The REAL X

X (AUS) - Live at the Civic '79

Might as well get the hate rollin' right off the bat-- much like the accompanying stickers attached to nearly all recent Aussie X reissues: this is NOT the wanky L.A. band. A far more appropriate disclaimer however, would be NOT THE PRETENTIOUS SUCKY-SUCK BAND THAT SUCKS. There. I said it. So if yer looking for John Dildo & Co., you've come to the wrong insignificant corner of cyberspace.

This X was put together by ex-Rose Tattoo bassist Ian Rilen in Sydney, Oz in 1977. Original axe-slinger Ian Krahe died in his sleep before they'd laid down a note (aside from three demo tracks that showed up on the "Why March When You Can Riot?" comp), and was replaced by Geoff Holmes for about five seconds, making way for Peter Coutanche. The carousel continued with drummer Eddie Fisher giving way to Steve Cafiero, and finalized with (deep breath) lead howler/guitarist Steve Lucas. This obviously volatile crew hit the bricks, did their time in the local clubs with plenty of booze and spit gobs hurled their way, got harassed by cops & club owners alike, yet still managed to record the lost masterpiece "Aspirations," in 1979 (produced by Coloured Balls Guitar God Lobby Loyde). An LP that managed to blend their skanky, junkie street trash with the disjointed arrangements Wire would perfect on "Chairs Missing."

"Live at the Civic" is a 2JJ broadcast that languished in the ABC (not that one, you myopic swine!) vaults for nearly two decades. The short-lived 4-piece lineup of Cafiero/Rilen/Lucas/Coutanche is the one featured here, and they sound unlike they ever did before or after, steamrolling through a set of positively brutal R&R with any/all of their artier tendencies tossed to the wayside. The uncouth reading of their best-known cut, "I Don't Wanna Go Out," despite having its bizarre descending riff intact, once stripped of its studio niceties (like the helium pitch backing vox) is undistilled barbaric fury. Ditto "Lipstick" and "All Over Now"-- they even manage to make Del Shannon's "Runaway" sound like a punk delinquent call-to-arms.

X would make more great --though slightly more "sophisticated"-- music for many years to come, but this is the stuff thee shouldst crave. On a dispiriting note, thundering sticksman Steve Cafiero passed away in 1988, making it impossible to not dedicate this post to his memory.

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