X - Under the Big Black Sun

This month marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Under the Big Black Sun, the third album by the Los Angeles based punk band X. The quartet consisted of John Doe (bass and vocals), Exene Cervenka (vocals), Billy Zoom (guitar, saxophone and clarinet), and D.J. Bonebrake (drums and percussion).

The groups first two releases were done on a smaller, independent label with limited distribution. This July 1982 record was their major-label debut, and it climbed as high as number 76 on the US Billboard Hot 200.