Ty Tabor
Encyclopedia
Ty Tabor is the lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the progressive metal
band, King's X
.
Tabor has a wide-ranging guitar style, from big guitar riffs to soaring melodic passages. His use of volume swells and ambient passages add an elemental texture to his compositions. His influences include The Beatles
, Mick Ronson
, Brian May
, Alex Lifeson
, Ace Frehley
, Jimi Hendrix
, Phil Keaggy
, Hum
, and the original Alice Cooper
band.
He left Matthew and decided to move to Springfield, MO.
to attend Evangel College where he quickly entrenched himself in the local music scene. One group he played with got the chance to open up for guitarist Phil Keaggy
. However, right before the show, the drummer for Tabors band quit. Instead of cancelling and missing out on the big opportunity, Tabor volunteered to play drums for the show. Not having his own drum kit however, forced Tabor to ask Keaggy's drummer if he could use his. The drummer, who happened to be Jerry Gaskill
, agreed and the show took place.
Tabor and Gaskill again crossed paths during some demo recording sessions with the Tracy Zinn Band. The two became friends and were involved off and on with other musical projects together.
In spring of 1980, Tabor was asked to perform at a talent show at Evangel with a female singer. In the audience was Doug Pinnick
, who was floored by Tabor's performance. Pinnick eventually got in touch with Tabor and the two began collaborating musically.
Eventually Tabor, Pinnick, Gaskill, and guitarist Dan McCollam formed their own band called The Edge which, over time, evolved into King's X
.
Since then, Tabor has become one of the more acclaimed and respected guitarists in music today. His playing style and guitar tone, as well as his vocals and songwriting, are crucial elements in the "King's X sound".
Tabor has also opened his own recording and mastering facility in Katy, TX. called Alien Beans Studios
. He has mastered numerous album projects as well as produced albums by The Rez Band, Jerry Gaskill
's solo album "Come Somewhere
" and many others.
for over 15 years, Tabor's first solo album, Naomi's Solar Pumpkin
, was released independently in 1997. Most of the songs from that debut appeared (re-recorded) on his following 1998 album, Moonflower Lane
. It was released on Metal Blade Records
with much wider distribution as well as a few new tracks, and also featured drummer Alan Doss on the entire album.
Tabor's next release was 2002's Safety
, a much more introspective album that reflected on his then-recent divorce. Tabor's fourth solo album entitled Rock Garden
was released in 2006. His fifth solo album, entitled Balance
, was released on December 6, 2008. His sixth solo album "Something's Coming" was released in March 2010.
featuring Rod Morgenstein
(previously of the Dixie Dregs
and Winger) on drums, John Myung
(of Dream Theater
) on bass, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian
(of Planet X
and formerly Dream Theater
). They released two albums.
The same group minus Derek Sherinian
continued on as The Jelly Jam
and currently have two full length albums to their credit.
Ty played guitar solos on 2 tracks, Ode To Pain and Goodbye 25, with Dallas/Houston friends, Mind Body Soul, on their self titled 4 song EP in 1998, which Ty also mixed and mastered.
Tabor was also involved with the band Jughead
featuring two-time David Lee Roth
band member Gregg Bissonette
(drums), Derek Sherinian
(keyboards), and Matt Bissonette
(lead vocals, bass). Jughead's self-titled LP was released in 2002 on InsideOut Music
.
Tabor has guest appearances on several albums including two different Carmine Appice
Guitar Zeus albums, Loudness
drummer Munetaka Higuchi
's Free World album, and Gregg Bissonette
's self titled solo record.
He also played electric guitar and bass on King's X bandmate Jerry Gaskill
's solo album Come Somewhere
.
He currently has an ambient / electronica style project with Wally Farkas called Xenuphobe. They have 2 albums that were released through Molken Music.
Tabor also sang one of the human roles on Ayreon
's recent release, 01011001
. He played the character "Ty" in the first interlude, Connect the Dots.
Tabor, along with King's X bandmate Doug Pinnick and former Galactic Cowboys
members Wally Farkas and Alan Doss
, have a new band called The Jibbs who have a single song available for download to benefit relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
called the "Elite
", a short-lived guitar with an on-board active mid-boost circuit that was only in production in the U.S.A. in 1983 and 1984. The remainder of his gear was more of a mystery; he would switch the logos on his amplifiers to keep his tone a secret. He later abandoned this clandestine approach, and revealed in an interview in the May 1996 issue of Guitar Player
magazine that he had used a solid-state Gibson
Lab Series L5 amplifier along with the Strat Elite
guitar to record the first four King's X albums. By the time of the interview, however, he had changed his equipment completely, the main pieces of his gear being a rack-mounted Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier and the preamp of his Elite Stratocaster that was converted into a rack-mounted preamp (this allowed him to emulate the sound of his Elite Stratocaster, regardless of what guitar he used), which was his setup during the Dogman
era, and would continue into the 1990s and early 2000s.
Tabor endorsed Zion Guitars, around the time of the recording of Dogman. Phil Keaggy played Zion Guitars earlier. The Zion Ty Tabor Model was a Strat style guitar, with a basswood body and a maple cap. It featured Joe Barden Pickups, a 3 button pickup selector with no tone control. It came only in candy apple red. The neck was maple with a rosewood fingerboard. It featured a relatively new machine head at the time, a gold accented locking model made by Sperzel. Tabor personally signed each guitar. In recent years, Tabor has endorsed Mesa Boogie
, Line 6, and Randall amplifiers, as well as Yamaha guitars, including the AES series and his now discontinued signature RGX-TT model. The RGX-TT was an unusual guitar in that it featured a basswood body with a maple center section. On this guitar Tabor use pickups by Seymour Duncan
, in the H-S-S fashion. The bridge humbucker could be switched to single coil mode with a push switch. On the "Go Tell Somebody" tour with King's X, Tabor is using the M4 preamp from Egnater and Dean Soltero
guitars. In 2008 and through mid-2009 Ty toured with two black Lamara designed signature model guitars, with pickup covers showing an X on one and a V on the other. These symbolized the name of the album King's X were supporting at the time. In 2009, Ty began working with luthier John Guilford to create the Ty Tabor model of Guilford guitars. The Ty Tabor model features a mahogany body, maple neck (inlaid with the stylized X at the 12th fret) and maple fretboard, and two Seymour Duncan P-Rails pickups. The combination allows for tones ranging from traditional single-coil to dual humbucker to P90. Ty has used these guitars extensively on tour in support of XV.
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Progressive metal
Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...
band, King's X
King's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
.
Tabor has a wide-ranging guitar style, from big guitar riffs to soaring melodic passages. His use of volume swells and ambient passages add an elemental texture to his compositions. His influences include The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson
Michael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
, Brian May
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
, Alex Lifeson
Alex Lifeson
Aleksandar Živojinović, OC, better known by his stage name Alex Lifeson, is a second generation Serbian-Canadian musician, best known as the guitarist of the Canadian rock band Rush. In the summer of 1968, Lifeson founded the band that would become Rush with friend, drummer John Rutsey...
, Ace Frehley
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Kiss. He took on the persona of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
, Hum
Hum (band)
Hum is a post-hardcore band from Champaign, Illinois. They are best known for their 1995 radio hit "Stars." Hum has not been consistently active as a recording or touring group since 2000.-Founding and early recordings:...
, and the original Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
band.
History
Ty Tabor began singing and playing guitar at a young age, and by his early teens was performing with his father (an accomplished bluegrass musician) and his brother in a bluegrass band in and around his native Jackson. The band would play various festivals and shows, sharing the bill with bluegrass legends like Lester Flatt and Grandpa Jones. Tabor had also been taken over by the rock and roll sounds of the 60' and 70's (most notably, The Beatles and Alice Cooper) and began playing in rock bands in his teen years. One of these was a Christian rock outfit called Matthew. Upon graduating from high school, Tabor began touring with Matthew throughout the south. Times were tough on that tour with the band often setting up and performing in the parking lots of restaurants in exchange for food.He left Matthew and decided to move to Springfield, MO.
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
to attend Evangel College where he quickly entrenched himself in the local music scene. One group he played with got the chance to open up for guitarist Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
. However, right before the show, the drummer for Tabors band quit. Instead of cancelling and missing out on the big opportunity, Tabor volunteered to play drums for the show. Not having his own drum kit however, forced Tabor to ask Keaggy's drummer if he could use his. The drummer, who happened to be Jerry Gaskill
Jerry Gaskill
Jerry Gaskill is an American rock musician who is the drummer for the progressive metal band King's X.-History:...
