1 00:00:08,900 --> 00:00:10,777 I was a punk in 76, 2 00:00:11,278 --> 00:00:14,190 when I was 15 I lived in London’s east end. 3 00:00:14,606 --> 00:00:16,004 As well as being a punk 4 00:00:16,005 --> 00:00:20,838 watching the famous punk bands you’ve all seen in other documentaries 5 00:00:21,034 --> 00:00:25,167 I also became part of a band called Rubella Ballet. 6 00:00:31,566 --> 00:00:35,116 I met a lot of people and had a brilliant time as a punk. 7 00:00:35,117 --> 00:00:40,644 This is punk, these are my mates and this is called She’s a punk rocker. 8 00:00:57,583 --> 00:01:03,205 I was wanting to know having been through the hippy movement 9 00:01:03,206 --> 00:01:04,917 what was going to happen next. 10 00:01:06,915 --> 00:01:08,947 I remember saying at the Home office, 11 00:01:08,948 --> 00:01:11,933 kind of banging my fists on the table saying to them 12 00:01:11,934 --> 00:01:15,913 look you haven’t taken any notice of us 13 00:01:15,914 --> 00:01:18,283 and we’ve come to you with peace and love 14 00:01:18,318 --> 00:01:22,648 and Ghandiesk ideas of civil disobedience 15 00:01:22,649 --> 00:01:25,381 and with flowers 16 00:01:25,382 --> 00:01:28,285 if you don’t take any notice of us, what’s going to happen next? 17 00:01:28,286 --> 00:01:30,438 Its going to be much more aggressive. 18 00:01:30,439 --> 00:01:33,957 So I was kind of waiting to see what would happen next? 19 00:01:34,533 --> 00:01:37,616 What was the next generation of youth going to do? 20 00:01:40,279 --> 00:01:41,808 PUNK! 21 00:01:41,809 --> 00:01:43,252 I’m a Punk rocker. 22 00:01:43,253 --> 00:01:46,717 I wanted people to look at me and think what the bloody hell is that all that about. 23 00:01:46,718 --> 00:01:50,499 All Hell broke loose, basically everyone suddenly knew who punks where 24 00:01:50,500 --> 00:01:52,942 and punks were public enemy number one 25 00:01:52,943 --> 00:01:55,698 everyone was trying to attack us 26 00:01:55,699 --> 00:01:57,223 shout at us in the street: 27 00:01:57,224 --> 00:02:00,256 "Oh look you dirty punk rocker. Look She’s a punk rocker" 28 00:02:00,447 --> 00:02:02,585 I was a punk at the time but I didn’t know it. 29 00:02:02,586 --> 00:02:04,074 So I called it Punk Rock. 30 00:03:43,767 --> 00:03:47,085 I CAN'T DO ANYTHING. 31 00:03:52,807 --> 00:03:56,028 In the beginning we had our own version of punk 32 00:03:56,029 --> 00:03:59,806 we had our own scene in the New Kings road, 33 00:03:59,807 --> 00:04:02,404 it was small but it was fun. 34 00:04:02,736 --> 00:04:04,926 I was brought up in the worlds end 35 00:04:04,927 --> 00:04:07,827 so I kind of saw the whole thing unfold. 36 00:04:07,828 --> 00:04:11,681 And at the time a friend of mine used to work in Beaufort market 37 00:04:11,682 --> 00:04:16,496 and I used to go in there and you know that’s where I met Poly 38 00:04:16,497 --> 00:04:18,738 she had a little stall in there. 39 00:04:18,739 --> 00:04:20,616 I was selling plastic clothes 40 00:04:20,617 --> 00:04:25,025 so I used the name Poly Styrene for my stage name. 41 00:04:25,091 --> 00:04:27,431 Well I was a punk at the time but I didn’t know it 42 00:04:27,432 --> 00:04:31,482 do you see what I mean, It was like I had my own style. 43 00:04:31,483 --> 00:04:35,481 We used to go to Beaufort Market and there was lots of people in there 44 00:04:35,482 --> 00:04:38,140 one of the people I think that was in there was Poly Styrene 45 00:04:38,141 --> 00:04:40,497 selling her clothes in her shop. 46 00:04:40,498 --> 00:04:43,182 Then when I saw her stuff 47 00:04:43,183 --> 00:04:46,332 it was completely different from the kind of stuff I was wearing 48 00:04:46,333 --> 00:04:51,106 but I thought wow there’s a load of people that are kind of the same as me. 49 00:04:51,107 --> 00:04:54,507 Cos at the time it just seemed like a whole generation, 50 00:04:54,508 --> 00:05:00,212 alright individuals in a generation, just wanting to, we all kind of had the same idea 51 00:05:00,213 --> 00:05:01,886 and somehow or another it was like a magnet 52 00:05:01,887 --> 00:05:05,687 we were all drawn together it was really amazing time actually. 53 00:05:05,812 --> 00:05:08,292 Suddenly discovering there was something, 54 00:05:08,293 --> 00:05:12,962 People I could relate to and then we all became this community 55 00:05:12,963 --> 00:05:15,311 You see Punk wasn’t actually put as a label 56 00:05:15,312 --> 00:05:19,131 until about... let me see if punk started about 75. 57 00:05:19,132 --> 00:05:23,439 The label wasn’t given to us until about the summer of 76 late 76... 58 00:05:23,440 --> 00:05:25,386 We didn’t know we where punks. 59 00:05:25,387 --> 00:05:27,485 We just knew we were different. 60 00:05:28,617 --> 00:05:33,902 Me Mum went mad I started off just shaving my head, 61 00:05:33,903 --> 00:05:35,115 it was almost like a skinhead 62 00:05:35,289 --> 00:05:41,954 and erm I had my ear pierced and my mum went ape, 63 00:05:41,955 --> 00:05:45,978 ha ha a reaction, here I am you know. 64 00:05:45,979 --> 00:05:48,503 I was about 12 65 00:05:48,504 --> 00:05:54,186 and I went on holiday with a group of really trendy arty friends who were all punks 66 00:05:54,187 --> 00:05:55,804 people starting to turn into punks then. 67 00:05:56,463 --> 00:05:58,193 It happened in one summer 68 00:05:58,194 --> 00:06:03,388 and suddenly going from little classical snob who hated pop music 69 00:06:03,389 --> 00:06:07,751 I turned into this nasty punk rocker by the autumn 70 00:06:07,752 --> 00:06:14,488 I became involved in Punk in 1976 71 00:06:14,489 --> 00:06:17,006 when I got a job at the New Musical Express 72 00:06:17,007 --> 00:06:19,134 when I was 17 years old. 73 00:06:19,478 --> 00:06:22,471 It was just like a way of taking the piss out of the queen’s jubilee 74 00:06:22,472 --> 00:06:26,197 when Ari up put her knickers over her tights. 75 00:06:26,198 --> 00:06:29,896 We started to dress differently ourselves and because we were making our own clothes 76 00:06:29,897 --> 00:06:32,022 and we couldn’t afford to keep up all the time 77 00:06:32,023 --> 00:06:36,639 we would make things out of clothes we bought in 2nd hand shops. 78 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:38,284 They were different 79 00:06:38,285 --> 00:06:40,318 they were saying what they wanted to say 80 00:06:40,319 --> 00:06:41,926 they weren’t afraid to say it. 81 00:06:41,927 --> 00:06:45,934 they were dressed in a way which was then 82 00:06:45,935 --> 00:06:49,711 just wearing straight trousers and their hair spiked up 83 00:06:49,712 --> 00:06:51,120 and looking slightly scruffy. 84 00:06:51,121 --> 00:06:53,618 It was just really good and it was their own look 85 00:06:53,619 --> 00:06:56,133 to me it was the first time I’d seen this look. 86 00:06:56,134 --> 00:06:59,720 There was a photo in the paper with me wearing a T-shirt saying "Fuck off!" 87 00:06:59,721 --> 00:07:04,965 That Night I got a pair of old trousers took them in by hand and put safety pins in, 88 00:07:04,966 --> 00:07:07,313 I went down the chemist bought a packet of gold safety pins 89 00:07:07,314 --> 00:07:08,771 and stuck them all down my leg 90 00:07:08,772 --> 00:07:14,574 and got a white shirt of my Dads and wrote silly things all over it Punk and things 91 00:07:14,575 --> 00:07:16,393 I suppose something really silly now. 92 00:07:16,394 --> 00:07:18,862 Borrowed my dads tie and went to school like that the next day. 93 00:07:18,863 --> 00:07:20,055 And that was it. 94 00:07:20,056 --> 00:07:21,658 We were always different any way 95 00:07:21,659 --> 00:07:27,427 we dressed slightly different more like on the Avante garde disco scene, 96 00:07:27,428 --> 00:07:28,812 like peg leg trousers & plastic sandals 97 00:07:28,813 --> 00:07:30,331 before Punk came out 98 00:07:30,332 --> 00:07:35,119 I saw this girl who I think must be Siouxsie at Charring Cross station really early 76 99 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:36,707 and she had a safety pin through her ear. 100 00:07:36,708 --> 00:07:39,816 I didn’t even know what punk was and I thought brilliant idea 101 00:07:39,817 --> 00:07:43,165 so I rushed home got my safety pins in so I was wearing safety pins 102 00:07:43,166 --> 00:07:44,765 before I even knew what punk was.. 103 00:07:44,766 --> 00:07:46,961 At that time it was just things like having your shirt 104 00:07:46,962 --> 00:07:48,304 hanging out of your trousers 105 00:07:48,305 --> 00:07:51,438 which probably seems like no big deal now at all 106 00:07:51,439 --> 00:07:55,651 but that was a punk thing you couldn’t walk round in the seventies with your shirt 107 00:07:55,652 --> 00:07:56,921 hanging out of your trousers 108 00:07:56,922 --> 00:07:59,945 and women wouldn’t have a tie on. 109 00:07:59,946 --> 00:08:03,419 So I could wear that on the way into school 110 00:08:03,420 --> 00:08:05,139 and when I got to school I would just tuck my shirt in. 111 00:08:05,140 --> 00:08:09,054 They would literally paint the news onto their T-shirts that day. 112 00:08:09,055 --> 00:08:15,544 And so you became part of the news part of the progress 113 00:08:15,545 --> 00:08:17,547 with your artwork with your music 114 00:08:17,548 --> 00:08:21,589 and the women in punk were doing that too. 115 00:08:21,590 --> 00:08:27,444 Their style was a demonstration in visual art. 116 00:08:27,445 --> 00:08:31,172 What they were, where they were at and what they believed in. 117 00:08:31,173 --> 00:08:33,094 The thing is about punk 118 00:08:33,095 --> 00:08:35,990 and unless people were around at the beginning of punk to see it 119 00:08:35,991 --> 00:08:37,298 I don’t think people realize 120 00:08:37,299 --> 00:08:42,216 If you saw me as a punk then today I wouldn’t stand out 121 00:08:42,217 --> 00:08:44,354 because today fashion changes so much 122 00:08:44,355 --> 00:08:47,682 and what people wear now is what we used to be called punks in. 123 00:08:47,683 --> 00:08:50,461 It was basically just wearing straight trousers 124 00:08:50,462 --> 00:08:53,264 safety pins maybe a couple of zips, 125 00:08:53,265 --> 00:08:55,782 zips were everywhere you just sewed zips all over your legs 126 00:08:55,783 --> 00:09:00,082 a shirt you put your own graffiti on, names of bands & a tie 127 00:09:00,083 --> 00:09:01,956 We were all designing our own clothes 128 00:09:01,957 --> 00:09:03,056 and wearing our own clothes 129 00:09:03,057 --> 00:09:07,986 and instead of the fashion industry telling us what to wear we told them what to wear. 130 00:09:07,987 --> 00:09:11,508 I used to go out and see the punks I thought wow they look great. 131 00:09:11,509 --> 00:09:14,031 I was working in a really straight job with horses at the time 132 00:09:14,032 --> 00:09:17,715 and I thought that they looked fantastic 133 00:09:17,716 --> 00:09:19,216 but the people I worked for used to go mad 134 00:09:19,217 --> 00:09:21,329 and if I used to just put a pink rinse on they would say: 135 00:09:21,330 --> 00:09:24,444 "Oh my God, I hope it washes out by the time we go to Royal Windsor. " 136 00:09:24,445 --> 00:09:26,536 I dyed my hair white, 137 00:09:26,537 --> 00:09:29,092 well I was blonde at the time but I dyed my hair really white. 138 00:09:29,093 --> 00:09:32,982 Lets put it this way you see Billy idol you see how his hair was 139 00:09:32,983 --> 00:09:35,416 that was my hair and the boy stole my look. 140 00:09:36,146 --> 00:09:38,361 Well he didn’t actually, no offense Billy 141 00:09:38,362 --> 00:09:42,058 but he said to me one day we were at a party and he had like his blonde hair 142 00:09:42,059 --> 00:09:43,327 and it was kind of down 143 00:09:43,328 --> 00:09:46,008 and he said how do you get your hair spiky like that? 144 00:09:46,009 --> 00:09:47,484 And I said put a bit of Vaseline in. 145 00:09:47,485 --> 00:09:50,031 And the next time we saw him gigging that was his look. 146 00:09:50,032 --> 00:09:57,470 That tough look, that women began to wear in the punk style. 147 00:09:57,471 --> 00:09:59,665 For me it was incredibly liberating. 148 00:09:59,666 --> 00:10:04,183 In 1977 we said... 149 00:10:04,184 --> 00:10:09,110 people think little girls should be seen and not heard 150 00:10:09,111 --> 00:10:11,074 but I think… 151 00:10:11,075 --> 00:10:15,569 Oh Bondage Up Yours! 152 00:10:15,570 --> 00:10:17,220 1-2-3-4! 153 00:10:17,846 --> 00:10:20,781 What the hippy chick was meant to do was to sit at home 154 00:10:20,782 --> 00:10:24,302 and embroider the tares in jeans. 155 00:10:24,303 --> 00:10:31,558 The embroidered jeans was one of the icons or symbol of the hippy movement 156 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:33,674 what was so absolutely fantastic 157 00:10:33,675 --> 00:10:36,680 within the punk movement was that you didn't have to embroider jeans, 158 00:10:36,681 --> 00:10:40,336 you didn't have to do any sewing at all you used safety pins. 159 00:10:40,337 --> 00:10:46,595 Rips were ok, these little details to me was just fantastic. 160 00:11:02,680 --> 00:11:05,483 In those days you couldn't buy punk records 161 00:11:05,484 --> 00:11:07,675 no one had ever even heard of punk. 162 00:11:08,732 --> 00:11:10,620 If you saw another punk you would just stop and talk 163 00:11:10,621 --> 00:11:14,101 which is how you met other punks and know where to go. 164 00:11:14,102 --> 00:11:19,344 And at Local youth clubs I mean you just identified 165 00:11:19,345 --> 00:11:21,405 if you saw punks went there then you went there 166 00:11:21,406 --> 00:11:23,674 and that's how you got to meet other punks. 167 00:11:23,675 --> 00:11:26,355 That's how you got to find out about clubs and places to go. 168 00:11:27,346 --> 00:11:30,631 It was really, really at the beginning of punk wasn't it? 169 00:11:30,632 --> 00:11:33,904 Then it was about going to see the other bands play 170 00:11:33,905 --> 00:11:36,589 so we'd get the tickets for free for the Music machine 171 00:11:36,590 --> 00:11:38,858 you might have to pay for the Friday night or the Saturday night. 172 00:11:38,859 --> 00:11:40,681 But then you got lots of free tickets for during the week 173 00:11:40,682 --> 00:11:44,269 and I think, but I can't really remember the name of the bands now 174 00:11:44,270 --> 00:11:46,884 but they were like the first punk bands 175 00:11:46,885 --> 00:11:50,375 that you didn't really know who you where going to see until you got there. 176 00:11:50,376 --> 00:11:54,693 Yea then I started going to gigs Maharani kind have introduced me to that scene. 177 00:11:54,694 --> 00:11:55,639 In London at the time. 178 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:57,788 We used to go to the Roxy all the time. 179 00:11:57,789 --> 00:12:06,162 The Vortex, 100 club, it was just pure partying I suppose all the time. 180 00:12:06,163 --> 00:12:10,271 There wasn't much about punk anywhere really nobody knew about punk. 181 00:12:10,272 --> 00:12:14,135 Except for the music press wrote they wrote a little about The Sex pistols. 182 00:12:14,136 --> 00:12:17,840 What was the word I could use to distinguish 183 00:12:17,841 --> 00:12:23,896 this kind of music from pub rock or stadium rock or rock n roll 184 00:12:23,897 --> 00:12:25,735 so I called it punk rock. 185 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:33,688 It wasn't the best time to be in a band if you didn't want to be spat at. 186 00:12:35,554 --> 00:12:39,293 Doing long tours and things and always being covered in gob on tours 187 00:12:39,294 --> 00:12:41,307 no fun at all. 188 00:12:41,879 --> 00:12:44,211 I think we were spat at, 189 00:12:46,248 --> 00:12:50,872 because the press used to say 190 00:12:50,873 --> 00:12:54,935 and their fans adore them by spitting at them. 191 00:12:54,936 --> 00:12:56,860 This is how they show there appreciation 192 00:12:56,861 --> 00:12:58,155 and they didn't actually 193 00:12:58,156 --> 00:13:00,857 until they wrote it and then these kids come along 194 00:13:00,858 --> 00:13:02,463 oh that's what we do 195 00:13:02,464 --> 00:13:06,139 It was a nightmare going on stage 196 00:13:06,140 --> 00:13:09,874 and coming off covered in gungy green gob 197 00:13:09,875 --> 00:13:16,296 And we used to wear well I wore lots of plastic sort of protective clothing. 198 00:13:16,297 --> 00:13:20,650 In 1979 we played a gig at the Theatre Royal Stratford 199 00:13:20,651 --> 00:13:26,268 and it was invaded by Skinheads before we even went onstage we were playing with Poison Girls. 