billy zoom Archives - Vinyl From The Vault

X “Alphabetland”

sfilzen — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 18:01:56 +0000

X “Alphabetland” 2020. Fat Possum Records. Rough Trade white vinyl exclusive, limited edition of 400 copies. X’s first LP with the original lineup (John Doe, Exene Cervenka, DJ Bonebrake and Billy Zoom) since 1985 (!!!!). Released digitally in April 2020, the vinyl came out almost exactly one year ago from today on Aug. 29th 2020 (it hit the UK’s Record Store chart at #7 the last week of August ‘20, the first time X ever charted) and it’s taken me that long to break the seal and throw it on the turntable. What the hell was wrong with me to take so long??!! It is…amazing. They sound as strong and fast as they did on their groundbreaking debut in 1980. It’s tight tight tight (Bonebrake!), the guitar riffs are fast and punky (Billy Zoom!) and Exene’s and John’s voices still blend perfectly. I’m hard-pressed to pick top tracks because every single song is fantastic, but to narrow it down at least a little: the title track/opener “Alphabetland,” “Water & Wine,” the insane “Delta 88 Nightmare” (recorded in 2019 and released as a single backed with “Cyrano DeBerger’s Back,” before a new album was even planned) and the punk-ripper “Star Chambered.”

Our vinyl edition came with a two-sided poster: one side with the album cover and the other with the liner notes by author and musician Willy Vlautin.

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X “Los Angeles”

sfilzen — Sun, 26 Apr 2020 12:53:40 +0000

X “Los Angeles” released 40 years ago today, April 26th 1980. Slash Records. One of the greatest punk records ever by one of the most enduring and endearing punk bands of all-time (still together and just released a new album with the original lineup like 2 days ago). The Doors’ Ray Manzarek produced Los Angeles which probably explains why it sounds so much better than X’s contemporary west coast punks (well that, and they actually could play their instruments). Manzarek also plays organ on several of the tracks, including an all-out freak-jam on “The World’s A Mess; It’s In My Kiss.” X covers The Doors’ “Soul Kitchen” on Los Angeles and improve it by a mile. My favorite tracks are the rockabilly/punk “Johny Hit and Run Paulene” and the menacing “Nausea” which were both featured in the Penelope Spheeris 1981 documentary of the west coast punk scene, Decline of Western Civilization; I think that was my first exposure to X (by way of the Germs, also in the movie and the soundtrack and my motivation to see/listen to the film and its soundtrack). I also love the title track “Los Angeles,” the opening track “Your Phone’s Off the Hook But You’re Not,” “Sex and Dying in the High Society”….pretty much the entire album from start to finish is a punk masterpiece.

We have seen X play several times and were supposed to see them again at the end of May, along with Milwaukee local hero punks Violent Femmes. Sadly, yet another show that has fallen victim to the tsunami of concert cancellations.

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X “Adult Books”

sfilzen — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 12:18:31 +0000

X “Adult Books” b/w “We’re Desperate” 1978 Billy Zoom Music/Dangerhouse, unofficial reissue on red vinyl. The album Los Angeles, on which both “Adult Books” and “We’re Desperate” appeared, was released on this date, April 26th, 1980; the single released just about 40 years ago (June ‘78). “We’re Desperate” is one of my favorite tracks from the groundbreaking punk album, along with “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene” and the Doors cover “Soul Kitchen.” Allmusic says about Los Angeles “ X’s debut, Los Angeles, is considered by many to be one of punk’s all-time finest recordings, and with good reason. Most punk bands used their musical inability to create their own style, but X actually consisted of some truly gifted musicians, including rockabilly guitarist Billy Zoom, bassist John Doe, and frontwoman Exene Cervenka, who, with Doe, penned poetic lyrics and perfected sweet yet biting vocal harmonies. Los Angeles is prime X, offering such all-time classics as the venomous “Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But You’re Not”…and two of their best anthems (and enduring concert favorites), ”Nausea“ and the title track [“Los Angeles”]. While they were tagged as a punk rock act from the get-go (many felt that this eventually proved a hindrance), X are not easily categorized. Although they utilize elements of punk’s frenzy and electricity, they also add country, ballads, and rockabilly to the mix.”

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