, agreed and the show took place.
Tabor and Gaskill again crossed paths during some demo recording sessions with the Tracy Zinn Band. The two became friends and were involved off and on with other musical projects together.
In spring of 1980, Tabor was asked to perform at a talent show at Evangel with a female singer. In the audience was Doug Pinnick
Doug Pinnick
Doug Pinnick sometimes stylised as dUg Pinnick or simply dUg is an American musician best known as the bass guitarist, songwriter, and co-lead vocalist for the hard rock/progressive metal band King's X. He has fourteen albums with King's X, four solo albums, and numerous side projects and guest...
, who was floored by Tabor's performance. Pinnick eventually got in touch with Tabor and the two began collaborating musically.
Eventually Tabor, Pinnick, Gaskill, and guitarist Dan McCollam formed their own band called The Edge which, over time, evolved into King's X
King's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
.
Since then, Tabor has become one of the more acclaimed and respected guitarists in music today. His playing style and guitar tone, as well as his vocals and songwriting, are crucial elements in the "King's X sound".
Tabor has also opened his own recording and mastering facility in Katy, TX. called Alien Beans Studios
Alien Beans Studios
Alien Beans Studios is primarily a mastering studio owned and operated by Ty Tabor, although many King's X, Platypus, The Jelly Jam and Ty Tabor CDs have been recorded there. Tabor personally masters all internationally released projects he is involved with. He also masters local projects for...
. He has mastered numerous album projects as well as produced albums by The Rez Band, Jerry Gaskill
Jerry Gaskill
Jerry Gaskill is an American rock musician who is the drummer for the progressive metal band King's X.-History:...
's solo album "Come Somewhere
Come Somewhere
Come Somewhere is the first solo album by King's X drummer Jerry Gaskill. Jerry wrote all of the material himself with the exception of "Johnny's Song" which was co-written with Herb Gaskill. Jerry performed all of the vocals, most of the acoustic guitars, and some electric guitar...
" and many others.
Solo Works
After writing and performing almost exclusively for King's XKing's X
King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...
for over 15 years, Tabor's first solo album, Naomi's Solar Pumpkin
Naomi's Solar Pumpkin
Naomi's Solar Pumpkin is the first solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. This is a true solo effort seeing as Ty played everything on it right down to programming the drum machine for every track. Songs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were later re-recorded for inclusion on his next album Moonflower Lane...
, was released independently in 1997. Most of the songs from that debut appeared (re-recorded) on his following 1998 album, Moonflower Lane
Moonflower Lane
Moonflower Lane is the second solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written by Tabor and recorded between September 10 and October 24, 1997.-Track listing:#I Do#The Island Sea#Live In Your House#I Know Everything#The Truth...
. It was released on Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records
Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...
with much wider distribution as well as a few new tracks, and also featured drummer Alan Doss on the entire album.
Tabor's next release was 2002's Safety
Safety (album)
Safety is the third solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written, recorded, and mastered by Ty Tabor at Alien Beans Studios in Katy, TX.-Track listing:#Tulip #Better To Be On Hold#Missing Love#Funeral#Room For Me...
, a much more introspective album that reflected on his then-recent divorce. Tabor's fourth solo album entitled Rock Garden
Rock Garden (album)
Rock Garden is a 2006 solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written and recorded by Ty Tabor at Alien Beans studio in Katy, TX...
was released in 2006. His fifth solo album, entitled Balance
Balance (Ty Tabor album)
Balance is a 2008 solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written, recorded and produced by Tabor, and the album was recorded at Alien Beans Studios in Katy, TX.This is the first solo project released by Tabor for the label....
, was released on December 6, 2008. His sixth solo album "Something's Coming" was released in March 2010.
Other Bands
Tabor has also been a member of several other bands. He played guitar and sang in PlatypusPlatypus (band)
Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.-History:...
featuring Rod Morgenstein
Rod Morgenstein
Rod Morgenstein is an American drummer and music educator. He is best known for his work with the late '80s Heavy metal band Winger and with the Jazz fusion band Dixie Dregs. He also played with Fiona, Platypus, The Steve Morse Band, and Jelly Jam...
