What a brilliant, beautiful and triumphant documentary on The Selecter frontwoman Pauline Black. Directed by Jane Mingay, it’s as unflinching, witty and eloquent as Black herself.
It’s not simply a music documentary, it’s also a time capsule of the divided late seventies in Britain, a fascinating insight into the formation of the Thatcher-baiting Black/white movement 2 -Tone, whose gigs were occasionally marred by National Front skinhead violence.
Black was a one-off: a mixed race woman, strong, stylish and androgynous, fronting a band of men whose music fused the energy of punk with the danceability of ska. And she’s candid about how she became a tough cookie, able to hold her own with the boys, particularly in a racist time where people in the UK wanted the values of Enoch Powell, not the Black Panthers.
Black had an extremely difficult start in life. Despite being adopted by loving parents, there was a stigma around being the only child of colour in Essex. She suffered her share of open racism, and shockingly, sexual abuse when babysitting for a family as a teen, subsequently dismissed,even when she called it out. Moving to Coventry proved her safe haven, a multicultural environment.
She’s also open about inter-band rivalry, and the infamous photo shoot with the NME alongside Debbie Harry, Viv Albertine, Chrissie Hynde and Siouxsie Sioux. She and Poly Styrene were uncomfortable with the white women who seemed to dominate: the Americans took over the session, and you can see it in their awkward facial expressions.
Gig clips are excellent. The Selecter were a force to be reckoned with, full of fire and oppositional lyrics, lurching at the crowd. The burn out happened quickly though, and Black’s solo project singing soul music was a non – starter, leading her to pursue a second career in acting, notably portraying Billie Holiday in the play, All Or Nothing At All , to great acclaim.
Black ‘s success was hard -won then, but so well deserved. Her brilliant vocals and presence have endured for forty five years The band recently reformed, playing stadium shows, and a new generation have discovered them. They had something pertinent to say and still do: the years have been kind to Pauline Black , but sadly, the problems in the UK and across the world remain the same.
Screened on Sky Arts.
Hit The North 
she looks soooo cool
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She’s amazing.
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