American singer (born 1956) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Exene Cervenka (born Christene Lee Cervenka; February 1, 1956) is an American singer, artist, and poet. She is best known for her work as a singer in the California punk rock band X.[1]
Quick Facts Background information, Birth name ...
Billy Zoom (guitar) and John Doe (bass and vocals) founded X in 1977,[4] with D.J. Bonebrake coming aboard as drummer. Doe asked Cervenka to join soon after as a co-lead vocalist, and the duo were also the band's primary songwriters. They released their debut album, Los Angeles, in 1980 and, over the next six years, five more albums.
In 1982, Cervenka published Adulterers Anonymous, her first in a series of four books in collaboration with artist Lydia Lunch. She and Lunch also released a spoken word album, Rude Hieroglyphics, in 1996 and toured in support of the project.[6]
From 1996 to 1999, John Roecker and Cervenka co-owned the Los Angeles store You've Got Bad Taste. The store specialized in kitsch and various "off-color" novelties.[7][8]
In 1999, as Exene Červenková, she appeared in the cult video Decoupage 2000: Return of the Goddess, along with guests Karen Black and the band L7. She gave a reading of her poem "They Must Be Angels," and appeared in an interview skit with Decoupage 2000 hostess Summer Caprice.[9]
In 2005, Cervenka's journals and mixed media collages were exhibited in a one-person exhibition titled America the Beautiful at the Santa Monica Museum of Art. The exhibit was curated by Kristine McKenna and Michael Duncan. An expanded version of the exhibition traveled to DCKT Contemporary in New York in January 2006.
Cervenka was married to John Doe from 1980 to 1985. She met her second husband Viggo Mortensen in 1986 on the set of the comedy Salvation!, a parody of televangelism. Mortensen played her husband Jerome. They married on July 8, 1987. On January 28, 1988, Cervenka gave birth to a son, Henry Blake Mortensen. Mortensen and Cervenka lived in Idaho for three years.[2] They separated in 1992, and were divorced in 1997.[10]
Cervenka married musician Jason Edge, who went on to play in her band Original Sinners.[11] Edge and Cervenka are now divorced.[12]
On June 2, 2009, Cervenka disclosed that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.[16][17] Well before this diagnosis, she and X had actively supported Sweet Relief, a charity that aids uninsured artists. Sweet Relief was begun by musician Victoria Williams when she herself was diagnosed with MS.[18] In 2011, Cervenka said she may have been misdiagnosed.[14][19] However, Cervenka had to cancel a Spring 2011 tour due to problems associated with her MS.[20] In 2015, John Doe said that the MS diagnosis was incorrect, and that Cervenka had consulted with other doctors who were not able to diagnose her.[21]
Conspiracy theories
Cervenka has provoked controversy on social media and YouTube, under the name "Christine Notmyrealname," by advancing conspiracy theories, including that the Isla Vista shootings were a hoax designed to bring about stricter gun control laws. After backlash, she issued an apology and her conspiracy related YouTube videos are no longer available.[22][23][24]
2002: Original Sinners as Original Sinners (Nitro Records)
2006: Sev7en as Exene Cervenka and the Original Sinners (Nitro Records)
Other
1985: Wanda Coleman, Exene Cervenka: Twin Sisters LP (Freeway). Poetry performance recorded at McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, CA on February 1, 1985.
1995: Lydia Lunch & Exene Cervenka: Rude Hieroglyphics (Rykodisc). Recorded live at the Sapphire Supper Club, Orlando, FL on March 20, 1995.
1999: Decoupage 2000: Return of the Goddess. Read poem "They Must Be Angels" and appeared in an interview skit.[9]
2012: John Doe & Exene Cervenka: Singing and Playing (Moonlight Graham Records). Recorded at Way Station April 2–3, 2010.[30]
Additional musical contributions
1994: Applegate, Christina, and Elizabeth Pena. Across the Moon. Los Angeles, CA: Hemdale Home Video, 1994. ISBN978-1-569-20068-1 Music composed by Christopher Tyng & Exene Cervenka
1996: Honor: A Benefit for the Honor the Earth Campaign (Daemon Records). "The Future is a War" by Exene Cervenka
Bessy, Claude, and Edward Colver. Forming: The Early Days of L.A. Punk. Santa Monica, CA: Smart Art Press, 2000. ISBN978-1-889-19544-5 Track 16 Gallery (April 10 – June 5, 1999). Cervenka was co-editor, essay: "Forming: the Early Days of L.A. Punk"