200 00:13:26,269 --> 00:13:30,951 The skinheads were there and they were being a bit loud abusive 201 00:13:30,952 --> 00:13:32,739 but not too bad. 202 00:13:32,740 --> 00:13:33,740 Then one of them spat at me 203 00:13:33,741 --> 00:13:39,466 I stopped and sort of had a go at him and he got on stage and apologized to me. 204 00:13:39,467 --> 00:13:43,349 In front of all the skinheads he was assaying sorry I spat at you 205 00:13:43,350 --> 00:13:46,487 which was just as well coz I was about to punch his face in. 206 00:13:46,488 --> 00:13:49,318 We'd play and because of all the Media attention when we played 207 00:13:49,319 --> 00:13:52,286 we got people coming up being very, very aggressive 208 00:13:52,287 --> 00:13:56,466 like throwing Lager over you and stuff like that. 209 00:13:56,467 --> 00:14:01,664 I remember I hit one guy over the head in Wales in Cardiff with my microphone stand 210 00:14:01,665 --> 00:14:04,346 because he threw a pint of larger over me. 211 00:14:04,347 --> 00:14:06,396 Yea well I kind of became her bodyguard 212 00:14:06,397 --> 00:14:08,812 we became like really good friends like sisters 213 00:14:08,813 --> 00:14:11,433 but also I was her bodyguard you know what I mean. 214 00:14:11,434 --> 00:14:14,232 Not that she really needed a bodyguard 215 00:14:14,233 --> 00:14:16,236 but to be quite honest as well 216 00:14:16,237 --> 00:14:19,803 I was ready if I needed to I could have quite easily put some one on the floor 217 00:14:19,804 --> 00:14:22,844 if I needed to and I did kind of give off that vibe 218 00:14:22,845 --> 00:14:28,243 vibe but I never really had to do that because you could actually laugh off lots of situations. 219 00:14:45,305 --> 00:14:48,933 Well I saw Sex Pistols on Hastings pier, 220 00:14:48,934 --> 00:14:51,594 I was about 18 actually it was my 18th Birthday 221 00:14:51,595 --> 00:14:53,285 and they weren't famous 222 00:14:53,286 --> 00:14:57,288 and I was just curious to see 223 00:14:57,289 --> 00:15:00,896 who the Sex Pistols where there was a sign outside. 224 00:15:00,897 --> 00:15:04,952 We all moved to London in 1976 225 00:15:04,953 --> 00:15:06,970 it was all kind of happening then 226 00:15:06,971 --> 00:15:09,275 it just sort of really tied in. 227 00:15:09,276 --> 00:15:11,028 We came up moved to Hammersmith. 228 00:15:11,029 --> 00:15:16,344 The Pistols just started doing gigs and The stranglers and everything so great 229 00:15:16,345 --> 00:15:19,030 we just kept going to gigs all the time it was brilliant. 230 00:15:19,331 --> 00:15:21,927 Obviously we were searching for something 231 00:15:21,928 --> 00:15:24,895 and then when the Pistols came it was there 232 00:15:24,896 --> 00:15:26,387 that was what we were searching for 233 00:15:26,388 --> 00:15:27,601 that was what was happening 234 00:15:27,602 --> 00:15:29,949 so it was like, Thank you. 235 00:15:29,950 --> 00:15:34,421 When Johnny rotten and that crowd came on the scene 236 00:15:34,422 --> 00:15:37,054 it was like a breath of fresh air to begin with 237 00:15:37,055 --> 00:15:41,279 because the music scene at the time was pretty crappy 238 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:47,455 and there wasn't anything I was particularly interested in it was all commercial shit really. 239 00:15:47,456 --> 00:15:52,418 Bit of a blur, cant remember which pistols gig was which. 240 00:15:52,419 --> 00:15:55,164 The one I particularly remember actually is 241 00:15:55,165 --> 00:15:58,244 Sex Pistols played The Screen on the Green, Islington. 242 00:15:58,245 --> 00:16:01,602 I actually went to that on my own, Tim was down in Devon. 243 00:16:01,603 --> 00:16:06,654 It was The Pistols, The Clash, The Buzzcocks brilliant gig I can't miss that so I went up there. 244 00:16:06,655 --> 00:16:15,238 And Paul Cook said I'll keep an eye on you you'll be alright, but no I'll be alright. 245 00:16:15,239 --> 00:16:19,532 You would go and see the Sex Pistols it was so genuinely exciting you would think 246 00:16:19,533 --> 00:16:23,087 well after this of course we'll be stopping off at Buckingham palace and cut their heads off. 247 00:16:23,088 --> 00:16:32,117 Gigs where interesting in that initially I got the feeling that the aggression was quite theatrical 248 00:16:32,118 --> 00:16:42,580 and in the very early days of punk that power and the anger was on stage, 249 00:16:42,581 --> 00:16:48,140 being angry as a creative expression. 250 00:16:48,141 --> 00:16:54,737 That began to be misunderstood and by about 1978-79 251 00:16:54,738 --> 00:16:58,037 there were other punks who actually thought the aggression was for real 252 00:16:58,038 --> 00:17:02,631 the gigs began to be quite hair raising because there was other people joining in the party 253 00:17:02,632 --> 00:17:04,252 but coming there to fight. 254 00:17:04,253 --> 00:17:07,216 When I was a little bit older about 14 or 15 255 00:17:10,300 --> 00:17:15,300 a few of us at the time were in the Anti Nazi League, Rock against Racism 256 00:17:15,301 --> 00:17:21,144 a few places that was all mixed up with the gigs and to do with being a punk. 257 00:17:21,145 --> 00:17:28,162 I think also I can remember at gigs actually which just isn't there now at all there was a big 258 00:17:28,163 --> 00:17:35,051 are the National Front Skinheads going to invade smash everything on stage and all that stuff 259 00:17:35,052 --> 00:17:38,519 I can remember that going on which people who weren't in London 260 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:44,321 or people who go to gigs now just don't know about. 261 00:17:44,322 --> 00:17:47,025 There was a definite there was always that threat 262 00:17:47,026 --> 00:17:51,163 that they might turn up or that there would be a big ruck or something 263 00:17:51,164 --> 00:17:57,334 I think that when Punk came out it was probably different to where the media took over it 264 00:17:57,335 --> 00:18:03,311 because it's in their interest to make it as sensational as possible to sell newspapers. 265 00:18:03,312 --> 00:18:05,915 It's like the Pistols and that Grundy thing. 266 00:18:05,916 --> 00:18:11,798 Some idiot trying to provoke people into swearing and stuff it's just pathetic. 267 00:18:12,707 --> 00:18:15,246 School was just unbearable in the sixth form 268 00:18:15,247 --> 00:18:18,769 I mean you'd walk into the common room, punk, punk, punk. 269 00:18:18,770 --> 00:18:22,276 By this time the press had written about it the summer 270 00:18:22,277 --> 00:18:25,111 it was just pathetic in the classes it was too much. 271 00:18:25,112 --> 00:18:29,922 It was highly intelligent and imaginative Oi punk was what they used to call out. 272 00:18:29,923 --> 00:18:33,959 I had quite a few mates who were proud to have a punk for a mate 273 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:36,991 as long as it didn't have to be them they weren't getting the stick for it. 274 00:18:36,992 --> 00:18:42,569 Oh Yes on the first day I went to school my secondary school oh big school you know 275 00:18:42,570 --> 00:18:47,811 and I turned up with green lipstick on and everything they sent me straight back home. 276 00:18:47,812 --> 00:18:51,918 Get that off, go back, put your uniform on, 277 00:18:53,402 --> 00:18:53,754 No I couldn't get the hang of it at all. 278 00:18:53,755 --> 00:18:58,256 You know you really could feel there was something happening a bunch of young people 279 00:18:58,257 --> 00:19:05,186 trying to be individuals at the time the beginning of 77 everybody looked very individual. 280 00:19:05,187 --> 00:19:08,464 You didn't go into a room with like 50 punks in there 281 00:19:08,465 --> 00:19:11,952 and they all looked the same there was like 50 people all looking totally different 282 00:19:11,953 --> 00:19:15,908 but by the summer of 77 the whole thing escalated. 283 00:19:15,909 --> 00:19:21,284 You know thousands, hundreds of thousands of kids looked 284 00:19:21,285 --> 00:19:26,113 we did at first like the beginning of 77 the end of 76. 285 00:19:26,114 --> 00:19:28,366 Do you know what I am trying to say it's like? 286 00:19:28,367 --> 00:19:31,296 We were the original style. 287 00:19:31,297 --> 00:19:34,178 The local hairdresser had a place where they shaved your head 288 00:19:34,179 --> 00:19:36,522 and they started shaving my head for me 289 00:19:36,523 --> 00:19:40,232 and I and I started dying it and this guy Steve would dye my hair in his back garden. 290 00:19:40,233 --> 00:19:44,651 And from then on how could I do it more and more and more. 291 00:19:44,652 --> 00:19:47,947 I just felt that I was myself for the first time 292 00:19:47,948 --> 00:19:52,079 rather than wearing girly clothes and floral dresses 293 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:54,194 and things like that where I always looked ridiculous. 294 00:19:54,195 --> 00:19:56,530 I suddenly felt I was me 295 00:19:56,531 --> 00:20:00,229 I was with people who were really yea you can get out of it, 296 00:20:00,230 --> 00:20:04,401 you can get drunk be yourself so that's what it was all about really. 