Here's the link to the article: http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000845366
Edited By Jonathan Cohen. March 17, 2005, 11:45 AM ET
King's X, Pearl Jam Project Almost Complete
King's X singer/bassist Doug Pinnick will have quite a jam-packed schedule for the foreseeable future. First up will be a new solo album, followed by a new King's X album with '80s metal vet Michael Wagener producing, a project with ex-Winger guitarist Reb Beach and a much-discussed/yet-to-be-released project with Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Mike McCready.
"I can't wait until it comes out, it's been taking so damn long," Pinnick tells Billboard.com about the Ament/McCready recordings. "So what's left with this record is that whenever we can all get the time again, we're going to get back together. [Drummer] Richard [Stuverud] is going to finish up his background harmonies, we'll put the shakers on and all the little things and fix anything that we feel we don't like."
"There's a couple of things I'd like to re-do; a couple of words that didn't come out very clear," he continues. "That'll take maybe a week to get together and work all that out. And then we're done. I don't know what the plan is -- where we're going to put it out or who's going to do it. I'm leaving it up to Jeff because he's the man with the clout, so he can do whatever he needs to do with the record."
While Pinnick has scrawled "Montana" on his Ament discs, the singer doesn't think that name will stick. "We have never sat down and talked about a name, he says. "I'm pretty well sure that the other guys would not want to call it Montana [laughs]." Pinnick hopes the foursome could mount a tour at some point. "Oh God yeah," he says. "Me, Jeff, Mike, and Richard? Jeez, that would be so much fun!"
As for the King's X record, Pinnick describes the still-untitled disc as "A cross between 'Dogman' and 'Gretchen [Goes to Nebraska],' I think. Those are the two records that we feel really truly represent us. It came out great -- even Michael was so excited. He got goose bumps on several songs, and he said he doesn't get that often."
The album should be out in the summer, as the band is currently fielding offers from record companies. "We decided to shop this one around because we're real proud of it," Pinnick says. "And we really feel it's worth more people hearing it then what we've been producing lately."
But the first project to hit the streets will be Pinnick's third solo album, tentatively titled "Emotional Animal" and to be issued via the Magna Carta label. While his previous solo outings were credited to Poundhound, this will be the first to feature solely Pinnick's name. He describes the album as mostly rock-based but with a few surprises, including the gospel-tinged "Equal Rights," as well as a dance track, "When You Gonna Come."
Lastly, the album with Beach will be produced by the latter's former bandmate, Kip Winger. "I think what's left is [for] me to put all the vocals on it," Pinnick says. "Kip just called me a couple of days ago actually, and wants me to come up to Nashville, and do them at his studio. So, I've got to work that in my schedule and get that done."
Here is the track listing for the upcoming King's X album (in no order):
"Bam" "Where Do You Go" "Honesty" "Open My Eyes" "Mud" "Sooner or Later" "Freedom" "Fly" "Alison" "If" "Be Bop" "Alone" "Stay"
"I can't wait until it comes out, it's been taking so damn long," Pinnick tells Billboard.com about the Ament/McCready recordings. -- Dude, I hear ya!!
I really don't know whether or not to get excited whenever new news comes out about Montana! I guess I've become a bit cynical about it, in the sense that it's already taken this long, and it seems to be a real challenge for all of the parties involved to get back together in a room and finish things up, particularly with new Pearl Jam on the horizon and Pinnick involved with all his other projects. And leaving the negotiating aspect up to Jeff... Well, I can see why he's the obvious choice to barter with labels; like Doug said in the article he is "the man with the clout" and it seems Jeff has had that "liaison" role between artist and record co. in virtually every band he's been a part of, so it's apparently one of this strengths, but with all due respect to Jeff, I can see him either getting caught in his "perfectionist-procrastinator" modes (ie. All the semi-finished projects and ideas he'll often mention, but that never seem to develop into reality) or he may just plain get tied up in Pearl Jam activity.
Until I read somewhere that this thing has a definite title and/or release date, I can only get excited from a "What if...?"/speculative standpoint. This article does make me very happy, though; there seems to have been some concrete developments, and it's nice to know about some of the specifics of the recording process and what is actually still left to be done. I'd go wild if they announced tour dates. I thought that would've been totally out of the question.
