Curated by the GRAMMY Museum®, X: 40 Years of Punk in Los Angeles celebrates four decades since the band X’s formation and offers visitors a glimpse into how their four original members quickly established the band as one of the best in the first wave of L.A.’s flourishing punk scene.
Included in the exhibit are original instruments and gear played by the band, John Doe and Exene Cervenka’s handwritten lyrics and notebooks, clothing and other personal items, original concert flyers and posters, rare photographs, and artwork.
Formed in 1977, X quickly established themselves as one of the best bands in the first wave of L.A.’s flourishing punk scene, becoming legendary leaders of a punk generation. Featuring vocalist Exene Cervenka, vocalist/bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer DJ Bonebrake, their debut 45 was released on the seminal Dangerhouse label in 1978, followed by seven studio albums released from 1980-1993. Over the years, the band has released several critically acclaimed albums, topped the musical charts with regularity, and performed their iconic hits on top television shows such as The Late Show With David Letterman and Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. X’s first two studio albums, Los Angeles and Wild Gift, are ranked by Rolling Stone magazine among the top 500 greatest albums of all time. The band continues to tour with the original lineup fully intact. Their 40th anniversary tour kicked off on May 1, 2017, and the band has toured extensively ever since. On April 26, 2020, the band celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first studio album, Los Angeles.
