York , L . A ., and San Francisco – there were people out there who really wanted to see X , and they were smart , and they were appreciative . I think we got three encores that night , and I just remember getting to talk to people there and see people . It was a place where , for the first

wasn ’ t like light years apart , although it seems like it in concept . But the thing was , this was before cellphones or the Internet and all that stuff . So there was just this … this MAGIC . Because it had to be magical . It had to be in the air because you couldn ’ t find each other through magic and didn ’ t have a way to just look things up online .” But there are a few advantages to our current hi-tech , connected culture , she admits , which is most evident at packed X concerts . “ Because sometimes we will have three generations of fans there – we ’ ll have the grandparents , the parents , AND the kids , and it ’ s awesome . But Hey – I ’ m happy anytime anyone ’ s standing in front of me , you know ? As long as there are people there to see us , I ’ m happy .”

X circa 1983 ( Exene , center right )

time , we felt like , ‘ Wow ! If the whole tour is gonna be like this , we ’ re all gonna change the world !’ It was that kind of moment .”

Punk ’ s genesis ? I was magic , Cervenka adds wistfully . “ And we ’ ll never recapture it , never recapture that magic again . But it ’ s great that you got to be there , and I got to be there , and that that was the bridge between the hippie generation . I mean , the hippie thing started in ‘’ 72 , and the punk thing started in ’ 74 , ’ 75 , so it

IE : It ’ s kind of an ominous phrase when you really think about it – Smoke & Fiction – X ’ s last record ever .” EXENE CERVENKA : Yeah , I guess . I mean , I don ’ t think that I can predict the future , but as far as studio albums go ? Yeah , last record . But as far as recording a song here or there goes , we ’ ll probably do that .

IE : How did I feel going into these sessions ? Plus , you had returning ( Alphabetland ) producer Robert Schnapf on board for some continuity , right ? EC : And he was just like ( Los Angeles ) producer Ray Manzarek , in that he wants you to be your best self , and he ’ s not trying to change you . But that ’ s just his ear . He was kind of like , “ Hey , Exene ! That was great , the way you just sang it . But do it again .” And you do it again , and he says , “ Okay , you ’ re doing it a little TOO much now – play it back .” And you go , “ Okay ,” and do it again , and he goes , “ Okay ! We ’ ve got it !”

So it ’ s just easy with him because he knows we ’ re almost there since we ’ ve already rehearsed and played these songs live a lot . But his mixing is just great , so yeah – he is just what he ’ s supposed to be .

IE : So there were specific songs personally crafted by you alone , right ? EC : Yeah . There are specific songs that I wrote all the words to , and then John kind of bent them around a little bit around the music , like “ Smoke & Fiction ” and “ Flipside .” And then the ones that I sing on , I wrote everything , and