BY WILL HARRIS
VIRGINIA BEACH — There are precious few good things that can be said to have emerged as a result of the pandemic, but if it hadn’t happened, then it’s quite possible that the influential punk band X wouldn’t be playing at Elevation 27 next week.
That’s how vocalist Exene Cervenka sees it, anyway. Her premise revolves around the release of X’s 2020 album Alphabetland, the eighth studio LP of their career, which the band had intended to take on the road.
“If the pandemic hadn’t happened, we would’ve released that record and we would’ve toured endlessly, and then we might’ve said, ‘Well, it’s been a good run: we did a new record, and maybe we’ll tour some more or maybe we won’t,’” Cervenka said during an interview.
“But because we couldn’t tour it and had to release it at a time,” she said, “we didn’t want to because of the pandemic. I think we just went, ‘You know what? Let’s do it again! Let’s make another record and do it right.”
Remarkably, the core lineup of X remains the same: Cervenka, bassist John Doe, guitarist Billy Zoom, and drummer D.J. Bonebrake, with rhythm guitarist Craig Packham joining them on the road.
“We’re at the best part of our career right now,” Cervenka said. “It’s just joyous. So many people come to see us that are all ages, and they’re happy to see us for the first time, they’re happy to see us again, they can’t believe they’re getting to see us one more time.”
Although the band hasn’t yet put together a follow-up to Alphabetland, they’ve incorporated four new songs into their live set, and they’re going over like gangbusters with audiences.
“Usually, you play a song live to try and make it better because playing it in the rehearsal room only takes you so far,” Cervenka said. “You really have to play in front of people to get it to really go somewhere. But these all went over really well. They were all just pretty good the way they were. That was kind of surprising. It doesn’t usually go like that.”
Outside of music, Cervenka raised some eyebrows a few years ago when she offered some political opinions that rankled many members of the band’s liberal fanbase. These days, however, she comes across as relatively apolitical.
“I haven’t voiced too much of an opinion over the last few years,” she said. “I’m just very much at peace with who I am and living life and being positive and understanding that there are things that are way beyond our control. I’m not pro-anybody. I think that they’re all fighting a war against each other that has nothing to do with us.”
Later in the conversation, spurred on by a discussion of the X song, “Come Back to Me,” written about her late sister, Cervenka further underlined why politics don’t matter to her as much as they might’ve in the past.
“There are people out there who are in pain and suffering,” she said. “There are people out there with addictions. There are people losing their loved ones. There are people who are sick. That’s what matters. That’s why there’s music. Not to talk about that other crap that doesn’t matter and never will.
“We’re here for a very short time,” she continued. “We have to make the most of it in a very special, spiritual way. We have to have that communion with each other. And music is that. It’s fellowship. It’s a very profound connection. And when you’re doing that, you realize, ‘This is all that matters, right here.’”
X with Squirrel Nut Zippers is scheduled for 8 p.m., Wednesday, June 28, at Elevation 27, 600 Nevan Road. Doors open at 7 p.m. Visit elevation27.com for ticket information or call the venue at (757) 716-4028.
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