X

Though grossly overshadowed by the famed American band of the same name, Australia's X have nonetheless maintained a solid cult following among noise-punk connoisseurs. Formed by Rose Tattoo member Ian Rilen in the late 1970s, X combined Australian bar rock with the new ferocity of punk. The band's distinguishing feature, however, was Rilen's chunky, tough-as-nails bass work, which was perfectly accented by gnarled guitars spiking in and out of the mix. The sound proved to be quite influential, particularly among American noise rock bands of the early 1990s. X released albums on and off in various incarnations into the late 1980s; however, the band's crowning achievement remains its 1979 debut, ASPIRATIONS, produced by Aussie rock legend Lobby Loyd. X officially came to an end when Rilen died in 2006.