King’s X Reveal How Pearl Jam Changed Their View Of Music

demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 87,335
edited February 2019 in The Porch

Changed Their View Of Music

Written by Greg Prato

By the time Pearl Jam was touring in support of their blockbuster Vs. album, the group was a headliner who could assemble bills exactly to their liking.

And since PJ bassist Jeff Ament was a long-time King’s X fan (if you look closely at PJ’s first-ever performance on Saturday Night Live, you will spot him wearing a King’s X shirt), the Texas trio got the nod – opening U.S. shows from March 24 through April 3, 1994.

In this excerpt from my latest book, King’s X: The Oral History, the group’s guitarist, Ty Tabor, explains how eye-opening the tour was for him and his band.

TY TABOR That was absolutely phenomenal. I felt kind of weird, going out and opening for Pearl Jam—only because of what a strange kind of mismatch, vibe-wise, it was. But they wanted us to do it, and we weren’t about to say no. So we did. It’s hard for me to overemphasize what that tour did for me. I remember feeling a bit disillusioned at this point. I was really hating the industry, thinking all of it is crap, all of it is just a game, none of it is real anymore, none of it really matters anymore. All these terrible things I was feeling.

And then we went on the road with Pearl Jam. The first night, we go out and play, and the crowd response is great. Really great. I’m thinking, Well … that’s cool. These people don’t know us at all, and they’re pretty open to it. I wasn’t really expecting that. And this crowd was like no crowd I’d ever seen before. Pretty much everybody was the same age, everybody looked very similar, they all had the same look in their eyes. It was a very strange experience. It was like seeing the 60s again. It was like seeing young hippies. Young free spirits.

And then Pearl Jam comes out—with no mega light show, no pyrotechnics, no BS of any kind. Just playing music from the heart, and not trying to do acrobatics and show off or anything. Sometimes just standing there with their eyes closed, playing the music. And the crowd was engulfed in it, and singing every word. The vibe of it was like the 60s—which I lived through and saw with my own eyes, when I went to park concerts and saw it when it happened for real. I honestly had not seen this since then.

That changed me. It really affected me, in a way that—to this day—I’ve never let go of. Because I had given up on music mattering—music really being able to have an effect anymore. It was all a game of money to me. And I saw—first-hand—Pearl Jam connecting on a different level the way it’s supposed to, the way I believed in and thought was dead. And that let me know, No. You can hold that torch and be real still—and screw the industry. That’s how I felt from that moment forward, and I didn’t give a flying crap about what they wanted or what the industry was doing.

To order a copy of King’s X: The Oral History, click here.

And check out what King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill had to say to Alternative Nation a while back, concerning his memories of the Pearl Jam tour.






Post edited by demetrios on

Comments

  • demetriosdemetrios Canada Posts: 87,335

    Countless accolades have been bestowed upon King’s X over the years, and, since their formation in 1980, they have grown to become one of the most universally admired in hard rock and heavy metal. But their story is one of many ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and periods of good and bad luck.

    This authorized biography examines and explores all aspects of their history, both personally and professionally. Comprised of extensive interviews conducted by author and longtime King’s X fan Greg Prato, King’s X: The Oral History allows the band’s three members - singer/bassist Doug Pinnick, guitarist Ty Tabor, and drummer Jerry Gaskill - to tell their full story for the first time. It also opens the floor to friends and collaborators, plus some of the many top rock names who are also fans of the band, including Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, The Police’s Andy Summers, Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan, Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil, Pantera’s Rex Brown, Mötley Crüe’s Mick Mars, and many more.

    In addition, King’s X explores the stories behind every single song the band has recorded over the years, while also detailing the creation of each of their twelve albums and offering insight into the influence of religion on their work. It also features memories of the band’s tours with some of rock’s biggest names - including AC/DC, Pearl Jam, and Mötley Crüe - and the events that led to their show-stopping performance at the mammoth Woodstock ’94 festival.

    Packed full of rare and never-before-seen photographs from throughout their career, King’s X is the definitive companion to the band and their music.



  • lotsalemonlotsalemon Boston Posts: 2,734

    Ty Tabor is an INCREDIBLE guitar player. 
    Tone, feel, he's got it all. 
    And I love King's X.


