Lonely days will come and go Nothing new unless you're bold Revolution no.19 Brand new wave of anger
Stain yourself with pumpkin pie Liquid tattoo I got mine Don't forget forgetfulness Call it deconstruction
There is no room inside a box There is no room inside There is no room inside a box There is no room inside
Way down in the deep depress Colder than the coldest yes We know about loneliness Others to another
Just a place to run and hide Just a place to free your mind Just a place to break the chains And find whatever matters
There is no room inside a box There is no room inside There is no room inside a box There is no room inside
There is no room inside a box There is no room inside There is no room inside a box There is no room inside
There is no room inside a box There is no room inside There is no room inside a box There is no room inside
Sometime by King's X
Sometime, I want to give Sometime, I want to take Sometime, I want to run Sometime, I want to stay. Sometime, sometime, sometime, sometime.
Sometime, I want to love Sometime, I want to hate Sometime, I want to build Sometime, I want to break Sometime, sometime, sometime, sometime.
Sometime, I want to live Sometime, I want to die Sometime, I want to believe Sometime, I want to get high and fly. Sometime, sometime, sometime, sometime.
A little something for Dug, since his hernia surgery is at 8:30 tomorrow...
Vegetable
by King's X
If I didn't have a brain Then I couldn't feel no pain And the longing to be happy If I didn't have a name And everybody looked the same Maybe I could see the difference
I would give it all away
If I didn't have to change Everything that I became Maybe I could find some loving If I didn't have a dream Or the rest of everything Well I'd still be missing something
I would give it all away
If I didn't have a life And freedom didn't have a price Maybe I would be a rich man If I wasn't incomplete And could control the rest of me I'd fill this hole and let it bleed
I've seen a wind torn sky. And I've felt the river cry. And I've seen the old ones have their say. I've known the constitution. And I've seen a revolution. And I've seen the birds all fly away. I've climbed in the back and I've hung From the rack and I've died more that once on the way. And I've sat there in awe and I've seen Myself fall and I've felt the full light of the day. On...my life going by. I've read confusing fiction. And lived a contradiction. And I've wondered where on earth I've been. I've known a love forever. A Truth I couldn't sever. A chord that flows a free as wind. I've stood on the mountain and drank from the fountain and poured it all out on the floor. Turned my back to the glory and walked the tenth story and come back to knock on your door. On...my life going by .... my life going on ... my life going by.
Lonely days will come and go, nothing new unless you're bold, revolution #19 brand new wave of anger Stain yourself with pumpkin pie, liquid tattoo I got mine, don't forget forgetfulness, call it Deconstruction There is no room inside a box, there is no room inside. Way down in the deep depress, colder than the coldest yes, we all know of loneliness others to another, just a place to run and hide just a place to free your mind, just a place to break the chains and find whatever matters There is no room inside a box, there is no room inside.
"I have not known a happy day in my life. And you wish to know happiness for the rest of yours."
Black the Sky by King's X
Okay so it can't be right I cry and try and think and fight Okay so I need some help But they can't fix the way I feel
Just one day, just one second Maybe just a minute feel no pain Oh, I walk the line Black the sky (Black the sky) Oh, I walk the line Black the sky (Black the sky)
Okay so I don't think like You do it's not my fault Okay I still try to find That fitting missing part
Just one day, just one second Maybe just a minute feel no pain Oh, I walk the line Black the sky (Black the sky) Oh, I walk the line Black the sky (Black the sky)
Something keeps me hanging round I guess my mother made me strong Crawling through this jungle from This puzzle I come from
Just one day, just one second Maybe just a minute feel no pain Oh, I walk the line Black the sky (Black the sky) Oh, I walk the line Black the sky (Black the sky)
Moving in a bus too close for comfort
Listening to all the gibberish around me
Wonder, how much longer can I stand it
Looking for a phone I cannot find
Like a politician in disguise
You know I had to look you in the eyes
And smile, while I crawled another mile in Germany
Lost in Germany
Swimming in an ocean of your feelings counting
Every moment go one by one
Laughing to keep from crying out in anger
Praying that I can make it through this night
It was like a never ending week
But I learned to turn the other cheek
And smile, while I ran for one more mile in Germany
Lost in Germany
Germany
Lost in Germany
Shooting at a target that eludes me
Hammering on a nail that just won't go in
Biting on a tongue that wants to speak out
Searching for a light that I can shine
But now I have crossed that borderline
And I wonder if I'll ever find
Your hand, 'cause I did not understand in Germany
Lost in Germany
Germany
Lost in Germany
Of course, I tend to think most of those page views were already "the converted." By that I mean, people who are already fans of the band, and who don't need to be encouraged to go to a show, or pick up the latest release. As much as I love to connect with those folks, that's really not gonna help the band.
