I started to reflect on the music I used as my soundtrack and the mix tapes I created to define moments like new loves, heartbreaks, and angsty business I got into. There are many bands (i.e. Culture Club, The English Beat) that were SUPER important to me for a year or two and songs that meant EVERYTHING to me (i.e. Kim Wilde "Kids in America" and J. Geil's Band "Freeze Frame") for a few weeks of summer.
There is one band that I have loved since I was 16 years old and three weeks ago I saw them for (I think) the 43rd time.
The first time I heard them was when I was in 8th grade. I was dabbling in punk rock and listening to KSPC 88.7 the college radio station that I could pick up in the Inland Empire. Their record More Fun in the New World had just been released and I think that X was the opening act for The Clash who were on tour supporting Combat Rock. Which if you ask any real Clash fan will tell you is their second worst record barely beating out the rightfully named Cut the Crap.
The song I heard off the X record was The New World and I really liked it. I taped it off the radio the next time I heard it and the following school year I bought the 45 of their cover of Breathless, which was featured in a movie of the same name. By the end of 9th grade I was obsessed with watching music video programs (MV3, Night Flight, Friday Night Videos) because I did not have MTV at my dad's house. When I would visit my mom I would stay up all night watching the same 22 videos (okay there were more than that by then) over and over again. I saw X's Hungry Wolf video and I decided that I was going to like this band and bought their album Under the Big Black Sun. I liked it alright, but now looking back I don't think I was ready for them.
Tenth grade proved to be difficult at first for me to maneuver. I was at a new school and it was a clean slate. One friend I made was into metal and the other was all about ABC (pounds, dollar, millionaire). I was a punk rocker, but I still listened to Swedish Eagle's show on KROQ and went dancing at Studio K at Knott's Berry Farm. Yeah, I was confused. Ain't Love Grand was released in 1985 and at the time John Doe and Exene were in the middle of their divorce. The record changed me.
By the time I moved to San Francisco five and a half years later I had all of their records on either vinyl CD or both. I started to see them every time they played in my city. My good friend, Ego Sensation introduced me to The Knitters (country side project featuring X plus Dave Alvin) and John Doe as solo artist. I had originally been an Exene specific fan, listening and seeing her solo endeavors, but Mr. Doe became one of my inspirations and influences as a musician (and of course bassist).
In SF during my twenties, they got me through some crazy party times (Must Not Think Bad Thoughts), which my friend A will tell you I listened to A LOT. Dancing with Tears in My Eyes was in heavy rotation during one of my two significant break ups. Because I Do helped me through the other heartbreak. When I decided to move in with my boyfriend (who is my husband now) I revisited the entire album of Wild Gift and UnClogged, which contains acoustic versions of their songs.
My husband makes fun of me when we go to X and X related shows, he thinks it is some weird cult kind of thing because we see so many familiar faces. The band has been around since 1977 and I have been going to their shows since 1987.
