’80s LA punk band X marked a turning point for the punk scene and Fat Possum Records is keeping that punk scene alive by reissuing the first four albums by Los Angeles band X on vinyl.
X’s 1980 debut album, Los Angeles will be remastered and re-released on vinyl February 22. Their 1981, Wild Gift is due out March 22. X’s 1982 and 1983 albums, Under The Big Black Sun and More Fun In The New World will be available April 12. All four albums will also be available on CD.
It’s not often anymore that bands release an album two years in a row, and LA natives X released four albums in four years.
When Los Angeles came out in 1980, X was one of the only LA punk bands with an album released. Los Angeles wasn’t the same city as it is now; the rebellious, fashion-focused “art punk” scene of the ’70s gave way to a more “hardcore” scene in the ’80s. Punk shows became more violent, gangs formed, and violent crime was ubiquitous. Neo-Nazi and white supremacy punk gangs were seen around the city. This was the LA that punk band X knew and navigated. X’s founding member John Doe saw the L.A. scene as steering away from what it meant to be a punk; “never letting someone tell you what to do.”
The band decided early on to squander racial intolerance around the city and at their shows. Their resilience and love for music landed them a feature exhibit in the Grammy Museum last year. The band has had their fair share of ups and downs over the years, but they continue to tour together in 2019.
Check out this old-school video of X performing “Los Angeles” live:
