King's X - Uncut interview issue #92
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[An unabridged version of the three separate interviews with King's X for issue #92. I've organized it into subjects and even included some random thoughts in the "Scrapped Intro" section...]
"I think we three, in the beginning, had more common ground between us in our beliefs," explains guitarist Ty Tabor. "We probably had more similar goals in the band in every way, I would imagine. It's kind of hard to speak for other people. I think probably that would be the case. Over time, you know, beliefs have changed in the band among members where, at this point, I think we three see things entirely different from each other. So there is no longer the connection of spiritual ideals that we used to share as much."
King's X splashed some chilling and refreshing water on the face of the music industry back in 1987. "This could be as special as the first time you heard Metallica or U2," Kerrang! Magazine gushed upon the release of the band's debut, Out Of The Silent Planet. Believers especially freaked out over discovering another artist that expressed their faith in their creative art ("a new U2"). Whilst never allowing themselves to be officially "adopted" by these Christian rock fans in the press, the members of King's X did articulate quite well that they approached art as a vocation and that they simply shared who they were as individuals in their artwork. While it didn't change the world, this concept of art helped create private renaissance movements within the hearts and minds of many a Christian artist and music fan as well. This open window into the heads of three artists allowed us (the audience) to watch their journey as changing individuals. Each album was a snapshot of one or all three members' lives at one brief period of time.
As with any artist over the span of his/her career, their output reflects the changes they lived through in different phases of their life. While thumbing through the scrapbook of this band's career, one might notice that the snapshots of late have appeared darker than their predecessors. More confusing images replaced the worshipful and faith declaration anthems of the first two albums. While the lyrics of life going by contained more than a casual reference to things spiritual, frontman Doug Pinnick's personal turmoil has especially showed up as louder and bolder song themes. The troubles that were earlier sounded as alarms to "send a message to the king," eventually were replaced with signals conveying "so long, farewell" sentiments, like those found in "Marsh Mellow Field" (from ...Mr. Bulbous). It seemed that Mr. Pinnick drained the proverbial bathwater andthe infant within.
In other words, if you referred to King's X as a Christian band back in the old days, when you had the professed faith of two of its three members to back this notion (Tabor always remained patiently silent on issues of faith), now there's even less reason to tag this band with a label they've never wanted in the first place. "I've always felt really weird," admits Tabor, "about King's X albums being distributed in the Christian market. Even in the early days we touched on things that may not necessarily align itself with (nor) stand up in the Christian industry. It doesn't make sense for me to be distributed in Christian circles, because I certainly don't think we're a Christian band -- especially now. If anything, it feels less hypocritical for it not to be there."
"The early years, which I call 'The Sam Taylor era,'" elaborates Pinnick, "was musically a real good time for us, a dream coming true. Lyrically, I think I was just trying to convey the things that I felt at the time -- the struggles in my personal life and with my faith. A lot of people misunderstood a lot of my lyrics, thinking that I was out preaching; but I was actually questioning and just sharing the way I felt about things. I think it was a confusing time -- for Christians especially -- because they didn't quite know where I was coming from. I think, for secular people, they were just lyrics and music. It was a very important time for me to bare my soul as an artist and it's been my outlet for getting all my demons out (laughs).
"When we first started, I got together with Jerry and Ty and told them I felt that God wanted us to be a regular band and not a Christian band or go out and change the world or anything... I felt peace in my heart that we were just to go be ourselves and do that in the world and, if anything good came of it, then that was great. If it didn't, then that was okay, too. So, we formed King's X and moved on.
"After those four records, getting the disillusionment of the management and of the music industry in itself, and some of the things that my so-called friends did to me, I realized that it's a cruel world out there. And I woke up and I was very angry about it. So, the second era of King's X I was angry. I let everyone know that a lot of things that we thought or believed was true, I wanted to let everyone know that they need to question it. A lot of it I felt was not true. I was on a mission to let everyone know. Then the Metal Blade deal was the third era. I felt like, 'Okay, I've done it. I've said my piece. I've dealt with the backlash and the praise. I've grown older and I don't feel like the vigilante or the spokesman anymore of whatever.' I just wanted to lay back and enjoy my life and have some fun. I just backed up and walked away from it all to find myself and get all the clutter out of my life. Now I can move on and not complain about all those things that bothered me -- from religion to relationships to the world."
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