X Then: X was formed in 1977 when bass player John Doe met Exene Cervenka (they would later marry). Along with D.J. Bonebrake on drums and Billy Zoom on guitar they were dragged into the studio by former Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek and came up with 1980's album Los Angeles. Although a strange combination, this would put them on the map as arguably L.A.'s best punk band. After their 1981 follow-up Wild Gift, the band signed to major label Elektra to release a slightly more political album Under The Big Black Sun the next year. A more acoustic X released More Fun In The New World but the band still hadn't broken the commercial barrier. The band would release an album as the side-project Knitters along with a more hard rock album, Ain't Love Grand!, in 1985. Billy Zoom departed and Dave Alvin (who was also in Knitters) would temporarily fill in (on 1987's See How We Are) as guitarist until they found a replacement in former Lone Justice member Tony Gilkyson. A live album would be released in '88 before the band went on hiatus which saw Doe expanding his performing to film acting in Great Balls Of Fire, Cervenka would release a solo album and the couple would divorce. Now: Doe released a solo album of his own in 1990 titled Meet John Doe and in 1992 Doe would appear in the movie Roadside Prophets with Beastie Boy Adam Horovitz. X returned in 1993 with new material on the album Hey Zeus! but the band would go back to solo work again. The band would get together infrequently to play during their "time off" and in 1995 a live recording of their work would be self-released titled Unclogged (take that MTV). As a band they would appear in several documentary films including The Unheard Music and The Decline Of Western Civilization, Urgh! A Music War. In early 1996, X would officially break up. Now known just as Cervenka, she would start a project with Bonebrake and Matt Freeman (Rancid) under the name Auntie Christ. Gilkyson would work on solo material.