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X
X is a Los Angeles-based punk band. Formed in 1977 by singer and bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, singer Exene Cervenka, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake, X was an immediate critical success. In their first years of existence they quickly rose to the top of the L.A. underground music scene. After attracting a large local following, X was signed to the local Slash label and released their first album LOS ANGELES (produced by Ray Manzarek of the Doors), in 1980. The album, with its driving cow-punk rock, led by Zoom’s rockabilly guitar, Manzerek’s keyboard, and the dark, socially conscious, lyrics of Cervenka and Doe, was a critical hit and sold surprisingly well for a album on such a small label. WILD GIFT (1981) reached the national charts and X was soon signed to a major label, Elektra. X followed with UNDER THE BIG BLACK SUN (1982), MORE FUN IN THE NEW WORLD (1983), WILD THING (12″ Single 1994),and AIN’T LOVE GRAND (1985). In late 1985, Billy Zoom left X and was replaced by Blasters guitarist Dave Alvin, who with Doe and Cervenka were members of the acoustic country-rock band the Knitters. In early 1986, X became a quintet with the addition of guitarist Tony Gilkyson, formerly of Lone Justice, and recorded SEE HOW WE ARE (1987). Alvin left the band and the remaining members recorded a double live album, LIVE AT THE WHISKY A GO-GO (1988) and soon announced a hiatus. During the next five years, Both Cervenka and Doe pursued solo careers. In 1993, X reunited and with a new label, released HEY ZEUS! (PolyGram, 1993) and UNCLOGGED (Infidelity, 1995). In mid 1996, X, after 19 years, decided to call it quits.”X is no more and not getting back together and not on a hiatus so we can can do solo projects,” stated Exene Cervenkova (formally Cervenka) in a L.A. Times article.”It’s Done. We had such a bond, but the band had evolved too far away from it’s punk roots for me.” In October 1997, X released the retrospective BEYOND AND BACK. This 2-CD compilation includes demos, live recordings, rehearsal numbers, and studio tracks; according to Exene, in a Billboard magazine interview, the album’s crude, unfinished quality makes it especially timely when compared to today’s overproduced music.”I think that the culture sucks again, just like it did when we started,” she says.”With the Rolling Stones and Fleetwood Mac being the biggest tickets right now as a concert, it’s totally perfect for this record to be released at this time. When you listen to KROQ [Los Angeles] or watch MTV, you realize that everything is artifice and crap. It’s the same stuff we were fighting before. ” In February 1998, original guitarist Billy Zoom rejoined X for a mini reunion tour with shows in San Francisco and Los Angeles. X joined the 1998 Fleadh Fest and played several more shows in the months that followed. In 1999 the reformed band playing several shows in cities that included L.A., San Diego, and Las Vegas. The end of 1999 found Exene, John Doe, and D.J. Bonebrake touring with the reformed Knitters. Billy Zoom currently lives in Orange County (CA) and runs an amplifier repair business.
ATTENTION X FANS!
The good news is that Rhino is going to re-issue all the X records, the first 3 very soon!
(have we had that? i cant be arsed searching 62 pages to find out 
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