When one thinks of anarcho-punk rock, one often thinks about young men wailing on stage to a crowd full of people smashing into each other. Rarely does anyone think of a middle-aged English woman shrieking about the horrors of patriarchy and how poorly older women and mothers are treated. That’s where Vi Subversa, the frontwoman of The Poison Girls, changed everything.
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The Poison Girls formed in 1976 during the rise of punk rock in England. The original lineup was made up of Subversa, Lance D’Boyle on drums, Richard Famous on guitar, Nil on bass (as well as the electric violin), and Bernhardt Rebours on synths and piano. The band released their first album, Hex, in 1979. That cult classic is known for songs like “Old Tarts Song” and “Crisis”. They would go on to release three more studio albums, plus a few compilations and a live album. Their music followed a number of themes, from radical feminist ideology to violence against women to motherhood.
The Poison Girls Are an Often Underrated Band Among Many in Punk Rock and Cold War Music History
Fans of Crass likely know The Poison Girls well, considering the two bands had a pretty strong connection. The Poison Girls formed in Brighton before moving to Burleigh House in Essex. That particular house was close to Dial House, which was the home of the anarchist band Crass. The two bands would go on to work very closely with each other. They played together for quite a few years and performed over 100 gigs together.
Outside of their killer music, The Poison Girls were also heavily involved in performing benefit gigs. They even contributed to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament’s (CND) fund to create badges. Not only are The Poison Girls one of the finest and most unique examples of anarcho-punk in the subgenre’s early years, but they are also one of the most immediate bands I think of when it comes to Cold War-era music.
The Poison Girls dropped their final studio record (Songs Of Praise) in 1985. Though, you’ll find quite a few later compilations of their work in record stores today. Vi Subversa passed on in 2016 at the age of 80, decades after The Poison Girls called it quits in 1987. Her legacy lives on, and I find it odd that she isn’t often mentioned among the greats of early anarcho-punk rock music. She did something different. And considering punk rock was already “different” at that time, she deserves way more credit.
Vi Subversa also released her first single with The Poison Girls in 1979 when she was 44 years old. So, if you think it’s too late to do exactly what you want with your life… think of Vi Subversa and Poison Girls.
Photo by Chris Mills/Redferns
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