Kottonmouth Kings Trail of Smokin' Ten Years Deep
Monday, September 3, 2007
Originally Published in The Front Magazine, Issue 3 December 2004.
The self-proclaimed "psychedelic hiphop punk rock" outfit, The Kottonmouth Kings, materialized from Orange County, Cal. in 1994, bringing with them, "an institution in our American subculture; a movement and a lifestyle." For all of the teenage kids smoking pot in their mom's basement, they couldn't have been more right.
With a roster of seven, the Kottonmouth Kings (KMK) base their website, daily routines and music on their heartfelt affection for legalizing marijuana. On the Web: www.kottonmouthkings.com features bong noises and lighter flicks on every click, Jerry Garcia-esque design (tie-dye and bright colors) and a 'trippy' 15-second video on their Nov. 16 release, The Kottonmouth Xperience. KMK even released their last album, Fire It Up with songs like Rip It Up, Bad Habits and Who's The Criminal on April 20, a stoner's holiday nationwide.
"Their message is horrible and most people shouldn't listen to them," said David Friggero, a California native, now in Denver, who owns five of KMK's records. "But I find humor in [their music] somehow..."
Enough to have spent nearly $80 on their albums?
"Apparently," said Friggero. "i'm going to see them back in San Francisco when I go home for Christmas."
The Kings in a nutshell: Ringleader and founder of the group, Daddy X, considers the band a "modern-day Grateful Dead," as he is the organizing force behind KMK and the bands' independent label, Suburban Noize.
Taxman urges fance to fight authority "F-ck you to establishments in a youthful, natural and a-structural way. I'm not a Puppet." His bio offers little else on what he contributes to the band personally, other than the fact that he is the bands' anti-hero.
Bobby B, another member from inception, spins the turntables and has DJ-ed at every major club in LA (Centruy Club, Orbit, Roxbury and Truth) all the while contributin solo albums on the side of KMK band projects.
Hard-core stoner and high-school dropout, Johnny Richter, is a childhood friend of D-Loc (who is, "Realer than real, stronger than stell, tough as nails and dirtier that you... What!!!") attended six different schools and two rehab centers before being shipped off to boarding school at age 16. Lest you forget, he also sings vocals for KMK, has a five-foot iguana and boasts a killer party pad, never without for kegs on tap and two full-sized nitrous tanks in operation at all times.
Pakelika is seldom seen without his white ski mask,. As the bands' "dancing visual assassin," Pakelika has been seen miming in fron of the Hollywood Was Museum and has even worked with Janet Jackson on her Go Deep, and Together Again videos.
Lou Dog, KMK's drummer, while in a stoned-haze in Hollywood, invented his own innovative three-wheel low-rider drum kit. How influenced is Lou Dog by marijuana?
"I smoke everyday. I smoke in traffic... I smoke on stage... I smoke in the sudio... I smoke in clubs. I smoke when I explore the mysteries of the universe... I was smoking when I created the drum-trike," said Dog in his website bio. "I've burned with Tupac, Easy-E, Snoop, B-Real and Sen Dog, RVD, Violent J, Pakelika, D-Loc, Johnny Richter, Bobby B, X, Munchyz and thousands of Kottonmouth Kins and Kweens around the world... I've smoked at the Wheite House, Playboy Mansion, Cannabis Cup and on three continents..."
You get the point. Kidding aside, the boys have actually contributed to some major projects.
One being the Artist Groove Network, a project that both Brad "Daddy" X and Loud Dog are partners. AGN, a concept provided to gear up a solid start for struggling musical artists to make money so that they may pursue their art without having to be constricted to a 9-5 job. Some of AGN's clinetes; Gwen Stefani from No Doubt, Brian Baker of Bad Religion and Yogi from Buck Cherry. AGN's premier DJ, Rob Harris, had also been cinluded in this KMK's line-up, but was tragically killed in a skydiving accident while filming a Mountain Dew commercial.
The Kings have shared the stage with notable groups such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Offspring, Green Day, NOFX, Jane's Addcition, Eminem and Blink 182. On Dec. 21, KMK will perform at the Ogden Theater in the "10 Years Deep" Winter Tour, also featuring Pepper, Kingspade, OPM and more.
***********
Ok... Can you tell what I thot of this band? hahaha.
