What You Make It: The Authorized Biography of Doug Pinnick

With the book being on the short side and with King's X being one of my favorite all time bands for decades, I was afraid this book would have little new information for me. However I wanted to support the author for taking the time for writing a book about one of the coolest, nicest and down to earth musicians I have ever met. I could have been more wrong about the book. Most of the details in the book were things that I wasn't aware. I thought the most interesting part was detailing what was going on with the band in the years following the Sam Taylor years. If you are even a casual fan of Doug or the band, this is a must read.

I am thrilled that Chris Smith put in the effort to write a book about Doug Pinnick. The only folks who will purchase this book are King's X and/or dUg fans so obviously it's a smaller budget project. Couldn't be happier that this book exists, however, the writing style renders it barely readable at points. There are actually stories and anecdotes that barely make any sense. People are brought up and/or referenced out of nowhere, without previous mention and often in an incongruous fashion. Wish someone edited, or at least was retained to clean up the writing.If you love Doug, it's still a buy.

Being a 30 year King's X fan this was I highly anticipated Biography. This book was written very well. I hate bios that skip over large eras of a band. Chris included facts from every album cycle. It also had a good amount leading up to the point where Jerry, Ty, and Doug met each other in Springfield. I 100% recommend this book of music fans and King's X devotees.

Doug Pinnick and King's X remain criminally underrated in rock music history. For a fan since 1986, this book was a great read and offered many insights into both Doug as well as King's X. The book did a great job detailing Doug's life in a way that showed the many sides of Doug. Above all, Doug is a compassionate person with a big heart and has weathered a lot to get to where he is today. A fast read and required reading for any serious fan!

Doug Pinnick fans should enjoy this authorized biography written by former K! staffer Chris Smith. The narrative is a bit scattershot, but this gives the book a huge boost of heart, making it abundantly clear that this project was nothing less than a labor of love. If you've been following dUg's musical adventures for 40 years or 4 days you're undoubtedly aware that love is the whole point. Love for the music, love for friends and family, love for the fans, love of the groove. The book is fairly compact but does a nice job of covering its subject's life from childhood up to the time of publication. As a self-published indie, Smith was unable to stuff the book full of photos (which would have been cool) but he digs deep to provide plenty of cool stories, including some great stuff from various King's X recording sessions and tours over the years. Definitely worth picking up!

King's X are one of my favorite bands. I've always enjoyed Doug's soulful voice and insightful lyrics. Fans and critics often wonder why they don't sell more records than they do. I don't know the answer but I think rock audiences have trouble accepting a black front-person. Also their early association with Christian rock made them seem uncool to the general public (at the same time their lyrics often posed uncomfortable questions for Christians). Plus their generic rock sound was upstaged by the top grunge bands. It takes several listens to absorb the subtleties of their songs and arrangements. Not that I believe in life after death but I've often thought if Jesus came back it would be as John Lennon or Doug Pinnick -for opposite reasons.

The book hits all the points on dougs life. There was more on Kx than I expected. I was apprehensive at first due to the small size of the book.... that it might not be a great or a complete read but it totally was. If you are a Doug or Kx fan, I highly recommend it!

I wish I could unequivocally recommend this book, but a surplus of typos and a tenuous narrative throughout make this book seem like more of a rough draft. Doug Pinnick is a legend and there are many stories that could be woven together, but this particular book falls a tad short. There is a lot of good information and some insight, but it leaves you wanting more. A few song titles were wrong, there were quite a few typos, and some segues that go nowhere and stories left untold. A proofreader would have helped immensely. King's X is a passion for many, including me, so it's an easy sell to he hardcore fans.

I came across Kings X when they were on the front cover of 'Kerrang!!' as an unknown band from the USA in 1988. Following reading the article i bought 'Out Of The Silent Planet' and was blown away, i had never heard music like this before. Then on 03/11/1988 i went to see their first ever UK gig - hooked forever. This book lets us feel Dougs journey and begin to understand how much some of our musical heroes really suffer for their art. I wiped away more than one tear reading this book. The history of music is littered with bands who if there was any justice in the world should have been huge and Kings X are one of them. They are still around, still playing killer shows and are three of the nicest guys in the business. Buy the book, go and see them live and feel the love and power of music.

Oh dear. Dug Pinnick is a fascinating man, a talented bass player, a great vocalist, a superb songwriter and an integral part of one of the best rock bands ever. He deserves a well written, meticulously researched and illuminating biography. This isn't it. Smith's writing is episodic, relatively unstructured and leaves more unanswered about the man than it answers. Somebody sometime will write a proper history of Dug, and of Kings X and provide the sort of insight, detail and attention that such talented and interesting men deserve. Lets hope Chris Smith isn't given such an opportunity.

As a 30 year-long King's X fan, the mere fact that this book exists is worth 5 stars alone. While at times, it reads more like an extended Wikipedia article than a biography, Chris Smith shows a deep love and respect for Doug Pinnick, both as a man and a musician. Anybody who has experienced the magic of a King's X gig will have felt that sense of belonging to a small, yet loyal tribe, where every stranger in the room feels like a friend, simply because of their loyalty to one of the greatest and most underrated bands of all time. Chris Smith, I salute you. Doug, if you ever read these reviews, know that we appreciate you more than may know. Thank you for being the voice (and huge bass sound) in my ears since I was 13 years old.

As a rabid dUg Pinnick fan and follower of all things King’s X, this was an essential read. I was not disappointed. It delves deep. Really deep. Into dUg’s past and not just musically, emotionally, family; dysfunctional and dynamic. This is what made dUg the icon he is today. The pages are filled with great stories and connections of the extended Houston KX family. The infamous Sam Taylor, Ty, Jerry, Len & Dane Sonnier, Wally Farkas, Ryan Cook all feature heavily. The message is simple: All you need is love, love is all you need! Believe in yourself, do unto others as you would have them do unto you and ‘don’t take no bullsh*t from no one’. Read it, love it and get inspired. May The Groove be with you.

Can't believe this book has been out for a while and I missed it! Just to see behind the scenes of what makes Dug tick and King's X in particular is fantastic!! Crank up Dug and King's X music (with Ty and Jerry's solo albums) while reading this beauty!! Welcome to The Groove Machine!!!!