X-Ray Spex

We jump across the pond for the other X band. And unless you're a Punk junkie, you may have not heard of this next band. X-Ray Spex were a London Punk band that formed in 76. During their initial lineup the band in three years released one album and five singles. Perhaps what set X-Ray Spex apart from the othe UK Punk acts at the time was that they were led by a female, Poly Styrene and the band happened to feature a Saxophonist. Yes you read that right, a Saxophonist. In addition Poly's voice was unmistakable, at times sounding like a wailing banshee. Plus who ever heard of a Saxophone in a Punk band? The band played in and around the UK until 79 when Poly tired of touring left the group. The group briefly reformed in 88, 91 & 95 to play gigs, but never recording any new material. The band did reform and play their entire album 'Germ Free Adolescents' in 08. The album was recorded live and released. Sadly any future reunions were cut short when Poly passed away in 2011 due to cancer. The band remains somewhat of a cult favorite and can be seen as a precursor to what became the Riot-Grrl movement in the early 90's. The band didn't have a whole lot of material, but the wonderfully done 'Let's Submerge, The Anthology' captures the band fully. The album includes the album and the singles, along with their John Peel sessions and some live material from 77. An interesting band that deserves a listen.

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X

It's been a bit since I've updated this blog, so in rummaging through my collection I realized I was a bot short on the X bands. So it's a quick double shot of Punk bands. First up is the iconic Punk band X. Formed in Los Angeles in 77 by Billy Zoom and John Doe, X were among the first wave of American Punk bands that shaped the scene. The band scored a record deal with Dangerhouse records in 78 and released their first single 'Adult Books'. As the band gained attention in the LA scene the band caught the attention of Slash records and somehow managed to get former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek to produce their debut album 'Los Angeles'. While the album gained some minor success in the mainstream media, the underground grabbed a hold and didn't let go. The band would continue to release material through the mid 80's before taking several hiatuses. The band continues to play live as a band as well as in solo projects. While initially shunned by mainstream critics, 'Los Angeles' today is revered as one of the best Punk albums ever released. I've gone ahead and uploaded the deluxe version which features the Dangerhouse Records cuts as well as some demos.

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