X - More Fun in the New World

Following 1982’s Under the Big Black Sun (click here for that review), the Los Angeles rock band X returned to the studio with the Doors’ Ray Manzarek once again at the production reins. The result was More Fun in the New World, the band’s fourth album. This September of 1983 release, which reached number 86 on the US Billboard Album chart, is the focus of today’s thirtieth anniversary review.

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.