Poison Girls
Encyclopedia
The Poison Girls were an English
anarcho-punk
band. The female singer/guitarist, Vi Subversa
, was a middle-aged mother of two at the band's inception, and wrote songs that explored sexuality and gender roles, usually from an anarchist perspective. The original Poison Girls line-up also included: Lance D'Boyle (drums); Richard Famous (guitar/vocals); Nil (tapes/bass/electric violin); and Bernhardt Rebours (bass/synthesiser/piano).
in 1976, before moving to Burleigh House in Essex, near to Dial House, the home of fellow anarchist band Crass
, with whom they worked closely for a number of years, playing over 100 gigs with the band. In 1979 they contributed to the revival of the peace movement by playing a number of benefit gigs with Crass and paying for the production of the first CND badges since CND's heyday. Again in 1979, and again with Crass, they proved influential to the establishment of the short lived Wapping Autonomy Centre
by contributing the track "Persons Unknown" to a split single with Crass (who contributed "Bloody Revolutions") and raising over £10,000. Their song "Bully Boys", an attack on violent machismo
led to the band being attacked by members of the National Front
. The band also set up the label X-N-Trix alongside a publishing arm for the Impossible Dream magazine and recording studios for other artists.
Though their last studio recording to date was in 1985, a number of Poison Girls compilations have since been released, and their songs frequently appear on punk anthologies.
Poison Girls were involved with the production of Aids — The Musical, through a company called The Lenya Hobnoobs Theatre Company. They did another show called Mother Russia was a Lesbian in 1992, and reunited for a show at the London Astoria II in 1995, celebrating the 60th birthday of Vi Subversa. Currently, Richard Famous works as a painter and decorator. Vi Subversa lives in Spain. The pair have performed as That Famous Subversa, a cabaret act they did together before the Poison Girls.
in the early days of the band some reports quote Vi as using the names Vi Squad or Vi Perversa
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk
Anarcho-punk is punk rock that promotes anarchism. The term anarcho-punk is sometimes applied exclusively to bands that were part of the original anarcho-punk movement in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s and early 1980s...
band. The female singer/guitarist, Vi Subversa
Vi Subversa
-Early life:Vi Subversa real name Frances Sokolov Sansom was the singer and guitarist of UK anarcho-punk band Poison Girls....
, was a middle-aged mother of two at the band's inception, and wrote songs that explored sexuality and gender roles, usually from an anarchist perspective. The original Poison Girls line-up also included: Lance D'Boyle (drums); Richard Famous (guitar/vocals); Nil (tapes/bass/electric violin); and Bernhardt Rebours (bass/synthesiser/piano).
History
Poison Girls formed in BrightonBrighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
in 1976, before moving to Burleigh House in Essex, near to Dial House, the home of fellow anarchist band Crass
Crass
Crass are an English punk rock band that was formed in 1977, which promoted anarchism as a political ideology, way of living, and as a resistance movement. Crass popularised the seminal anarcho-punk movement of the punk subculture, and advocated direct action, animal rights, and environmentalism...
, with whom they worked closely for a number of years, playing over 100 gigs with the band. In 1979 they contributed to the revival of the peace movement by playing a number of benefit gigs with Crass and paying for the production of the first CND badges since CND's heyday. Again in 1979, and again with Crass, they proved influential to the establishment of the short lived Wapping Autonomy Centre
Wapping Autonomy Centre
Wapping Autonomy Centre was a social centre set up in a rented former warehouse space in the Wapping area of London Docklands from late 1981 to 1982...
by contributing the track "Persons Unknown" to a split single with Crass (who contributed "Bloody Revolutions") and raising over £10,000. Their song "Bully Boys", an attack on violent machismo
Machismo
Machismo, or machoism, is a word of Spanish and Portuguese origin that describes prominently exhibited or excessive masculinity. As an attitude, machismo ranges from a personal sense of virility to a more extreme male chauvinism...
led to the band being attacked by members of the National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
. The band also set up the label X-N-Trix alongside a publishing arm for the Impossible Dream magazine and recording studios for other artists.
Though their last studio recording to date was in 1985, a number of Poison Girls compilations have since been released, and their songs frequently appear on punk anthologies.
Poison Girls were involved with the production of Aids — The Musical, through a company called The Lenya Hobnoobs Theatre Company. They did another show called Mother Russia was a Lesbian in 1992, and reunited for a show at the London Astoria II in 1995, celebrating the 60th birthday of Vi Subversa. Currently, Richard Famous works as a painter and decorator. Vi Subversa lives in Spain. The pair have performed as That Famous Subversa, a cabaret act they did together before the Poison Girls.
Band members
- Vi Subversa - vocals/guitar
- Richard Famous - guitar/vocals
- Lance d’Boyle - drums/backing vocals (1976–84)
- Bella Donna - bass (1976–77)
- Pete Fender - bass (1978, 1984)
- Scott Barker - bass (1978)
- Bernhardt Rebours - bass/synth/piano/backing vocals (1979–81)
- Nil - tapes (1979–1981)
- Chris Grace - bass (1982–83)
- Mark Dunn - bass (1983–84)
- Cynth Ethics (Sian Daniels) - synth/vocals (1983–85)
- Martin Heath - bass (1984)
- Max Vol - bass (1984–87)
- Agent Orange - drums (1984–87)
in the early days of the band some reports quote Vi as using the names Vi Squad or Vi Perversa
Discography
- Closed Shop/Piano Lessons (X-N-Trix Records / Small Wonder, 1979, split 12" single with Fatal MicrobesFatal MicrobesFatal Microbes were a UK punk group that existed in the late 1970s. Honey Bane was the lead singer. Other band members were Gem Stone on drums, Pete Fender on guitar, and Scotty Boy Barker who was briefly replaced as bassist by It .In 1979, Small Wonder and XNTRIX Records co-released a split...
) - Hex (X-N-Trix, 1979, re-released on Crass RecordsCrass RecordsCrass Records is an independent record label which was set up by the anarchist punk band Crass.-Overview and history:Prior to the formation of Crass, Penny Rimbaud and Gee Vaucher had published their creative works via their own Dial House based Exitstencil Press...
, 1981) - Persons Unknown (Crass Records, 1980, joint single with Crass as a benefit to raise funds to start an Anarchist Centre)
- Chappaquiddick Bridge (Crass Records, 1980, plus "A Statement" flexi disc)
- Bully Boys/Pretty Polly (flexi disc free with In The City #15)
- All Systems Go! (Crass Records, 1981)
- Total Exposure (live LP) (X-N-Trix, 1981)
- Where's the Pleasure? (X-N-Trix, 1982)
- One Good Reason (Illuminated Records, 1983)
- Are You Happy Now? (Illuminated Records, 1983)
- I'm Not A Real Woman (X-N-Trix, 1984)
- 7 Year Scratch (X-N-Trix, 1984, double compilation from previous releases plus live material)
- Songs of Praise (CD Presents 1985, features cover artwork by Clifford HarperClifford HarperClifford Harper is an illustrator and militant anarchist. He was born in Chiswick, West London on the 13th of July 1949. His father was a postman and his mother a cook. Expelled from school at 13 and placed on 2 years probation at 14, he then worked in a series of "menial jobs" before 'turning on,...
) - The Price of Grain (1985)
- Statement - The Complete Recordings (Cooking VinylCooking VinylCooking Vinyl is a UK-based independent record company, founded in 1986. Its original orientation was toward contemporary folk music—notably Billy Bragg, and Michelle Shocked's Texas Campfire Tapes, recorded on a Sony Walkman, one of its first releases...
, 1995, 4 CD boxed set with accompanying lyric and history booklets)