Saturday, January 07, 2006

Near neighbor

Billy Zoom provided one of the iconic images of California punk.
While John Doe and Exene Cervenka serenaded each other in the seminal band X, Billy stood quietly beaming, legs spread apart while hands strummed the most amazing rockabilly riffs.
Imagine my surprise when I learned Billy Zoom was actually Ty Kindell, a guitar-playing kid from Savanna, Ill. -- just across the river and down a wee bit from us in Dubuque.
The Billy Zoom Web site, located here, provides a comprehensive interview that serves as the best biography of the guitarist.
He cut his teeth in touring rockabilly bands, which explains how he could craft such wonderful riffs to accompany X's pioneering exploration of Americana.
He says he just stood still and smiled as a reaction against the wildly gesticulating guitarists who tried to make even the simplest chord change look difficult. Good for him!
I am listening to 1982's "Under The Big Black Sun" right now, marveling at Billy Zoom. I think it's high time for an X revival. They were so great.

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