KING’S X FRONTMAN DOUG PINNICK DISCUSSES THE BAND’S SELECT LIVE SHOWS AND POSSIBLE NEW ALBUM
Greg Prato of Bravewords spoke with King’s X singer/bassist Doug Pinnick about a select number of shows the band will be playing this month and other topics. Highlights from the interview appear below.
BraveWords: How did these King’s X dates come up?
Doug Pinnick: Our booking agent just calls us every now and then, and says, ‘Hey, we’ve got some offers. Do you want to play?’ And we get back to him and say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ – it’s pretty simple. [Laughs]
BraveWords: Will more dates be added?
Doug Pinnick: I hear some more are being added – I got an email this morning from our manager, asking for approval of a couple more weekends. So I guess we’re setting up and going to do some shows now. We’ve got the Texas run, and then we’ve got the east coast run, and think we’ve got something else coming too now.
BraveWords: Which songs would you like to see included in the setlist?
Doug Pinnick: For me, the songs have to be tailored around my voice, because the older I get, the lower my voice gets, and I can’t sing a lot of the old songs. Basically, if we can sing them, then we’ll do them. But if I can’t sing them, then we have to pass them. It’s just getting to that point now, because I’m 64, and my voice is just not working like it used to – I can’t sing Over My Head like I was 20, y’know?
BraveWords: How is Jerry doing, health-wise?
Doug Pinnick: Jerry’s doing great. It’s so funny that everybody is worried about him, but he’s been healed up for a long, long time now. He’s doing fine.
BraveWords: Is there any talk of a new King’s X studio album?
Doug Pinnick: We actually committed to a new record. We don’t know when we’re going to do it yet, but everyone says, ‘OK. Let’s go forward.’ So that’s all I can tell you at the moment. I don’t know when, but we’re planning on doing a record – finally I’ve got everybody to say, ‘Let’s do it’.
BraveWords: Looking back at all the King’s X albums, which one would you say was the most overlooked?
Doug Pinnick: Overlooked? All of them – are you kidding? [Laughs] Y’know, I don’t know, because I don’t really know what people like and what they didn’t. And I don’t look at record sales, because we never sell a lot of records anyway. So I have no clue what would be overlooked. When I talk to fans, everybody has their favorite, and it’s one of all ten of them. I don’t know, everybody has their favorites – I wouldn’t know myself, personally.
BraveWords: What about as far as upcoming solo projects?
Doug Pinnick: I’ve got a Jimi Hendrix tribute record I’m doing right now with a couple of people, which is a lot of fun, and I plan on doing my solo record within the year, and plan on a new KXM record – we’ve been talking about trying to do something in September with that, Ray [Luzier] and George [Lynch]. And my Grinder Blues band will hopefully do some shows and do another album, also.
Read more at Bravewords.
source: bravewords.com
New KXM, and King’s X? Sounds like something to look forward to.
Talk about an overlooked band! I have loved Kings X’s music since I first saw the video for the song “King” on MTV when OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET first came out. I heard songs like “Goldilox” and “Shot Of Love” off that album and thought they’d be huge. That didn’t happen. Then when GRETCHEN GOES TO NEBRASKA came out and was even better than OUT OF THE SILENT PLANET I thought that would be their breakthrough. Again, it didn’t happen. This went on album after album and by the time they got to their 5th album, DOGMAN, it was clear they were going to exist in “cult status”. It’s a shame that more people didn’t get into the band. They are so unique and sound like nobody else. Doug’s (dUg now) voice is half rock and half gospel and one of the best I’ve ever heard in my life. Ty’s guitar playing and tone is brilliant and instantly recognizable. And when Doug, Ty and Jerry all sing together, they bring forth some of the best vocals ever recorded. And having seen them live several times, I can tell you their musicianship and vocal talents are even more powerful in person. I just don’t understand why they never broke through. They have a sound that I still think would attract a wide audience if people would just listen to them. The music business makes no sense when a great band like Kings X can’t get any real mainstream success yet there’s been countless talentless dumbasses that without any real effort have gone multi-platinum. I don’t get it. Maybe I don’t want to get it. The bottom line, and what’s important to me, is I don’t care how many albums Kings X has sold or hasn’t sold because I love their music and they are one of the best and most original bands of the last 30 years.
Craig,I usually enjoy your posts,But either you phrased it wrong or I am taking it the wrong way.Kiss was huge and still get a lot of radio play here in Chicago.Hell Rock n Roll All Night is played way to much on the radio. But good to hear your opinion as always.
I Know Kings X mostly appeals to musicians, but they are criminally underrated to me.