For the primary and final time, commemorated L.A. rock bands X and Los Lobos will be part of forces for a historic co-headlining tour that will get underway in Denver on July 19th. The intensive ’99 Years of Rock n’ Roll’ Tour of North America runs by way of late November and never solely celebrates the respective 48- and 51-year tenures of those musical trailblazers however does so with every of their precise unique line-ups in place.
Search for the Exene Cervenka and John Doe-fronted punk pioneers in X to fireside off musical missives like “Grownup Books,” “White Woman,” and “The Hungry Wolf.” In the meantime, their longtime buddies in Los Lobos pull from a songbook stocked with enduring rave-ups like “Don’t Fear Child,” “I Obtained Loaded” and 1987’s chart-topper “La Bamba.”
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It’s arduous to think about how the L.A.music scene and punk and various music as we all know it may need advanced had been it not for the uncooked energy of X’s Ray Manzarek-produced landmark 1980 debut ‘Los Angeles.’ And the identical must be mentioned for ‘How Will The Wolf Survive?’ Los Lobos’ revered 1984 long-player stands tall as an revolutionary amalgam of blues, nation and classic rock n’ roll knowledgeable by their Mexican-American musical roots.
“I assumed, ‘Wouldn’t or not it’s enjoyable? Wouldn’t or not it’s loopy?” says Cervenka. “So we requested Los Lobos in the event that they needed to do a tour. They usually mentioned sure! And it simply so occurred that we had 99 years collectively in complete. I had at all times needed to do one thing like this and at all times thought it was an incredible concept, however again at first, live performance promoters would by no means go for it. So, we needed to wait and wait and now we lastly get our flip! For us, it’s actually a dream come true.”
When you think about the truth that Doe and X drummer D.J. Bonebrake additionally performed alongside Los Lobos’ saxophonist/keyboardist Steve Berlin within the late ‘70s L.A. punk outfit The Flesh Eaters (with esteemed ally Dave Alvin of The Blasters), it’s clear that these friendships run nearer to household. “We’ve identified one another so lengthy,” Berlin says. “And we love these guys. I imply, we had been all at one another’s weddings method again when, you realize?”
“It’s really wonderful that each line-ups are intact and unchanged and we’re all nonetheless taking part in good music,” Berlin continues, marveling on the longevity of each bands. And whereas he asserts that Los Lobos has no plans to cease their at all times lively touring schedule, followers of X must be forewarned that that is possible their final large tour.
“We’ll proceed to do some dwell issues subsequent 12 months. Hopefully, we’ll be performing some festivals and different important occasions,” Exene explains. “However we gained’t be driving across the Midwest in a van for weeks at a time anymore and staying in Vacation Inns.” In different phrases, these 2025 exhibits shouldn’t be missed.
In anticipation of the “99 Years” tour, we’re championing the High 10 most essential moments of its respective co-headliners:
10. X types in 1977
Vocalist Exene Cervenka, bassist/singer John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake first got here collectively in tandem with the ascension of the Los Angeles punk scene. The group’s fiery debut single “Grownup Books” was launched the next 12 months by native impartial label Dangerhouse and featured “We’re Determined” on the flipside. It left an indelible stamp on the music world.
9. Manzarek Will get X
Founding Doorways member and keyboardist Ray Manzarek produced the band’s 1980 Slash debut ‘Los Angeles.’ This album options the rockabilly-tinged scorcher “Johnny Hit and Run Paulene” and “Soul Kitchen,” a quick blast by way of the track first made well-known by Manzarek’s bandmate Mr. Mojo Risin’. It’s thought of one of many biggest punk albums of all time.
8. Exene and John Get Hitched
Cervenka and Doe tied the knot in 1980. Though they divorced 5 years later, they’ve retained an simple connection and chemistry affirmed by the truth that they’ve continued writing and performing music collectively for the previous 40 years.
7. Album of the Yr
1981’s ‘Wild Present’ is arguably X’s definitive punk album. It was named the album of the 12 months by The New York Instances and The Los Angeles Instances at a time when REO Speedwagon’s Hello Infidelity was being shoved down everybody else’s throats. Once more helmed by Manzarek, the album’s lone single “White Woman” was purportedly written by Doe about Germs bassist Lorna Doom. It was a favourite on KROQ in L.A. across the time it was launched.
6. Hooray For Hollywood
X appeared in Penelope Spheeris’ 1981 punk documentary ‘The Decline of Western Civilization,’ alongside Worry, Circle Jerks, Black Flag and The Germs. John Doe caught the performing bug quickly after, and has since been seen in numerous films and tv exhibits, together with Highway Home, Boogie Nights and Roswell.
5. “The Hungry Wolf”
“The Hungry Wolf” spearheaded 1982’s ‘Beneath The Large Black Solar,’ turning into X’s first MTV breakthrough whereas spotlighting DJ Bonebrake’s thundering drums and Billy Zoom’s charging guitars. Their first album for main label Elektra Information additionally marked a stylistic shift towards nation and mournful materials like “Driving with Mary,” which was influenced by the sudden demise of Exene’s older sister Mirielle.
