X-Ray Spex - Reformation

Reformation

In 1988, Poly Styrene, Jak Airport, Mick Sweeney and Lora Logic reformed the band with no drummer. As a replacement bought in Paul Merron who had a sequencer, small studio set up provided drum loops played keyboards and co-produced demos with Jak. They rehearsed in Oxted at Poly's home and then went into Nomis studios in Olympia London prior to a planned trip to India to shoot video and recording session in Florence. Unfortunately Jak broke his arm in a cycling accident and after a period of 6 months with the band Paul was asked to not only be in the band and make video promos but also to manage them too. This seemed unrealistic so he left and went to live in Crete pursuing his other passions of photography and scuba diving. 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). The group reformed again in 1995 with a line-up of Styrene, Dean and Logic to release a new album Conscious Consumer. Although heralded as the first in a trilogy, the album was not a commercial success. Styrene later explained that touring and promotional work suffered an abrupt end when she was run over by a fire engine in central London, suffering a fractured pelvis. The group disbanded, but subsequent releases include a compilation of the group's early records, a live album, and an anthology of all the aforementioned.

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.

The band including original bass player Paul Dean, played what was described as a raucous comeback gig and in front of an audience of 3,000 full at The Roundhouse in London on 6 September 2008. The gig was a delight to recall when they performed Germ Free Adolescents in its entirety, with the exception of "Plastic Bag". A DVD and CD of the Roundhouse performance was released in November 2009 on the Year Zero Label by Future Noise Music.

Poly Styrene died of spinal and breast cancer on 25 April 2011.