I'll take issue over these two points. Pray is probably one of the stongest songs Doug has written in recent years. There nothing sinister about the tone at all. Doug isn't telling you to believe in something specific. He's saying that if something is working for you, then be sure to include him in your thoughts. How is that sinister?
An secondly, Doug has been outspoken for more than 10 years. Go back and listen to the Woodstock '94 version of "Over My Head." What was so dark about him expressing his thoughts of his upbringing and encouraging the audience to put it all in perspective. Deeply personal and moving is what it was. And for the last bunch of years, the last thing said at shows has been Doug expressing his thanks for fans, people coming to the shows, and reminding people not to take any bullshit from anyone. Funny thing is over the last few year King's X has seemed to promote people to believe in themselves. If that helps them become better people then so be it....but don't forget to pray for me
Glenn
I didn't mean to upset you. And I don't wish to hijack this thread and turn it into an analysis of King's X's spiritual side.
I've followed King's X since the release of their first album. I've interviewed the band. I've seen them perform live a half dozen times. The last time, perhaps five or six years ago, was such a terrible experience for me (because of Doug's "expressing his thoughts" as you put it) that I was turned off to them from that night on.
It's one thing to be open about one's life (and I don't care if Doug is gay or not...but I
do I care if he was mistreated -- emotionally or physically -- at the hands of Christians and non-Christians alike). It's another to be swearing profusely, condemning the Christian church, mocking God, and fanning the flames of anger in people who, like Doug, only needed to be accepted and loved. The Dhammapada (the Buddhist equivalent of the Bible) puts it this way: "Only love dispels hate." Doug's hatred and bitterness for Christianity may make him feel better (although I doubt it). But it doesn't do much to fix problems he encountered along his life's journey. I found Doug's rant to be, as you noted, "deeply personal." But it was far from "moving." It was ugly. It was embarrassing. I felt sorry for him that he was so bitter that he felt only the need to spew venom.
The song "Pray" is only sinister (to use my word) when I know that he sings it from the other side of Christianity to those that he may still blame for the rocky road his life took. Despite the song's positive tone, put in context of Doug's life, it comes across as mocking to those who believe in God. That's what I meant by "sinister." I hear it as a slap, a jab, at those who believe from someone who no longer does. Perhaps it is a veiled plea from Doug for the prayers of people. But I doubt it. King's X are superb songwriters. If Doug had wanted people to pray for him -- truly thinking he needed it -- the song would have been written differently. So when I listen to it, I hear the Doug who, from that stage in Grand Rapids, Michigan, a half-dozen years ago, literally laughed at and mocked God and his followers. As I mentioned in my previous post, King's X never preached from the stage when they were Christians. So I find it offensive that they "preach" from the stage when they aren't.
You see Doug's openness as cathartic and positive. I see it as bitter and divisive. To each his own.
All this typed, I'm not going to mention any of this again. I would rather see this thread remain a positive exploration of the new King's X album (which is very, very good) than a recap of the ups and downs of their career of late.
So I apologize for interjecting my opinion into this early on.
On with the music!
Bill
Well, I hope that very thing could happen for you guys!
Jesus hrist rocks!
