King's X's dUg Pinnick on Being Embraced & Banned by the Christian Community, Racism - Interview 

I was walking along Oxford Street in London 1989 and heard a great band playing in a pub and thought ive got to check these guys out. It was KX. They were playing a"warm up" gig two hours before their real gig at the Astoria theatre!! Spoke to the guys and they really were the most humble decent guys you could meet. I ran the entire length of Oxford Street to grab a ticket to see them again at the Astoria. Saw them twice in an evening....how blessed was i👏👏👏👏👏

Kings X is the best trio America ever produced. Canada had Rush, UK had Police, but KX is just unbelievably huge sounding for 3 guys.

Doug Pinnick is one of the most genuine, sweetest, and talented people on this planet. We go way back. I first discovered KX in probably 1990, and was instantly hooked. I grew up in an extremely conservative Christian home, and my mother wouldn't let me listen to all that evil stuff like AC/DC and Metallica (lol) - but she read in some Christian magazine that a band called King's X was a Christian band with positive lyrics, and she let me listen to them. I was instantly obsessed. They didn't come off as a Christian band like Petra or some others I had heard, but just had very deep and spiritual lyrics that spoke to me. They literally saved my life. I was a very rebellious and depressed teenager, and I almost offed myself - but listening to King's X made me think differently. Over the years, I saw them in concert several times, and was always blown away. Finally, years later, they came to my hometown of Wilmington, NC, and I finally got to meet these legends. I was in the front row rocking out the whole time, and after the show, I just hung around as close to Doug as possible. He then turns to me and says, "we're going to hang out upstairs for awhile, do you want to join us?" Are you kidding? My girlfriend (now my wife) and my buddy and I went upstairs, and for the next like 6 hours, we hung out with the band and had the time of our life. Their road manager actually came in at like 6 AM and said the bus is leaving with or without the band in 5 mins! Doug and I actually became pals of sorts from that point, and would write from time to time. He's been an inspiration and a great friend, and I dearly love that man, and wish him all the happiness in the world.

I live in Houston and it was great to see Kings X in concert for over 30 years there. I’ll be a Kings X fan for my whole life and tell everybody how great they are. Probably the best band ever.

I’m a straight, white, conservative Christian male that embraces masculinity and all of that traditional stuff…..and I absolutely LOVE and adore Dug Pinnick! Kings X is easily in my top 5 or even 3 bands. And Dug, I absolutely agree with you on the hypocrisy of so many so-called Christians and churches. I just don’t get people not practicing what they preach. I have no use for those kind of people.

Mad respect for this band. Never seen a bad show. Power, melody, poetry, spirituality, and class.

Glad you posted this. More kids need to know this Guy!!!!!!!

one of THE most underrated bands ever - their self titled album is a masterpiece, but really all their shit is fantastic

Thanks for this; both of you. I grab my Line 6 Variax and play along every time I hear 'Let It Rain'. Epic song, as usual from the Kings, and I'm eager to here these fellas again as soon as possible. Great new record; go get it y'all! Thanks DuG.

King's X is one of the greatest bands ever. They deserve way more than what they got in their 40+ year career.

When I first heard Kings X I thought they would become as big as U2. Heavy-gospel-Beatles. One of the greatest bands of all time. Love you, dUg

Love you Dug!! New record is awesome, 👍💯😁

Thank you for this!

Much respect to dUG & also to Full In Bloom for the great interview 👍

The world is a better place because you guys did your thing. King's X is magical, masterful. My favorite band by a wide margin, the musicianship of all three of you is amazing. dUg, the sound you make with your fingers is gorgeous. Love you man, keep on keeping on.

I met Dug at a bass clinic. It was him and Billy Sheehan just killing it on bass and teaching. And Dug was cool as hell. We talked bass and music and and he gave me one of his picks and an autograph. It was a room full of rockers and I was the only black guy(besides Dug😂😂) so I'll never forget how cool it was to hang and talk with him. It was really surreal.

I love turning new friends on to Kings X. Mind blowing stuff.

Great interview !!

I met Dug only for a short time a long time when I wandered into a crappie Club on Salisbury Beach Massachusetts way back in the 80s. I heard a bass sound that I never heard before and I am a bass player and I had to get into that damn place made my way up to the non-existent stage which was at floor level, then I stood right beside him for the whole show marveling at his innovation and crazy sound. After the show short hello he was a nice guy and I thank the moon and stars for me being there and all the great music he is produced and turned me on to. Full support buddy, thank you for being there I've seen your being many times, but I got to tell you, when you open for porcupine tree in Boston it was absolutely spectacular, I'll see you up in Derry nh , got my tickets!! Best to Jerry and Ty.