    Mansfield 06.28.2008 | Boston 05.17.2010 | Boston 06.19.2011 EV solo | Wrigley Field 07.19.2013 | Worcester 10.15.2013 | Worcester 10.16.2013 | Hartford 10.25.2013
    Vancouver 12.04.2013 | Seattle 12.06.2013 | Memphis 10.14.2014 | Quebec City 05.05.2016 | Ottawa 05.08.2016 | Toronto 05.11.2016 | Boston 08.05.2016 | Boston 08.07.2016 | Amsterdam 06.12.2018 | Boston 09.02.2018 | Boston 09.04.2018

  • treestrees Columbus OHIO Posts: 1,800
    I saw kings x once ,they are such an amazing band


    PJ Cuyahoga Flalls OH 8/26/1998
    PJ Noblesviile IN 8/18/2000
    PJ Cincinnatti OH 8/20/2000
    PJ Columbus OH 8/21/2000
    PJ Columbus OH 6/24/2003
    PJ Hamilton Ontario 9/13/2005
    PJ Phiadelphia PA 10/3/2005
    PJ Cleveland OH 5/20/2006
    PJ Columbia SC 6/16/2008.....
    e.V Chicago IL 8/21/2008
    e.V Philly PA 6/11/2009
    e.V Bailtimore MD 6/14/2009...
    PJ Chicago IL 8/23/2009
    .PJ...Philly PA 10/27/2009 PJ.Philadephia PA 10/28/2009.
    PJ Columbus OH 5/6/2010
    PJ Cleveland OH 5/9/2010.
    BRAD Columbus OH 10/5/2010
    e.V St.Louis MO 7/1/2011
    .PJ.. East Troy WI 9/3/2011..PJ..East Troy WI 9/4/2011
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse Cleveland OH 10/8/2012
    RNDM Chicago IL11/13/2012
    Alice In Chains/SoundGarden Columbus OH 5/19/2013
    AIC Fort Wayne IN 5/21/2013
    PJ Pittsburgh PA 10/11/2013
    AIC Cincinnati OH 5/17/2014
    AIC Cleveland OH 5/19/2014
    AIC Indianapolis IN 8/19/2014
    PJ Cincinnati OH 10/1/2014
    AIC Cincinnati OH 8/06/2015
    RNDM Chicago IL 3/15/2016
    PJ Columbia SC 4\21\2016
    PJ Lexington KY 4/26/2016
    PJ Chicago IL 8/20/2016
    Soundgarden Columbus OH 5/20/2017 Canceled RIP Chris
    AIC Columbus OH 5/18/2018 
    PJ Chicago IL 8/18/2018 PJ Chicago IL 8/20/2018
    PJ St Louis Missouri 9/18/2022
    AIC Cuyohoga falls Oh. 8/16/2019
    SHAWNSMITH Rip 2019Mark Lanegan Band 5/18/19
  • MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,604
    loved Tres Mts
  • Awesome i love King’s X, I used to listen to Dogman as much as Vs and Vitalogy back in the days. When I got to see them with PJ in 1994 in Miami I thought that was the greatest day of my (young) life back then. Shaky show but great memories, thanks a lot for sharing!
  • elwayvedderelwayvedder South Jersey Posts: 9,040
    so grateful to have met Doug in Philly with Tres Mts and tell him what an amazing artist he is
  • treestrees Columbus OHIO Posts: 1,800
    Loved Tres Mtns ,that was a great band


    PJ Cuyahoga Flalls OH 8/26/1998
    PJ Noblesviile IN 8/18/2000
    PJ Cincinnatti OH 8/20/2000
    PJ Columbus OH 8/21/2000
    PJ Columbus OH 6/24/2003
    PJ Hamilton Ontario 9/13/2005
    PJ Phiadelphia PA 10/3/2005
    PJ Cleveland OH 5/20/2006
    PJ Columbia SC 6/16/2008.....
    e.V Chicago IL 8/21/2008
    e.V Philly PA 6/11/2009
    e.V Bailtimore MD 6/14/2009...
    PJ Chicago IL 8/23/2009
    .PJ...Philly PA 10/27/2009 PJ.Philadephia PA 10/28/2009.
    PJ Columbus OH 5/6/2010
    PJ Cleveland OH 5/9/2010.
    BRAD Columbus OH 10/5/2010
    e.V St.Louis MO 7/1/2011
    .PJ.. East Troy WI 9/3/2011..PJ..East Troy WI 9/4/2011
    Neil Young & Crazy Horse Cleveland OH 10/8/2012
    RNDM Chicago IL11/13/2012
    Alice In Chains/SoundGarden Columbus OH 5/19/2013
    AIC Fort Wayne IN 5/21/2013
    PJ Pittsburgh PA 10/11/2013
    AIC Cincinnati OH 5/17/2014
    AIC Cleveland OH 5/19/2014
    AIC Indianapolis IN 8/19/2014
    PJ Cincinnati OH 10/1/2014
    AIC Cincinnati OH 8/06/2015
    RNDM Chicago IL 3/15/2016
    PJ Columbia SC 4\21\2016
    PJ Lexington KY 4/26/2016
    PJ Chicago IL 8/20/2016
    Soundgarden Columbus OH 5/20/2017 Canceled RIP Chris
    AIC Columbus OH 5/18/2018 
    PJ Chicago IL 8/18/2018 PJ Chicago IL 8/20/2018
    PJ St Louis Missouri 9/18/2022
    AIC Cuyohoga falls Oh. 8/16/2019
    SHAWNSMITH Rip 2019Mark Lanegan Band 5/18/19
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