Jak Airport (born Jack Stafford; c. 1955 – 13 August 2004) was the guitarist of 1970s

punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...

band

X-Ray Spex X-Ray Spex were an English punk rock band formed in 1976 in London. During their first incarnation (1976–1979), X-Ray Spex released five singles and one album. Their 1977 single " Oh Bondage Up Yours!" and 1978 debut album '' Germfree Adol ...

and new wave band

Classix Nouveaux Classix Nouveaux are an English new wave band, who are generally considered part of the New Romantic scene. Though experiencing only minor success in their native UK, most notably with their 1982 Top 20 hit "Is It a Dream", the band had number ...

, before retiring from music and working for Vision Video and the BBC. Born and raised in

Catford, London Catford is a district in south east London, England, and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Lewisham. It is southwest of Lewisham itself, mostly in the Rushey Green and Catford South wards. The population of Catford, includin ...

, Jak Airport is best known and remembered for being a member of punk rock band X-Ray Spex, contributing with songs like " Oh Bondage Up Yours!" and " The Day The World Turned Day-Glo". The beginning riff of the latter song was considered a classic by the band's singer

Poly Styrene Marianne Joan Elliott-Said (3 July 1957 – 25 April 2011), known by the stage name Poly Styrene, was an English musician, singer-songwriter, and frontwoman for the punk rock band X-Ray Spex. Early life Poly Styrene was born Marianne Joan Ell ...

. He joined the band after leaving another punk group called

Puncture Puncture, punctured or puncturing may refer to: * a flat tyre in British English (US English "flat tire" or just "flat") * a penetrating wound caused by pointy objects as nails or needles * Lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap * Punctu ...

. When

disbanded in 1979, he and the group's bassist Paul Dean formed Airport and Dean. In 1979, he and fellow X-Ray Spex member, drummer BP Hurding formed, alongside singer

Sal Solo Sal Solo (born Christopher Scott Stevens; b. 5 September 1961 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England) is an English singer. Career Solo began his career with a band called The News, which released one 7" single on GTO Records. Then he formed the ...

, the new wave band

, but he had left the band by the end of the year. He retired from the

music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, train, ...

then worked at VVL London and also in the BBC's corporate and public relations department.

Death

Jack Stafford died of cancer on 13 August 2004.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Airport, Jak English male guitarists English new wave musicians People from Catford 1950s births 2004 deaths Musicians from Kent Deaths from cancer in England Place of death missing Date of birth unknown X-Ray Spex members Classix Nouveaux members 20th-century British guitarists 20th-century British male musicians