I saw KX 5 years ago- they still got it! Incredible show, and LOUD AF. Take ear protection. dUg still has so much power, and Jerry & Ty were so great- criminally underrated. I took a friend, and he was an instant convert!

Thanks again

Great interview! Dug is a legend!

Most under appreciated band and frontman of all time. UNSTOPPABLE live band. Just absolute MAGIC. Pure MUSIC. Long live the music and spirit of KING’S X 🖤♾

I love Dug! He's a true slat of the earth person, humble and generous. To say nothing of his musical prowess. I'm about to listen to Three Sides of One for the first time, so excited for it.

Very fascinating. I've been aware of Doug (or, Dug) Pinnick and King's X ever since Metal Shop first played "Visions" from *Out Of The Silent Planet* all the way back in 1988. The song blew me away and Pinnick came off as very shy and soft-spoken and intelligent in the brief interview, just the way he still is today. And at that time I didn't even know he was Black!! I've been following King's X on-and-off ever since, and it took me years to find-out that he actually came out as Gay. (I myself came-out in 1994.) So I look up to him more than ever now. I also thought he was in his early-sixties, not in his early-seventies. WOW. He doesn't look good or act like it. He's a pretty amazing guy, plus an absolutely amazing bassist and singer. 🤘🏻 By the way, this was a great interview. Thank you.

I love Kings X great interview 💜

PREACH dUg!!!!!!! Still waiting for the new album to reach my local record store. I guess 14 YEARS ISN'T LONG ENOUGH to wait for new King's 😎

Such a Fantastic Band. Dug is so Awesome 👌

Always liked em & had one or 2 of their cds. Never knew alot about them though. Great to hear Dug! Very inciteful 👍

So inspiring 🔥❤️🔥

I adore King's X, and I adore Doug. Hearing about his healing, his becoming more real, his honesty. His struggles with faith, it all resonates.

I still remember seeing Shot of Love in Headbanger's Ball. I was instantly hooked.

A buddy of mine told me King's X is one of the nicest group of guys he has ever met, especially the Drummer who talked to him for 90 minutes after sneaking into a soundcheck

I remember seeing King's X way back in early 90s & they were really great... ! very underrated.

Good interview, really good band. I had a cluster of younger friends from high school in North Houston who went nuts for King's X after I graduated. Those friends of mine WERE NOT especially Christian, lower-class, uneducated, nor particularly clean-cut. For those that don't know, Houston Heights, Montrose and Midtown were where a lot of grass roots and local legends began or ended up. Clubs like Numbers, Fitzgerald's, Continental Club, etc. Gay, Rockabilly, Redneck, Punk, Tejano,.. Cool to hear some of the history behind that history..

Got to meet him (Ty and Jerry) after a show near Detroit at the Emerald theater, my daughter was with me, they were so cool to her and so gratuitous with their time. This was a decade ago so My daughter was a teen and she was blown away by them as artists and she absolutely loved Dug and I think he made a big impression on her. 👍🏻

Dug is such a cool cat. Total truth about the long hair. I would be followed around in stores back in the day. The first thing I noticed when I cut my hair is that I became invisible.

King's X is amazing!!!! They are criminally underrated as well. I have turned more people onto them over the years than any other band. I first saw their video for "Over My Head" right when "Gretchen Goes To Nebraska" and ran out to but that LP & was immediately blown away. As a guitar player/musician I was in awe at how incredible all 3 of them are. They all sing and their "sound" is so unique and infectious. I was hooked from that point on and buy all their releases the moment they are available including their solo releases. I have seen them live 3 times and they first time I saw them live was on the "Ear Candy" tour in Boston and was blown away all over again. It is rare for a band to be as good as they are in the studio but to pull it off live the way they do is even better. Another time I saw them at this tiny hole in the wall place with pool tables in New Hampshire & they gave 100%+ like they did at the Boston show. Dug has such an awesome stage presence as well. Since the late 1980s I ask any new friend I make if they have heard of King's X and if they say "No" or "Yes, but I don't know their music" I immediately hand them a stack of their CDs to borrow & tell them to listen to each one a few times & they always thank me for turning them onto such an awesome band and they wonder why they haven't heard of them before. Thanks for posting the interview. In the early 1990s I worked at this one job where we played CDs at work and the customers could hear it & I remember this dude coming back to our work area and asking me "who is that band you play that sings that song Lost In Germany" LOLOL so just by playing their music I have turned others onto them. I am psyched they are currently touring and plan on catching them live.