In all seriousness, they're a band you should check out, if you haven't. I did find myself thinking I should offer up good places to start with the discography....
Now, I can ALMOST say "anywhere." I think their catalog is that good, and that strong. That's one of those absolutely not helpful things to say in a situation like this. I understand that, so...I offer my five favorite King's X albums.
(I'm sure fans will think I'm crazy with this list...everyone has their favorites right?)
Released in 2003, I believe, this is a collection of songs from the very early years of the band, before they were even called King's X, rerecorded by the band now. Some of the songs are a little simplistic, and the lyrics a little silly, compared to where they ended up. That said, I find a lot of these tracks very catchy and fun, with nice groove and melody. .
To be honest, this was the album that turned me into a rabid fan. I had liked the previous album (wait for it) a whole lot, but when this was released in 1998, I kinda went apeshit for the band. Part of it has to do with the fact I really started working out about that time, and this album became the soundtrack for many, many workouts.
When I bought this album in 1996, I hit the track "Picture," and I immediately knew i was listening to one of the best record of the year. This album marked the end of their Atlantic contract (a greatest hits would follow), and there is a real sense that the band felt it would be their last. The lyrics to opening track "The Train" clearly send that message. Thankfully, that didn't happen.
There's a real sense that Dogman's release in 1994 was King's X trying for the top. Grunge was everywhere, and the band shared a lot, in terms of tone and sound, with what was coming out of Seattle. They recruited Pearl Jam producer Brendan O'Brien and crafted perhaps their best sounding album. It's also strange that they populated it with songs that were almost brazenly crafted out of fits of depression. It's a dark album, but exquisitely executed.
I can hear a bunch of fans out there right now..."What, no Gretchen?!?!" Yes, in many ways Gretchen Goes to Nebraska is King's X at their best, but for me, personally, I've loved the way the band has evolved in the 2000's. On this, their most recent album, the melodic sense has remained strong, but the groove and heaviness has just become more pronounced. The band feels more powerful than ever, to my ears.
Now, this list is clearly biased to the latter half of their career, which shouldn't be construed as to say I don't like their early albums, because I damn well do. It's also striking me right now that my favorites of their albums all fall around the mid-to-late 90's, when I discovered them. I suppose that's true of any music fan. You like what originally drew you to the band.
(Yeah, some of those linked videos are ridiculous...it's was the 80's)
This is a GREAT band, and you could do worse than give them your ear for a while. Plus, with the current situation with Jerry's health, and cancelling the tour, it'd be nice to see a few scheckles find their way to this very deserving group of artists. So, please, buy the albums...don't pirate them.
You're probably asking, "who's Jerry Gaskill?" The fact that you're asking that question kind of upsets me. It upsets me when extremely talented musicians have to labor on the hardest circuits, and no-talent hacks scoop up Grammys and millions of dollars.
However, this has just reminded me how fragile this band is, and has been. There's been rumors of a break-up at the release of every album since 1996's Ear Candy. That album even had the lyric "last time aboard the train that goes around the world," and fans feared the worst.
We feared, even though we understood. The band has faced an uphill climb from almost day one. They were older than your average "rock star" (Bassist/primary singer Dug Pinnick was 38 when their first major label album was released - he's 61 now). They were lumped into the fading "hair metal" movement when their first album, Out of the Silent Planet, was released in 1988. They were also lumped into the "Christian Rock" genre by their original producer/manager, with the double problem of the assumptions made by the public based on that label, and that the band's subject matter was never that cut and dried.
Yes...the band has affirmed Christian beliefs over the years, but their music has constantly represented more of the core, loving nature of Christianity, rather than the oftentimes divisive dogma of organized religion. Oftentimes questioning faith within their lyrics. As time passed, their music moved further and further from the normal tropes of "Christian Rock," sometimes alienating their fanbase. This evolution came to a head when Pinnick announced that he was gay in 1998, leading to the band's albums being pulled pulled by Christian bookstore distributors.
