Beyond and Back: The Story of X

by F-stop Fitzgerald, Chris Morris

Book by F. Stop Fitzgerald, Chris Morris

Genres: Music

64 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an X fan, my only complaint about this book is that it's only 64 pages long. And that it only covers the band through More Fun in the New World. Still, until someone finally writes a *real* book about X (and plenty of far lesser bands have warranted as much), this is worth tracking down. And you will have to track it down - it's out of print, and I searched the used stores for years before an affordable copy finally showed up online. Still, it was worth the wait, despite the lack of heft. There are some great pictures of the band I'd never seen before, and Chris Morris does a great job of trying to pin down X's mysterious allure. There are also snippets from old magazine articles and excerpts (X-cerpts? Sorry.) from John & Exene's song lyrics that, along with the copies of old show fliers, add to the overall fanzine-scrapbook feel. For a band with such a strong aesthetic (seriously, has there ever been a band with this much individual style? Sometimes I almost think I'd like them even if their music sucked, just because they look so doggone cool), this is the perfect balance of visuals and text, and, yes, you should read it while listening to Wild Gift and/or Under the Big Black Sun!