The self-proclaimed "psychedelic hiphop punk rock" outfit, The Kottonmouth Kings, materialized from Orange County, Cal. in 1994, bringing with them, "an institution in our American subculture; a movement and a lifestyle." For all of the teenage kids smoking pot in their mom's basement, they couldn't have been more right.
With a roster of seven, the Kottonmouth Kings (KMK) base their website, daily routines and music on their heartfelt affection for legalizing marijuana. On the Web: www.kottonmouthkings.com features bong noises and lighter flicks on every click, Jerry Garcia-esque design (tie-dye and bright colors) and a 'trippy' 15-second video on their Nov. 16 release, The Kottonmouth Xperience. KMK even released their last album, Fire It Up with songs like Rip It Up, Bad Habits and Who's The Criminal on April 20, a stoner's holiday nationwide.
"Their message is horrible and most people shouldn't listen to them," said David Friggero, a California native, now in Denver, who owns five of KMK's records. "But I find humor in [their music] somehow..."
Enough to have spent nearly $80 on their albums?
"Apparently," said Friggero. "i'm going to see them back in San Francisco when I go home for Christmas."
The Kings in a nutshell: Ringleader and founder of the group, Daddy X, considers the band a "modern-day Grateful Dead," as he is the organizing force behind KMK and the bands' independent label, Suburban Noize.
Taxman urges fance to fight authority "F-ck you to establishments in a youthful, natural and a-structural way. I'm not a Puppet." His bio offers little else on what he contributes to the band personally, other than the fact that he is the bands' anti-hero.
Bobby B, another member from inception, spins the turntables and has DJ-ed at every major club in LA (Centruy Club, Orbit, Roxbury and Truth) all the while contributin solo albums on the side of KMK band projects.
Hard-core stoner and high-school dropout, Johnny Richter, is a childhood friend of D-Loc (who is, "Realer than real, stronger than stell, tough as nails and dirtier that you... What!!!") attended six different schools and two rehab centers before being shipped off to boarding school at age 16. Lest you forget, he also sings vocals for KMK, has a five-foot iguana and boasts a killer party pad, never without for kegs on tap and two full-sized nitrous tanks in operation at all times.
Pakelika is seldom seen without his white ski mask,. As the bands' "dancing visual assassin," Pakelika has been seen miming in fron of the Hollywood Was Museum and has even worked with Janet Jackson on her Go Deep, and Together Again videos.
Lou Dog, KMK's drummer, while in a stoned-haze in Hollywood, invented his own innovative three-wheel low-rider drum kit. How influenced is Lou Dog by marijuana?
"I smoke everyday. I smoke in traffic... I smoke on stage... I smoke in the sudio... I smoke in clubs. I smoke when I explore the mysteries of the universe... I was smoking when I created the drum-trike," said Dog in his website bio. "I've burned with Tupac, Easy-E, Snoop, B-Real and Sen Dog, RVD, Violent J, Pakelika, D-Loc, Johnny Richter, Bobby B, X, Munchyz and thousands of Kottonmouth Kins and Kweens around the world... I've smoked at the Wheite House, Playboy Mansion, Cannabis Cup and on three continents..."
You get the point. Kidding aside, the boys have actually contributed to some major projects.
One being the Artist Groove Network, a project that both Brad "Daddy" X and Loud Dog are partners. AGN, a concept provided to gear up a solid start for struggling musical artists to make money so that they may pursue their art without having to be constricted to a 9-5 job. Some of AGN's clinetes; Gwen Stefani from No Doubt, Brian Baker of Bad Religion and Yogi from Buck Cherry. AGN's premier DJ, Rob Harris, had also been cinluded in this KMK's line-up, but was tragically killed in a skydiving accident while filming a Mountain Dew commercial.
The Kings have shared the stage with notable groups such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Offspring, Green Day, NOFX, Jane's Addcition, Eminem and Blink 182. On Dec. 21, KMK will perform at the Ogden Theater in the "10 Years Deep" Winter Tour, also featuring Pepper, Kingspade, OPM and more.
***********
Ok... Can you tell what I thot of this band? hahaha.
Labels: Music: The Front Magazine
posted by Sami Jo at 12:59 AM
I'm Sami Jo
From Denver, CO, United States
I'm from Denver, CO. I love to travel - both alone and with friends - explore new places and really learn the personality of a city. I own my own PR firm and offer support to creative professionals including authors, musicians and small business. My husband writes and performs live music (often for kids at local libraries in town), and we have a little boy who loves to travel as much as we do.
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