Honestly, I am not overly religious, but the subject matter of the bands music, in any phase of their career, has never phased me. I was comfortable because the band has never, ever felt like preachers for anything other than Rock and Roll. Even tracks that were rather overtly pro-life never felt like more than a personal sadness over the procedures taking place, at all, rather than a condemnation (Plus, it's just a beautiful song, and I'm not one to let my political beliefs override a lovely work of art). Whereas, with one-note bands like Petra, the music seemed an excuse for preaching, King's X made it very clear that the music was far more important than any religious agenda. I also appreciate that, when the religious material did appear, it was all, in the main, positive. Much like my early years in the Methodist Church, I enjoy the idea that the gospel is "the Good News" rather than some hellfire and brimstone terror story.
So, anyway...yes, King's X is a band that has a history as a contemporary Christian act. A history that has been left pretty far behind. What was left was expert musicianship from Gaskill on drums, Pinnick on bass, and Ty Tabor on guitar, and a sound that preceded the heavy and melodic revolution that we know as "grunge." King's X was vastly heavy, with Pinnick even using a 12-string bass at times, full of bottom end and groove, layered with very melodic vocals, punctuated with almost Beatle-esque harmonies. They've been sited as influences to many of those Seattle bands that made it so huge (Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam is a huge fan).
The band has struggled, touring in vans and buses for more than 20 years. Consistently putting out albums, 15 studio albums, to date, with various live albums, as well, but never really reaching the level of stardom, I think, and have thought for a long while, they deserved. The band has been a "pet project" for me, I drag people to shows, give them mix CD, to try to spread the word...
Like the band says, if you like what you hear...go tell somebody.
It's not that I feel BAD, I just feel discombobulated and a little on edge. Things churning in my head, and gnawing at me. A lot going on, and a lot of places where I'd like, and people would like me to be this weekend.
The Eight: Reindeer Monologues opens Friday. I've directed two of the monologues. The cast is great, and I'm really happy with how it's all turned out. Especially with the two pieces I directed, Hollywood (Ian Maxwell) and Dancer (Kimberly Logan). These two actors have given me some of their best work, and I thank them profusely for it. We also have our "closing" party for Bus Stop that night. Between that I have acting classes, rehearsals, tech, blah, blah, blah...
I'm gonna be happy when things slow down a bit.
Also found out today that Michael Chabon's next novel, Telegraph Avenue, will (finally!) be out in the Fall of 2012. It's been too damn long since The Yiddish Policeman's Union.
But this is a "stuck in my head" entry...
Cigarettes
by King's X
Have you gotten any cigarettes
And have you got anything for me
I no longer know just what I'm saying
Is this how it's supposed to be.
Sometimes I think the pain blows my mind
Pain blows my mind.
Is it june or late september
Is it 1993
Could you help me to remember
Is this how I'm supposed to be
Sometimes I think the pain blows my mind
Pain blows my mind.
Did you ever get those cigarettes
And did you get anything for me
Will you help me to remember
When I fall into the sea.
Sometimes I think the pain blows my mind
Pain blows my mind.
I mean a total heshian. (At least that was the term in my day, now, apparently, it's some sort of skateboarder.) Gave myself whiplash many times. Hair down to my ass, and the whole bit. Loved Metallica, Megadeth, etc...
Not saying I don't still like those bands, I do. A lot. I've just also really connected with a more, um...lyrical form of rock and roll. Springsteen is the king for me, as he plays as hard as any of those bands mentioned, but also writes true poetry. I've also gotten really into the "prog" area, Rush, King's X, etc...
In the old days I was very taken with an act you might have heard of, Anthrax. Specifically, when they picked up a new lead singer, a guy named John Bush, for their 1993 album The Sound of White Noise. LOVED that record.
I'd been a fan of John Bush with his original band, Armored Saint. Symbol of Salvation is, for my money, one of the best metal albums ever. The guy has a fantastic voice, and was even asked to join Metallica, at one point, early in their carreer. (James Hetfield just wanted to play guitar) Armored Saint was a great band, but they never really "made it." Plus, one of their founding members succumed to cancer, so I guess Bush was ready for a change when Anthrax came calling.
The pairing was fruitful. I consider every one of the Anthrax albums with Bush, Sound of White Noise,Stomp 442 (1995), Volume 8: The Threat is Real (1998), and We've Come For You All (2003), to be top-notch metal records. I also like them much better than any of the earlier albums with Neil Turbin (1 album) or Joey Belladonna (5 full-length albums).
However, Joey is considered their "classic" singer. Among the Living (1987) and Persistance of Time (1990) are probably the two best with Joey. Where the impression of "classic" exists, there's money to be made, and from 2005 to 2007 Anthrax toured with the "classic" lineup (also with original lead guitarist Dan Spitz). Apparently, the original idea was to tour with BOTH Belladonna and Bush singing.
