No to be confused with Sydney's own X, Los Angeles cowpunks X were formed in in the midst of a California punk explosion, but built their vibrant sound on a rootsy bedrock of country, rockabilly and surf music. The fact that Ray Manzarek of The Doors produced their first several albums made plain their disinterest in punk orthodoxy. With the sweet-and-sour harmonies of songwriters John Doe and Exene Cervenka, Billy Zoom's twangy flash and D.J. Bonebrake's monster drumming, X were miles ahead of their punk contemporaries musically. But the angst and despair on albums like Los Angeles and Under the Big Black Sun were pure punk.