Happy 2019! Last year was big for King’s X, marking the 30th anniversary of its ‘Out Of The Silent Planet’ debut. The band book-ended the occasion with dates in its home state of Texas, including a sold-out Jan. 19 stop at Trees in Dallas. Touring between the Texas runs brought King’s X through Arizona, California, Nevada, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania (a Sellersville sell out!), with Milwaukee and Chicagoland wrapping up the year.
Word began to emerge in August that King’s X first new album since 2008 would be recorded in 2019. Recording plans became more tangible when King’s X’s signed to Golden Robot Records, an Australian super-indie spearheaded by A&R legend Derek Shulman. A February 2019 release of ‘King’s X: The Oral History’ was also announced.
In the meantime, work started on a King’s X documentary. A film crew followed the band through Texas, shooting many old haunts and talking to friends and associates from the early days. Doug is excited about the project, describing it as a deep—sometimes almost too-close-to-the-bone—dive into what has made King’s X the band it is.
Between all this, Doug could be forgiven for letting his non-King’s X work slide. But 2019 will see him not only hitting the road as part of both Experience Hendrix and 3rd Ear Experience but finishing new solo material, new KXM, and new Grinder Blues.
It’s with an eye to this end of Doug’s musical life that I’ve put together a bracket comprised of Doug’s non-King’s X music. Unlike last year’s King’s X grid, I didn’t have a method in developing this one. I included the songs performed on the Texas Poundation tour, figuring those were Doug’s favorites from his solo career, but otherwise just chose the tunes I liked best.
Just like last time, however, my hope is that the ‘tournament’ will provoke some great conversation and provide an opportunity to listen to some tunes we might not have heard in a while or, for some of them, maybe even ever.
The new year is here. Let the fun begin!
Chris Smith, Author 