Editing X-Ray Spex (section)

==Reformation==
In 1988, Poly Styrene, Jak Airport, Mick Sweeney and Lora Logic reformed the band with no drummer. They then decided to bring in Paul Merron who had a sequencer, small studio set up and fx who provided drum loops and played keyboards and co-produced demos with Jak. They rehearsed in Oxted at Poly's home writing and arranging 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 during this period, Jak was knocked off his bike by a truck on way to the Beeb and seriously broke his arm. Then after a period of 8 months with the band Paul was asked to not only play in the band but also be their video director then 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).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/my-secret-life-poly-styrene-singer-51-811129.html|title=My secret life: Poly Styrene|newspaper=The Independent|date=19 April 2008}}</ref> 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''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.piccadillyrecords.com/151999/X-Ray-Spex-Conscious-Consumer-2023-Reissue-Do-Yourself-In|title=Conscious Consumer – 2023 Reissue|access-date=22 November 2024}}</ref> Although heralded as the first in a trilogy, the album was not a commercial success. Styrene later explained<ref>[http://www.x-rayspex.com/biography/biography3.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303231947/http://www.x-rayspex.com/biography/biography3.html|date=3 March 2009}}</ref> 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 following year X-Ray Spex played at the [[Rebellion Festival|20th Anniversary of Punk Festival in Blackpool]] minus Poly Styrene, overcoming her last-minute decision to withdraw by recruiting a replacement female singer named Poly Filla. The band disbanded, but later 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.<ref name="rina" />

On 28 April 2008, Poly Styrene gave a performance of "Oh Bondage Up Yours!" in front of more than 10,000 people at the Love Music Hate Racism free concert in Victoria Park, East London.{{cn|date=June 2023}}

The band including original bass player Paul Dean, played what was described as a raucous comeback gig<ref name="Nme.Com">{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/x-ray-spex/39556|title=X-Ray Spex pack out London's Roundhouse &#124; News|website=NME|date=2008-09-08|access-date=2014-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080911030046/https://www.nme.com/news/x-ray-spex/39556|archive-date=2008-09-11}}</ref> and in front of an audience of 3,000 full at [[The Roundhouse]] in London on 6 September 2008. The gig consisted of ''Germfree Adolescents'' in its entirety, with the exception of "Plastic Bag".<ref name="Nme.Com"/> Styrene and Dean were joined by guitarist Mark Saxby, drummer Sid Truelove and saxophonist Dave Flash Wright at the gig.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/2869131-X-Ray-Spex-Live-The-Roundhouse-London-2008|title=Live @ The Roundhouse London 2008|access-date=22 November 2024}}</ref> A DVD and CD of the Roundhouse performance was released in November 2009 on the Year Zero Label by Future Noise Music.<ref name="FirstLady">[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-return-of-punks-first-lady-1027858.html]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806032655/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/the-return-of-punks-first-lady-1027858.html|date=6 August 2011}}</ref> [[Symond Lawes]], working as Concrete Jungle Productions, with Poly Styrene, produced the live show at Camden Roundhouse in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://symondlawes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/03/from-concrete-jungle-festival-to-x-ray.html|title=From Concrete Jungle Festival to X-ray Spex live at the Roundhouse|publisher=symondlawes.blogspot.co.uk|date=2011-03-19|access-date=2015-10-20}}</ref>

Poly Styrene died of [[Vertebral column|spinal]] and [[breast cancer]] on 25 April 2011 in East Sussex, England, at the age of 53.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/news/x-ray-spex/56316|title=X-Ray Spex's Poly Styrene dies of cancer|website=NME|access-date=26 April 2011}}</ref>