Walked away from another King's X show shaking my head

[micycle]

It happened the first time I saw them on the Dogman tour and has happened at every show of theirs I've been to since, including last night at Stage 48 in New York: I leave the venue dumbfounded as to why a larger audience hasn't embraced them as one of the best live bands out there.

What's wrong with people?? What do you think is the reason they're not higher up on the popularity pedestal? There was a good sized crowd there last night and everyone sang along, but the place should have been packed to the walls and the upstairs balcony (which was closed off) should have been open and crammed with people, too.

I've talked to friends about this. Is it their name? Are they too good for their own good? Do people write them off as another heavy metal band from the 80s?? On a positive note at least after all these years I'm still able to plant myself in the spot of my choice (about 20' in front of dUg's rig - just enough to get my innards rumbled) without being shoulder to shoulder and crammed in... but at the same time they deserve a packed house wherever they play!

PSA: If you have never seen them and even just KIND OF like groove and heaviness and aren't too familiar with their songs.. GO SEE THEM!!

 

[NB_Terry]

Absolutely. Amazing band.

 

[freedom's door]

The weather may have played a role in last night's attendance- it was one of the reasons i skipped the show.

In general, i agree with you- i could never understand why they weren't more popular. They played the Woodstock festival, did numerous TV appearances around that time, were signed to Atlantic for a few years, opened up for many huge bands, etc, but never generated the album sales they should have.
It really is a mystery, but maybe their music just doesn't resonate with the masses?

 

[docgorpon]

^ exactly right on the last point. Lots of stellar bands never get past cult level with no tangible explanation.

 

[Matt L]

They have a very loyal fanbase. I think they're at least lucky in that regard. A majority of the fans, I'm guessing, latched on back in the early '90s during their heyday when they had the buzz as the band to watch. I'm sure they add new fans all the time, especially if they happen to catch a live show. They're older now, though, and the musical landscape is just different. I think they just have their niche in the rock community, and are appreciated by those who know.

 

[Otto Tune]

I certainly don't have my thumb on the pulse of the heavy metal scene, but I've never heard of them.
Sounds like they need to take a lesson from some of the highly promoted artists around today.
Or maybe they're happy with the "inside" fan base and don't want more exposure.

 

[zztomato]

You could ask the same thing about many musicians . I like jazz -among other things- and am always dumbfounded that many of these stellar bands and players are not more popular. It boils down to a lack of curiosity to spend the time to go deeper into music. For most, music is just a passing fancy. Whatever is right in front of them is what they'll listen to. If it requires too much attention then it doesn't connect.
Sorry for the pessimism.

 

[chrisjw5]

For me it's been the vocals that have kept me away. The vocals - to me - sound too 80's and too.... processed, maybe. There's nothing really distinctive in the vocal style. Their range is great, but it sounds like a very good studio singer trying to nail notes, with nothing really interesting in the tonal character. Dare I say, it sounds like a mega-church vocalist. Technically very good, but bland.

I respect the hell out them and their career, and I've tried to get into them, but with the exception of "the hits" (It's Love, Lost in Germany), I just can't manage to sustain any interest. I hope this doesn't come off as slagging, just an honest answer to the OPs question.

This is probably blasphemy, but if you added someone with a good, powerful range that had a distinctive style - I'm thinking Chris Cornell - you'd have, IMO, a band more poised for mainstream success.

 

[RCM78]

Kings X is a musicians band. We all love them and they command a large amount of respect in and around the musicians community. Ask non musician friends who they are and you get a blank stare...

 

[Marc Roy]

It happened the first time I saw them on the Dogman tour and has happened at every show of theirs I've been to since, including last night at Stage 48 in New York: I leave the venue dumbfounded as to why a larger audience hasn't embraced them as one of the best live bands out there.

What's wrong with people?? What do you think is the reason they're not higher up on the popularity pedestal? There was a good sized crowd there last night and everyone sang along, but the place should have been packed to the walls and the upstairs balcony (which was closed off) should have been open and crammed with people, too.

I've talked to friends about this. Is it their name? Are they too good for their own good? Do people write them off as another heavy metal band from the 80s?? On a positive note at least after all these years I'm still able to plant myself in the spot of my choice (about 20' in front of dUg's rig - just enough to get my innards rumbled) without being shoulder to shoulder and crammed in... but at the same time they deserve a packed house wherever they play!

PSA: If you have never seen them and even just KIND OF like groove and heaviness and aren't too familiar with their songs.. GO SEE THEM!!

