I didn't know who they were until 2003 when my husband shared the band with me in a conversation about good music. After seeing this video, being complimented in the ladies' room during our gigs seemed like being praised for a crayon drawing while people like Dug Pinnick embrace fanfare for their oil-based masterpieces.
Kings X were a god-loving band in the beginning. Lead singer Doug "Dug" Pinnick came out of the closet, which resulted in him being banned from his church. The songs now have lyrics like Dear God/Why are your people so fucking mean, and the resulted ambivalence is now presenting itself in the form of Dug's pentagram belt buckle.
The song "Goldilox" is so cherished that it's requested at least three times during the band's downtime. Guitarist Ty Taybor saturates the venue with his opening chords, picking away at the riff that everyone immediately soaks up. This brings a smile to my face.
The opening lyric of "Goldilox" is indelible and resonates with the four-eyed, middle-aged crowd who is now coming to life like an old record feeling the embrace of a needle tip. Dug isn't at the mic; he has no intention to sing. So he lets his admirers' voices take on the first verse. I can't believe/Summer's almost here/I made it through another year/Even if alone.
The band is shrouded with dark lighting and play on as the crowd belts. There's no tears in my eyes/Life is still full of surprise/I'm not looking for a one-night stand.
The audience unites, thumbs tucked defiantly under fists of fandom. Dug's nods are heavy with gratitude. He looks like a stick figure made out of Slim Jims. His frail figure carries the heavy weight of humility. When I saw them play live, Dug's family were proud of him and smiling. Dug is also smiling an "Aw man, you guys" grin. Jerry Gaskill backs up the noise, as drummers do, and his teeth chatter to match the song's meter.
The fans manage to hold a harmony @4:00 following Ty's epic solo. This band is among a rare breed who do what they do for this brand of solidarity. At one point, Dug cues the audience by stealthily waving a peace sign into a gesture toward his eyes, indicating the next lyrics. I look at you/And I know who you are/You're just a little bit too far/From my own.
When a frontman crosses his hands over his heart and looks at his spectators, it's hard to deny the modesty of an underrated band. (If you want to hear "Goldilox" as it came to be known and loved, listen to it here.
Kings X is humble, talented, and triumphant. And this is why I'm a fangirl. Thoughts?
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