Soundgarden

mr dave · 08-02-2010, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

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.

i can definitely see where you're coming from with this, especially with the way the attention came down when the style was coming up. SG never really fit into any specific niche and for me that's one thing that made them really great, by not being 'first tier' i didn't relegate them down to 2nd, i moved them up and out of the pile - but it took me a while to first 'get' the band.

i also think one of the main reasons they didn't get talked about that much after the fact is that no one in the band self-destructed. there was no out of control ego, no power tripping madman, no public freak outs, lawsuits, etc. the lack of sensationalism didn't endear them to the masses of star****ers out there. consider what people talk about when they discuss bands from that era... who talks about the actual music of Nirvana, AiC, or STP more than the heroin abuse and the 'denied potential' of those bands?

duga · 08-02-2010, 07:49 AM

Ok...we can compromise. Soundgarden were metal for the grunge audience. I can see how people may not like them so much (they have always sounded like a love them or hate them kind of band). Maybe even their playing was mediocre. You can't deny their creativity, however. They had a very interesting hybrid of influences in my opinion. Maybe they can be considered the cult classics of music. Like a movie that comes out and no one really thinks much of it but then a couple years later there is a giant fanbase of loyal supporters.

I also agree with you, dave, on no one self destructing in the band and then not receiving attention because of it. Even Billy Corgan got his share of the spotlight with his massive ego. I remember a picture in some magazine of Audioslave backstage laying around on couches...Chris is reading and the other guys are watching tv or something. The caption is "Another Audioslave afterparty spirals out of control". If that is similar to how Soundgarden spent their days...no wonder nothing crazy happened.

Alex/ · 08-02-2010, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Ok...we can compromise. Soundgarden were metal for the grunge audience. I can see how people may not like them so much (they have always sounded like a love them or hate them kind of band). Maybe even their playing was mediocre. You can't deny their creativity, however. They had a very interesting hybrid of influences in my opinion. Maybe they can be considered the cult classics of music. Like a movie that comes out and no one really thinks much of it but then a couple years later there is a giant fanbase of loyal supporters.

It wasn't, though.

It's too bad they're kind of a one hit wonder to the casual music listener. "Black Hole Sun" really isn't a good song to judge the band on.

midnight rain · 08-02-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex/

It wasn't, though.

It's too bad they're kind of a one hit wonder to the casual music listener. "Black Hole Sun" really isn't a good song to judge the band on.

What's wrong with "Black Hole Sun"? Or is this just another case of it being hip to hate the most popular song by a band?

Alex/ · 08-02-2010, 10:34 AM

No, I like the song a lot.

midnight rain · 08-02-2010, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex/

No, I like the song a lot.

Ok just making sure. So you're point is it doesn't sound a lot like their other material?

Alex/ · 08-02-2010, 10:43 AM

It doesn't sound a lot like their other stuff, and a lot of their other stuff is just as good, if not better.

"Black Hole Sun" also doesn't really emphasize any of the bands talents, even if overall it is a strongly written and performed song.

midnight rain · 08-02-2010, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex/

It doesn't sound a lot like their other stuff, and a lot of their other stuff is just as good, if not better.

"Black Hole Sun" also doesn't really emphasize any of the bands talents, even if overall it is a strongly written and performed song.

Personally I'd just give them the whole of Superunknown to play with.

Alex/ · 08-02-2010, 10:59 AM

Exactly, they have a lot of songs worthy of that kind of recognition.

duga · 08-02-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex/

It wasn't, though.

It's too bad they're kind of a one hit wonder to the casual music listener. "Black Hole Sun" really isn't a good song to judge the band on.

I'm a huge Soundgarden fan, so I don't make that comment lightly. I'm not saying they didn't have their instrument chops down, I'm just saying they played songs that just aren't technically challenging...especially comparing their music to their biggest influence Black Sabbath. Soundgarden are the Beatles of metal.

08-02-2010, 07:49 AM	#182 (permalink)
duga MB quadrant's JM Vincent Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 3,762	Ok...we can compromise. Soundgarden were metal for the grunge audience. I can see how people may not like them so much (they have always sounded like a love them or hate them kind of band). Maybe even their playing was mediocre. You can't deny their creativity, however. They had a very interesting hybrid of influences in my opinion. Maybe they can be considered the cult classics of music. Like a movie that comes out and no one really thinks much of it but then a couple years later there is a giant fanbase of loyal supporters. I also agree with you, dave, on no one self destructing in the band and then not receiving attention because of it. Even Billy Corgan got his share of the spotlight with his massive ego. I remember a picture in some magazine of Audioslave backstage laying around on couches...Chris is reading and the other guys are watching tv or something. The caption is "Another Audioslave afterparty spirals out of control". If that is similar to how Soundgarden spent their days...no wonder nothing crazy happened. __________________ Confusion will be my epitaph...

08-02-2010, 10:34 AM	#185 (permalink)
Alex/ Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 104	No, I like the song a lot. __________________ When he was six he believed the moon overhead followed him by nine he had deciphered the illusion trading magic for fact. No tradebacks.

08-02-2010, 10:43 AM	#187 (permalink)
Alex/ Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 104	It doesn't sound a lot like their other stuff, and a lot of their other stuff is just as good, if not better. "Black Hole Sun" also doesn't really emphasize any of the bands talents, even if overall it is a strongly written and performed song. __________________ When he was six he believed the moon overhead followed him by nine he had deciphered the illusion trading magic for fact. No tradebacks.

08-02-2010, 10:59 AM	#189 (permalink)
Alex/ Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 104	Exactly, they have a lot of songs worthy of that kind of recognition. __________________ When he was six he believed the moon overhead followed him by nine he had deciphered the illusion trading magic for fact. No tradebacks.