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John Doe

A Personal History Of L.A. Punk: 'It Was A Free-For-All For Outcasts'

Exene Cervenka and John Doe perform in Hollywood in September 2004. "The first person I ever saw jump into the audience was me," Cervenka tells Fresh Air. Amanda Edwards/Getty Images hide caption

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Music Interviews

A Personal History Of L.A. Punk: 'It Was A Free-For-All For Outcasts'

Fresh Air

John Doe, Exene Cervenka and Dave Alvin of X join Fresh Air to discuss punk's early days. "Anybody could belong to punk that wanted to be there," Cervenka says. "[It] didn't matter how old you were."

A Personal History Of L.A. Punk: 'It Was A Free-For-All For Outcasts'

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Songs We Love: John Doe, 'Get on Board'

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Songs We Love

Songs We Love: John Doe, 'Get on Board'

LA punk pioneer digs deep into the dusty soul of America on a tune from his desert dream of a new album.

01Get On Board

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  • Buy Featured Music

    Song
    Get On Board
    Album
    The Westerner
    Artist
    John Doe
    Label
    Cool Rock Records/Thirty Tigers
    Released
    2016

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Music Interviews

Always On My Mind: John Doe Goes Country

Fresh Air

Musician John Doe of the L.A. punk band 'X' joins Canadian band the Sadies to perform songs from their new album Country Club, covering classics from Merle Haggard to Tammy Wynette.

Always On My Mind: John Doe Goes Country

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Mountain Stage

John Doe On Mountain Stage

The founder of the band X now finds creative perspective between L.A. punk and American roots music. He recently visited Mountain Stage to perform stripped-down versions of songs from his latest solo album.

John Doe in Concert on Mountain Stage - 09/10/2008

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Studio Sessions

John Doe: The 'X' Man Returns

Doe just released A Year in the Wilderness, and recently sat down in the studio to play a few of his new songs. In between performances, he talks about the mythic qualities of the American West, as well as the differences between song lyrics and poetry.

John Doe: The 'X' Man Returns

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Music Interviews

'Modern Sounds,' a Blast from the Past

In 1985, punkers John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X teamed with guitarist Dave Alvin of the Blasters to record country and rockabilly music. Twenty years later, they're back with The Modern Sounds of the Knitters.

'Modern Sounds,' a Blast from the Past

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Ken Tucker's Top 10: The Year In Music

Middle Brother. Amy Hobbs hide caption

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Amy Hobbs

Best Music Of 2011

Ken Tucker's Top 10: The Year In Music

Fresh Air

Fresh Air's critic looks back on a fruitful year and lists his favorite music releases of 2011.

Ken Tucker's Top 10: The Year In Music

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John Doe: Where Punk Meets Country

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Favorite Sessions

John Doe: Where Punk Meets Country

WFUV

A member of the L.A. band X, Doe's notion of punk has always referenced a bedrock of roots and country. With healthy doses of humor, grit and social conscience, he performs new songs in WFUV's Studio A.

John Doe in Studio at WFUV

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John Doe's New Album Is A Contemplative 'Keeper'
Courtesy of the artist

Review

Music Reviews

John Doe's New Album Is A Contemplative 'Keeper'

Fresh Air

Doe is probably still best known as co-founder of the punk-rock band X more than 30 years ago. Rock critic Ken Tucker says Doe's new solo album Keeper is less conflicted and more contemplative than his earlier works.

John Doe's New Album Is A Contemplative 'Keeper'

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John Doe: A Punk Rocker Goes A Little Country

X founder John Doe collaborated with The Sadies on Country Club, an album of new songs and country classics. Scott Gries/Getty Images hide caption

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Scott Gries/Getty Images

Music Interviews

John Doe: A Punk Rocker Goes A Little Country

Fresh Air

Doe, of the L.A. punk band X, joined Canadian band The Sadies to perform songs from the album Country Club, covering classics from Merle Haggard to Tammy Wynette. He discusses several of his favorite tracks in a May 2009 interview with Fresh Air host Terry Gross.

John Doe: A Punk Rocker Goes A Little Country

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Music Interviews

John Doe, The Sadies Rock The 'Country Club'

Fresh Air

The veteran punk rocker John Doe embraced his inner mountain man on Country Club, an album of classic country covers he recorded with The Sadies. The Canadian rockers and the former X frontman joined Terry Gross in the Fresh Air studio for an interview and an intimate performance. (Rebroadcast from April 2009.)

John Doe, The Sadies Rock The 'Country Club'

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World Cafe

John Doe: The X Man Goes Back to Roots

XPN

Ever since co-founding the L.A. punk band X 30 years ago, Doe has been considered one of the most influential figures in alternative rock. In X, he brought a country and blues sensibility to an otherwise abrasive scene, and he's continued in that vein as a solo artist.

John Doe in-studio on World Café - 08/23/2007

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