297 00:20:04,402 --> 00:20:07,141 I wanted people to look at me and go what the bloody hell is all that about. 298 00:20:07,142 --> 00:20:08,684 I'll have to read up on it but you know what I mean 299 00:20:08,685 --> 00:20:10,684 unfortunately a lot of people don't bother reading up 300 00:20:10,685 --> 00:20:12,015 so they don't know what's going on. 301 00:20:12,016 --> 00:20:16,331 yea it was like I wanted people to think stand there 302 00:20:16,332 --> 00:20:18,689 and think what the bloody hell was that 303 00:20:18,690 --> 00:20:21,084 The fact that we could go out people 304 00:20:21,085 --> 00:20:27,948 and people where shocked was brilliant isn't it when you're 18 & everybody hates you 305 00:20:27,949 --> 00:20:29,314 you're getting a reaction 306 00:20:29,315 --> 00:20:33,826 all these people oh no you're dangerous you're our future, 307 00:20:33,827 --> 00:20:37,875 the future generation what's going to happen to society? 308 00:20:37,876 --> 00:20:40,037 I suppose we loved it at the time. 309 00:20:40,038 --> 00:20:43,587 One bloke said to me if that was my daughter I'd set fire to it. 310 00:20:45,029 --> 00:20:50,597 The way we used to dress mainly was provocative, wasn't it? 311 00:20:50,598 --> 00:20:56,196 really girls just wearing their blazers and fishnet tights probably nothing much else. 312 00:20:56,197 --> 00:21:01,060 And you know, dog collars. 313 00:21:01,061 --> 00:21:06,086 Girls wearing dog collars and their boyfriends escorting them on leads. 314 00:21:06,087 --> 00:21:09,410 Men especially where so frightened, 315 00:21:09,411 --> 00:21:13,806 and I would lie if I said I was not happy. 316 00:21:13,807 --> 00:21:15,210 when they were frightened. 317 00:21:15,211 --> 00:21:16,714 I was always trying to get into fights. 318 00:21:16,715 --> 00:21:19,406 The people I knew where always trying to protect me 319 00:21:19,407 --> 00:21:22,190 because I was young they would always try to pull me away from them. 320 00:21:22,191 --> 00:21:25,538 I have walked down the street and men have flinched 321 00:21:25,539 --> 00:21:30,333 The worse people where groups of young men walking down the street by themselves 322 00:21:30,334 --> 00:21:36,144 who thought they could be really abusive like insulting you and calling you names. 323 00:21:36,145 --> 00:21:38,387 I've got blue hair I've got a crop 324 00:21:38,388 --> 00:21:40,134 I'm young, I'm lithe 325 00:21:40,135 --> 00:21:43,501 I'm female I should be available but I am wearing a short skirt. 326 00:21:43,502 --> 00:21:46,086 I'm wearing a bra and I'm wearing stockings and suspenders 327 00:21:46,087 --> 00:21:47,719 but I've got fucking big boots 328 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:49,466 at the end of my feet and they've got big spikes on 329 00:21:49,467 --> 00:21:54,982 and when I walk down the street. I am totally not available, I'm so powerful 330 00:21:54,983 --> 00:21:58,267 People in east London were disgusted, 331 00:21:58,268 --> 00:22:04,970 I was the biggest Slag the biggest slapper, and the biggest tart so and so that there was. 332 00:22:04,971 --> 00:22:10,502 Both male and female alike nobody understood what I was doing. 333 00:22:10,503 --> 00:22:12,459 Why was I doing that? What's the matter with you? 334 00:22:12,460 --> 00:22:14,911 You're a pretty girl, you could be really nice if you tried 335 00:22:14,912 --> 00:22:16,520 No. 336 00:22:16,521 --> 00:22:21,068 When I was on the road with The Slits walking down the streets with The Slits, 337 00:22:21,069 --> 00:22:25,261 I mean it was just total hostility. 338 00:22:25,262 --> 00:22:32,090 People were just absolutely outraged that women could dare walk out in public like that 339 00:22:32,091 --> 00:22:34,368 making themselves look unattractive. 340 00:22:35,445 --> 00:22:39,889 In other words the idea that was very strong about punk women, 341 00:22:39,890 --> 00:22:43,877 you know we aren't on this earth guys to make ourselves attractive to you. 342 00:22:43,878 --> 00:22:47,001 You know we are going to be Beautiful for our own sakes 343 00:22:47,002 --> 00:22:51,032 in what ever way we want, it was like 344 00:22:51,033 --> 00:22:53,983 "Oh my god you're so ugly no ones ever going to love you 345 00:22:53,984 --> 00:22:57,956 shock, horror you will never get married if you look like a punk women 346 00:22:57,957 --> 00:23:01,827 and we would say actually fuck you we don't want to get married. 347 00:23:02,886 --> 00:23:07,168 Well it depends who they were obviously the straight blokes just couldn't handle it, 348 00:23:07,169 --> 00:23:09,419 why would you want to look so awful? 349 00:23:10,007 --> 00:23:14,452 I think most people who were brave enough to be called punks 350 00:23:14,453 --> 00:23:21,800 alright were punks erhhh in your face you know that kind of thing. 351 00:23:21,801 --> 00:23:24,283 Remember the album cover of The Slits 352 00:23:24,284 --> 00:23:27,557 where they covered themselves up in mud 353 00:23:27,558 --> 00:23:29,051 and they are creeping out of the forest, 354 00:23:29,052 --> 00:23:32,997 these primeval beings all caked in mud. 355 00:23:32,998 --> 00:23:35,678 And erm the Editor of the melody maker said 356 00:23:35,679 --> 00:23:40,314 My God I don't know why these women are being naked they're all so ugly. 357 00:23:40,984 --> 00:23:42,323 So we put the noose up 358 00:23:42,324 --> 00:23:46,750 and then we put up all this broken glass across the top of the partition 359 00:23:46,751 --> 00:23:48,835 but people said afterwards it was bad 360 00:23:48,836 --> 00:23:52,748 and then all the hippies running the NME would go it's really a negative vibe 361 00:23:52,749 --> 00:23:57,535 And then once at Editorials they were all smoking dope it really stunk. 362 00:23:57,536 --> 00:23:59,676 You couldn't open the windows or nothing it was all sealed. 363 00:23:59,677 --> 00:24:01,840 So we just got a bit of amphetamines out 364 00:24:01,841 --> 00:24:04,460 and I put it out on the Editors desk and he went berserk 365 00:24:04,461 --> 00:24:06,916 and it was not Justice. 366 00:24:06,917 --> 00:24:08,368 It's like post modern ironism 367 00:24:08,369 --> 00:24:09,178 it's like modernism, 368 00:24:09,179 --> 00:24:09,752 post modern 369 00:24:09,753 --> 00:24:14,061 It's like you use something and then you change it 370 00:24:14,062 --> 00:24:15,440 and it means something else 371 00:24:15,441 --> 00:24:19,930 Where ever you went people either took photos of you or wanted to beat you up. 372 00:24:19,931 --> 00:24:23,042 Why shouldn't we expose our bodies if we want to? 373 00:24:23,043 --> 00:24:25,274 I left my family when I was just 15, 374 00:24:25,275 --> 00:24:26,822 I lived in a squat when I was 15. 375 00:24:26,823 --> 00:24:30,107 I used to go and visit we were not very close 376 00:24:30,108 --> 00:24:33,893 that's what I'm saying so when I knocked on the and my mother didn't know I was coming 377 00:24:33,894 --> 00:24:37,173 she'd freak. "Oh my God did the neighbours see you, who saw you?" 378 00:24:37,174 --> 00:24:39,253 We got evicted from our house, 379 00:24:39,254 --> 00:24:42,938 which was like our Mansion we got evicted and thrown out on the street. 380 00:24:42,939 --> 00:24:44,658 There was pictures of us in the local paper. 381 00:24:45,630 --> 00:24:50,903 I got chucked out when I was 17 cos I had red hair. 382 00:24:50,904 --> 00:24:54,528 I kind of walked past my dad in the street thinking he wouldn't recognize me 383 00:24:54,529 --> 00:24:56,882 cos it was all spiked up & I had all my make up on 384 00:24:56,883 --> 00:24:59,851 and I also wore this hat this beret at home 385 00:24:59,852 --> 00:25:03,270 so he never saw my red hair so I thought he wouldn't know who I was 386 00:25:03,271 --> 00:25:05,787 as I walked past him in the street. 387 00:25:05,788 --> 00:25:09,138 I came back I was going to see a gig at the Moonlight 388 00:25:09,139 --> 00:25:12,381 I came back home and all hell had broken loose 389 00:25:12,382 --> 00:25:17,157 and I had to leave like the next day my Dad wouldn't have me in the flat anymore 390 00:25:17,158 --> 00:25:21,423 so I had to leave home by force at 17. 391 00:25:21,424 --> 00:25:26,138 We didn't fit in cos my Dad being a Rock Star 392 00:25:26,139 --> 00:25:29,814 I got expelled from school infact, 393 00:25:29,815 --> 00:25:33,018 there was something in the paper about Rock stars and drugs 394 00:25:33,019 --> 00:25:37,996 my Dad was mentioned it said Ginger Baker admits he's taken Heroin & Cocaine. 