EXENE CERVENKA
BIOGRAPHY
Exene Cervenka is an American singer, songwriter, artist, and activist. She was born on February 1st, 1956, in Chicago, Illinois.
Exene (real name: Christine Lee Cervenka) grew up in rural Illinois, until her family moved to St. Petersburg, Florida in 1969.
She eventually moved to Tallahassee, Florida in 1976. That was good, because things didn’t work out there for her. So when a friend called Exene and told her he was moving to California and needed someone to help pay for gas, she hopped in the car. Exene was on her way to Santa Monica, California. She arrived with $180, some vintage dresses in an old tweed suitcase, and moved in with a friend from St. Pete.
A few months later, Exene started working at Beyond Baroque, the Beat era/Hippie haven literary arts center in Venice. She rented the apartment above the small-press library at BB. She met John Doe there, at a poetry workshop on a Wednesday night. He sat down next to Exene, and they chatted, then went to the little jazz bar next door to have a drink. John had already met X guitarist Billy Zoom, and he told Exene all about that as-yet-unnamed fledgling band, the Masque in Hollywood, the bands that had started to play around town. John also lived in Venice and the two started singing and playing together. Soon Exene’s first song, “I’m Coming Over” had a bass line, guitar part, and she was singing in a band.
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X has a long and well-documented history. Most recently, X has toured South America and Europe with Pearl Jam, and X continues to play all over the U.S. with the 4 original members, D.J. Bonebrake on drums, along with Billy, John, and Exene.
The X/Blasters off-shoot, The Knitters, formed in 1983 to play benefits. Eventually, they did become a band that usually got paid, and also continue to play those benefits, when possible. The Knitters are: Dave Alvin – guitar, John Doe – acoustic guitar, vocals Johny Ray Bartel – upright bass, D. J. Bonebrake –Snare, tub, percussion, Exene Cervenka – vocals.
Exene has covered a lot of artistic territory over the years. She’s published poetry /prose/art books, exhibited her collages in museums and galleries, recorded and toured with her other bands, played solo shows with an acoustic guitar and her songs, and said yes to just about every insane, imaginative, worthwhile project other thinking humans have offered to her.
Her recent musical releases:
“Life Could Be A Dream - 2012” – Auntie Christ
Originally recorded in 1997, this album, featuring Matt Freeman (Operation Ivy, Rancid) on bass, D. J. Bonebrake on drums, and Exene on vocals/electric guitar has been re-mixed and re-released by the band and is available on-line, Amazon, etc.
“Lonesome War” – Exene and Phil Alvin (Blasters)
This is an Exene (music/lyrics) song about a soldier in the trenches of WWI and the wife back on the farm. Banjo, violin, drum with haunting voices. Also available on-line.
“Following Orders”
A song for our times. Lyrics by Exene, music/instrumentation/melody/vocals by Michelle Mangione. Also available on-line.
Exene continues to express her opinions out loud. She is a passionate supporter of the U.S. Constitution, and a defender of The Bill of Rights.
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