X were the first punk act out of LA that was really taken seriously by critics and fans all across the US. They’re another band who broke the traditional punk mold, by fusing it with elements of blues, rockabilly and country. Although they shared the LA punk scene with other landmark acts like Black Flag, they stood out from the pack thanks to the impressive guitar work of Billy Zoom, who still holds his weight as one of the best guitarists in the history of punk. As a musician, you can pick something up from his distinctive style – which incorporates plenty of techniques such as hammer-ons – and his use of minor chords in his songwriting.
Bio
Billy Zoom (real name Ty Kindell) was the son of a musician, and he developed a wide-ranging taste from a young age. He’s a multi-instrumentalist, having picked up the banjo, accordion, violin, clarinet and saxophone alongside the guitar. Out of the nine instruments he knew how to play, it was the guitar that he really settled with. After playing in numerous R&B and soul acts, he found a role in several rockabilly bands before hearing the Ramones and deciding to apply his guitar style to the punk genre. He answered an ad and joined X in the mid-70s.
Notable Recordings
X’s debut album, “Los Angeles,” contains many of the tracks that the band are most well-known for, including “Los Angeles,” “Nausea” and “The Unheard Music.” Their later recordings also include many classic tracks, one of the best for Zoom’s guitar style being “The Hungry Wolf.”
Techniques
Many of X’s songs stick to the standard punk format of power chords, including “Los Angeles” and “Nausea,” with both being built from a handful of chords. In “Nausea,” Zoom brings in higher-pitched power chords to transition between the main sounds – which is a great technique for adding some intrigue to your progressions. He sticks with straightforward, eighth-note strumming to keep the energy high.
They don’t always stick rigidly to the punk formula, though, with songs like “World’s a Mess (It’s in My Kiss)” from their debut album incorporating minor chords. The song is based off a simple Bm / D major chord progression in the verse, and brings in G and A major in the chorus. You might not come across minor chords in punk very often, but Billy Zoom proves that you can incorporate them if you’re looking for a more interesting sound. The song also opens with a cool, high-pitched double-stop riff.
The intro to “The Hungry Wolf” sees Zoom showcasing one of his most well-known tricks, the hammer-on from the open E string to the G on the third fret. A hammer-on is basically a way of changing smoothly between two notes, so you only pluck the string once. To practice a Zoom-style hammer on, pluck the low open E string, and while it’s ringing, slam your finger down onto the third fret. With a couple of stabbed two-finger A power chords thrown in, this effect makes the entire intro to “The Hungry Wolf.”
Overall
The rockabilly hammer-ons incorporated by Billy Zoom introduced punk guitarists to another style of playing, and it’s these stylistic differences that really set X apart from their contemporaries. Although punk should be simple, it doesn’t have to be predictable.