X

They're starting up a leg of their ongoing 40th anniversary tour this coming week. I'm seeing them on May 9th in North Carolina. Billy Zoom is back in the band. At this point I've only seen them with Jesse Dayton, and I thought that was really good, so I'm intrigued to see the original lineup.

if it's anything like last time, it'll be worth it

At one point they didn't mean much, now they mean all.

White Girl at #1 - OTM.

nice - I would have cut the covers on principle, but the covers are also great so yeah. my mom loved the Leadbelly cut when I was in high school, I think I bought all the records new starting with Big Black Sun. "Blue Spark" is a great deep cut.

They're baaaaaaack! With Billy Zoom in the fold again. I'm going tonight.

The Mpls Doghouse Crew (UMS & myself) will also be there, pumped.

It was a last minute decision, but I'm excited too!

A good show I bet

Venue was packed, so my proximity to the stage and the sound weren't as good when I saw them 2 years ago, but yeah they always bring the goods (even with Billy playing sitting down now.) I was telling my friend there aren't many punk bands from that era, with all original members, still able to make me that happy. (My hometown heroes The Hypstrz excepted.)

The night was made extra poignant as Husker Du's "Love is All Around" video was playing on the big screen as I entered, and I was reminiscing about the "savage young Du," only to find out about Grant's passing this morning.

Yeah holy shit there were a ton of people there! Which is great, but it was hard to get a good spot/sound. But so they were good! God Billy is such a great guitar player, Exene & John were ragged but right as you would expect and DJ Bonebrake was great. they had some extra help on guitar & drums so DJ moved over to the marimba few times, Billy played the sax...they played "Come Back to Me" which in the wake of Grant's passing feels especially poignant.

xp are there any other 70s punk bands with all original members? I'm struggling to think of any. I saw Cock Sparrer last week but they've had a few rhythm guitarists go through the line-up over the years, all originals apart from that.

Recording (and reissuing the "Classic 4") Again:

https://variety.com/2019/music/news/original-lineup-punk-band-x-new-record-1203109031/

I mis-scanned that as the band heading into the studio and re-recording their first four albums. But sure, I'll take a new X album, hell yes.

I'd really like to hear that live album recorded in 2011, but it doesn't even seem like you can buy it from them through Kickstarter anymore.

Exene is still a Trumpist gun nut, right?

New studio album, the first with the original lineup since 1985. It's...decent. Eleven songs in 30 minutes, live-sounding and raggedy. The vocals are a little too clean, though, lacking that unhinged white-trash howl they had on the first three albums. But, you know, they're all in their 60s (or older - Billy Zoom is 72!).

it sounds pretty solid to me. both doe and exene's voices have weakened, but doe less so than cervenka, so the ones where he sings lead feel stronger

whoa I had no idea they were doing this!

Interesting that they re-recorded "Cyrano de Berger's Back" - there's a version on the Flesh Eaters reunion album from last year, too.

IMO this record is better than "decent", edging into "very good" territory, I think I like this more than See How We Are!

it really feels like they just stepped right back in to "whatever we planned to do after More Fun In The New World", the effortlessness of their retro sound is really quite amazing

i compared it to the feeling I got from superchunk’s last one— not a restyling or reboot at all, but a band going back and doing the things they know best. and doing it very well.

holy shit i dint know zoom is 72.

zoom played with gene vincent! who died in 1971!

1it really feels like they just stepped right back in to "whatever we planned to do after More Fun In The New World",

i attribute a lot of that to billy. first album they've made with him since 1985. and first album they've made him that wasn't produced by michael wagener since 1983 :)

Listened to a bit of this when it came out and it seemed solid. Nice to hear them recorded with modern sound quality as I feel like the production on most of their previous albums doesn't measure up to their performances.

It's solid imo.

just played Water & Wine on the good old FM radio a few minutes ago, the highlight for me

still remember the excitement of discovering this band (way after their time) - was obsessed about them for months at a point in my life where I thought I just didn't get that excited about rock bands any more

good list, I reckon The Have Nots is right up there with their best tho

The L.A. equivalent of Fleetwood Mac! Oooh, good 'un, Alfred!
Been listening on bandcamp, but must confess to not yet giving it my undivided attention--=but it keeps pushing at me---would prob be good car music---and if I start to wonder if actually about to wander, Exene's the one who keeps pulling me back in.

Glad to see See How We Are and even Hey Zeus represented.

(Isn't the L.A. equivalent of Fleetwood Mac, Fleetwood Mac?)

yeah, was gonna say - can't think of a more LA vibe band than the Mac

I am way behind and finally checked the album from earlier this year out.
This is way better than I ever expected, to be honest!
Do Exene's derpy views show up in the lyrics at all?

I am way behind and finally checked the album from earlier this year out.
This is way better than I ever expected, to be honest!

I was skeptical, even after twin raves from Greil Marcus and Robert Christgau, but I finally checked out Alphabetland and this is some damn good shit, close to great. A total surprise given how much time has past. I actually like See How We Are, which is a fine collection of songs and good, solid roots-rock performances if a bit polished and softer, but this is closer to the high standard set by their first four albums. Now I'm especially sad that their 2020 shows got cancelled - had my ticket and everything.

Short - less than half an hour! - but also damn cheap if you still get CD's as most places have it for less than $10.

It's a really good album - much better than I would've expected.

I would like to see them live sometime, even despite their conservative politics, but I think the last time they played the UK in the last century it was as a support to Pearl Jam, so that's probably not happening

Is there some reason why their early records left certain streaming services in the last year or so?

Rights reverted back to the band, iirc.

xxp - John Doe's no conservative!

Yeah, I thought only Exene was kind of kook-right. Billy is Christian but I haven't heard any right wingish stuff about him.

Zoom was a libertarian conservative once upon a time which I just assume means full MAGA now. I assume DJ Bonebrake is cool like Doe.

Live, Billy just smiles and plays hot licks all night, then at the end of the night he takes a picture of the audience.

The Unheard Music is available on YouTube. Well worth watching. Some of the advertising and other footage from the 50s that’s interspersed for contrast is o_O.

Will need to listen to that recent one.

XP I love that interview in the film with the MCA executive who didn't sign X because they weren't commercial enough, and then later missed his shot when they became more commercial, but it's okay now because everyone at MCA is excited about their new marquee
Rock act ...Texas Butt Rock also-rans Point Blank.

I was really bummed that I didn't get to see X due to the pandemic, but they're apparently touring with the Psychedelic Furs and presales just started. I think they're opening for them, but I love both bands and I think the Furs' new album is supposed to be surprisingly good. (Like X, it was their first in well over a decade.) I imagine the new stuff will be heavy in their setlists, but as I mentioned upthread, I was surprised how good X's album turned out to be - it sits well with their first four great LP's.

Code is RAIN if you want to buy today.

I completely slept on the new album. Listening to it now. It is surprisingly good.

Billy Zoom now has a serious dad rock vibe going.

The Furs' new album was also surprisingly good.

Oh hadn't noticed that Furs were touring with X . Thanks

Excene going crazy has taken some of the luster off the band for me, I'm afraid.

Both albums work, the P-Furs album is better than that.