Poly Styrene

A rather unlikely punk role model, Poly was decidedly un-glamourous. Remembered for her distinctive braces as well as for her distinctive screech (powerful enough to drill holes through sheet metal), she was the driving force behind the Spex. She got the group together by placing an ad in one of the local arts tabloids; wrote all the songs; and then, when she decided to quit after a few years, the band was effectively over as well, so crucial was her role within it.