(previously of the Dixie Dregs
Dixie Dregs
The Dixie Dregs are an American band formed in the 1970s. Their mostly instrumental music fuses jazz, southern rock, bluegrass and classical forms in an often unique style.-Formation and early years:...
and Winger) on drums, John Myung
John Myung
John Ro Myung is an American bassist, Chapman Stick player and a founding member of the progressive metal group Dream Theater. He is considered a virtuoso player who is widely recognized for his technical proficiency....
(of Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
) on bass, and keyboardist Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
(of Planet X
Planet X (band)
Planet X is an instrumental rock/progressive metal supergroup, founded by keyboardist Derek Sherinian and drummer Virgil Donati. Throughout a decade of activity, they have released three studio albums and one live album, each with a variety of guest musicians and oft-changing...
and formerly Dream Theater
Dream Theater
Dream Theater is an American progressive metal band formed in 1985 under the name Majesty by John Petrucci, John Myung, and Mike Portnoy while they attended Berklee College of Music in Massachusetts. They subsequently dropped out of their studies to further concentrate on the band that would...
). They released two albums.
The same group minus Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
continued on as The Jelly Jam
The Jelly Jam
The Jelly Jam is a three-piece progressive rock band, consisting of Ty Tabor of King's X on guitar and vocals, Rod Morgenstein of The Dixie Dregs on drums, and John Myung of Dream Theater on bass...
and currently have two full length albums to their credit.
Ty played guitar solos on 2 tracks, Ode To Pain and Goodbye 25, with Dallas/Houston friends, Mind Body Soul, on their self titled 4 song EP in 1998, which Ty also mixed and mastered.
Tabor was also involved with the band Jughead
Jughead (band)
Jughead is a rock band consisting of Ty Tabor , Derek Sherinian , Matt Bissonette , and Gregg Bissonette . Jughead's catalog consists of a single self-titled album released by InsideOut Music in 2002....
featuring two-time David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth
David Lee Roth is an American rock vocalist, songwriter, actor, author, and former radio personality. Roth was ranked nineteenth by Hit Parader on their list of the 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Singers of All Time....
band member Gregg Bissonette
Gregg Bissonette
Gregg Bissonette, is an American drummer. Gregg was born in a family of musicians. His father Bud Bissonette plays drums, his mother Phyllis plays piano and vibraphone, and brother Matt Bissonette plays bass guitar. Gregg started learning to play the drums at age 5 from his father...
(drums), Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian
Derek Sherinian is a rock keyboardist who has toured and recorded for Alice Cooper, Billy Idol, Yngwie Malmsteen, Kiss, and Alice In Chains. He was also a member of Dream Theater and is the founder of the instrumental metal-fusion band Planet X...
(keyboards), and Matt Bissonette
Matt Bissonette
Matt Bissonette is an American bass player and the brother of drummer Gregg Bissonette. He attended the University of North Texas's jazz music program. According to Guitar 9, an online musicianship magazine, he has played bass and other stringed instruments on at least 22 albums, with music...
(lead vocals, bass). Jughead's self-titled LP was released in 2002 on InsideOut Music
InsideOut Music
Inside Out Music is a German independent record label based in Kleve, in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, and dedicated to the publication of progressive rock, progressive metal and related styles music albums.-History:...
.
Tabor has guest appearances on several albums including two different Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice
Carmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian background and is the older brother of drummer Vinny Appice by 12 years. He received a classical music training and was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa early on...
Guitar Zeus albums, Loudness
Loudness (band)
is a Japan-based heavy metal band formed in 1981 by guitarist Akira Takasaki and drummer Munetaka Higuchi. They were the first Japanese heavy metal act signed to a major label in the United States, releasing twenty-three studio albums...
drummer Munetaka Higuchi
Munetaka Higuchi
was the original drummer of the Japanese heavy metal band, Loudness.Since very young, he was considered a talented drummer. During his high school years, Higuchi played in seven bands. But he was not happy with this situation, wanting to focus his time on only one band...
's Free World album, and Gregg Bissonette
Gregg Bissonette
Gregg Bissonette, is an American drummer. Gregg was born in a family of musicians. His father Bud Bissonette plays drums, his mother Phyllis plays piano and vibraphone, and brother Matt Bissonette plays bass guitar. Gregg started learning to play the drums at age 5 from his father...
's self titled solo record.
He also played electric guitar and bass on King's X bandmate Jerry Gaskill
Jerry Gaskill
Jerry Gaskill is an American rock musician who is the drummer for the progressive metal band King's X.-History:...
's solo album Come Somewhere
Come Somewhere
Come Somewhere is the first solo album by King's X drummer Jerry Gaskill. Jerry wrote all of the material himself with the exception of "Johnny's Song" which was co-written with Herb Gaskill. Jerry performed all of the vocals, most of the acoustic guitars, and some electric guitar...
.
He currently has an ambient / electronica style project with Wally Farkas called Xenuphobe. They have 2 albums that were released through Molken Music.
Tabor also sang one of the human roles on Ayreon
Ayreon
Ayreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...
's recent release, 01011001
01011001
01011001 is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter Y...
. He played the character "Ty" in the first interlude, Connect the Dots.
Tabor, along with King's X bandmate Doug Pinnick and former Galactic Cowboys
Galactic Cowboys
Galactic Cowboys was a Heavy Metal band based in Houston, Texas. They combined progressive metal with a style of vocals influenced by The Beatles and the heavy playing style of thrash bands such as Anthrax...
members Wally Farkas and Alan Doss
Alan Doss
Alan Claude Doss CMG is a British administrator who has spent his entire professional life in the service of the United Nations working on peacekeeping, development and humanitarian assignments in Africa, Asia and Europe as well as at United Nations Headquarters in New York.On 24 October 2007, he...
, have a new band called The Jibbs who have a single song available for download to benefit relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.
Gear
Early in his career with King's X, Tabor's guitar sound was considered one of the most sought-after in rock. He played an unusual model of Fender StratocasterFender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
called the "Elite
Elite Stratocaster
The Elite Stratocaster is an electric solid body guitar manufactured by Fender.-History:The Elite Stratocaster was introduced in 1983 and discontinued in 1984. It served as a template for the Eric Clapton signature model of 1988....
", a short-lived guitar with an on-board active mid-boost circuit that was only in production in the U.S.A. in 1983 and 1984. The remainder of his gear was more of a mystery; he would switch the logos on his amplifiers to keep his tone a secret. He later abandoned this clandestine approach, and revealed in an interview in the May 1996 issue of Guitar Player
Guitar Player
Guitar Player is a popular magazine for guitarists founded in 1967. It contains articles, interviews, reviews and lessons of an eclectic collection of artists, genres and products. It has been in print since the late 1960s and during the 1980s, under editor Tom Wheeler, the publication was...
magazine that he had used a solid-state Gibson
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
Lab Series L5 amplifier along with the Strat Elite
Elite Stratocaster
The Elite Stratocaster is an electric solid body guitar manufactured by Fender.-History:The Elite Stratocaster was introduced in 1983 and discontinued in 1984. It served as a template for the Eric Clapton signature model of 1988....
guitar to record the first four King's X albums. By the time of the interview, however, he had changed his equipment completely, the main pieces of his gear being a rack-mounted Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier and the preamp of his Elite Stratocaster that was converted into a rack-mounted preamp (this allowed him to emulate the sound of his Elite Stratocaster, regardless of what guitar he used), which was his setup during the Dogman
Dogman
Recorded by Nick DiDiaMixed by Brendan O'Brien except "Manic Depression" mixed by Nick DiDia.Keyboards and percussion: Brendan O'BrienRecorded at Southern Tracks, Atlanta, GA.Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Studios, Portland MEArt Direction: Leon Alvarado...
era, and would continue into the 1990s and early 2000s.
Tabor endorsed Zion Guitars, around the time of the recording of Dogman. Phil Keaggy played Zion Guitars earlier. The Zion Ty Tabor Model was a Strat style guitar, with a basswood body and a maple cap. It featured Joe Barden Pickups, a 3 button pickup selector with no tone control. It came only in candy apple red. The neck was maple with a rosewood fingerboard. It featured a relatively new machine head at the time, a gold accented locking model made by Sperzel. Tabor personally signed each guitar. In recent years, Tabor has endorsed Mesa Boogie
Mesa Boogie
Mesa/Boogie is a company in Petaluma, California that makes amplifiers for guitars and basses. It has been in operation since 1969....