They had tried this before, after releasing the Attack of the Killer A's Greatest hits package in 1999, covering both the Belladonna and Bush eras. They even recorded a cover of "Ball of Confusion" with Joey and John dueting on vocals. The idea was to put both signers on stage. Belladonna apparently balked at this, and opted out. The tour went on with just Bush.
This time, Bush went home. The reunion tour with Joey was pretty successful (saw it myself), but I always felt that Bush was the best singer for the band. The fan community felt that Bush had gotten the run-around. As Bush said later:
"No. Bitter is not the way I wanna be about anything. I'm not bitter at all. There was probably not a perfect way to do that, what they did. It was like, how are they gonna say...? I mean, they asked me to do it—the tour with Joey—and it just wasn't right for me, I couldn't do it. So, whatever...if they felt they had to do that, I understand. It wasn't like I was going, 'Yeah, do it. That's great.' But once it happened, I was like, 'okay.' It was like a book ended. It's okay. I mean, it's much better to look at it that way than to be angry or frustrated, 'cause I really don't feel that way."
But the tour went on, and was successful enough that the band started thinking, "hey, new album with Belladonna." Surely it would sell well.
It probably would've, but Joey ultimately opted out. Was this beacuse the band wanted to treat him like a hired gun, and pay much less, or because Joey was an egomaniac, and wanted more than his fair share? Who knows? The fact is, Joey left, again, and apparently, the band went back to John Bush, who also said, "no."
"I was asked to write, and it just wasn't right for me. I couldn't go back and say, 'Here I am...' It would be like coming in with my tail between my legs, and that's not right for me. I just couldn't do that. It just didn't feel right to do that. It was about soul, your gut. How does that feel? Does it feel right? Good enough. Sold. Answer."
So, now what does Anthrax do? As any good aging metal band, they go looking for a new singer. Who do they find? Some dude no one's heard of named Dan Nelson. The band starts working on a disk called Worship Music, and plays a few gigs. Introducing Nelson to the fans with a show at The Double Door here in Chicago, which was apparently well received.
So, all is well, right? Nelson's in, they're touring Europe, including a date at the Sonisphere Festival on August 1st, Worship Music is set for release in September, with a US tour supporting Slipknot. The band is on it's way back....
Then, SOMETHING happened.
On July 17th, 2009, via a press release, Anthrax cancelled all European dates, indicating it was because Dan Nelson was ill. On July 21st, again via press release, that Nelson was out of the band, the tours were cancelled, and Worship Music was pushed back. Also added; the Sonisphere date was NOT cancelled, and John Bush was returning for a "one-off" date with the band.
Nelson's reaction to all this?
"I was never seriously ill or sick at all, as reported in Anthrax’s 7/17/09 press release. This extremely inflammatory statement hurt me tremendously. This statement misled fans, friends and family members into believing that I was seriously ill when I was not. I was not aware such a statement was being issued and it came as a total shock to me, as I’m sure it did to all of you. It was the other band members’ decision to cancel the tour dates, not mine. I was ready, willing and able to do my job. After issuing the press release the other band members decided, on their own accord, that I had 'resigned' from the band. I never resigned from the band."
What the HELL is going on here? I mean, I'm happy as a clam that footage such as this:
Is available, even if this is Bush's last fling with Anthrax.
I can't even say I really care anymore. I was planning to buy Worship Music, give Nelson a shot, but in the back of my head, I knew it was all wrong. They sorta pushed John aside to tour with Joey in what was a naked cash grab. Then came back when they needed him, and Bush (Rightly!) told 'em to take a hike. They find some nobody, and they can't get along with him. (though the rumors of what exactly happened are NASTY, and paint Nelson in a very bad light.) This seems to be a whole mess of crap they brought on themselves.
I LOVE this band with John Bush, but even if this one-off leads to a full reunion (and Anthrax members have flat out stated this is "right at the front of their minds"), I don't know that I can follow them again. The well seems poisoned.
Bush had been working on some new music with a reunited Armored Saint, which I KNOW I'll buy. I think I'd rather he stuck with that.
What's really become clear here is that John Bush is a class act, in every way. The video makes it clear he came, he saw, and he kicked ass. He brought his A-Game, no matter what the backstage situation. These guys he'd spent a ton of time working with called and needed a solid, and he delivered.
