X was formed in Sydney, Australia in 1977 by Ian Rilen (Rose Tattoo), Steve Lucas, Ian Krahe, and Steve Cafiero.

After the sudden death of Ian Krahe in 1978, the band pushed on with a few other guitar players but struggled to find their footing. Then in late 1979, just a few months after singer Steve Lucas first picked up a guitar, the band recorded what would become X-Aspirations as a three-piece in 5 hours. Legend has it that the band went into the studio expecting to record a single. Once they loaded in, they decided to record every song they knew how to play and then pick a single from there. Most of the songs were first takes and they figured that the end result was good enough to release as an LP. In true DIY fashion, the band released the record on their own in early 1980.

The album went on to be listed as one of the 200 Greatest Australian Records of All Time and called "one of the best punk records of all time" in Maximum Rock'n'roll. It's not often that those two publications agree, but it's hard to argue otherwise.

After 10 years of being out of press in the United States, Dirt Cult Records and Green Noise Records will be releasing X-Aspirations with new cover art sanctioned by the band's only surviving member, Steve Lucas.