Pauline Murray

Pauline Murray

Pauline Murray is a singer from Durham, England, best known as the lead vocalist of the punk band Penetration. Born in Waterhouses, County Durham, in 1958, she becomes involved in punk in 1976 after seeing the Sex Pistols. She and other musicians from Ferryhill gain the nickname “Durham Contingent”, a term coined by the NME.

Penetration form in 1976 and begin gigging soon afterwards. Their first release on record is the single “Don't Dictate”. The band goes on to release the studio albums Moving Targets and Coming Up For Air, followed later by a best-of compilation. After a period of success in 1978 and 1979, the band splits in 1980.

In 1980 Murray works with Martin Hannett’s band The Invisible Girls, alongside former Penetration bassist Robert Blamire, listed as “R”, and Manchester musicians including Vini Reilly of The Durutti Column. John Maher of Buzzcocks also plays drums in the group. The resulting album, Pauline Murray and the Invisible Girls, reaches number 25 in the UK album chart and produces the singles “Dream Sequence” and “Mr. X”.

She also provides vocals for The Only Ones on “Fools”. Murray later works intermittently as a solo artist under the name Pauline Murray and The Storm with Robert Blamire, Tim Johnston and Paul Harvey, and spends the following years fronting various bands. She returns to gigging with a revived Penetration.