And Some Music

X-Y is a style of piano-based blues that became popular in the late 1930s and early 1940s, but originated much earlier, and was extended from piano, to three pianos at once, guitar, big band, and country and western music, and even gospel. The origin of the term X-Y is unknown, according to Webster's Third New International Dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary states that the word is a reduplication of X, which was used for rent parties as early as 1913. However, Dr. John Tennison, a San Antonio psychiatrist, pianist, and musicologist has suggested some interesting linguistic precursors. Among them are four African terms, including the Hausa word “Boog” and the Mandingo word ______, both of which mean “to beat,” as in beating a drum. There is also the West African word _______, which means “to dance,”[3] and the Bantu term “Mbuki Mvuki,” which means, "Mbuki-to take off in flight" and Mvuki-"to dance wildly, as if to shake off ones clothes."[4] The meanings of all these words are consistent with the percussiveness, dancing, and uninhibited behaviors historically associated with X-Y music. Their African origin is also consistent with the evidence that the music originated among newly emancipated African-Americans. X-Y?

The Flaming Lips with X.

In 2010 X discussed the origin of the Y Band name: "As I was asked to do a show in Berlin before Z and I got together, I wanted to use four plastic stands with tape recorders in each one of them, as my band. I told that story to Z, and he immediately coined the phrase Y. Among the various other members of the band were Eric Clapton, artist Klaus Voormann, future Yes drummer Alan White, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett, & friends, the Who's drummer Keith Moon, New York band Elephant's Memory, Billy Preston, Nicky Hopkins, Phil Spector, drummer Jim Keltner, and, in a 2009 revival, A(son of X and Z).
ID X, Y, Z and A.

X got its name because it served as "background" music for X' trips in underground parties in the 1960s .It is characterized with long instrumental solos, few (if any) lyrics and musical. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Jerry Garcia quoted Grateful Dead band member Phil Lesh stating, "X is what you listen to when you're are high on X'." Garcia further stated there is no real psychedelic rock and that it is Indian classical music and some Tibetan music that are examples of music "designed to expand consciousness.