This makes me remember rehearsing with a band I was in at the end of the 90's and mentioning King's X to my fellow band members - before I knew it we were playing "Over my head" and loving it!

Thank you, dUg. I've been a fan since the late 80's and got BASHED for it to the point I was judged for my over all tastes. As a gay bassist myself, I have been met with so many damn boundaries and subjugations in bands and tours. I just say keep on trucking. The last words were priceless.

Being from Houston I thought it was so cool that they used the Houston skyline from the ‘80s on their first album Out of the Silent Planet🤘

Interesting. The first I heard of Kings X was a man from church who would play guitar with me. He was an amp and guitar maker, a great guy with social anxiety. He claimed he was " jamming" with me, but truth is I was a novice, didnt know a G chord from my elbow. This dude was teaching me. Hooked me up with gear, he and his family supported my love of music. He was big into Ty Tabor and Kings X. Thanks for giving a little background to the church affiliation.

One of the nicest, coolest man on the planet and the moon.

This has been one of my favorite bands ever since I saw them on their first tour in 1988, and they played “the Omni“ in Oakland California, and blew our minds.

Htf can you not love dUg Pinnick? He's so honest and true, and the long-haired guy comment at the end is so true, this dude gets it, and he's an exceptional musician to boot. Thanks for this.

It’s nice to hear someone still showing love for California.

I've played bass 35 years, dUg is one of my biggest influences, love that guy!

King's X! Cool! Is there more to this interview?

Kxm...NOISES IN THE SKY..AMAZING AND HAUNTING...THANKS DOUG

Love this band and the whole Dogman album is permanently imprinted in my head , every melody and every word I can hear in my head daily , monster monster band .. Ty is amazing and super different and melodic , Doug is such and amazing rock blues singer , love what he did with George Lynch !! Easily one on my favorite singers , Dam ...Love Doug!! And then there Jerry Gaskell !!! What a bad ass drummer ..I hate saying this but these guys are very underrated as a band but I like the fact that they aren't commercial as well ...super original !!

Saw these guys two times…..I still remember the shows!!! 90s……… 12string bass he played…

Doug Pinnick is one of my favorite humans and i've never met the man. He's taking me on so many amazing rides via their music

One of the best bands of all-time, live and in the studio. King's X is a huge foundational piece for me as a musician.

I got into Kings X in 1992 in New Zealand and i absolutely loved them their music saved me from some dark times as a teen i owe them a lot

Love this band...have seen them many times...my favorite was faith hope love tour in Boston...got to meet the guys at a guitar store in manchester NH before a show...super nice and gracious

I got to see Kings X open for Extreme at a free show at Union Centre area north of Cincinnati many years ago! There was only about 1,000 or so people there which was a surprisingly small crowd but both bands CRUSHED it!

I had no idea how old dUg is…in this interview, he said he’s 72 and this is a year ago! Damn! I’ve had the fortune of being in the right place at the right time and had gotten to meet them during the Gretchen tour as they were passing through NJ. I always thought at the time back in their first few albums that this could be what the Beatles might have sounded like if they had stuck together. I mean the vocals mostly of course as their instrument skills are far superior. But I’m still blown away by how old dUg is! It answers many questions I’ve had about his look from the late 80s until today. now I’ve got to listen to the band interview and see if the other guys are in the same age bracket. I’m so very glad for many years now that Jerry came back from his heart problems. Plus I’ve respected Ty for his chops and his decision to keep his tones and gear to himself most of his public career. Last bit…I got to help bring in their gear as the clubs and bars I used to play at all knew me and knew I never caused any trouble. I’d show up very early and most of the time I would wait until the roadies began moving gear in and just grab a handle, or a roll of cable and help them out. Very few ever asked who I was, some even bought me a beer after finding out I was just a Marciano trying to make it myself and thought seeing as many bands and how they used whatever gear they had might help me discover my own sound. Anyway…I saw Ty’s guitar rig prior to the Dogman gear change. He even had his head facing backwards or covered by something in those days. His pedalboard was very simple and what you’d expect, but Ty had his own ‘secret sauce’ when he used the same pedals, heads, cabs, etc. as many guitarists did, but only he got them to sound his way. Lastly, I was in the local radio station when they came to my area and sat there listening live as they performed a few songs acoustic and what incredible vocals these three fellows had and still have. I still think it’s funny that the Dogman album was recorded as it was because of a tuning error dUg made and they decided it sounded awesome and just went with it, but never performed those songs tuned that low live. Great band and now I’ve got to learn more about a band I’ve truly enjoyed when I heard their first radio hit…It’s Love. I can’t speak for anyone else, but when I hear a band and it’s not their first album. I always went backwards to find their earliest things and see how they got to where I found them. I did the same for Rush, and many other bands that caught my attention in the late 60s through the mid 90s. Thanks to whomever for recording and posting this interview.

