Thurston Moore Sings With X-Ray Spex’s Poly Styrene in 1978 at CBGB in Unearthed Recording

“Artsnight” is a BBC Two series in which a guest host presents a half-hour show on a theme of their choice. This week’s installment features Thurston Moore exploring the British punk scene of 1976. In one segment, Moore meets Celeste Bell, the daughter of late X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene. They dig up an audio recording from a 1978 X-Ray Spex show at CBGB. In it, a young Moore, handed the mic in the front row, sings along to “Oh Bondage! Up Yours!” According to Moore, it was the first time he’d sung into a microphone. Watch it below. The full “Artsnight” episode, which also features Chrissie Hynde, Pete Shelley, Julien Temple, and others, airs tonight on BBC Two.

Watch Moore perform “Benediction” at the 2011 Pitchfork Music Festival:

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