Dave King & Asgard
Most famous for their impromptu and extended jam sessions, DK&A also recorded a number of albums but only four and a half have survived the 70s-
DK&A only played a few professional gigs, often having to renegotiate their fees after their performance. It may have been for this reason that the vast majority of their performances were free. They were open to anyone who hadn't already left and wanted to join in the music. Although never receiving the critical accolades enjoyed by other bands of the day, Dave King was immensely popular with his fans; which critics attributed to the fact that "most of his fans join him onstage, grab instruments, and start playing. The rest are too drugged to notice how horrible the music is!" (Steve Carson, Creem Magazine, 1975)
Dave King played Yamaki 6 and 12-string acoustic guitars in addition to his $11 1969 6-string electric St. George that he retrofitted with a $60 Gibson Humbucker pickup. His favorite guitar was his Yamaha 6-string electric, picked up while on tour in Japan. It was fitted with one of the first wireless transmitters ever seen in the US and, in fact, many music historians credit Dave King with bringing about wireless live performance. Rob Gershon, Rolling Stone music critic, was rumored to have said, "The only way I'd ever go to a Dave King and Asgard concert is if they played without wires or electric guitar cables!" Dave King's recording technique was unique; inspired by both the 1971 NASA Project Cyclops (the 1,500 array of radio telescopes to search for extra-terrestrial intelligence) as well as animal experiments in which a chimpanzee or elephant were given a paint brush and canvas and then left to create art. Dave King would simply bring out some instruments, call some friends, start recording, and see what happened. The idea was that he too, would create art. Opinions still differ greatly as to whether or not that is what happened. Dave had a style that, rather than lead guitar, critics began to refer to as " lost guitar." "Dave King's lead, or should I say lost, style is avant garde in quite a disturbing way. If only he could play a scale, or even know what one was, his music might be bearable rather than embarrassing," John Greshing, Guitar Gods Magazine, vol. 4, 1974. Only a handful of artists are credited with creating works that withstand the ages, transcend time and space, evoking emotions and touching the very center of the human soul and spirit. Some of the names that come to everyone's mind are da Vinci, Michelangelo, Beethoven, Renoir, Mozart, Van Gogh, ... sadly, Dave King did not join their ranks. In fact, after a comprehensive listening to all the known recordings of Dave King & Asgard, music critics agree that Dave King singlehandedly ruined hundreds of potentially beautiful recordings. Thankfully, Dave stopped touring after a crash landing from one of his signature jumps tore both his ACLs. World-renowned orthopedic surgeon Carlan Yates (a previous band member) told Dave he'd never play guitar again (actually he begged him not to). Like many musicians, Dave King went off in search of new sounds. One of his treks landed him in Africa where he found new energy and a creative spark (thankfully not musical). He recently published an African wildlife coffee table book from his safari- AFRICA .
These days Dave King is retired, living under a pseudonym in Beverly Hills, California.
ATTN: DK&A Fans... Please email any DK&A pix to be uploaded on the website!
Asgard Studios (Woodland Hills, CA)
Dave and Tom (about to perform at Harvard Stadium after the Big Game)
Willie in front of a billboard for a Harvard musical production featuring music by Dave King & Asgard.
The King's birthday cake
The many faces of Angelo Fiat
Dave "recharging" in Sedona Dave's vintage '69 St. George
Jeff Dave (travelling on a French train to perform at the Eiffel Tower)
Dave (taking a break in France) Rob (relaxing in a Greek club)
Rob, Cindy, Mort, Don, and Dave getting ready to play the Colosseum
Dave
Dave (Relaxing after performing at Boston Garden) Biff, Dickie, and Dave
These days Dave's listening tastes include: Jazz- Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, Dizzy Gillespe, Fats Navarro, Bill Evans, Red Garland, Marcin Wasileski Trio, Bill Frisell, Brad Mehldau, Miles Davis, Joey Alexander, Phineas Newborn, Jr., Pearl Django, Ginger Baker Trio, Ahmad Jamal, Chick Corea, Stochelo Rosenberg, Angelo DeBarre & Tavalo Schmidt, and Bireli Lagrene Rap and Hip Hop- Dr. Dre, Fatboy Slim, People Under The Stairs, A Tribe Called Quest, Warren G, Digable Planets, and Dilated Peoples, Massive Attack World- Huayuclatia, Mickey Hart, Outback, Sanjay Mishra, Jaluka, Loreena McKinnitt, and Baka Beyond Ambient/Electronica- Parov Stelar, Peter Chilvers, Seamus Ennis, Brian Eno, Cinematic Orchestra, Underworld, Zero 7, William Orbit, Killahertz, Marconi Union, Thievery Corporation, Bliss, and Aphex Twin DJs - Solitone, Tetsuo, Parov Stelar Pop (Voices)- Inara George, Priscilla Ahn Psychedelic Rock- Ray Manzarek, Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo Classical - Joseph Haydn |
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