MOG

Thanks to last night's last minute posting by fellow MOG'er Robin Danar, I was able to catch the Direct TV broadcast of X in concert at SXSW this year. I haven't seen them in a while, and I was on the edge of my  seat the whole time - sometimes I forget that live, they're instrumentally a trio, and yet - they pack so much punch, even all these years after the songs were originally recorded.

I've always been baffled and delighted by X. They have that crazy, rootsy hillbilly influence, and yet, Exene's poetry and fashion sense - not to mention her unique way of singing harmony (and lead, for that matter) are definitely artsy and modern. Or is that post- modern? Their relentless and primal rhythms...anyhow, everything about X is rock-n-roll perfection - from the interaction of the rhythm section (DJ Bonebrake and John Doe) to Billy Zoom's boyish cuteness, rip-roaring guitar riffs, and stage poses; and the yin-yang creative, personal, and stage relationship of Exene and John. During one of the interviews John and Exene also mentioned something that is a hallmark of X songs: romanticism in the lyrics.

I also fondly recalled seeing them at the Showbox back in Seattle, when punk shows were still slightly brutal, and it being my first punk show in a while i was wondering why there was so much room in front of the stage. proudly claiming my spot where i would be positioned adoringly at Billy Zoom's feet. I patiently waited for the show to start, and was intrigued by the roadies who unrolled a non-skid mat in front of me. What was that for, I wondered?

Well the answers to my questions were answered when the band took the stage. The extra space up front? well, as the crowd rushed forward and crushed the wind out of my 5-foot frame, I figured that one out. The non-skid mat? Well, that was for Billy, his cowboy boots, and his famous, deep-lunge, split leg guitar rock pose.

Hopefully you can catch the Direct TV concert on repeats. The track I've attached, one of my faves, the one that closes the show, and one of the best song titles ever: The World's a Mess, It's In My Kiss. I love, love, love this band!