Great interview. Gretchen Goes to Nebraska is fantastic. California is a nice place if you have a lot of money and support the politics.

They sounded Phenomenal at not playing too loud at the Limelight in New York!!!!!

I saw King's X the day before Thanksgiving (Nov23, 2022) in Dallas. The show had been postponed and rescheduled multiple times over the span of three years (COVID and Jerry's health). Packed house. I happened to be standing next to Ty's guitar tech. I asked him what was the secret to his tone and he said "magic!"

Love from Australia

Doug, I actually got into Kings X from Kerrang the British rock mag. Hard Rock + Metal. I bought a select few albums because I related to the writers' taste and description. So, I bought your 1st LP...one of those gold stamped promo albums. After that I got the next one.

Great band n cool guy.

Amazing band

I adore dUg. ♥️☮️

I have new appreciation for King's X's name as a pun for King Sex ;) Rock on!

Kings X, such a phenomenal band.

I remember seeing a vid from 'Out of the Silent Planet' on Headbanger's Ball in late '88 and I thought it was good. Mid summer of '89 I see them on MTV again on their 'Hard 60' weekday rock/hard rock show and they played 'Over My Head' and I still love that song & vid. I ran right out & bought the cassette (remember those?) and since replaced it on cd 20 some years ago. Cool band, dUg is an interesting dude.

Great voice on that dude

He is an experiencer 👽 Thanks 👍😘🇸🇪

I’m in a kings x tribute band. This band was the only band that I wished I was in!So underappreciated.

I remember when Doug was working at a place in Houston called the Dream Merchant...It was so cool!!!!

King’s X is just the best kept secret in music. I consider any King’s X fan part of a privileged few!!! Going to see them again at the Newton Theatre in N.J on March 7th and bringing a person that doesn’t know them!!! Can’t wait to see the look on his face!!! I’m almost jealous. I remember what I felt back in 89’ When zi put on GGTN for the first time. It was like entering a new magical universe. This band, I’ll tell ya!!!

I always considered them a rock band. That's what mattered to me, and it still does. I started as a fan almost at the time when Gretchen was out. I'm still a fan even 9 years after becoming Lutheran.

I love King's X and never had any connection to Christianity. Been a fan since 1989 with Gretchen. My favorite band! I just connect with their honesty.

With the harmony vocals King's X definitely influence AIC and most of grunge, music owes a lot to these guys. He's right about Texas pulling you over because you're black for no reason, and if there's not they'll find one.

Fantastic band, real deal.

“We couldn’t even spin around onstage without them coming to pray the demons out of you.” Hilarious!! Love King’s X! I agree that religion can be hypocritical. You can’t claim to know and love everyone, then be sanctimonious and exclude those who are different than you. I, however don’t necessarily agree with his views on Texas. I’m from Texas and a minority and though I have experienced racism, most of the people are cool and have a live and let live attitude. It’s the extreme views that taint the whole place.

Nothing will ever beat LA in the 80's !

As a Christian I do have an appreciation for the spiritual or otherwise deep messages in King's X songs, but I never thought of them as another Stryper or Whitecross. In fact, they were a lot more like Living Colour to me as far as message styles go, and I do pay attention to the words as much as I can, seeing if the instrumentation was representing the emotion of the context and vice versa. It's because of Stryper I started doing this sort of thing more often, and it's why I don't listen to death metal or the super heavy sound that undoubtedly paints a picture of "darkness". To put it more plainly, there are some forms of metal, some metal bands that don't speak to me like Living Colour, Scorpions, Van Halen, or Primus do. My appreciation for deep lyrics complimented by creative and textural musicianship exceeds my appreciation for what people normally consider to be Christian music. Honestly, sometimes as beautiful as those songs are- they bore me to tears. They don't communicate with my inner being quite as vividly as say- "Summerland" or "Human Behavior". It's pretty sad having this feeling that if my family or brothers and sisters in Christ would judge me because I listen to classic rock and alt metal, but what would they know? Having recently picked up bass a few Christmases ago, I'm that much more drawn to these other genres and artists, exploring other tones and textures to hopefully spice up my own playing. As a final thought, when I first heard "Over My Head" and gave the entire Dogman album a listen I sort of confirmed to myself that this is what I'd want my band to sound like (if I had one), so there's a lot I love about this band's style. That's my blabbering done with. God bless any who have read this far into my comment 🙏 😅