395 00:25:37,997 --> 00:25:40,069 They read it at the school and I was out. 396 00:25:40,070 --> 00:25:43,507 We opened a big squat up in Kings cross in the hospital 397 00:25:43,508 --> 00:25:47,325 and that was great we used to have parties and stuff there. 398 00:25:47,326 --> 00:25:48,912 For me that was it 399 00:25:48,913 --> 00:25:51,015 when I used to go up the squats in White City. 400 00:25:51,016 --> 00:25:55,317 I came from a family that had had money and I knew Sarah Ferguson 401 00:25:55,318 --> 00:25:59,386 and I was in the polo crowd if you've read Jilly Coopers Polo 402 00:25:59,387 --> 00:26:00,734 which is completely accurate 403 00:26:00,735 --> 00:26:02,081 I'd known all those people 404 00:26:02,082 --> 00:26:06,545 but I finally found a place in the squats they gobbed all over the wall 405 00:26:06,546 --> 00:26:09,227 they jacked up speed they smashed the place up, 406 00:26:09,228 --> 00:26:13,219 but they were my friends because they accepted me for who I was 407 00:26:13,220 --> 00:26:15,919 I didn't have to pretend anything its fantastic 408 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,218 You're forced by society to be on the margin, 409 00:26:18,219 --> 00:26:20,760 if your forced there you are the victim 410 00:26:20,761 --> 00:26:22,596 if you choose to be on the margin 411 00:26:22,597 --> 00:26:24,226 then you are the victor. 412 00:26:24,227 --> 00:26:27,070 You're no longer that victim and I chose to be on the margin. 413 00:26:27,071 --> 00:26:28,386 Women are always on the margin, 414 00:26:28,387 --> 00:26:31,547 if you're a punk your on the margins if you're gay you're on the margins 415 00:26:31,548 --> 00:26:32,684 if your black you're on the margins. 416 00:26:32,685 --> 00:26:37,934 Everybody is on the margins who isn't part of the white patriarchal middle class society 417 00:26:37,935 --> 00:26:43,946 I think as a women in punk it was much better than a women being a disco girl at that time. 418 00:26:43,947 --> 00:26:49,446 Because you felt like you were on equal footing with the men 419 00:26:49,447 --> 00:26:53,276 you weren't always in fact when it come s down to looking at it some of the bands 420 00:26:53,277 --> 00:26:54,763 most of the time they where still male dominated 421 00:26:54,764 --> 00:27:02,147 but you felt like at the gigs on the floor that you felt like you was equal with the blokes. 422 00:27:02,148 --> 00:27:04,633 I wouldn't expect to be spoken to any different because I was a women 423 00:27:04,634 --> 00:27:07,034 other than when I'm being chatted up which is a different thing 424 00:27:07,035 --> 00:27:08,516 and then there's always some blokes 425 00:27:08,517 --> 00:27:12,059 who go too far like there is in any situation you tell them to Piss of don't you. 426 00:27:12,060 --> 00:27:16,302 The look as well but the people that I met where so fantastic 427 00:27:16,303 --> 00:27:17,896 the people I met where so nice 428 00:27:17,897 --> 00:27:20,335 and the blokes because they treated you as equals. 429 00:27:20,336 --> 00:27:22,946 Which was a great thing you could be a mate 430 00:27:22,947 --> 00:27:26,288 get pissed you could do what ever you wanted and you were treated as an equal. 431 00:27:26,289 --> 00:27:29,210 It wasn't like oh these are girls they're not allowed to drink pints 432 00:27:29,211 --> 00:27:34,414 In Disco you just got treated like spare parts, 433 00:27:34,415 --> 00:27:38,451 there was some that where all right I think they got better over the years 434 00:27:38,452 --> 00:27:40,349 The Punk scene was definatly much better. 435 00:27:40,350 --> 00:27:43,079 You could go to a bar and order a pint of lager and not get any comment. 436 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,478 I managed to do it at discos as well 437 00:27:46,479 --> 00:27:49,412 but you'd get more of a look if you had a pint in your hand 438 00:27:49,413 --> 00:27:51,664 cos most of the girls would be drinking martinis 439 00:27:51,665 --> 00:27:54,083 but if you went to a gig you had a pint of lager 440 00:27:54,084 --> 00:27:57,296 it was expected so it was alright and I like drinking lager 441 00:27:57,297 --> 00:28:02,911 I kind of started going to gigs when I was about 13, you know in my 13th year. 442 00:28:02,912 --> 00:28:06,937 No one seemed to give a shit about it to be honest. 443 00:28:06,938 --> 00:28:09,916 Bottles of cider and smoked as many fags. 444 00:28:09,917 --> 00:28:12,925 as possible over the weekend. no one seemed to mind. 445 00:28:12,926 --> 00:28:17,353 I think because there was so much Propaganda really about how disgusting, 446 00:28:17,354 --> 00:28:20,644 despicable & vermin 447 00:28:20,645 --> 00:28:27,189 that punks where so heavy thuggy type people just thought 448 00:28:27,190 --> 00:28:31,066 here's our chance to we've got a what do you call it? 449 00:28:31,067 --> 00:28:34,491 Scapegoat or a punch bag really 450 00:28:34,492 --> 00:28:37,103 We got chased by Teds many a time 451 00:28:37,104 --> 00:28:40,563 for the run back from London to see the Pistols many a time from Hayes 452 00:28:40,564 --> 00:28:43,659 you had to go through Lewis ham which is like Teddy boy land. 453 00:28:43,660 --> 00:28:46,922 You just had to run the gauntlet 454 00:28:46,923 --> 00:28:50,097 gauntlet we actually had to leap off at Lewisham once and hide behind dustbins. 455 00:28:50,098 --> 00:28:52,244 It was an excuse to be violent 456 00:28:52,245 --> 00:28:56,430 because these were the vermin of society media wise anyway or gutter press 457 00:28:56,431 --> 00:29:04,519 These were the vermin of society and also people had those names as well 458 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:08,160 they called themselves things like Tampax 459 00:29:08,161 --> 00:29:11,869 Sid Vicious and Rat Scabies 460 00:29:11,870 --> 00:29:16,125 they had all that and people it's strange and it seems funny 461 00:29:16,126 --> 00:29:17,991 cos we were kids having a laugh 462 00:29:17,992 --> 00:29:23,678 but it's so it seems really weird that people actually took it seriously 463 00:29:23,679 --> 00:29:26,668 and saw it as something that was a threat. 464 00:29:26,669 --> 00:29:30,352 It seemed to be very provocative and threatening 465 00:29:31,104 --> 00:29:35,198 At punk gigs I don't think the violence was particularly real 466 00:29:35,199 --> 00:29:43,504 it would be ordinary people from outside that would see it at antagonistic. 467 00:29:43,505 --> 00:29:46,894 Never by punks I always felt safe with punk's there 468 00:29:46,895 --> 00:29:53,024 I think the most threatening people was the straight looking people. 469 00:29:53,025 --> 00:29:58,382 I always thought suburban soul boys are the most scary violent people there are. 470 00:29:58,383 --> 00:30:00,573 It was always the straight people 471 00:30:00,574 --> 00:30:04,040 and that time they just walked across the road and smacked the bloke in the face. 472 00:30:04,041 --> 00:30:05,622 We were just walking along the road 473 00:30:05,623 --> 00:30:08,897 Arhh you ugly punks, you know. What's the problem? 474 00:30:09,198 --> 00:30:11,246 The Straight scene was far more violent 475 00:30:11,247 --> 00:30:14,968 the punk scene wasn't violent at all really until boys town kind of took over 476 00:30:14,969 --> 00:30:18,827 that's what I call like that Clash macho look in the leather jacket, 477 00:30:18,828 --> 00:30:23,606 and the boots suddenly it became a uniform rather than a more open expression. 478 00:30:23,607 --> 00:30:28,927 I think on the Punk scene anyone who was kind of dressing like that 479 00:30:28,928 --> 00:30:34,281 identified with each other so I suppose you could just talk to people of either sex. 480 00:30:34,282 --> 00:30:36,973 You identified with them, 481 00:30:36,974 --> 00:30:41,101 well it's always the same if you've got something in common with people 482 00:30:41,102 --> 00:30:44,831 even now if you go to a gig and you're really enjoying it 483 00:30:44,832 --> 00:30:50,091 you just start talking to other people about this thing you've got in common. 484 00:30:50,092 --> 00:30:53,591 The punk thing went slightly further 485 00:30:53,592 --> 00:30:58,824 because there was the looking alike thing as well as just liking the same bands. 486 00:30:58,825 --> 00:31:01,591 Me and Poly where at the 100 club one night 487 00:31:01,592 --> 00:31:05,241 night and poor Sid was lying there totally out of his face 488 00:31:05,242 --> 00:31:08,427 over a table completely out of it. 489 00:31:08,428 --> 00:31:10,023 Heroin. 