(c’88-91) – Jason “Jay Farley” Orbaum (keyboard / vocal), James Davis (bass), Mark Johnston (guitar), & Steve Green (drums).
26th February 1991, X-it headlined at Digwalls in Camden. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle
Formed from the ashes of Dark, Wise Child and The Button Factory; after Farley, Green and Harry Tuttle, met at a Steel Bill and the Buffalos gig at the Cricketers, Westfield. At one of X-It’s early gigs the band got The Button Factory to headline to get people in, but Factory were short a bass player and drummer, so Green and Johnston stepped in. The summer of ’89 saw the band enter JTI Studios, Brixton where they recorded the 11-track “Ticket to Destruction” demo cassette, in the presence of Phil Gibby. In April ’90 the band packed out The Cricketers, Westfield and the entered JTI again for their second cassette LP: “Long Way from Hollywood” a slick 12-track demo of original material. Subsequently, X-It’s ‘Right Side of Wrong’ was #3 and ‘Prejudice’ was #9 in Soundscene’s Top Ten Local Songs 1990 and notably “Grasp” and “Adult Love” stood out as critic and fan favorites; all of which appeared in their set in December at The Cricks. X-It, who were then managed by Jim ? and had a honorary “General Secretary” in Heather Kirkman, were one of the last unsigned bands to play Dingwalls, before it closed on March 5th 1991. In May ’91 they were at Guildford’s Flicks for a double header with The Ha Ha Men, by which time the backing vocals of Alison Orbaum and ? were a regular fixture. They were appearing almost monthly at The Cricketers, Westfield and The Red Lion, Sunningdale by this point, and had a very important gig at Scratchers in August ’91, not that we can recall why now.
X-It “Are We Having Fun Yet?” demo cassette was released in ’91 via Porty Bruford’s Two Sheds Records Productions. Source: Corrina Meyer
X-It’s final release was the “Are We Having Fun Yet?” cassette demo via Porty Bruford’s Two Sheds Records Productions [SHED III], the third release on Two Sheds. After a couple of years together as X-It, university called and the members went off to ‘study’ calling it a day in Nov ’91 and playing a farewell gig at the Cricketers on 7 December. Some members of the band regrouped in January ’92 as Track 29.
Gallery:
Clipping from Soundscene, February 21, 1991, posted earlier. Source: Corrina MeyerX-It get a mention in 1991 in review, from the 2nd Jan 1992 Soundscene column.Long haired Jim, the X-It manager, at Dingwalls, 26th February 1991. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle.26th February 1991, X-it headlined at Digwalls in Camden. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle26th February 1991, X-it headlined at Digwalls in Camden. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle26th February 1991, X-it headlined at Digwalls in Camden. Picture courtesy of HarryTuttle26th February 1991, X-it headlined at Digwalls in Camden. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle26th February 1991, X-it headlined at Digwalls in Camden. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleClipping from Soundscene, February 21st, 1991. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttlePicture courtesy of Harry TuttlePicture courtesy of Harry Tutt;ePicture courtesy of Harry TuttlePicture courtesy of Harry TuttleX-It at The Cricketers, Westfield in December 1990. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle.X-It at The Cricketers, Westfield in December 1990. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle.X-It at The Cricketers, Westfield in December 1990. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle.X-It at The Cricketers, Westfield in December 1990. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle.X-It (or maybe they were still called Dark then) at The Cricketers, Westfield in April 1990. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleX-It (or maybe they were still called Dark then) at The Cricketers, Westfield in April 1990. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle.Gig flyer from 1991 – Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle1991. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttlePicture courtesy of Harry TuttlePicture courtesy of Harry TuttleIt’s X-It. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleOrbaum’s vocal’s for X-It were compared favorably to Elvis Costello. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleX-It’s Orbaum in the groove. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleX-It bassist Davis with backing vocalists. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleSoundscene – 23rd July 1991. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleSoundscene – 11th April 1991. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleTwo articles on X-It in the January 9th 1992 Soundscene column. Picture courtesy of Harry Tuttle7 Dec 1991:1A busy night at The Cricketers Westfield. Picture courtesy of Harry TuttlePromotional poster for X-It’s “Are We Having Fun Yet?” Demo. Note: Under the name X-it it says “Shed III”, it was the third release of Two Sheds Records Productions. A reference to Monty Python. And of course produced by the legendary Porty Bruford. ..Picture courtesy of Harry TuttleX-It’s “Right Side Of Wrong” was 3rd and “Prejudice” was 9th in Soundscene’s Top 10 local songs of 1990. Clipped from 3 Jan ’91 Soundscene column. Picture courtesy of Daniel Hiscocks
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