Soundgarden

crash_override · 07-31-2010, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex/

Have you guys heard Superunknown..? It's a masterpiece. Even their lesser albums (Down on the Upside and Badmotorfinger) have some amazing songs on them, and are overall quite consistent.

Hell, their first two albums have a couple gems.

Oh, and Chris Cornell is incredible.

For the hell of it: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana (Just did the "Seattle Four")

Badmotorfinger is their best album.

Necromancer · 07-31-2010, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

It's the phenomenon whereby a middle of the road band who was kind of second-tier in their day can somehow become legendary if given enough time.

Thats true Janszoon, to me it seemed that Nirvana and Pearl Jam got most of the attention back in the day.
AC/DC did the same exact thing coming out of the 70s and on into the 80s, if you listened to AC/DC in the 70s, you were thought as having bad taste with your choice of music if you liked (basic 3 chord-style) of music by bands like AC/DC, ZZ-Top, and so on seemed the 'vibe' I remember, with musicians mainly, I mean we were listening to bands like Yes, Rush, etc.
But in the 80s, AC/DC was all in a sudden one of the hottest bands around, I guess mainly because of Back In Black, and all of a sudden, all of their older material was popular from there on, as well also.
Getting back to Soundgarden, I think that Audio Slave played a big role in helping Soundgarden gain recognition, I mean they're both totally two different bands musically, and not only that Cornell is considered by most as an all-time great rock vocalist, and if you really listen to Soungarden (and you 'get it') Soungarden is the best grunge band from their era in style, although I personally always liked more material by Alice & Chains over most of the other Seattle bands, still.. I like the style of Soundgarden as the grunge standard.
My Seattle list would be:
Soundgarden
Alice In Chains
Stone Temple Pilots
Nirvana
Pearl Jam

mr dave · 07-31-2010, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

It's the phenomenon whereby a middle of the road band who was kind of second-tier in their day can somehow become legendary if given enough time.

i'm curious now since we were both around during the same days. i never got the vibe of SG being 2nd tier, at least never as much as Alice in Chains or STP. i do agree with your thesis about longevity absolving mediocrity. i just don't think SG was really 'that' mediocre aside from their later singles.

TheBig3 · 07-31-2010, 11:09 AM

Yeah what made them 2nd tier? They may not have been as popular, but I don't think thats any testament to their playing or songwriting.

**Janszoon** · 07-31-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

i'm curious now since we were both around during the same days. i never got the vibe of SG being 2nd tier, at least never as much as Alice in Chains or STP. i do agree with your thesis about longevity absolving mediocrity. i just don't think SG was really 'that' mediocre aside from their later singles.

In the early 90s I would actually put them in exactly the same position as Alice In Chains: A band that was (a) considered metal not grunge, (b) somewhat well known prior to grunge becoming popular, and (c) occupying a middle ground where they were not as popular as groups like Nirvana or Pearl Jam or even STP but not also nearly as quirky as bands with a similar level of popularity like Primus or the Pixies.

mr dave · 07-31-2010, 11:27 AM

i suppose if you're just going to judge them on their singles and how they charted that's pretty fair. the rest of the material on the albums was usually pretty good though and not just more of the same.

i know you've had so many song title thrown your way but if i can get 6 minutes of your time. YouTube - Soundgarden - Head Down

yay or nay? does that really sound like 2nd tier 90s rock to you? blander than collective soul? more derivative than STP? cheesier than creed?

**Janszoon** · 07-31-2010, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

i suppose if you're just going to judge them on their singles and how they charted that's pretty fair. the rest of the material on the albums was usually pretty good though and not just more of the same.

i know you've had so many song title thrown your way but if i can get 6 minutes of your time. YouTube - Soundgarden - Head Down

yay or nay? does that really sound like 2nd tier 90s rock to you? blander than collective soul? more derivative than STP? cheesier than creed?

The short answer: Yes, it sounds like 2nd tier 90s rock to me.

The long answer: It's not a terrible song or anything, in fact it's probably one of the better songs I've heard by them. I wouldn't put it anywhere near garbage like Creed, but Creed's not even a part of the time period I'm talking about. I'd say it's equal to or better than the best STP or Collective Soul songs I've heard (though to be fair I think I might only know one Collective Soul song).

My comment about them being 2nd tier is only partially related to my personal feelings about their music, by the way. I'm also talking about how I feel they were perceived back in the early 90s. I knew a couple people who liked them but it didn't seem like they were taking the music world by storm or anything, either artistically or commercially. They were basically just one of many "alternative" bands that started selling well during that time, many of whom are not talked about very much anymore.

TheBig3 · 07-31-2010, 12:17 PM

I think they were too prog-ish to really be accepted. When I think of Soundgarden I think the best stuff are songs like "Slaves & Bulldozers", "Jesus Christ Pose", "4th of July."

They were never going to sell billions with that crap. Its too left of center. Its too artsy for the metal kids. I think they ought to be applauded for sticking to their guns even if some folks who shall remain nameless think it makes them second tier.

**Janszoon** · 07-31-2010, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3KilledMyRainDog

I think they were too prog-ish to really be accepted. When I think of Soundgarden I think the best stuff are songs like "Slaves & Bulldozers", "Jesus Christ Pose", "4th of July."

They were never going to sell billions with that crap. Its too left of center. Its too artsy for the metal kids. I think they ought to be applauded for sticking to their guns even if some folks who shall remain nameless think it makes them second tier.

Unless they secretly have some vast amount of musical output that's way more quirky than anything I've ever heard by them I don't really understand what would make them "left of center".

TheBig3 · 07-31-2010, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Unless they secretly have some vast amount of musical output that's way more quirky than anything I've ever heard by them I don't really understand what would make them "left of center".

In the grunge era? Odd time signatures, a falsetto, playing instruments in the upper register.

In the scheme of things they aren't too off the wall, but in that movement they did quite a few moves against the grain while still being associated with "grunge" unlike POTUSA, or Primus, or RHCP was.

07-31-2010, 11:09 AM	#164 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	Yeah what made them 2nd tier? They may not have been as popular, but I don't think thats any testament to their playing or songwriting. __________________ I've moved to a new address

07-31-2010, 12:17 PM	#168 (permalink)
TheBig3 killedmyraindog Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 11,172	I think they were too prog-ish to really be accepted. When I think of Soundgarden I think the best stuff are songs like "Slaves & Bulldozers", "Jesus Christ Pose", "4th of July." They were never going to sell billions with that crap. Its too left of center. Its too artsy for the metal kids. I think they ought to be applauded for sticking to their guns even if some folks who shall remain nameless think it makes them second tier. __________________ I've moved to a new address