490 00:31:10,024 --> 00:31:13,627 We was going over to him saying are you ok? And everything? 491 00:31:13,628 --> 00:31:15,263 He said, I just want to go home 492 00:31:15,264 --> 00:31:17,087 so I went over and I said to Nancy, 493 00:31:17,088 --> 00:31:21,475 she's like on the dance floor and she's dancing giving it all up against these other men 494 00:31:21,476 --> 00:31:26,899 And I said listen, Sid he's over there and he's practically O.D, ing on the table 495 00:31:26,900 --> 00:31:29,093 and I said all he wants to do is go home. 496 00:31:29,094 --> 00:31:31,730 And she's going Fuck Off. 497 00:31:31,731 --> 00:31:35,749 John savage introduced me to Andy & Susan 498 00:31:35,750 --> 00:31:38,029 who ran The Roxy and they said 499 00:31:38,030 --> 00:31:40,683 would I like to play there so I played there. 500 00:31:40,684 --> 00:31:44,486 So when I actually played The Roxy I suppose we were more on that scene. 501 00:31:45,113 --> 00:31:47,032 Our 1st gig was at the Roxy 502 00:31:47,033 --> 00:31:50,501 which was quite a nice place to do 1st gig 503 00:31:50,502 --> 00:31:54,007 cos we had been going there to see other bands all the time 504 00:31:54,008 --> 00:31:58,145 so playing at The Roxy was a bit like playing in your own living room. 505 00:31:58,146 --> 00:32:01,890 It wasn't really daunting at all cos we knew half the people in the audience. 506 00:32:01,891 --> 00:32:03,802 It was horrible going down The Roxy, 507 00:32:03,803 --> 00:32:08,035 I've never vomited in public before, but that was the first time I did it. 508 00:32:08,036 --> 00:32:10,271 All you could drink was snakebite 509 00:32:10,272 --> 00:32:11,399 which I'd never had before 510 00:32:11,400 --> 00:32:13,899 I'd only had babycham because I was a schoolgirl 511 00:32:13,900 --> 00:32:17,342 and nobody told me it would be like that 512 00:32:17,343 --> 00:32:21,439 People vomited on people and not only did people not care but they was proud. 513 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,357 One minute you're there going to see gigs 514 00:32:24,358 --> 00:32:27,447 and the next you're actually getting paid to play there, great. 515 00:32:27,448 --> 00:32:31,305 You're only about a foot higher than you would be if you are in the audience. 516 00:32:32,340 --> 00:32:36,884 That was it, it was then we started to play faster and louder basically 517 00:32:36,885 --> 00:32:37,909 that's what it was about 518 00:32:37,910 --> 00:32:40,755 then it was about recognizing that that energy was happening 519 00:32:40,756 --> 00:32:43,159 even more so in other places too 520 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:48,714 and it was just great it was that then led to where do we play? 521 00:32:48,715 --> 00:32:52,994 So we eventually opened up a venue in Brighton 522 00:32:52,995 --> 00:32:55,457 which was a place for us punks, 523 00:32:55,458 --> 00:32:56,652 which wasn't my word, 524 00:32:56,653 --> 00:33:03,013 to rehears and meet each other and find out what we wanted to do and get mates. 525 00:33:03,014 --> 00:33:09,264 I have to say that the Slits were taught to a certain extent by their friends 526 00:33:09,265 --> 00:33:10,394 who were musician's 527 00:33:10,395 --> 00:33:14,098 people like Mick Jones of the clash 528 00:33:14,099 --> 00:33:21,096 was wonderful about sharing their technique and sharing his knowledge 529 00:33:21,097 --> 00:33:24,170 The reason we joined the band was it seemed like a fun thing to do. 530 00:33:24,171 --> 00:33:26,944 The whole punk thing was good we used to watch the bands 531 00:33:26,945 --> 00:33:28,595 and you'd think that was good fun 532 00:33:28,596 --> 00:33:31,497 and it was like anybody could suddenly be in a band 533 00:33:31,498 --> 00:33:34,224 you didn't have to have gone to a music school 534 00:33:34,225 --> 00:33:36,431 you didn't have to know somebody in order to be in a band 535 00:33:36,432 --> 00:33:39,031 it was just the whole idea of doing it 536 00:33:39,032 --> 00:33:44,719 and we never did it to be famous or just to make loads of money 537 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:50,014 it was just something you could do suddenly it was for everyone 538 00:33:50,015 --> 00:33:52,849 Crass had played with Poison Girls 539 00:33:52,850 --> 00:33:54,580 and they said to the audience, 540 00:33:54,581 --> 00:33:55,581 if there's anybody who wants to use our equipment get up and play. 541 00:33:58,020 --> 00:34:01,912 The audience were like I'll play drums, I'll play guitar 542 00:34:01,913 --> 00:34:05,670 so that night various members of the audience got up 543 00:34:05,671 --> 00:34:08,852 Sid, myself, other people, other guitarists 544 00:34:08,962 --> 00:34:11,743 and we just got up and jammed 545 00:34:11,744 --> 00:34:16,011 and from that we thought this is good fun lets get a band together. 546 00:34:16,012 --> 00:34:18,977 Lots of bands helping each other, 547 00:34:18,978 --> 00:34:21,299 lots of screen printing making lots of clothes 548 00:34:21,300 --> 00:34:24,537 it was just very creative a complete underground different world. 549 00:34:24,538 --> 00:34:27,282 Set outside of society if you like? 550 00:34:27,283 --> 00:34:31,626 We all got together in the loos which was our female domain 551 00:34:31,627 --> 00:34:34,823 and funny enough the same in any other place 552 00:34:34,824 --> 00:34:38,091 where females feel like they can really be females 553 00:34:38,092 --> 00:34:41,180 and that didn't change just because it was an anarchist center. 554 00:34:41,181 --> 00:34:42,519 That was quite surprising 555 00:34:42,520 --> 00:34:44,583 and we thought ok we'll be in a band 556 00:34:44,584 --> 00:34:48,599 then they said to us ok play next week 557 00:34:48,600 --> 00:34:52,456 with at the time they were massive The Mob & Zounds 558 00:34:52,457 --> 00:34:54,093 and we'll put you on the bill. 559 00:34:54,094 --> 00:34:57,375 None of us had ever touched an instrument and we said 560 00:34:57,376 --> 00:34:59,258 yea all right. So we did it. 561 00:35:23,827 --> 00:35:27,300 I came from a middle class background in a way, 562 00:35:27,301 --> 00:35:29,056 though I was living in a council flat 563 00:35:29,057 --> 00:35:32,921 I was classically trained on the violin and the piano. 564 00:35:32,922 --> 00:35:37,195 I could never get to work out what I did on the piano was anything to do with punk, 565 00:35:37,196 --> 00:35:41,130 but gradually after a few years I got involved with bands 566 00:35:41,131 --> 00:35:45,067 friends would say oh come and play the violin in this band. 567 00:35:45,068 --> 00:35:49,007 I'd say Oh I don't think I can 568 00:35:49,008 --> 00:35:53,686 and then I saw other people getting up who couldn't play a note really and just doing it, 569 00:35:53,687 --> 00:35:57,691 Bollocks then I can do it. 570 00:35:57,692 --> 00:35:59,067 It was fun at the gigs, 571 00:35:59,068 --> 00:36:03,871 it was a hard slog practicing and getting the band together to do a practice 572 00:36:26,951 --> 00:36:32,435 It was like Brigandage we rehearsed for a year then started playing gigs. 573 00:37:13,474 --> 00:37:17,339 Until Crass came out and actually gave us those pure Anarchistic sentiments 574 00:37:17,340 --> 00:37:23,698 The sex pistols talked about it but it wasn't obvious in their lyrics. 575 00:37:33,092 --> 00:37:40,419 The People who I was living with at this house formed part of the band Crass. 576 00:37:40,420 --> 00:37:45,903 So when Penny and Steve got it together I came home to join them really 577 00:37:45,904 --> 00:37:48,162 as the visual artist for the band. 578 00:37:57,191 --> 00:37:59,526 The band started and I was not in it. 579 00:37:59,527 --> 00:38:01,355 But I used to go along to the gigs 580 00:38:01,356 --> 00:38:05,309 and the places would always empty out. 581 00:38:05,310 --> 00:38:10,481 I'd be the one-person pogoing in the front on my own quite often. 582 00:38:10,482 --> 00:38:16,694 But I thought what they were doing, I don't know I found it very moving 583 00:38:16,695 --> 00:38:21,792 what they were singing about and that they were, it seemed to be so felt and so meant. 584 00:38:24,276 --> 00:38:28,908 The first thing I did with the band was a reading of Asylum. 585 00:38:28,909 --> 00:38:34,630 Which was then not pressed on our first record Feeding the 5000 586 00:38:34,631 --> 00:38:39,299 and they refused to press it so we recorded the sound of free speech 587 00:38:39,300 --> 00:38:42,484 and then I used to perform that. 588 00:38:42,485 --> 00:38:48,340 And from then on I just got into performing songs some of which I wrote. 