X

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Punk band formed in 1977 in Los Angeles. After a peformance at TheWhiskey, ex-Door Ray Manzarek became their producer. X consists of John Doe (bass/vocals), Exene Cervenka (vocals), Billy Zoom (guitar), and Don J. Bonebrake (drums). The signature of the band includes more thoughtful lyrics than most punk bands as well as the vocal harmonies of John Doe and Exene Cervenka (who wrote the songs and who were married at one time). In L.A., they were considered superstars. Their music touched on rockabilly, heavy metal, punk, and country. Their first two albums (Los Angeles and Wild Gift), brought them that superstar status in L.A. and they were critically acclaimed albums through the U.S. Both LPs topped critics' year-end best-of lists Their discography includes: Los Angeles (1980), Wild Gift (1981), Under the Big Black Sun (1982), More Fun in the New World (1983), Ain't Love Grand (1985), See How We Are (1987), Live at the Whisky A Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip (1988). The group went on hiatus and Cervenka and Doe's marriage broke up, but the band reuinited for the releases Hey Zeus! (1993), and Unclogged (1995).

Jakob Dylan cites X along with The Clash and The Jam as bands he enjoyed in his formative years. He noted:

I got interested in playing music on my own. In the early '80s, my older brothers dragged me along to see Elvis Costello, the Clash and X. That was my first introduction to how powerful music is." (USAToday 2.23.97)

Jakob has several quotes in the accompanying booklet to "Beyond and Back: The X Anthology"

5.12.00 LiveDaily News: "John Doe Tackles Information Overload On New Album"