There’s a misconception that somehow the guitar solo died a most heinous death in the 90s, murdered by the unpretentious hostility of “Grunge.” While I know where this rumor may have come from (Kurt Cobain, the patron saint of 90s rock, was not known for his nimble fingers on the fretboard), nothing could be further from the truth.
“Grunge” didn’t kill the guitar solo. It revitalized it. It liberated it. It said that technical expertise and dexterity are not enough. You’ve also got to have passion. You’ve also got to have soul. You’ve also got to be able to fearlessly lay yourself bare before the crowd, damn the consequences.
Gone were the passionless semi-classical exploits that Spinal Tap satirized. Gone were the ridiculous and often phallic theatrics that turned the guitar solo into an act of almost mock-masterbation. Those went the way of the dodo bird, face paint, and skin tight leather. Replaced by a resurrection of the blues, coupled with cannonballs of sound that would almost rip your face off.
In that spirit, I’ll be offering up examples of what I consider to be the best in 90s guitar rock. Primo shredding from a decade that, despite all rumors to the contrary, did not, in fact, forget how to shred.
My first offering in this series, King’s X, is cheating a little bit, because it comes from a band that didn’t break in the 90s, and wasn’t generally associated with “Grunge” (though Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament did once claim “King’s X invented grunge,” he was either a.) mistaken, or b.) heaping up a little praise on a band that sure deserved it, in the way that he knew how). Hailing from Houston, Texas, their sound was as far removed from the punk-revival that was Grunge as their home was from the Pacific Northwest.
The first King’s X album, Out of the Silent Planet, was released in 1988, and was followed quickly by the album the song featured here appeared on, 1989’s Gretchen Goes to Nebraska. But, in many important ways (including but not limited to their influence on Grunge icons like Jeff Ament), King’s X can safely be called a 90s band.
First, their most critically acclaimed and commercially successful album, Faith Hope Love, ushered in the new decade, appearing in 1990. While that album was influenced at least as much by the progressive metal emerging at the end of the 80s as it would influence the shape of music in the 90s, what followed it was distinctly 90s rock, and not just according to the calendar.
1992’s self-titled album, King’s X began two shifts for the band. It was the last album produced by Sam Taylor – who shaped the band’s first four albums at least as much as the three actual members of King’s X – and the creative differences between those two parties (King’s X and Sam Taylor) showed. The lyrics were darker, moving away from the band’s earlier, overtly religious songwriting, and the music was both darker and heavier.
That shift, away from overt discussions of faith, and toward a darker, edgier sound, was fully realized in 1994’s Dogman, the second-most successful album of their career to date. While the song I’m posting here comes from 1989’s Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, this version of it was recorded on the tour supporting Dogman, and the sound is consistent with the direction the band was taking in the 90s. You can hear many similarities to other hard rock acts from the early 90s.
King’s X may not have been a typical 90s band, but neither were they entirely atypical, as will be clear later. In the meantime, enjoy this, Exhibit A in the case for the 90s having some kickass guitar rock: “Over My Head.” Especially enjoy the artistry and raw emotiveness of Ty Tabor’s solo. This has become an iconic song for him, even though it actually tells the story of Dug Pinnick’s grandmother wielding her own faith as a weapon against him.
Thanks for the info about King’s X (is it an x or a 10?). It might be more meaningful if I knew the backgrounds on any grunge music as a refrence point. lol Since they are a houston band, poss might have heard of them and just not caught it.
Shannon,
You’re welcome. There’s so much more to King’s X (pronounced ‘x’ and not ‘ten’ – think of it as a variable rather than a Roman numeral) than I mentioned here. I’m barely skimming the surface of a brief period in time for a band whose career has now spanned 27 years.
The Wikipedia article on them is actually not an awful place to start. And, because they have quite a cult following (they were never incredibly popular, but what fans they have are quite devoted), there is an incredible amount of information on them on the Internet.
You can find their “official” website here.
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