589 00:38:53,111 --> 00:38:56,390 I think they thought quite rightly its just another punk band. 590 00:38:56,391 --> 00:39:03,593 When the band first started it wasn't as disciplined as it became people where drunk on stage. 591 00:39:03,594 --> 00:39:10,283 But I think gradually it pulled itself together when it was realized 592 00:39:10,284 --> 00:39:17,286 it was a good vehicle to convey some of the dreams and aspirations 593 00:39:17,287 --> 00:39:21,552 that you yourself had and just sharing some of the knowledge 594 00:39:22,258 --> 00:39:25,255 I believed very much in what we were saying 595 00:39:25,256 --> 00:39:31,614 and felt it was a good way of saying it to quite a lot of people 596 00:39:33,299 --> 00:39:38,698 A lot of women found punk a great area for exploring 597 00:39:38,699 --> 00:39:40,357 what they wanted to say and do 598 00:39:40,358 --> 00:39:44,462 and to be able to get on stage to be accepted more than any other 599 00:39:44,463 --> 00:39:49,235 lets put it this way if I hadn't been doing the work I was doing which was the studio work 600 00:39:49,236 --> 00:39:51,629 I would probably been out on the street a lot more 601 00:39:51,630 --> 00:39:53,460 being an agitator. 602 00:39:54,358 --> 00:40:00,020 It's just the government now is so geared up to put you down 603 00:40:00,493 --> 00:40:04,336 it's very geared up you can't even protest on the streets 604 00:40:04,337 --> 00:40:05,337 without knowing you're going to get clobbered. 605 00:40:08,538 --> 00:40:12,690 Stop the City, the first two was great 606 00:40:12,691 --> 00:40:13,691 we took them by surprise and we got away with 607 00:40:14,959 --> 00:40:20,046 really a lot of stuff the third one forget about it they were ready and waiting 608 00:40:20,047 --> 00:40:26,800 and hurt a lot of people got a lot of money out of fines off people what's the point fuck em. 609 00:40:26,801 --> 00:40:30,080 You draw back and go underground again and come up somewhere else. 610 00:40:30,081 --> 00:40:33,623 I think people from the letters we get 611 00:40:33,624 --> 00:40:37,838 and the people we still have coming here, people have gone underground 612 00:40:37,839 --> 00:40:39,655 and they're beavering away at something else, 613 00:40:39,656 --> 00:40:43,350 you know, I think that's great. 614 00:40:46,367 --> 00:40:50,720 I think what we were doing was challenging male dominated ideals. 615 00:40:50,721 --> 00:40:56,679 Like the very obvious ones like when I came on the stage 616 00:40:56,680 --> 00:40:58,700 I wasn't what was expected, 617 00:40:58,701 --> 00:41:01,753 The band was called Poison Girls they thought we was all going to be girls. 618 00:41:02,725 --> 00:41:06,088 Just by being in a band that was predominantly female. 619 00:41:06,089 --> 00:41:08,909 We'd turn up and we'd play 620 00:41:08,910 --> 00:41:14,443 we had a Following which didn't just consist of people who might think we were attractive. 621 00:41:22,290 --> 00:41:30,383 Yea I wrote my lyrics and I basically could do exactly what I wanted too 622 00:41:30,384 --> 00:41:34,732 in that band so for me it was great fun. 623 00:41:34,733 --> 00:41:40,175 I could dress wacky I could dress how I wanted, 624 00:41:40,176 --> 00:41:47,477 I could sing about just express myself 625 00:41:47,478 --> 00:41:52,674 I think it was a great teenage adolescent outlet really. 626 00:41:54,962 --> 00:41:57,380 Sort of creative expression. 627 00:41:58,261 --> 00:42:03,025 We wrote all the lyrics & all the music 628 00:42:03,971 --> 00:42:10,434 and because I think it was because we were influenced by the Anarchy scene in Wapping 629 00:42:10,435 --> 00:42:15,312 and the bands who we were hanging out with practically everyone there was in a band 630 00:42:15,313 --> 00:42:19,162 and the fanzines, just that whole environment. 631 00:42:20,010 --> 00:42:25,681 I think we were influenced to the extent that all our lyrics did have a message 632 00:42:25,682 --> 00:42:33,515 they weren't as obviously anti Capitalism anti nuclear war 633 00:42:33,516 --> 00:42:35,737 all the things the other bands were writing about at the time 634 00:42:35,738 --> 00:42:40,113 because we thought that so many bands had covered the same issues 635 00:42:40,114 --> 00:42:41,408 in the same kind of way 636 00:42:41,500 --> 00:42:43,719 and we wanted to try and find a different way 637 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:49,589 and I think it would be fair to say our lyrics were kind of more female oriented 638 00:42:49,590 --> 00:42:57,464 they were more about the inferiority of women and the way women are treated 639 00:42:57,465 --> 00:42:59,350 and make up the whole spectrum 640 00:43:00,688 --> 00:43:02,695 of female concerns. 641 00:43:16,034 --> 00:43:21,277 It's true, No future, there was no room for artistic development 642 00:43:21,278 --> 00:43:23,061 and things like that in Thatcher's Britain. 643 00:43:23,062 --> 00:43:25,735 The government and parliament can make the law 644 00:43:25,736 --> 00:43:28,859 the police and courts can uphold the law 645 00:43:28,860 --> 00:43:34,567 but a free society will only survive if we as citizens obey the law 646 00:43:34,568 --> 00:43:37,359 and teach our children to do so. 647 00:43:37,846 --> 00:43:42,808 Within punk I discovered there was no class structure 648 00:43:42,809 --> 00:43:47,026 no racism, anyone can do what they want to do. 649 00:43:47,027 --> 00:43:50,307 When they looked at me not because I was a dwarf. 650 00:43:50,308 --> 00:43:53,824 And different or whatever they looked at me because I looked so odd. 651 00:43:53,825 --> 00:43:56,706 Once they had some dwarfs up to promote an album 652 00:43:56,707 --> 00:43:59,369 and I was very angry with this because it was before pc 653 00:43:59,370 --> 00:44:01,036 but I was obviously PC already 654 00:44:01,037 --> 00:44:02,948 and I went berserk when I saw dwarfs 655 00:44:02,949 --> 00:44:05,843 and I was only 17, I was just a kid and I chased them out 656 00:44:05,844 --> 00:44:09,425 that was thought to be spoiling peoples fun and I said it was immoral. 657 00:44:09,426 --> 00:44:12,336 I was always causing trouble but they liked it. 658 00:44:12,337 --> 00:44:16,172 Because they thought that punks behaved in a rude unpleasant way, 659 00:44:16,173 --> 00:44:19,299 I had them over a hurdle, 660 00:44:19,300 --> 00:44:22,133 because the more unpleasantly I behaved the more punky 661 00:44:22,168 --> 00:44:26,458 they thought I was and they were proud they had their own punk at the N.M.E. 662 00:44:26,459 --> 00:44:30,173 In 1975 we'd only just got equal opportunities for women, 663 00:44:30,174 --> 00:44:34,912 all those bills were going through regarding minority groups 664 00:44:34,913 --> 00:44:37,341 and the way they were treated in society, 665 00:44:37,342 --> 00:44:39,188 so we became quite political 666 00:44:39,189 --> 00:44:45,015 the Anti Nazi League and Rock against Racism, they started round about 1977 667 00:44:45,016 --> 00:44:50,608 and I remember going to see X-Ray Spex at the ANL gig with Sham 69 668 00:44:50,609 --> 00:44:51,625 in Victoria park 669 00:44:51,626 --> 00:44:53,804 and I think there was 100.000 people, 670 00:44:53,805 --> 00:44:58,506 it was all about fighting racism and fighting stereotypes. 671 00:44:58,507 --> 00:45:01,171 Later on there was a political scene going on 672 00:45:01,172 --> 00:45:04,928 and it was much later on it was in the time of when we started to watch Crass 673 00:45:04,929 --> 00:45:06,730 and those Anarchy bands 674 00:45:06,731 --> 00:45:10,589 and began to get a bit more serious about what punk was 675 00:45:10,590 --> 00:45:11,897 and about what we were doing 676 00:45:11,898 --> 00:45:15,079 and I think things in the world were changing a bit as well. 677 00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:21,900 There was the anti racism marches the ANL some of the bigger bands like The Clash 678 00:45:21,901 --> 00:45:25,297 The Blockheads and the Reggae bands Aswad, 679 00:45:25,298 --> 00:45:29,759 were doing these big gigs in the park and we all began to get a bit more political 680 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:34,969 but it didn't stop us from being friendly to each other 681 00:45:34,970 --> 00:45:36,761 but then because it became political 682 00:45:36,762 --> 00:45:39,668 we started getting things like skinheads turning up 683 00:45:39,669 --> 00:45:42,067 and starting trouble at certain places. 