X-15 is an American rock band formed in Bellingham,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

in 1979 by lead singer Kelly Mitchell, guitarist Eric Alton, bass player Tim Lollar, keyboardist Erik Rohrer, and drummer Todd Fuhs. They are best known as one of the most successful alternative bands operating out of Seattle during the years 1980 through 1987, leading up to the Seattle grunge explosion, and for their cult-classic song "Vaporized".

History

X-15's rise to success began in 1980. Because of their unique sounding, original songs - dubbed "melodic punk" by rock critic Daina Darzin of Desperate Times and the ''

New York Rocker ''New York Rocker'' was a punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 19 ...

'' - the band quickly became a sought-after alternative to cover bands by booking agents, club promoters and college entertainment directors throughout the Pacific Northwest and in Canada. Thus X-15 routinely played not only the most notable of NW area punk clubs, such as The Gorilla Room and The Smiling Buddha, but also cover-band havens such as Astor Park and "The Hall of Fame". The band's success at cracking the "cover-band" circuit was due in large by its perceived crossover potential. This perception was helped greatly by radio airplay. Soon X-15 was playing larger venues as headliners, and as openers for many of the larger acts of the day. The band was one of the first to be offered a contract by Engram Records, in 1980, for a 5-song EP which featured X-15's best early material. This collection included "Necessary Evil", "Mad Again", "Chronic Modern Death", "Vaporized", and "Gimme Violation". In 1981 Engram released The Seattle Syndrome Volume 1 compilation, which featured X-15's signature hit "Vaporized" as the lead cut. This release broadened their exposure greatly, and shortly thereafter they became internationally recognized.

Experience Music Project Exhibition

For the opening of Seattle's

Experience Music Project The Museum of Pop Culture (or MoPOP) is a nonprofit museum in Seattle, Washington, United States, dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. Since then ...

museum, the members of X-15 were asked to include "Vaporized" in a collection of NW area band songs. This 47-song compilation, collected and produced in collaboration with

Sub Pop Sub Pop is an independent record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana (band), Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the gru ...

records, became "Wild and Wooly" - and includes everything from

The Wailers Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as the Wailers and prior to that the Wailing Rudeboys, the Wailing Wailers and the Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Rober ...

' hit, "

Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a Standard (music), stand ...

", to

The Sonics The Sonics are an American garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington, that formed in 1960. Their aggressive, hard-edged sound has been a major influence on Punk rock, punk and Garage rock, garage music worldwide, and they have been named inspir ...

' "The Witch", to

Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...

's "Love Buzz", and

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. One of the key bands in the grunge, grunge movement of the early 1990s, Pearl Jam has outsold and outlasted many of its contemporaries from the early 1990s, ...

's "Even Flow". X-15 is now featured in a permanent exhibit in the

museum.

Discography

* "Vaporized" on the ''

Seattle Syndrome Volume One ''Seattle Syndrome Volume One'' is a compilation of Seattle-based bands and artists released on vinyl and cassette in late 1981 on Engram Records.Tow, Stephen: ''The Strangest Tribe. How a Group of Seattle Rock Bands Invented Grunge.'' Sasquatch ...

'' compilation, Engram Records, 1981 *"Life in General" (5-track, 12" EP), Panese Records, 1981 *"Life in General" (5-track, 12" EP),

I.R.S. Records I.R.S. Records was a major American record label founded by Miles Copeland III and Jay Boberg in 1979. I.R.S. produced some of the most popular bands of the 1980s, and was particularly known for issuing records by college rock, new wave and a ...

, 1983 *"Desperate Reminiscence" on the "Sounds of Young Seattle" compilation, D. Kulczyk 1983 *"Vaporized / Rebirth" (single), 1985 *"Top of the Hole" (CD), Horseantler Records, 1995 *"Vaporized" on the "Wild and Woolly" compilation, EMP /

Sub Pop Records Sub or SUB may refer to: Places * Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Indonesia, IATA code SUB People * Bottom (BDSM), or "sub" for "submissive" * Substitute teacher Christianity * Sub tuum praesidium, an ancient hymn and prayer dedicated ...

, 2000 *"Bombs and Insurance" (LP), New Soul Records, 2003

References

* * * * * *

Notes

*Desperate Times Vol. 1 No. 1, 8 July 1981, page 2, section entitled "Moving Violations." *

Music of Washington (state) The U.S. state of Washington has been home to many popular musicians and several major hotbeds of musical innovation throughout its history. The largest city in the state, Seattle, is known for being the birthplace of grunge as well as a ma ...

External links

/ Seattle Syndrome Volume 1 Engram Records Release/ Wild and Wooly: The Northwest Rock Collection
{{DEFAULTSORT:X-15 Rock music groups from Washington (state) Musical groups established in 1979