Love this band…

Three Sides Of One is their strongest record since Ear Candy IMO. Been on team KX since Faith Hope Love.

Dude KXM is one of my bands major influences!!

More Grinder Blues please!

I grew up in Houston during the same time Kings X was coming up... huge fan... loved loved loved them. Very familiar with Katy (it's about 30 min outside of Hou)... it REALLY saddens me to hear how he was treated, it's how so many black/brown/Asian people are often treated there. It's disgusting. I'm a white male, and it just disgusts me. I'm saddened but not at all surprised by it. Live well in California Dug!

I know he probably won't see this but I want to apologize on behalf of the Church. I am a Christian. I am a pastor. I am a King's X fan.

I remember Dogman and Ear Candy had some points in common with the 'Seattle sound' here and there. Never ever thought about King's X as an "hair metal" band though ahahahah. Even their first two albums had nothing to do with that glam stuff.

Being from Houston I ran into dUg from time to time. The first time I saw him was probably ‘86, ‘87, he was in his late 30’s and I seriously thought he was a 17 year old kid that had snuck into the bar, lol.

I used to walk the dog to Gretchen and Silent Planet. King's X are one of a kind.

one of the greatest bands ever.

I always thought of Kings X as a modern day Rush. Kinda doing their own thing. No, I dont think they sound like Rush but with the Three Piece thing and all.

dUg 🥰

I remember buying out of the silent planet out of the new releases record bin in record world( $5.99 vinyl ) I took it home, played it start to finish, the record blew me away. There was nothing like them out there! Ive seen KX about 30 times, i remember i brought that very record for them to sign at a show they did back in 1992 in NJ. Jerry rolled his eyes and laughed, ty saw it and said "wow..THIS one?" And when i got to doug i told him how much i loved this record and says " really? Wow! Why? Oh boy Did u show this to ty? Its not very good!!"😂 They all signed it😂

Most underrated band in history, you havent felt unity and love till youve participated in a goldilox singalong at a kings x show

Seen Dug at a Barren Cross concert in Houston. With album named Faith, Hope, and Love.....thought they were Christian. Wish I could have seen them with Morgan Cryer back in the day.

Theology here - barely 20 years after the death of Christ, Paul (who was formerly a Roman inquisitor, then converted) was writing letters to the many churches in their infancy... and the primary issue was that, even this early on, they were already set in their ways of what the right way to follow Christ was. Already, the early church was set against itself and dividing. Yet, when Jesus himself was asked what the greatest commandment was, he kept it simple: Love God, and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Not "then" - AND. Equal importance. I'll do my best to conduct myself in a manner that keeps ME following God's will as best as I can define, and LOVE everyone else no matter where their journey leads. I'm saddened to see how often people tear each other down, when that's the opposite of what we're commanded to. God is huge, incomprehensible, and impossible to understand fully - as is life, as is our individual experiences. We're not here to get everything right, we're here to get ourselves as close to "right" as we can manage, and love our brothers AS MUCH as we love ourselves, because that's what's demanded of us. Every single person out there, no matter their faith or lack of, is simply trying to survive this live without any harm. I'll never make that harder for anyone. Certainly not out of some misguided sense of "holyness". How you and God get along is between you and God. I'll attempt to love everyone as best as I can on the way.

Anyway I seen them in st.louis MISSISSIPPI NIGHTS...blew me away with Beatles harmonies with THREE F- ING GUYS...I only knew about four songs going to see them and came out a fan!!!!!!!!

But who is the Full In Bloom guy?

When I was young I used to think they were a Christian band because of that album “Faith Hope Love”. Seems like this would easily confuse people. Regardless, what a solid, underrated rock band!

I'm gonna listen to their first album in it's entirety to see what I missed.