, Line 6, and Randall amplifiers, as well as Yamaha guitars, including the AES series and his now discontinued signature RGX-TT model. The RGX-TT was an unusual guitar in that it featured a basswood body with a maple center section. On this guitar Tabor use pickups by Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan
Seymour Duncan is a company that is best known for manufacturing of guitar pickups, and currently has a line of effects pedals. The company was founded in 1976 by guitarist and luthier Seymour W. Duncan and his then-wife Cathy Carter Duncan in Goleta, California, USA...
, in the H-S-S fashion. The bridge humbucker could be switched to single coil mode with a push switch. On the "Go Tell Somebody" tour with King's X, Tabor is using the M4 preamp from Egnater and Dean Soltero
Dean Soltero
The Dean Soltero is a guitar manufactured by Dean Guitars and resembles the Gibson Les Paul. It was designed by Dean Zelinsky and has the classic Dean V profile neck. A famous user is Leslie West who has his own signature model. The first 100 to be made are to be hand signed by Dean himself...
guitars. In 2008 and through mid-2009 Ty toured with two black Lamara designed signature model guitars, with pickup covers showing an X on one and a V on the other. These symbolized the name of the album King's X were supporting at the time. In 2009, Ty began working with luthier John Guilford to create the Ty Tabor model of Guilford guitars. The Ty Tabor model features a mahogany body, maple neck (inlaid with the stylized X at the 12th fret) and maple fretboard, and two Seymour Duncan P-Rails pickups. The combination allows for tones ranging from traditional single-coil to dual humbucker to P90. Ty has used these guitars extensively on tour in support of XV.
Solo Albums
- Naomi's Solar PumpkinNaomi's Solar PumpkinNaomi's Solar Pumpkin is the first solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. This is a true solo effort seeing as Ty played everything on it right down to programming the drum machine for every track. Songs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were later re-recorded for inclusion on his next album Moonflower Lane...
(independent, 1997) - Moonflower LaneMoonflower LaneMoonflower Lane is the second solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written by Tabor and recorded between September 10 and October 24, 1997.-Track listing:#I Do#The Island Sea#Live In Your House#I Know Everything#The Truth...
(Metal Blade, 1998, References: HM Magazine) - SafetySafety (album)Safety is the third solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written, recorded, and mastered by Ty Tabor at Alien Beans Studios in Katy, TX.-Track listing:#Tulip #Better To Be On Hold#Missing Love#Funeral#Room For Me...
(Metal Blade, 2002) - Rock GardenRock Garden (album)Rock Garden is a 2006 solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written and recorded by Ty Tabor at Alien Beans studio in Katy, TX...
(InsideOut, Release date: August 29, 2006) - TackleboxTackleboxTacklebox is a collection of multi-track demos recorded by King's X guitarist / vocalist Ty Tabor. It is a two disc set that contains three previously unreleased songs. There is also an audio commentary track by Tabor himself.-Track listing:...
(Molken Music, 2006) - A 2-disc collection of demo recordings with 3 previously unreleased songs. - BalanceBalance (Ty Tabor album)Balance is a 2008 solo album by King's X guitarist Ty Tabor. All songs were written, recorded and produced by Tabor, and the album was recorded at Alien Beans Studios in Katy, TX.This is the first solo project released by Tabor for the label....
(Molken Music, 2008) - Something's Coming (Molken Music, 2010)
- Trip MagnetTrip Magnet (Ty Tabor E.P.)Trip Magnet is the sixth major solo release from King's X guitar virtuoso Ty Tabor. The five-song EP is billed as "A different side of Ty Tabor" and was recorded at Tabor's Alien Beans Studio in Katy, Texas, and distributed by Molken Music.-Track listing:...
(Molken Music, 2010)
Side Bands
- PlatypusPlatypus (band)Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.-History:...
- When Pus Comes to ShoveWhen Pus Comes to ShoveWhen Pus Comes to Shove is the debut album of the band Platypus.- Track listing :# Standing In Line - # Nothing To Say - # Rock Balls/Destination Unknown - # Platt Opus - # I'm With You - # Blue Plate Special -...
(1999) - PlatypusPlatypus (band)Platypus was a progressive rock / jazz-fusion supergroup that consisted of members from Dream Theater, King's X and Dixie Dregs. The group was formed in 1997 and disbanded in 2000.-History:...
- Ice CyclesIce CyclesIce Cycles is the second album by the progressive metal group Platypus, released in 2000.-Track listing:# Oh God – 4:16# Better Left Unsaid – 5:24# The Tower – 3:30# Cry – 6:15# I Need You – 4:17# 25 – 5:09# Gone – 6:42...
