Date: Sun, 28 Sep 1997 02:00:01 -0400 Subject: SOMMS Digest - 27 Sep 1997 to 28 Sep 1997 There are 21 messages totalling 670 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. how SG will be remembered (3) 2. B-SIDES - FUCK THE CORPORATE MASSES! 3. The A team! 4. A-Sides in the Official Page 5. 6. Some thoughts 7. The voice on SP Rock City 8. How will Soundgarden be remembered? (2) 9. Drums and SG/Characterizations/Ty Cobb 10. GH...acoustic album= recording it..IMPRTNT QUESTION. 11. Screaming Life Vinyl 12. characteristic songs/influences/Bleed Together (2) 13. from the OFFICIAL website.....wow. 14. B-SIDES 15. Wellwater (2) 16. Calendars To UNSUBSCRIBE from SOMMS, send email to LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU with the following in the body of your message: SIGNOFF SOMMS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 01:32:35 PDT From: The Koggle Subject: Re: how SG will be remembered hello all if i'm not mistaken i think the beatles were a huge influence on the boys.. the only quote i can find about it is outta Guitar 1996 special ~~~ Interviewer: Do you draw from any ethnic influences - perhaps your own? Kim: Mine is East Indian. There might be a little bit of an influence there, but its funny, because Chris often writes parts that have that sort of an Eastern flavor, and I'll often write parts like that and so will Ben. So I don't know if it's necessarily something i picked up from the ethnic thing - it might have been more from listening to The Beatles or to Indian music when i was a kid perhaps. ~~~ So don't knock the beatles, dammit! hehe if they were so annoying and embarrassing (which they musta been if they wrote those type of songs.) they wouldn't be remembered today.. so let's hope that what was said was true... Soundgarden songs will annoy people and they'll remember them forever.. hehe later - kogg - >> And what's really cool about Soundgarden is that they didn't write >many, >> IMO, totally annoying and embarassing songs like "I wanna hold your >hand" >> ,"8 days a week", "A Hard Day's Night" , and "Yellow Submarine" yet >still >> had an awesome variety. >> Bill > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 18:59:31 +0200 From: Nacho Priego Subject: Re: B-SIDES - FUCK THE CORPORATE MASSES! > quality is perfect. Here's the cool part: These B-sides will be burned > onto CD's by yours truly at no charge. Just provide 3 blank 74 minute > CDr's and some cash for return postage and you got it. the art work Hey, i like the idea! But, if you wouldn't care, could you get the CDs for me? I live in Spain and sending it to you and then sending back, would be too much money, so, if you could... And if you don't just email me, i'll try to get the CDs as soon as possible. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 18:26:53 +0200 From: Nacho Priego Subject: Re: The A team! > Personally, I still prefer the old days (b-4 SU) when no one really knew who > the hell they were and it was like my own private thing. I often wonder also, > if SG popularity had not exploded in 1994, would they still be together, > making kick-ass music without the inner-turmoil? (But we can second guess > shit till the end of time & it won't change a thing) That's my situation right now. Here (in spain) the Black Hole Sun thing wasn't that strong, but (thanks god) i heard it, and a knew about a totally new sound that i really enjoyed. Think, that LP made lots of people (including me) know SG. So now nobody here knows SG. Here never was a really big support for the bands, meaning promo and stuff. I they'd want to, they would sell lots of copies of A-Sides, I think Bleed Together can become a very popular song, it's fast, isn't too strange... It would be fun when everybody here, those "band wagon jumpers", come to me saying "I know a new band, called SG, they kick ass". And i say "Fuck you, i've got all their music". > Time was wrong. The alternative music scene isn't dead. The band wagon > jumpers are. Thank God. Amen. I'll write that somewhere. Nacho Priego - Alive in the SpanishUnknown ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Sep 1997 13:10:13 +0200 From: Nacho Priego Subject: A-Sides in the Official Page Yesterday I read Thayil's comments on A-Sides. I find it like "Sorry, real fans, but we have to do it." Really, flame me