X-ing up (To X-up)

By DIY Conspiracy On Mar 23, 2021

X-ing up denotes the practice of marking hands with X symbols, symbolizing the Straight Edge subculture. The tradition began in the late 1970s to identify underage attendees at punk concerts. The association of the X symbol with a drug-free lifestyle was reinforced after the release of The Teen Idles’ Minor Disturbance EP and Minor Threat’s songs “Straight Edge” and “Out of Step.

What does it mean to X up?

The term “X up” refers to the act of marking one’s hands with X symbols, which serves as the most recognizable symbol of the Straight Edge subculture within the punk scene.

Origins of X-ing up

The practice of X-ing up originated in the late 1970s as a means to identify underage individuals within the hardcore punk community at show entrances. These individuals would have X symbols marked on their hands, preventing them from ordering alcohol in the venues where punk gigs were held.

The adoption of X-ed hands as a universal symbol of drug-free living occurred with the release of the Minor Disturbance EP by The Teen Idles, a band from Washington, DC. This EP, which also marked the debut release of Dischord Records, the influential hardcore punk label founded by members of The Teen Idles, solidified the association of X symbols with a drug-free lifestyle.

Formed in 1979, The Teen Idles consisted of high school classmates Ian MacKaye (bass), Nathan Strejcek (vocals), Geordie Grindle (guitar), and Jeff Nelson (drums). During their brief existence from 1979 to 1980, the band performed numerous shows in the DC area, incorporating influences from the burgeoning LA hardcore punk scene and introducing slam dancing to the DC scene.

The Teen Idles disbanded in late 1980 due to tensions arising from conflicting Christian beliefs between Grindle and the atheist Nelson. This led to a split, with Nelson and MacKaye forming Minor Threat and Strejcek forming Youth Brigade.

In 1981, Minor Threat released their influential debut EP, featuring the track “Straight Edge,” which gave the emerging movement its name. It is worth noting that the practice of X-ing up predates the term “Straight Edge.”

According to Ian MacKaye, The Teen Idles’ song “I Drink Milk” from their EP was the first-ever straight edge song, which often subjected him to ridicule within the early hardcore punk community. This ridicule and opposition fueled his later band Minor Threat to create a more confrontational and straightforward song like “Straight Edge.”

minor-threat-2018 — Minor Threat reunited to remake the iconic photo in front of the Dischord house.

The Mythology of X-ing up

There are also many alternative histories and urban legends surrounding the origins of the act of X-ing up and the early days of the DC hardcore scene. One such myth appears in the great satirical straight edge blog “The Straight Edge Handbook” in their 2012 post on X-ing up:

The tradition of X-ing up at shows began with the DC band Teen Idles, who desiring to play a show in their local strip club between acts, despite the fact that they were underage worked out a deal to have themselves marked so as to be clearly visible. Originally, they were going to mark their foreheads with a large ‘U’, but after arguing, they settled on Xes, since they were playing in an XXX place. Thus the symbol of the Xed hand as well as the traditional moniker ‘XXX’ for edgers came into existence.

The XXX moniker actually comes from the official flag of Washington, DC, where the three five-pointed stars have been replaced by the X symbol. The XXX moniker first appeared on the seminal DC hardcore punk compilation Flex Your Head, released in 1982 and featuring bands such as The Teen Idles, Untouchables, SOA, Minor Threat, Government Issue, Youth Brigade, Red C, Void, Iron Cross, Artificial Peace and Deadline.

Some people also argue that the three X’s stand for the three main tenets of Straight Edge, as put in the Minor Threat’s “Out of Step” song: “Don’t Drink. Don’t Smoke. Don’t Fuck.” This is also an urban myth.