OFF: King's X and Others, the silence is broken.

[BREVARD, Adrian R.]

>What can you tell me about Kings X? Who would you compare them to that I
might know (consider my geezerhood)?

Gee thanks long lost bro.  I planned to be quiet for the rest of the week
and then you had to push THIS button.  OK, take it for what its worth 'cause
its comming from my keyboard but...

King's X is a three peice comprised of Jerry Gaskill (drums/vox) Ty Tabor
(guitar/vox) Doug Pinnick (bass/vox)  Current sound is a smooth combination
of power rock/melodic rock/pure unadulterated funkiness.  No this isn't Korn
or one of those blanga blanga half rap half rock groups.  King's X are three
marvelous musicians with impeccable skills and timing.  Best thing about
them are the vocals.  Lucsious three-part harmonies.  Now Doug is a left
handed bass player, skinny as a blade of grass but a voice so powerful he
could fill Madison Square garden without a PA system.  Doug grew up singing
in church choirs.  Ty does a fair share of lead vox on most of the albums
but tends to shy away from leads in live performances.  Ty is a marvelous
guitarist with a voice and playing style very similar to Buck.  Not built
for the power chords but man can he carry a ballad. Shave the goatee and
shrink him about a foot and you would think he was Buck.  Jerry provides
background vocals mostly but has been known to do lead vox too he has a very
unusual drumming style, totally non-conventional but it works.  People tend
to compare them to two bands more than any other.  Rush, for the timing and
progressiveness of the chords and Queen for vocal style.  I like those
comparisons even though I'm a bit shallow and don't necesarrily follow them.
I will say this (in all caps cuase I'm shouting from the rooftops) KING'S X
CAN PLAY ANY BAND EVER MENTIONED ON THIS LIST RIGHT UNDER A TABLE THEY ARE
THAT DAMN GOOD!  You must see this band live to belive just how good they
really are.

>Sav would go on my honorable mention list along with Rush and Queensryche.

OK thats good company but Sav is a solid number two behind King's X.  They
have some great studio stuff but lordy hear this band live and you will be
astonished.  Two concept albums Dead Winter Dead and Wake of Magellan have a
lot of vocal choruses.  Intitially they didn't do these choruses live, now
they do and they are mind blowing.  They are not as good vocally as King's X
(no shame becuase nobody is that damn good) but they are mighty fine with
it.

>Y & T.. are they still around? I used to love them years ago.. my band used
to cover several of their songs. Didn't they have a death in the band? I
lost interest in them when they seemed to make the transition into "just
another hair band".

Oh ya they are still around and putting out albums on a far more frequent
basis than BOC hehehehehe.  They have the same lineup from the days of
Contagious.  Before then they lost Joey Alves (rythym guitar) and Leonard
haze (drums).  Both are still alive I thought so I'm not sure what you mean
by a death in the band.  Last two albums are really good, Musically
Incorrect (95 or so) and Endangered Speicies (97-98).  ES is a bit more Y&T
sounding while MI is nothing like any Y&T you may be familiar with.  Dave M
and Phil K are still together and still making music.

>Steve Morse damn near made it onto my list.. or, the Dregs did. I still
think Morse is one of the best guitarists around. His talents are wasted in
Deep Purple..

I kinda like some of his work with DP.  Steve is incredible.

>its like Rod Morgenstein playing in Winger... well, maybe not
that pathetic but... I understand their need to make a living but it saddens
me.

Have I got a treat for you, Platypus.  This is a side project with Ty Tabor,
King's X, Morgenstein, John Myung (bass palyer Dream Theater) and Dekek
Sherinian (keys, Dream Theater).  Always wondered what would happen if you
added three parts King's X and five parts DT and mixed well.  The Platypus
album, When Pus Comes to Shove, has everything, hard rock, melodic ballads,
jazz fusion, and just plain old jammin'.  Its a great album if you like a
little diveristy with every track.

Ghost in the Ruins
who apologizes for not staying silent until week end but damn he asked about
King's X

NP: Y&T - Down For The Count.