(2000) - The Jelly JamThe Jelly JamThe Jelly Jam is a three-piece progressive rock band, consisting of Ty Tabor of King's X on guitar and vocals, Rod Morgenstein of The Dixie Dregs on drums, and John Myung of Dream Theater on bass...
- s/tThe Jelly Jam (album)The Jelly Jam is the eponymous debut album by progressive rock band The Jelly Jam. It was released on March 18, 2002 by InsideOut Music.-Track listing:#"I Can't Help You" – 3:01#"No Remedy" – 4:05#"Nature" – 0:58#"Nature's Girl" – 5:12...
(2002) - JugheadJughead (band)Jughead is a rock band consisting of Ty Tabor , Derek Sherinian , Matt Bissonette , and Gregg Bissonette . Jughead's catalog consists of a single self-titled album released by InsideOut Music in 2002....
- s/t (2002) - The Jelly JamThe Jelly JamThe Jelly Jam is a three-piece progressive rock band, consisting of Ty Tabor of King's X on guitar and vocals, Rod Morgenstein of The Dixie Dregs on drums, and John Myung of Dream Theater on bass...
- 2The Jelly Jam 2The Jelly Jam 2 is the second album released by progressive rock band The Jelly Jam. It was released on September 13th, 2004 by InsideOut Music.-Track listing:#"Not Today" – 3:23#"Coming Round" – 3:39#"Empty" – 5:26#"Drop the Gun" – 3:04...
(2004) - Xenuphobe - 1.0 (2006)
- Xenuphobe - 2.0 (2007)
- The Jibbs - "Burns In The Rain" single (2008)
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Guest appearances
- Morgan CryarMorgan CryarMorgan Cryar is a Contemporary Christian music vocalist, songwriter, and producer, hailing from Louisiana. He is especially noted for his creative lyric-writing....
- Fuel On The Fire (1986) - Rez Band - Lament (1995)
- Carmine AppiceCarmine AppiceCarmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian background and is the older brother of drummer Vinny Appice by 12 years. He received a classical music training and was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa early on...
- Guitar Zeus 1 (1996) - Munetaka HiguchiMunetaka Higuchiwas the original drummer of the Japanese heavy metal band, Loudness.Since very young, he was considered a talented drummer. During his high school years, Higuchi played in seven bands. But he was not happy with this situation, wanting to focus his time on only one band...
- Free World (1997) - Carmine AppiceCarmine AppiceCarmine Appice is an American rock drummer of Italian background and is the older brother of drummer Vinny Appice by 12 years. He received a classical music training and was influenced by the jazz drumming of Buddy Rich and Gene Krupa early on...
- Guitar Zeus 2 (1997) - Mind Body Soul - self titled EP (1998)
- Greg Bissonette - s/t (1998)
- Richie Scarlet - Insanity Of Life (2002)
- Influences and Connections: Mr. Big Tribute
- Maston - Tampering With The Laws Of Goodness (2004)
- Jerry GaskillJerry GaskillJerry Gaskill is an American rock musician who is the drummer for the progressive metal band King's X.-History:...
- Come SomewhereCome SomewhereCome Somewhere is the first solo album by King's X drummer Jerry Gaskill. Jerry wrote all of the material himself with the exception of "Johnny's Song" which was co-written with Herb Gaskill. Jerry performed all of the vocals, most of the acoustic guitars, and some electric guitar...
(2004) - AyreonAyreonAyreon is a project by Dutch composer and musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen.Ayreon's musical style derives mostly from heavy metal and progressive rock, but combines them with genres like folk, classical and electronica...
- 010110010101100101011001 is the seventh studio album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen's long-running Ayreon project. "01011001" is the binary representation of the ASCII value of the letter Y...
(2008) - Tadashi Goto - Innervisions track "Liberal Paradox" (2008)
- Petur Polson - Tokyo track "Andvekur" (2009)
- BlindstoneBlindstoneBlindstone is a Danish rock trio formed 2002 in Thisted, Denmark. The band has released three albums so far: Manifesto , Freedom's Calling and Rise Above . Current lineup consists of Martin J...
- Rise Above Guitar solo on the track "Rise Above" + mastering (2010)