Ty Tabor
Houston, Texas7 reviews across 3 releases
Ty Tabor is an American guitarist and singer whose solo work grew out of King's X, the hard-rock group he formed with Doug Pinnick and Jerry Gaskill after earlier Texas-area bands. His writing combines heavy guitar with Beatlesque vocal harmonies, but the solo records generally make more room for pop melody and clean guitar than King's X. The 1998 Moonflower Lane is the clearest example: bright devotional rock with polished production, moving from the celebratory "I Do" to the social unease of "Hollow Eyes" and the questioning faith of "The Truth." Tabor played nearly everything on much of the album, while Alan Doss handled drums. By Safety in 2002, the emphasis had shifted from marital happiness to the aftermath of divorce; the guitar became more supportive, and the singing carried the weight.
In 1997, Tabor issued Naomi's Solar Pumpkin independently through mail order, then reworked several of its songs for Moonflower Lane, which brought his solo music to a wider audience through Metal Blade Records. He also entered side projects outside King's X, including Platypus with members of Dream Theater and the Dixie Dregs, followed later by the Jelly Jam. After Safety, he continued releasing solo material, including Rock Garden in 2006, Nobody Wins When Nobody Plays in 2013 and Shades in 2022. King's X remained active, with Tabor continuing as its guitarist and co-vocalist; the band released Three Sides of One in 2022.
3 releases reviewed
I Do
Moonflower Lane
