22 The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, December 22, 2011 Eye Street

The Lowdown with Matt Munoz Doe is rising as X caps great year

Legendary LA punks X return to Palace When: 7 p.m. Dec. 28 Where: Buck Owens’ Crystal ho would have thought Palace, 2800 Buck Owens weaving through a Blvd. W trash-strewn security Cost: $18 to $24 frisk line would feel so warmly Information: 328-7560 or nostalgic? vallitix.com It was for me during last Fri- day’s GV30, a three-day celebra- tion to commemorate 30 years of real prosperous year. And so, I Goldenvoice promotions at Santa think we count ourselves as very Monica’s Civic Auditorium. On lucky.” the bill, a trio of acts from the Doe, 57, was living in Oildale at company’s early punk rock years: this time last year, but he said Social Distortion, The Adoles- he’s left the area for good. When cents, and wedged between the asked if life in the 08 was too two, my favorite: X. much even for someone of his The sold-out show in front of rowdy past, he offered up a polite 3,000 adoring, sweaty fans of all response. ages was just one of the many “No, I moved up to Northern milestones experienced this year California. I didn’t get tired of it. by the original lineup: John Doe, My daughters live up there and I bass; Exene Cervenka, vocals; moved in with my girlfriend. I did Billy Zoom, guitar; and D.J. Bone- write a song for Bakersfield on brake, drums. After opening with my solo record though. It’s called, “Your Phone’s Off the Hook, But ‘Cottage in the ’Dale.’” You’re Not,’ off their 1980 debut “They still play Buck and Merle album, ‘Los Angeles,’ they pro- Haggard, when it’s Senior Sunday ceeded to rip through an hour’s at the honky-tonk, teenage men PHOTO COURTESY OF HOLLY CARLYLE worth of hits and deep tracks at the Front Porch, and punk rock John Doe performs with X during the band’s Dec. 27 show last year at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace. while beer and dirty shoes flew. at Jerry’s Pizza,” he sings on this Bakersfield can look forward to affectionate stroll through town before. They love rock and roll. and sometimes he doesn’t like the set list.” that kind of unbridled merriment off his album “Keeper,” released There would be 50,000 people in traveling too much, and he said, Asked to comment on the when the legendary punk act in August. a football stadium and I didn’t ‘Let’s do it.’ So that kind of shows upcoming induction of fellow returns to Buck Owens’ Crystal “I won’t be playing it with X, see a bunch of drunks and fights that, you know, we may be set in alternative music icons the Red Palace on Wednesday, sans the but maybe in the street before the and people shoving like they our ways, but somehow we’re still Hot Chili Peppers into the Rock mosh pit chaos, which will be gig,” he laughed. would be in the States. I encour- willing to take chances.” and Roll Hall of Fame, Doe says prohibited. Dubbing this tour “X-Mas 2011 age everyone to go there.” That renewed attitude has had an induction for his band would- “I think I’m a little exhausted. I Rock N Roll Revival,” Doe and his This string of dates also coin- a creative impact on the group. n’t be a bad gesture. After all, X haven’t been home in two bandmates also just returned cides with the rerelease on DVD While they’ve always performed did influence a great deal of the months,” said Doe during a from opening for Pearl Jam dur- and Blue-Ray of the 1986 rocku- in various incarnations, including groups who’ve already made it in. phone interview a few days ing the group’s South American mentary “The Unheard Music.” as their rockabilly alter-egos, The “I think it would be fitting and before the band’s Santa Monica tour. It was his band’s first trip to Filmed over five years, the movie Knitters, Doe revealed some good great. The fact that the Red Hot appearance. “We are so fortunate. Brazil, where they played in front is interspersed with interviews news for fans. Chili Peppers are being inducted It sounds like a of mammoth-sized crowds night- and performances during the “I think the time is right for and we’re not, that’s sort of lame acceptance ly — a far cry from the dives of band’s peak years. It’s also a bit- Exene and I to start buckling strange. They opened for us.” speech, but every- their youth. tersweet reminder of guitarist down and doing some writing for Opening Wednesday’s show body’s healthy and “It was incredible, a completely Billy Zoom’s lengthy absence X. So, that’s our plan anyway for will be the duo of veteran Orange still likes each different world. It was not nearly from the band the same year it February and March.” County punk vocalist Sean other a lot, and, as dangerous as everybody said, was released. Doe said for fans headed to the Wheeler and Circle Jerks’ bassist you know, and there was a kind of freedom “I’ve got to give Billy a lot of Palace to expect all the favorites, Zander Schloss, plus Los Angeles it’s been a there that I’d never experienced credit. He’s got his special guitars, plus deeper cuts. trio The Black Tibetans. “Exene and I will do an “I think X is still a little bit Matt Munoz is editor of Bakotopia.com, a sister website of acoustic song or two, and we’ll be underground for the Rock and The Californian that devotes itself to promoting Bakersfield’s art playing more of a variety. We’ve Roll Hall of Fame. That’s who we scene. Matt’s column appears every Thursday in Eye Street. been working on some more old are, for better or for worse — songs and putting them back in that’s who we are.”