Biography

Employing a distinctive blend of biting riffs, ambient textures, and soaring leads, prolific six-stringer Ty Tabor has an identifiable style all his own. The lead guitarist, songwriter, and co-vocalist for the long-running progressive rock band King's X, Tabor has also enjoyed a productive solo career, issuing dozens of inventive efforts like Safety (2002), Trip Magnet (2010), Alien Beans (2018), and Shades (2022). His numerous side projects include the progressive rock supergroups Platypus, Xenuphobe, and the Jelly Jam. The King's X guitarist was born on September 17, 1961, in Jackson, Mississippi. As a youngster, he began playing guitar and formed a bluegrass band with his brother on banjo and his father on washtub bass; they played festivals around Mississippi and opened for country legends Grandpa Jones and Minnie Pearl. But as a teenager, Tabor discovered the wonders of hard rock. Influenced by KISS, Rush, the Beatles, Queen, and Aerosmith, Tabor would spend hours on end practicing and playing along to the latest hits by these legendary acts. This led to a decision to make music his life, as he soon began forming rock bands around the South in the late '70s/early '80s (one being the Christian rock outfit Matthew). Around this time, Tabor became enthralled with the guitar playing of Phil Keaggy and formed a group with ex-members of Keaggy's band: bassist/vocalist Doug Pinnick and drummer Jerry Gaskill. The new band went through a few names (the Edge, Sneak Preview) before settling on King's X. By combining Tabor's irresistible Beatlesque melodies, Pinnick's soulful vocals, and heavy rock à la Queen and Rush, the band has become one of rock's most respected groups, releasing such metal classics as Gretchen Goes to Nebraska, Faith Hope Love, and Dogman on Atlantic Records. Although major mainstream success has eluded them thus far, the band has built a large and loyal following due to incessant touring. In 1997 (during a break from touring with King's X), Tabor released his first solo album, Naomi's Solar Pumpkin (available through mail-order only); its follow-up, Moonflower Lane, was waxed a year later on Metal Blade Records. Despite rumors of an impending breakup, King's X released their seventh studio album, Tape Head, in October 1998, following it up with such further releases as 2000's Please Come Home...Mr. Bulbous, 2005's Ogre Tones, and 2008's XV, among others. A prolific solo artist as well, Tabor released his debut album, Naomi's Solar Pumpkin, in 1998, followed by a string of offerings like Moonflower Lane (1999), Safety (2002), Rock Garden (2006), Trip Magnet (2010), Nobody Wins When Nobody Plays (2013), Angry Monk (2020), and Shades (2022). Tabor has also formed the prog metal supergroup Platypus, joining forces with members of Dream Theater and the Dixie Dregs -- issuing 1998's When Pus Comes to Shove and two years later, Ice Cycles. Other projects include the Jelly Jam, Xenuphobe, Jughead, and the Jibbs. As if his schedule wasn't full already, Tabor has guested on albums by other artists, including Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus, and Greg Bissonette's self-titled debut, and has either mixed or mastered albums for Geek, Driving West, Poundhound, and Supershine. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi