John Doe to release LA punk book, ‘The Westerner’ album

John Doe. (Cat Rose photo)

X’s John Doe has been a busy man: penning his book “Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of LA Punk” with Tom DeSavia, and recording a new album “The Westerner.”

“‘The Westerner’ is my psychedelic, soul record from the Arizona desert,” Doe writes on his website. It is dedicated to Michael Blake (RIP), author of many books, including “Dancing With Wolves,” and a scholar and advocate for Native American rights.

Here’s some lyrics from the album:

In his dreams, he still flies
In his dreams, he still dreams
standing at the edge of the world
tasting the ocean as it rushes in
standing at the edge of the world
feet in the sand, waiting on the rising sun -- “Rising Sun”

The 320-page “Under the Big Black Sun” will be released on April 26 by Da Capo Press. A 480-minute audiobook download will be released on the same day.

The book (covering 1977-1982) will feature personal essays from famous (and infamous) players in the scene: Exene Cervenka (X), Henry Rollins (Black Flag), Mike Watt (The Minutemen), Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey (The Go-Go's), Dave Alvin (The Blasters), Jack Grisham (TSOL), Teresa Covarrubias (The Brat), Robert Lopez (The Zeros, El Vez), as well as scencesters and journalists Pleasant Gehman, Kristine McKenna and Chris Morris.

“‘Under the Big Black Sun’ shares stories of friendship and love, ambition and feuds, grandiose dreams and cultural rage, all combined with the tattered, glossy sheen of pop culture weirdness that epitomized the operations of Hollywood's underbelly. Readers will travel to the clubs that defined the scene, as well as to the street corners, empty lots, apartment complexes, and squats that served as de facto salons for the musicians, artists, and fringe players that hashed out what would become punk rock in Los Angeles,” Doe’s website reads.

See Doe’s website for ordering information: http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/johndoe