if you want, but I don't think that been able to play a CD of singles in your car is a good reason to release a record. At least, I hope that Bleed Together (good song, it may even be commercial) gets popular here and people realize on what they are losing. And of the B-Sides project... Maybe this is just a game... A&M first releases something called "A-Sides", then "B-Sides". It's the only explanation I find for the title, besides of maybe they're making fun of us, you know, all that B-Sides hopes... Nacho Priego - Alive in the SpanishUnknown ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 26 Sep 1997 13:03:08 +0200 From: Nacho Priego Subject: Re: how SG will be remembered > Hmm, what does "nacho" mean in Spanish? Is that a nickname? It's a nickname for Ignacio. I know there is a food called like me. > It's interesting that you mention Nirvana, because they are possibly the > grandfathers of 90s rock. (What about Mudhoney?! you say. Screw that, raw > style without rare talent would never be enough to spread Seattle to the > nation.) But 90s rock would be incomplete if it were only inspired by such > simple music as that made by Nirvana. Soundgarden is the Mozart of > alternative music, providing it with innovative complexities. Hopefully > this will be noted... I mentioned Nirvana because, like it or not, they put Seattle in the world music scene, (note: i don't mean they were the best). If they hadn't existed, i probably had never known about SG. And, about the timings, I don't think you have to be a musician to notice that they don't use common timings, it sounds like breaking the melodic line, and then tou realize that they just change the concept of melody. Nacho Priego - Alive in the SpanishUnknown. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 20:07:39 +0200 From: Nacho Priego Subject: Sorry again. No more private on the list. I promise. I apologize. I shut the fuck up. Nacho Priego - Alive in the SpanishUnknown ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 14:58:24 -0400 From: Maria Joseph Subject: Re: Some thoughts >Who says A-sides will be SG's last album? In the spring I'm sure most >of us thought DOTU was sg's final release.> It shouldn't be their last. Remember that interview cd coming out Jan 1? Did you guys forget about that? It was mention a long time ago, so maybe it'll still be put out.. -Maria ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 16:20:51 -0400 From: Lyndsay Smith Subject: Re: The voice on SP Rock City I always thought it was Kim making the comments. I also had another question about that song. Does anyone know what they're saying in the conversation before Chris starts singin? It sounds like Kim says,"I wish I knew how to dance." and then someone else says, "Just feel it ,Kim." If anyone has ideas I'd be happy to hear them. Lyndsay ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 16:42:18 -0400 From: Lyndsay Smith Subject: Re: How will Soundgarden be remembered? I totally agree with your post about Soundgarden being remembered. This is my theory right now that I've been speculating for a time: Soundgarden will influence the next generation in rock music after the one living right now. We're kind of in a combined time tecno (ie. Prodigy), softer popish rock (ie Tonic, Third Eye Blind) Ska, (Sublime, Bosstones), etc( you know what's being played). I believe there will be a new sound after a while influenced more by Soundgarden, and the Bands that came out of Seattle a few years ago, but they will have their new sound and won't sound like they are trying to sound like the "Seattle Bands" (ie Bush, Silverchair,etc). I'm hoping this will happen. I'm also hoping some of those bands will give credit Soundgarden as an influence. I also believe that bands don't get commemorated for the most part as being an influential band untill a band comes out and says it not an record company exec or reviewer or someting- a band its self has to come out and say it. I look around and it seems like it to me that they aren't being remebered the way they should. I think they should be remebered as a band that has made music that's totally different from any other kind in its own respect. I'm hoping they will be rembered for making very inspirational music because they have made music that's extremely inspirational to me. As