Editing X (American band) (section)

===1980–1981: ''Los Angeles'' and ''Wild Gift''===
[[File:X, 1980.jpg|alt=The band standing, with Exene holding a cat|thumb|X in 1980]]
As the band became the flag bearer for the local scene, a larger independent label, [[Slash Records]], signed them.<ref name="RollingStone2" /> The result was their debut, ''[[Los Angeles (X album)|Los Angeles]]'' (1980) which was produced by [[the Doors]]' keyboard player, [[Ray Manzarek]]. It sold well by the standards of independent labels.<ref>Richard Braverman, "X Make the Move", LA Weekly, March 5, 1982. Retrieved via Newspapers.com.</ref> Much of X's early material had a [[rockabilly]] edge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.markprindle.com/xa.htm |title=Prindle Record Reviews&nbsp;– X |publisher=Markprindle.com |access-date=July 7, 2011}}</ref> Doe and Cervenka co-wrote most of the group's songs and their slightly off-kilter [[close harmony|harmony vocals]] served as the group's most distinctive element. Their lyrics tended to be straight-out poetry; comparisons to [[Charles Bukowski]] and [[Raymond Chandler]] were made from the start.<ref>Robert Hillburn, ''Los Angeles Times'', 1982</ref>

Their follow-up effort, ''[[Wild Gift]]'' (1981), was similar in musical style. It featured shorter, faster songs and is arguably their most stereotypically punk-sounding record.<ref name="RollingStone2" />

During 1981, both Doe and Bonebrake (along with [[Dave Alvin]], guitarist of [[The Blasters]]) served as members of [[The Flesh Eaters]], performing on that band's second album, ''[[A Minute to Pray, a Second To Die (album)|A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thelosangelesbeat.com/2015/01/la-beat-interview-chris-d-of-the-flesh-eaters/ |title=LA Beat Interview: Chris D of the Flesh Eaters &#124; The LA Beat |website=Thelosangelesbeat.com |date=January 1, 2015 |access-date=June 15, 2017}}</ref>