4. “Wild Factor”
X launched a memorable cowl of The Troggs’ basic “Wild Factor” as a non-LP single in late 1984. The hovering rendition would later floor within the Charlie Sheen movie Main League and paved the best way for a extra mainstream sound. The next 12 months, the band even landed a big hit on rock radio with “Burning Home of Love” (#27), from their file ‘Ain’t Love Grand.’ Lately, an animated video narrated by Cervenka concerning the track was launched which could be seen right here: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Buva9ags5ic]
3. The Knitters
A aspect undertaking that includes Exene, John and DJ with out Zoom surfaced in 1985. The Knitters’ broadly heralded people and country-influenced album ‘Poor Little Critter on the Highway’ included Dave Alvin from the Blasters, who stayed on for the following X album. 1987’s roots rock-inflected ‘See How We Are’ touted the distinctive singles “4th of July” and the title monitor.
2. ‘Alphabetland’ and ‘Smoke & Fiction’
Zoom returned to the band in 1998 and X saved lively by way of the years, largely for dwell dates. Then in 2020, they unleashed ‘Alphabetland’ to common acclaim and hit the highway. They did so once more after their ninth and closing studio album ‘Smoke & Fiction’ was launched in 2024 to excessive reward. Now, X’s participation in ’99 Years of Rock n’ Roll,’ will mark their closing tour. This, in accordance Doe, is as a result of he has little interest in letting the band develop into a shadow of what it was and desires X to bow out on high.
1. X’s Legacy
X’s affect can’t be denied. Pearl Jam has coated their political anthem “The New World” from 1983’s ‘Extra Enjoyable within the New World.’ Elsewhere, performers from Nirvana and Social Distortion to The Replacements and an array of Americana artists like Neko Case and Lucinda Williams have name-checked the group.
10. Los Lobos Align in 1973
Los Lobos fashioned in East L.A. when founding members David Hidalgo (vocals, guitar, accordion), Louie Perez, Jr. (drums) Cesar Rosas (vocals, guitar) and Conrad Lozano (bassist) got here collectively. The band’s saxophonist keyboardist and producer Steve Berlin left the Blasters to affix them in 1984. Collectively they’ve constructed a musical legacy like no different by embracing their Mexican-American satisfaction. They are often counted alongside legends like Ritchie Valens and Santana for his or her contribution to the evolution of Chicano rock.
9. ‘How Will The Wolf Survive’
On the heels of the group’s Greatest Mexican-American Grammy efficiency for the 1983 instrumental “Anselma” (which could be discovered on the EP ‘…And a Time To Dance’) Los Lobos unveiled their aforementioned 1984 breakthrough album. The T-Bone Burnett and Berlin-produced providing fused components of folks, punk, blues, nation, zydeco and rock and earned the band widespread vital acclaim and notoriety.
8. “La Bamba”
In 1987, Los Lobos topped the charts within the U.S. and the U.Okay. with their rendition of “La Bamba.” It was certainly one of six Valens songs the group recorded for the blockbuster biopic of the identical identify. The soundtrack offered a staggering two million copies.
7. ‘La Pistola Y El Corazon’
Los Lobos’ 1988 Spanish-Language album explored Tejano, Mariachi and Mexican people and earned the group their subsequent Grammy Award for Greatest Mexican-American efficiency.
6. Stay Collaborations
Los Lobos have been lively in social causes by way of music, together with Farm Assist and have shared the stage with giants of rock like Bob Dylan, U2, The Grateful Lifeless and U2 by way of the years.
5. Elvis, Tom and Past
Los Lobos has collaborated within the studio with some spectacular buddies, together with artists like Elvis Costello, John Hiatt, Levon Helm, Ry Cooder and Tom Waits.
4. Steady Reward
All through the Nineties, Los Lobos profile remained sturdy as they pushed the boundaries of what their music must be. Albums like ‘The Neighborhood’ and ‘Kiko’ confirmed creative development and continued to earn the band vital reward. The latter turned among the best sellers in Los Lobos’ catalog and gave technique to the retrospective compilation ‘Simply One other Band from East L.A.’
3. Corridor of Fame
In 2000, Los Lobos was inducted into the Latin Music Corridor of Fame. This honor acknowledged their international influence on Latin music. The identical 12 months the band shared its beloved 86-track field set ‘El Cancionero: Mas y Mas’.
2. ‘The Experience’
In 2004, Los Lobos launched the collaborative album that includes quite a few friends together with Bobby Womack, Waits, Ruben Blades, Dave Alvin, Richard Thompson, Costello, Mavis Staples and Garth Hudson.
1. Nationwide Heritage Fellows / California Corridor of Fame
In 2021, for his or her contributions to American music and tradition, Los Lobos had been honored by the Nationwide Endowment for the Arts as Nationwide Heritage Fellows, the best honor bestowed in the US for folks and conventional arts. In 2022, Los Lobos had been recipients of the Arts Award from the Hispanic Heritage Awards at The Kennedy Heart in Washington, DC and gained their fourth Grammy for Greatest Americana Album for Native Sons. In 2024, the band was inducted into the California Corridor of Fame.
To see our working listing of the highest 100 biggest rock stars of all time, click on right here.
