Dave Alvin on Writing for Himself.

Dave Alvin is the former guitarist for the Los Angeles band The Blasters. He's just put out a new album called "Blue Blvd." (Hightone Records) After writing songs for others, he's now writing for himself.

In his new memoir, Under The Big Black Sun: A Personal History Of L.A. Punk, John Doe of the band X brings together his own essays and stories from other musicians and scene-makers of that time. A conversation with Doe, with his bandmate Exene Cervenka, and with Dave Alvin of the Blasters who played with X for a short time.

Dave and Phil Alvin have made their first full album together in nearly 30 years, a tribute to one of their early influences. "His persona was so big to me," Phil Alvin tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross.