X: The Unheard Music

I wasn't quite sure what this documentary was about before I watched it. Which is Surprising because the title says what its about. I had never heard of X. I did not know what I was missing. I am glad I learned what I was missing by not having heard of X. The music in this documentary is wonderful. Its so good I have watched X The unheard music multiple times. And sometimes I even watched certain scenes over and over again because I enjoyed the music in that scene so much. I think X The unheard music is right up there with searching for Sugar man. Those two documentary's might be the only two music documentary's I have seen. At the very least they are at the top of my list of music documentaries. Anyway I thought I learned about a fascinating band in X the Unheard music. I am glad I watched it.

A rock film, interspersing interviews and performances of X. Exene Cervenka, John Doe, Billy Zoom, DJ Bonebrake, 4 incredibly talented, extremely charismatic people who formed a rock band in LA that should have been the biggest band in the world. They're definitely the greatest. This film, one of the greatest rock movies ever made, is extremely well shot, but after its over you long for MORE.It doesn't capture the excitement of seeing X live, but if you're a fan, you'll love it. SEE also: Urgh!a Music War(l981).

I learned of Exene Cervenka before I knew about X, because my mom got into her environmental song "Leave Heaven Alone" (which also called out Reagan's Star Wars program). My mom eventually noted that Cervenka was a member of punk band X.

I've finally seen W. T. Morgan's documentary "X: The Unheard Music". In addition to focusing on the band itself, the documentary looks at the general punk scene in LA in the early '80s. Much like how, for a brief moment, the hippie movement had control, the punk movement had control for a brief moment. I was born around that time, so I never got to experience it, but it's fun to hear the music and see footage of the performances. Truly a time like no other.

Basically, this one and "Woodstock" are the music documentaries that you have to see. There are probably other good ones out there, but these two should be required viewing for anyone who wants to understand what music can truly be.

Before I present my review, please note that I have been an X fan since 1979, and was a first-generation American punk rocker. I do not state this as credentials, but rather because I am going to directly contradict some of the views of other reviewers who were there. Of course, this is all a matter of opinion, but - in my opinion - seeing "The Unheard Music" only as a tribute/biopic/fan movie about X misses the point by a wide margin. The genius of "The Unheard Music" is that it simultaneously provides a solid biography of X and an indictment of the American popular music industry - two stories which are, unfortunately for X, inescapably connected.

As an X fan, I especially appreciated the artistry of the film - which nicely mirrored Exene's aesthetics and poetry, and highlighted her as both John Doe's muse and, in many ways, the driving force behind the band. X was an almost leader-less group. With Billy Zoom - a very talented RnR/Rockabilly guitarist, John Doe - an excellent bassist and song-writer, DJ Bonebrake - a solid and innovative punk drummer and Exene - the brilliant bizarre and strangely beautiful poet and lead singer, they really did not need a leader. The film depicts and appreciates each band member's personalities accurately, and unlike most fan films, does not soft-soap them or go out of its way to make them all look good.

X was fascinating in concert - the juxtaposition of Billy's endless stiff smile and totally suppressed energy, Exene's inexplicable obsessive weirdness and often avant-garde vocal style, John's wild energy and exceptional vocal talent, and DJ's pounding rhythms - all welded into tight, exciting and loud but still very melodic and musical Rock and Roll. X, like many punk and old school hardcore bands, sincerely enjoyed their own gigs - and it was apparent. The band had great chemistry and excellent presence. All of this shows up nicely in the film's occasional live clips.

The film's story is nicely summed up in their classic song "I Must Not Think Bad Thoughts"

"Will the last American band

to get played on the radio

please bring the flag"

and

"Woody Guthrie sang about

b-e-e-t-s, not b-e-a-t-s"

X welded traditionalism (both in lifestyle and musical form), patriotism and radicalism (much like the libertarian political philosophy of the American founding fathers) and punk DIY ethics harmoniously. This hybridization produced a remarkably distinctive, original, yet familiar and fun musical repertoire.

Unsurprisingly, the music industry was not ready for them. Despite critical acclaim and a few 'album of the year' awards, only an open-minded independent label would sign them early-on, and they were systematically mismarketed and mishandled by distributors.

The flip-side of this, however, is that X was not and would never be a sell-out. Unlike more contemporary 'popular punk', X retained their uniqueness, their originality, their obscure politics, and their artistry, throughout their largely successful career. It is worth comparing this film to Jim Fields' "End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones" (2003). Though the Ramones were a larger commercial success than X, End of the Century paints much the same story for them.

I believe that this is a trope which has come to identify post-punk sentiment. There is a considerable amount of whining to be done about the injustices of the pre-home-studio-cheap-cd music industry, for sure, but perhaps we should try to remember what happens to the musical integrity of almost every band that actually does emerge from the underground to the harsh light of commercialism - The Clash, Metallica, etc. Think about it - most people really don't have a great deal of taste when it comes to music. They simply want something to dance to, or something to distract them from life, or something undemanding in the background.

I liked the Ramones DESPITE their commercial success. I loved X because of what they did, who they were, and how they sounded. I can't say the same about any of the neopunk groups signed to major labels and spreading expensive designer 'punk' fashion all about magazine covers today.

What is a looming commercial monolith on the surface is a barely recognizable shadow in the underground.

Nicely filmed, wonderfully edited and compiled, with never a dull moment. X: The Unheard Music is a great introduction to X, the music industry, and American punk.

Highly recommended.

I have seen an unholy amount of punk documentary and biopics; maybe even more than that. For whatever reason every band that half filled a bar has a film about their career/supposed influence. Once Arab On Radar got their own film you knew things had gone too far. Those quickie fan films can be exciting, and occasionally interesting...and sometimes you even find yourself half drunk and screaming in the background. But they rarely achieve the status as film, really just home videos for the die hards.

The Unheard Music is the exception that proves the rule. Maybe due to being produced when the market/distribution plan would have been nebulous at best, this comes across as an independent and brilliant piece of art, which just happens to feature one of the first wave LA's best punk bands. Unheard Music is constructed like a collage, like one of those bootleg video mixtapes that were floating around the underground back in the day. Your basic interview, performance, rehearsal sequences are intercut with found footage and various Exene based weirdness.

The true greatness of the film is the illustration of how X could never possibly find themselves in any subsection of the mainstream. For a band that is so informed by the classic sounds of American rock and roll, for a band that would have had dance hits in 1957, it is disheartening to listen to sleazy label suits babble about how the entire country would not "get" X. It's obnoxious at best to think those weasels are making value judgments about my taste based on geography. But then maybe that does explain Nickelback.

This is a fresh an exciting film about not just X, but what a statement it once was to say you were into punk. It took a certain amount of effort since the powers that be actively kept you from hearing this music. Wasn't on the radio, TV, or in suburban record stores. Makes you really understand how much of an uphill battle artist-musicians have.