LA Punk Rockers X Announce Final Album and Farewell Tour

The end of one of LA’s seminal punk acts coincides with the release of their new single, ‘Big Black X’.

Image by Frank Gargani

After almost five decades, LA punk legends X are calling time of their storied career. The seminal punk rock outfit has announced the release of their final album, Smoke & Fiction, along with a farewell run of shows kicking off this July.

The band, comprising original members John Doe (lead vocals, bass), Exene Cervenka (lead vocals), Billy Zoom (guitars, saxophone) and D.J. Bonebrake (drums), took to social media to announce their ninth and final album, Smoke & Fiction, that’s set for release on August 2 via Fat Possum.

The post revealed the vinyl version of the album will be available in multiple limited edition colours and that the band will also be hitting the road soon for one last hurrah.

X also dropped a video for their new single, ‘Big Black X’, which you can check out below.

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The news of X calling it quits comes just four years after the quartet’s first album in 27 years, 2000’s surprise release Alphabetland. Arriving without any warning, Alphabetland was well received by critics and fans and had many wondering why the band hadn’t released new material earlier.

Making their mark in the 80s, X dropped six albums in seven years, becoming the heart and soul of the LA punk scene. Things slowed down in the 90s, with 1993’s Hey Zeus! their only record before going on a short hiatus.

Reuniting in the early 00s, X has continued to tour steadily, with their upcoming ‘X: The End Is Near – Smoke & Fiction’ American tour the last chance fans have to see the band live.

Smoke & Fiction is set for release on August 2 via Fat Possum. You can pre-order the album and find tour dates here. Check out the album artwork and tracklisting below.

X – Smoke & Fiction Tracklist

1. Ruby Church

2. Sweet Til The Bitter End

3. The Way It Is

4. Flipside

5. Big Black X

6. Smoke & Fiction

7. Struggle

8. Winding Up The Time

9. Face In The Moon

10. Baby & All

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