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Walk In My Shadow
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X the band

Postby Walk In My Shadow » 01 May 2021, 16:10

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Have they been discussed here before?

Never gotten into them and the above is the only album I have by them.

I know Dave Alvin (a fave of mine) sort of helped them out and played with them for a while?

Any help?
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Jumper K
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Re: X the band

Postby Jumper K » 01 May 2021, 16:21

Fantastic band. LA and Wild Gift are personal favourites but by the time of Under The Big Back Sun, they were a little less frantic, even with some Country inflections. Alvin plays on See How We Are, after Zoom left and its definitely got his influence all over it, he didn't last though. having said that he did make the Knitters record with Doe, Exene and Bonebreak. That would definitely be up your alley.
Last Years lp Alphabetland is very, very good.
I've seen them live and they almost always deliver and was hopeful we might see a tour with last years record. Obviously not at the moment.

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Walk In My Shadow
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Re: X the band

Postby Walk In My Shadow » 01 May 2021, 16:36

The Knitters, yes of course.
Last year Alvin recorded an album with The Third Mind.
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robertff
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Re: X the band

Postby robertff » 01 May 2021, 17:43

Got their first album, good enough but I don't need any more.



After checking my records it's the XX album that I've got not X. As I said good enough but I don't need any more.



.

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Charlie O.
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Re: X the band

Postby Charlie O. » 01 May 2021, 19:05

For a few years they were one of the best bands in the world.

To me, Los Angeles is almost a demo (albeit an impressive one). The next three albums - Wild Gift, Under The Big Black Sun and More Fun In The New World are where they really whipped their "thing" into shape.

From there, the fall from grace was a precipitous one - first, the worst version of "Wild Thing" ever (which naturally became a hit), then the album Ain't Love Grand which saw them paired with a hair metal producer (though it has to be said that most of the material was sub-standard, too), then guitarist Billy Zoom left. (Somewhere in there, bassist/singer John Doe and singer Exene Cervenka, who were the main writers, divorced.) The daringly-titled See How We Are, though not great, was certinly an improvement (almost anything would have been), and I quite like some of what they've done since. And as Jumper says, they're a fantastic live band still. But if you want to investigate their records, I'd start with Wild Gift or More Fun. (By the way, you can stream these on Bandcamp.)

The documentary The Unheard Music is good, too.
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Six String
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Re: X the band

Postby Six String » 01 May 2021, 20:38

I like the live album by X also. Live In The Sunset Strip or something close to that.
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Matt Wilson
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Re: X the band

Postby Matt Wilson » 01 May 2021, 20:46

Superb until 1982, then the decline begins. The first four albums are among the best punk LPs LA has produced. Check out their 45 mixes of "Adult Books/We're Desperate," "Los Angeles," and "White Girl," all of which proceeded the first two albums and are superior in my estimation. The band was a curious mix of The Doors (courtesy of producer Ray Manzarek), noir, punk, and Hollywood (the location, not the film capital). Maybe even a little Bukowski. Great lyrics too.

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Jumper K
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Re: X the band

Postby Jumper K » 02 May 2021, 11:59

I think it might be a push to call More Fun a punk album ;)

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Re: X the band

Postby Matt Wilson » 02 May 2021, 16:05

Jumper K wrote:I think it might be a push to call More Fun a punk album ;)


A push for you maybe. Punk can be much more than endless bands recycling Pistols or Ramones riffs.

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Jumper K
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Re: X the band

Postby Jumper K » 03 May 2021, 08:17

Matt Wilson wrote:
Jumper K wrote:I think it might be a push to call More Fun a punk album ;)


A push for you maybe. Punk can be much more than endless bands recycling Pistols or Ramones riffs.

And therein lies the problem of lumping bands into shitty genres.

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Re: X the band

Postby pcqgod » 04 May 2021, 04:02

They were one of the first punk bands I latched onto. I was introduced to them through their version of Jerry Lee Lewis' "Breathless" which got some radio and MTV play. It was pretty accessible stuff for someone just getting into punk -- crunchy guitars, catchy melodies, not as confrontational as the hardcore bands. I liked all of their early albums, but nowadays the only one I have time for is 'Under the Big Black Sun' plus I like the first Knitters album and the first Exene solo record. Apparently Exene went full right wing nut at some point.
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Re: X the band

Postby pcqgod » 04 May 2021, 04:04

Charlie O. wrote:The documentary The Unheard Music is good, too.


Yes!
Where would rock 'n' roll be without feedback?

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Re: X the band

Postby 50 Shades Of Blue » 12 May 2021, 00:45

I have "Wild Gift"
Fucked if I can remember what it sounds like.
Was probably played twice on purchase and filed.
This will motivate me to give it a spin.
There is even a chance I have one of their not so good releases on vinyl with the cover of "Ain't Love Grand" looking familiar athough I don't have it listed in my collection on discogs.
Like every other fud on here I have way to much product.
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As if i give a fuck
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50 Shades Of Blue
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Re: X the band

Postby 50 Shades Of Blue » 18 May 2021, 01:15

50 Shades Of Blue wrote:I have "Wild Gift"
Fucked if I can remember what it sounds like.
Was probably played twice on purchase and filed.
This will motivate me to give it a spin.
There is even a chance I have one of their not so good releases on vinyl with the cover of "Ain't Love Grand" looking familiar athough I don't have it listed in my collection on discogs.
Like every other fud on here I have way to much product.


Just looked out and listened to "Wild Gift" a couple of times.
It's good and the disc contains a bunch of extra related tracks and 45's.
Thanks Yves, it was hidden in my collection and not getting any action until this thread.
Some mother's talking 'bout Guns' n 'Roses

As if i give a fuck

At best i think they suck


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