The X Los Angeles tour is in support of the new documentary 'The Unheard Music'. I was anticipating some concert footage and some tour bus chit chat but I got a whole lot more and it took a whole lot longer than I thought.
Lets start at the very beginning as the band discusses how they met, how Exene learns to harmonize, how the LA punk scene evolved and why Billy Zoom stands still. Oh, and I'm not going to give away any of those answers, sorry.
This film as Exene advised in our earlier interview was the work of some LA art students who put together a chronicle of X during the recording days of the LP "Los Angeles", the film also chronicles the times. Showing television commercials and political debates and enough Reagan to prove they were 80s. I loved that the most, just seeing the advertisements along with the bands commentary really drove home what the whole punk experience was about.
I think time has made alot of us 'regular guys' forget the entire reason of the punk movement. It meant something different to each of us. Together the 'scene' was a family of misfits from the incurable junkie to the promiscuous child. We ran the streets we lived in our own world of anti fame and we didn't give a toss unless it came to us or our scene.
The footage of slam dancing, the sweaty performers in low ceiling clubs. The graffiti at the Whiskey A Go Go, and the Masquerade so clear and so amazingly alive all this time later. Those were the best of times, they were the worst of times and they were times that wove a tapestry of those who survived it.
What bugged me most? The half drunk old bags who felt the need to talk as if the film wasn't on. By 45 min in it was hard to hear any of the dialog and I was literally at the sound board. I was pretty pissed off but I'm hopeful this is a 'to dvd' documentary, cuz I want to own it and over play it.
Within the film are snips of 'arty' song video's, interviews, in store signings and a story open and closer on the infamous "Pauline" of "Johnny Hit and Run Pauline" fame, interestingly done by actress Alizabeth Foley.
The film made me miss the old days but it the comfort of old friends. It was a reunion of sorts, for me anyway. I had anticipated a 30 min X commericial, instead I got nearly an hour and a half of my youth back. Thank you X, from the bottom of my heart.
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