Yep. Same feeling I had when I saw them at a small club in 2004. There was maybe 100 people in the place. Granted, this was a Tuesday night and they didn't hit the stage till 11:00 but still...

We were leaning right against the stage about 15' in front of their backline. Dug was using his massive SVT setup with two big cabs and Ty was running a rack into two stacks of Randall cabs. It was loud as all hell but the sound was so spot-on, it was incredible. And yes, the band kicked all kinds of ass, playing two hours without a break and even throwing in an encore.

 

[PatrickE_FenderADV]

I am going to bet there wasn't a line for the ladies rest room, right?

I know maybe two of their songs from "back in the day" and that's the main reason... No radio play when radio was HUGE! I think there's also something about the name too, I dunno. I love all types of music, their Beatles-esque harmonies on their one "big" song should have drawn in more fans. Maybe if more of their material sounded like "It's Love" they may have had more fans. I am guessing that one song doesn't represent their overall sound.

 

[27sauce]

For better or worse, they're still hungry. You have to work when you play clubs. Would you rather see them play bloated greatest hit sets in arenas, with overpriced tickets, and years between tours?

In a completely selfish way, I love this kind of stuff. I'm a huge Marc Ford fan, and I can go see him for free or nearly free, and get the best seat(spot) in the house with sn audience of less than 75 people. I do not care what other people listen to.

 

[Jerrod]

I certainly don't have my thumb on the pulse of the heavy metal scene, but I've never heard of them.
Sounds like they need to take a lesson from some of the highly promoted artists around today.
Or maybe they're happy with the "inside" fan base and don't want more exposure.

 

[TubeStack]

Lack of star quality.

 

[chrisjw5]

I'm a huge Marc Ford fan, and I can go see him for free or nearly free, and get the best seat(spot) in the house with sn audience of less than 75 people.

I get it, but how long do you think they can keep that up and make any kind of a living?

 

[Matt L]

For me it's been the vocals that have kept me away. The vocals - to me - sound too 80's and too.... processed, maybe. There's nothing really distinctive in the vocal style. Their range is great, but it sounds like a very good studio singer trying to nail notes, with nothing really interesting in the tonal character. Dare I say, it sounds like a mega-church vocalist. Technically very good, but bland.

I respect the hell out them and their career, and I've tried to get into them, but with the exception of "the hits" (It's Love, Lost in Germany), I just can't manage to sustain any interest. I hope this doesn't come off as slagging, just an honest answer to the OPs question.

This is probably blasphemy, but if you added someone with a good, powerful range that had a distinctive style - I'm thinking Chris Cornell - you'd have, IMO, a band more poised for mainstream success.

I'm actually really surprised at this take. Dug seems like a VERY distinctive vocalist, to me. Then you have Ty singing a few songs, and the 3-part harmonies.....I can see not caring for the tone or something, but bland is the last thing I'd think of when describing King's X and vocals!

 

[Bankston]

King's X is the ultimate underground band and I dig that about them.

 

[27sauce]

I get it, but how long do you think they can keep that up and make any kind of a living?

That's up to them. They're artists and have chosen to make the art that they want to make. I applaud them for that, like I said, they have to work and it shows in their show.
Do what you can, buy the tickets, buy the albums...they chose this life.

 

[ClassicLP]

King's X is a reminder that success in the music businness is about musical prowess alone.mWhen they emerged in the 1980s, they were in many ways going against the grain. They had an image issue. A black frontman was hardly competition for the Bon Jovi's of the era, who drove Mtv's audience of mostly, young, white suburban girls crazy. That demographic was key to success in the 1980s. Another issue was the lack of a hotshot guitarist. Ty Tabor is brilliant but cast aside in the zeitgeist of two-handed tapping and high speed riffs. Their lyrically content was too deep and obtuse to easily latch on to for many mainstream type fans.

 

[skronker]

You could ask the same thing about many musicians . I like jazz -among other things- and am always dumbfounded that many of these stellar bands and players are not more popular. It boils down to a lack of curiosity to spend the time to go deeper into music. For most, music is just a passing fancy. Whatever is right in front of them is what they'll listen to. If it requires too much attention then it doesn't connect.
Sorry for the pessimism.

To the point you made about jazz.
Scofield and Rittenour shared billing on the Skyline stage at Navy Pier.
In a place that holds about 1,500 people there were maybe 200 people in attendance.
It was surprising to see in a town like Chicago.