X rules
When we were getting Jim Ruland’s piece about X ready for publication this week, I went around saying it bugged me a little bit that the influential L.A. band was considered “punk rock.” I guess I’d come to regard them as more of an up-tempo roots-rock band with a serious edge, probably swayed that way by singer/bass player John Doe’s solo stuff; the band’s side project, The Knitters; and some of X’s more straightforward-rock material. I had to see them live again to be reminded of how punk they really were, especially the stuff from the Wild Gift album.
A buddy (we’ll call him “Brian”) and I saw X tonight at Belly Up Tavern, one of my favorite all-time venues (and I’m not just saying that because they let me in free), and they were frickin’ amazing. X has been playing together since the late ’70s, but the only sign of wear is in Exene Cervenka’s voice. It’s not quite as powerful as it once was, but it got stronger tonight as the show progressed—and when it’s paired with Doe’s, it sounds as good as ever. Doe, one of the truly under-appreciated heroes of American music in the last 40 years, hasn’t lost a thing. If anything, his voice sounds better and better.
And guitarist Billy Zoom seems to be getting weirder and weirder. You can just watch only him for 20 minutes and be thoroughly entertained, as he grins his signature grin, winks kinda creepily at members of the audience and actually appears to be carrying on conversations with people just with his face. Brian quite rightly commented that Zoom’s starting to look like Rutger Hauer. What do you think? Here’s Billy. As far as I know, Rutger never played guitar like Billy Zoom. If he can play like that, he should start a band—and call it “Bloodbath and Beyond”). Anyway, Zoom sounded great tonight. And he worked the crowd after the show, grinning for photos and shaking hands. (The one time I’d met the band was after a show in Ventura. Exene, Doe and drummer DJ Bonebrake were as friendly and unassuming as could be—Doe nice enough even to crack open my bottle of Guinness with his lighter—but Zoom didn’t say a word. He just kinda sat there. So it was nice to see him socializing this time.)
X’s shows these days, as Ruland’s story notes, are packed with all the songs X fans want to hear—”Nausea,” “White Girl,” “Johnny Hit and Run Pauline,” “We’re Desperate,” “True Love,” “Los Angeles,” “The New World,” “Hungry Wolf.” The only song I can think of that I felt was missing is “See How We Are”; a slowed-down version would have made an awesome first encore.
Really, the only blemish this evening was when Doe outted someone with a doobie. During the band’s first break, he announced that he smelled “refer.” Security was on hand in no time. I’m sure he meant well, but, dude—not cool.
On the way home, Brian and I agreed that Ray Manzarek should really tour with the band and play keyboards, at least on “Soul Kitchen.” I mean, c’mon. How cool would that be?
David, last night I wrote in my notebook: BZ = rutger hauer! There is definitely something replicant-like in the way he plays so effortlessly while carrying on a conversation with his eyebrows. Sadly, “Bloodbath and Beyond” is already taken and S.D.’s Davey Quinn of Tiltwheel is one of the members. Glad you enjoyed the article.
in ’78 we called them punk. everything raw and weird then was punk. it was an attitude, not a sound.
You’re kidding! Bloodbath and Beyond is taken??? Holy crap, I thought I’d come up with the best band name ever. Just goes to show: There are no more new ideas.
By the way, Jim, Billy Zoom e-mailed me today and took issue with the part of your story about Madame Wong’s. He said Esther Wong wouldn’t let punks anywhere near that place. It was the Hong Kong Café where punks played in China Town, he says. I’m going to publish his letter in the next issue of CityBeat.
He’s right. They were right across the street from one another in the pedestrian square. If you wanted to know where the line was between punk and new wave, it was right there in Chinatown on Gin Ling Way.
Well, it’s a fact that X and The Ramones played at Madame Wong’s – at least once. But I do remember that the Hong Kong is where the majority of punk shows happened. My young punk friends and I never went to Madame Wong’s, but we spent a lot of time at the Hong Kong. Oh, and i was the anonymous poster above who says X was considered a punk band at the time.
X played the one and only Punk show at Madamn Wong’s. My guitar was stolen from the dressing room while the security guards were busy making sure no one got up and danced.
That was the weekend she first started having live music.
She never allowed Punk again because people were dancing.
The Ramones never played Madamn Wong’s. They did play once at her West L.A. concert venue, Wong’s West, but that was because they were from New York and didn’t know any better.
BZ