684 00:45:46,832 --> 00:45:51,211 Mr Chairman and members of national advisory committee. 685 00:45:51,212 --> 00:45:55,184 When you was in that scene because you felt as an equal 686 00:45:55,185 --> 00:45:56,764 I carried on believing that 687 00:45:56,765 --> 00:46:00,910 so when I went to work if I got any crap I told people I weren't having it. 688 00:46:00,911 --> 00:46:03,850 When I was 13, 14 I started getting political 689 00:46:03,851 --> 00:46:06,352 like going to women's groups things like that as well. 690 00:46:06,374 --> 00:46:11,306 I don't think I really quite got it but in a way it was quite good it 691 00:46:11,307 --> 00:46:17,457 made me conscious of things fighting a lot of stereotypes at the time. 692 00:46:17,458 --> 00:46:22,314 There's a very important strike in Britain at the moment, the coal miners. 693 00:46:30,756 --> 00:46:33,604 I went on to be a trade union activist in the company. 694 00:46:33,605 --> 00:46:36,441 It was good for recruiting people as well 695 00:46:36,442 --> 00:46:40,099 cos people would say look out for the women with pink hair 696 00:46:40,100 --> 00:46:42,600 that's the person to join the union with. 697 00:46:42,601 --> 00:46:46,423 I denounce the system that murders my children. 698 00:46:47,128 --> 00:46:51,243 I denounce the system that denies my existence. 699 00:46:51,244 --> 00:46:55,856 I curse the system that makes machines of my children. 700 00:46:56,586 --> 00:47:02,290 I was energized by the punk stuff 701 00:47:02,291 --> 00:47:03,920 and the opportunities it gave us 702 00:47:03,921 --> 00:47:07,176 to talk about things that were very important to me as a mother 703 00:47:07,177 --> 00:47:11,382 I think one of the things I feel proudest of writing is statement 704 00:47:11,383 --> 00:47:14,615 which starts I denounce the system that murders my children 705 00:47:16,124 --> 00:47:18,097 I reject the system 706 00:47:18,098 --> 00:47:25,860 To be able to say look this is not possibly on out loud. 707 00:47:27,538 --> 00:47:30,531 I wouldn't have been able to say that without punk. 708 00:47:30,532 --> 00:47:35,739 I remember when we were in the band looking at Vi sub versa from the poison girls 709 00:47:35,740 --> 00:47:39,560 and just thinking I want to be like you I really want to be like you 710 00:47:39,561 --> 00:47:43,937 I just want to have it sussed and be were your at your age. 711 00:47:43,938 --> 00:47:47,225 Because she epitomized age and strength 712 00:47:47,226 --> 00:47:51,005 and the right attitude as well and probably still does. 713 00:48:04,804 --> 00:48:11,850 Certainly punk enabled one to be equal in a way, 714 00:48:11,851 --> 00:48:14,447 which I had not found possible before. 715 00:48:32,857 --> 00:48:40,789 The Press got interested and it was like punk mum in suburbs bla bla 716 00:48:41,953 --> 00:48:44,761 I hated that, I really hated that 717 00:48:44,762 --> 00:48:48,171 I didn't like the tag mum, and I suppose 718 00:48:48,172 --> 00:48:52,035 perhaps it was a weakness in me that I didn't take it on more positively 719 00:48:52,036 --> 00:48:55,168 but I felt it esentuated the difference between us. 720 00:48:55,958 --> 00:49:00,112 And the fears that might be between us and all that sort of parental stuff 721 00:49:00,113 --> 00:49:02,154 it isn't what I was there to do 722 00:49:02,155 --> 00:49:05,213 I wanted to be there as a person in my own right 723 00:49:05,214 --> 00:49:09,069 joining in the fun and making music exchanging ideas 724 00:49:09,070 --> 00:49:13,338 and being were the action is and I still do. 725 00:49:13,339 --> 00:49:18,191 I also have a son and daughter and it t was uncomfortable I think 726 00:49:18,192 --> 00:49:20,436 because I did have pink hair 727 00:49:20,437 --> 00:49:25,296 and although it wasn't spiked... I didn't look like a normal mum, 728 00:49:25,297 --> 00:49:28,549 is supposed to look and they were at school I think that was difficult for them. 729 00:49:29,377 --> 00:49:32,196 There was quite a strong element of competition between us 730 00:49:32,197 --> 00:49:33,820 I mean you don't want your mum, 731 00:49:33,821 --> 00:49:38,222 I didn't mind so much cos I could even take credit look my kids are 732 00:49:38,223 --> 00:49:41,997 but from there point of view it was difficult I think 733 00:49:41,998 --> 00:49:43,952 they didn't feel comfortable about it 734 00:49:43,953 --> 00:49:46,957 but at the same time they did have mixed feelings 735 00:49:46,958 --> 00:49:50,339 because they knew we were sharing something 736 00:49:50,340 --> 00:49:55,120 and they learnt a lot and they met people of their own age 737 00:49:55,121 --> 00:49:58,297 and they came on tour with us and had a whale of a time 738 00:49:58,298 --> 00:50:00,029 Rubella ballet played loads of gigs 739 00:50:00,030 --> 00:50:03,406 we did a tour with Poison Girls and Crass 740 00:50:03,407 --> 00:50:06,857 and we went all over Europe and America 741 00:50:06,858 --> 00:50:09,945 and we had a brilliant time being in a punk band 742 00:50:09,946 --> 00:50:13,138 because that's the thing about punk it changed our lives 743 00:50:13,139 --> 00:50:14,756 because we were able to join a band 744 00:50:14,757 --> 00:50:17,752 or travel around the world we wouldn't have been able to do that without punk 745 00:50:17,753 --> 00:50:21,260 I was the keyboard player in Youth In Asia 746 00:50:21,261 --> 00:50:26,499 we did a lot of gigs with Rubella Ballet and the singer of that band was my sister. 747 00:50:26,500 --> 00:50:30,909 Me and the drummer Pete had a baby Kara 748 00:50:30,910 --> 00:50:34,605 and as she got older only about 2 749 00:50:34,606 --> 00:50:37,656 she used to dress up in all the ballet type clothes as well 750 00:50:37,783 --> 00:50:39,794 and she used to love it, she'd put the ribbons in her hair 751 00:50:39,795 --> 00:50:42,859 and make up and little girls or boys like dressing up don't they? 752 00:50:42,860 --> 00:50:46,426 And she used to get on the stage with Rubella ballet and she'd just dance. 753 00:50:46,427 --> 00:50:48,381 In my Aunts band Rubella Ballet 754 00:50:48,382 --> 00:50:51,632 I would go up on stage and dance around like an idiot. 755 00:50:59,382 --> 00:51:01,661 I used to get dressed up like a punk myself 756 00:51:01,662 --> 00:51:03,656 like my aunts would do a great job on that one. 757 00:51:04,434 --> 00:51:06,166 What do you want to be on the video? 758 00:51:06,783 --> 00:51:07,949 I want to be a punk. 759 00:51:09,357 --> 00:51:12,688 I was in a couple of Rubella Ballet videos 760 00:51:12,689 --> 00:51:15,930 where I'd get dressed up 761 00:51:15,931 --> 00:51:20,451 and I think there's one video where we are in a dock type place 762 00:51:20,452 --> 00:51:22,341 and I'm dancing around the dock. 763 00:55:07,962 --> 00:55:10,866 That's what's good about being a punk, it's just a right laugh 764 00:55:10,867 --> 00:55:15,118 and you get to do things you wouldn't have done if it hadn't been for punk. 765 00:55:15,119 --> 00:55:16,773 The way punk effected my life 766 00:55:16,774 --> 00:55:19,723 was only for the good it gave me a career 767 00:55:19,724 --> 00:55:22,362 when I really thought I was going to a factory 768 00:55:22,363 --> 00:55:24,593 and was well upset about that. 769 00:55:24,594 --> 00:55:27,973 It was a career opportunity as it was for so many people 770 00:55:27,974 --> 00:55:32,111 and it was so ironic that we were leaping about being nihilist 771 00:55:32,112 --> 00:55:37,730 no future and it was a stepping-stone to so much for all of us. 772 00:55:38,269 --> 00:55:40,140 When we were around you couldn't buy youth culture 773 00:55:40,141 --> 00:55:41,730 we made Youth culture. 774 00:55:41,765 --> 00:55:45,007 It was expression, I felt liberated. 775 00:56:15,947 --> 00:56:18,593 Yea it was great and such great fun people looked 776 00:56:18,594 --> 00:56:24,918 and aww it was great and I didn't care how stupid it looked 777 00:56:25,233 --> 00:56:27,888 You don't wake up one morning and go right I'm not being a punk anymore 778 00:56:27,889 --> 00:56:31,342 You don't close the wardrobe and say right I'm not being a punk anymore. 779 00:56:31,343 --> 00:56:32,662 Still a Punk 780 00:56:33,892 --> 00:56:37,834 I certainly wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for punk. 781 00:56:37,835 --> 00:56:43,445 I'm still a punk and I can say bollocks whenever I want to. 782 00:56:44,826 --> 00:56:47,859 I'm proud to be a punk and I'm still a punk at heart.