly on Sunday nights, at 'The Man in the Moon' pub, King's Road, Chelsea, and record label interest.

With the exception of "Identity", which was partially based on Styrene witnessing Bromley Contingent member Tracie O'Keefe slash her wrists in the restroom of the Roxy, the rest of Germfree Adolescents dealt with the anti consumerist theme.

[30] X-Ray Spex played at 'Front Row Festival', a three-week event at the Hope and Anchor, Islington in late November and early December 1977.

[24] This resulted in the band's inclusion, alongside the likes of Wilko Johnson, 999, The Only Ones, the Saints, The Stranglers, and XTC, on a double album of recordings from the festival.

[17][32] One retrospective review described the singles as "not only riveting examples of high-energy punk, but contained provocative, thoughtful lyrics berating the urban synthetic fashions of the 70s and urging individual expression".

[33] The same reviewer in The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music sums up the band's 1970s contribution as "one of the most inventive, original and genuinely exciting groups to emerge during the punk era".

[33] In 1991, X-Ray Spex reformed for a surprise sell-out gig at the Brixton Academy, where Poly appeared in a blue foam dress with an army helmet (to her regret).

[34] The group reformed again in 1995 with Styrene, Dean and Logic joined by Crispian Mills (as 'Red Spectre') and Paul Winterhart (as 'Pauli OhAirt') to release a new album Conscious Consumer.

Jak Airport later worked for the BBC's corporate and public relations department under his real name, Jack Stafford; he died on 13 August 2004 of cancer.

[citation needed] The band including original bass player Paul Dean, played what was described as a raucous comeback gig[37] and in front of an audience of 3,000 full at The Roundhouse in London on 6 September 2008.

Bell said, "This film will be a celebration of the life and work of my mother, an artist who deserves to be recognized as one of the greatest front women of all time; a little girl with a big voice whose words are more relevant than ever".