Le Bleu and Various Side Projects
In 2001, King released Le Bleu, which was a mostly instrumental album featuring only one track with vocals ("Ashes"). It dramatically showcased his skills on acoustic instruments, and although the album was independently released, it would receive critical acclaim. However, the biggest boom to his music career was the release of live videos on the Internet. The first, and most famous, was a clip of the credits from a documentary on Jean Larrivée guitars. In it, King plays an energetic, fast-paced version of "Phunkdified," which served to introduce younger, web-savvy players to King's unique playing style. His live performance of "Knock on Wood" at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts in Eugene introduced the Doolin double-neck acoustic guitar.
Following the release of Le Bleu, King began several new projects including an electronic remix of Le Bleu by the Raging Family, and another instrumental project with Carlos Vamos and Michael Manring. His primary focus, however, was a songwriting-based album. He assembled a new band with longtime friends Ehren Ebbage (lead guitar) and Drew Desman (bass). In 2005, drummer James West and was replaced by Nadir Jeevanjee. King's endeavor in rock music also features a return to playing piano on several songs. Justin's latest music maintains his complex musical style despite acquiring a more mainstream sound.
Read more about this topic: Justin King (guitarist)
Famous quotes containing the words side and/or projects:
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—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)
“One of the things that is most striking about the young generation is that they never talk about their own futures, there are no futures for this generation, not any of them and so naturally they never think of them. It is very striking, they do not live in the present they just live, as well as they can, and they do not plan. It is extraordinary that whole populations have no projects for a future, none at all.”
—Gertrude Stein (1874–1946)