the King's X thread

Every message board needs a King's X thread, at least one.

I've been a fanatic for over a decade now, seen them live more times than any other band. I have yet to see a disappointing gig...even the concert where Ty's guitar rig got fried by the club's electrical system...they STILL played a 90 minute, all-request acoustic set. (I also remember that Dimebag & Vinnie from Pantera were in the front row with me that night)

Anyway, "peerless" is probably the best word to describe them, they've never sounded like anybody else besides King's X.

I'm not a fair-weather fan, nor a "Atlantic period only" nut, I like 'em all. They have great albums throughout their career and they continue to refine and evolve their sound. Each album feels like a separate entity (similar to Pink Floyd records, they have a personality of their own) and that's a tough thing to accomplish.

Anyway, I'll quit blathering.

while listening to Robin Trower this morning, I'm again struck by how similar the template is to King's X. power trio, very soulful vocalist, kick ass guitarist. I'm sure there was some influence there.

The Atlantic period is too sterile sounding to me. Their sound was really watered down. Give me the Metal Blade years over any other era.....

Ooooh I prefer the MB era too but I like 'em all.

Ty has been begging Atlantic to let him remaster those albums for years, but so far they aren't interested.

I also prefer the Metalblade & current era.

The Metal Blade era is good...and there are some great songs to be found on those albums.

But, the Megaforce/Atlantic then Atlantic era and the more recent Inside Out albums are, IMO, better all around albums.

The thing about the Metal Blade era, is that it's probably the purest form of King's X...the band wrote, produced, recorded & mixed the albums as a band. Whereas in the MF/A, A & IOMA eras the band has had producers and the albums were comprised of songs that either dUg, Ty or Jerry wrote and then brought to the band.

But, pound for pound, the albums as whole entities on Metal Blade are not as solid or consistent as the previous or following albums. If I had to rank all the KX albums, the MB era would be the last ones on the list. They just can't stack up to albums are plainly fantastic as Dogman, Ogre Tones, Getchen Goes To Nebraska and Faith Hope Love...

Faith Hope Love is probably my favorite Atlantic years album, however, I'm a big KX nut as well. I love all their albums. I really enjoy all the side projects too.

The Metalblade years might not have been the most focused of their career, but I think there is material on those records that more accurately portrays what King's X is really about. Some of my favorite songs are on those albums.

I guess my ranking of favorites would go something like this (today):

1. Gretchen Goes To Nebraska
2. Manic Moonlight
3. Dogman
4. XV
5. Faith, Hope, Love
6. Please Come Home...Mr Bulbous
7. Ogre Tones
8. Tapehead
9. Out Of The Silent Planet
10. Ear Candy
11. King's X (s/t)
12. Black Like Sunday

I've always really liked Black Like Sunday. The first 6 tracks are great and the rest are pretty good.

The only real problem with Black Like Sunday was how/when it was released.

It should have been one of those "fan only" releases they sell via a website, not put out as an official King's X release.

Manic Moonlight didn't perform well in the sales department, so what they really needed right then was an album of all-new material. But instead, they ended up re-recording 15 year old songs that sounded very little like their modern selves.

I don't think it did them many favors in keeping up career momentum.

I enjoy quite a few songs on it, but I don't really consider it an actual King's X album.

Yeah I see what you mean. The album is a good collection of individual songs, but it doesn't exactly flow like an album should.

I know many people don't seem to care for Manic Moonlight, but I've always really enjoyed it. Believe, Yeah, Skeptical Winds, all great songs!

I could never fully get into the Metal Blade years. Something is missing and I still don't know what it is. Maybe the melodic nature of the first four albums?

I'd say at least give Manic Moonlight another shot, that album was probably closest to their progressive-leaning tendencies they explored on their Atlantic albums.

If fact, I'd say "The Other Side" is one of their best songs from any era.

This thread inspired me to listen to the King's X discography. I'm going to listen in chronological order. Out of the Silent Planet!

metalh wrote:

This thread inspired me to listen to the King's X discography. I'm going to listen in chronological order. Out of the Silent Planet!

'In the New Age
I see the blind lead the blind
for the search for the mind"

Detuned wrote:

The only real problem with Black Like Sunday was how/when it was released.

It should have been one of those "fan only" releases they sell via a website, not put out as an official King's X release.

Manic Moonlight didn't perform well in the sales department, so what they really needed right then was an album of all-new material. But instead, they ended up re-recording 15 year old songs that sounded very little like their modern selves.

I don't think it did them many favors in keeping up career momentum.

I enjoy quite a few songs on it, but I don't really consider it an actual King's X album.

I kinda feel the same way...definitely a fanclub kind of release, not an album. I think they got a little lazy in the MB era...toured a lot, but made short, unfocused albums. Manic Moonlight is only 9 songs and a noise/joke track...PCHMB split the last song into 2 tracks...then BLS....Tape Head was solid, though.

King's X is still my all time favorite band ever...

The reason for the odd tracks on those Metal Blade albums is their contract. They were required to deliver "10 tracks" by the label, they didn't like that rule, so they split Move Me into 2 songs and did the joke tunes on the other releases.

I was thinking about King's X again last night, how I enjoy each of them separately but never as much as I do when they play together. That's a sign of a truly great band right there.

Chemistry is after all the most important and most overlooked part. We've trained ourselves to ignore it in this day and age of rotating door band members, but when you look at a group like this or Rush, you see what it can accomplish.

"Tape Head" is my favorite KX album, but the other MB releases definitely are lacking and unfocused, IMO.

SpectreFate wrote:

"Tape Head" is my favorite KX album, but the other MB releases definitely are lacking and unfocused, IMO.

My favorite is Manic Moonlight, they weren't afraid to do some experimentation on that record. Tape Head is a good record, but I probably play that one less frequently than MM or Mr. Bulbous.

Bulbous is a scattered kind of record, but there are some really great songs on it. I think "She's Gone Away" is the best song they did from the MB albums.

What are your thoughts on Bulbous' sound quality Shawn D.? I always thought that album was WAY too bass heavy....

That was unfortunately the style during that era, it's not distractingly bad. Ty was kind of feeling his way on the first couple KX albums that he mixed/mastered.

Manic Moonlight definitely sounds better.

HERE YOU GUYS GO:

My "single edit" of Fish Bowl Man from the Mr. Bulbous album.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=2S019F0A

Sweet! Been wanting to hear some of your work. DOWNLOADING.

SpectreFate wrote:

Sweet! Been wanting to hear some of your work. DOWNLOADING.

Well, this was a just a quick cut and snip and in one section "reverse", quick and dirty.