for the question about why they haven't had the acceptance as Nirvana or Pearl Jam. It's puzzling to me to. Actully before people started paying attention to music like they did with Nirvana Soundgarden was the band that really sprouted out pf Seattle as a band. I hope this wasn't to long because I know that I don't always like reading everlasting posts. I think is a good thread so everyone lets hear your opinions. Let's embrace this as one of the insightful posts we should be writing. I totally agree with what Seth said and I think its something we all should think about. I usually stay quiet about most posts, but I thought I'd write about this so it seemed worth while. Lyndsay ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 17:36:09 -0400 From: Maria Joseph Subject: Drums and SG/Characterizations/Ty Cobb I AM A DRUMMER!!!!! of course :)~ Matt is a huge influence and he's amazing and I have posted lovely things about him several times so you all should know by now how I feel about him. As for songs he plays... Karaoke really got me the first time I heard it because of the little "jam" they did and Matt was amazing in that.. Of course, he's amazing in everything.. Dusty also. The rhythm is very kewl. Matt's great on that one because the time signature constantly changes and it keeps me awake and alive. BUTOW.. yes, I did say that. I'm even gonna bring up BHS to go with BUTOW. Two songs that are powerful with this drummer that totally brings it out. JCP.. no need for explanation. We've heard what people have said when the song was mentioned. They start off talking about the drum section... Hmm, let's see. Never Named is one. Superb rolls! Probably some good flams if I could see him. I think I heard some paradiddles and ruff, but he was going so damn fast I couldn't tell :)~ No Attention, of course.. can't forget that one. He was pretty nice on An Unkind. I don't think that song brought any chanllenges fundamentally to him, but he did pretty damn great on it! Spoonman..on Spoonman he did just incredibly and with the addition of Artis to assist with percussion, it just worked perfectly. The rhythm and Matt on TDITTL was ear appealing for me, to name another... Oh, yeah!! FOKM was one! Yes! That's definitely one. Let's see.. Pretty Noose... She Likes Surprises.. Head Down.. I could go on but I have to contribute to another topic.. it's interesting, i guess.. ---------------------------------------------------------------- As for the which song characterizes a member's style.. Well, I went through every albums I had.. I didn't wanna list every song and figure out to whom it matches or whatever so I just picked some (even though you may think that I picked more than just some:) ) UltramegaOk, now... here goes.. (in alphabetical order) Cameron, Matt: Dusty, Big Dumb Sex, Ty Cobb, Searching w/My Good Eye Closed, Head Down, Drawing Flies, My Wave, Spoonman, Half, She Likes Surprises, Fresh Tendrils, 4th of July, Pretty Noose, Rhinosaur, No Attention, An Unkind, Burden In My Hand, Tighter and Tighter Cornell, Chris: Switch Opens, Pretty Noose, Searching w/My Good Eye Closed, An Unkind, Dusty, Half, Like Suicide, Seasons, Tighter and Tighter, Full On Kevin's Mom (reprise), Blow Up the Outside World, Head Down, Black Hole Sun, Holy Water, She Likes Surprises, 4th of July, Boot Camp Shepherd, Ben: Never Named, No Attention, Switch Opens, Dusty, Boot Camp, Rhinosaur, An Unkind, Half, Head Down, 4th of July Thayil, Kim: Hands All Over, 4th of July, Gun, Never the Machine Forever, Pretty Noose, Overfloater, Ty Cobb, Let Me Drown, Drawing Flies, New Damage, Kickstand, Fresh Tendrils, Birth Ritual ------------------------------------------- It was mentioned that Ty Cobb characterized Ben style for obvious reasons.. well, maybe his appearance, but as for his musical style I disagree with that part because his writing seems playful and silly (but not as in a silly thing to write). But of course he flips off the world and that would resemble his appearance, but as for writing it quite different, I mean, u know, take a listen to some Hater. Who Do I Kill? is one..(btw I like that song next to Mona Bone Jakon.. thanks Sarah!!). Not arguing just expressing my opinions :) So that's why I put TC for the Mattster and Kimster. I won't justify why I put it for the Kimster, but I instantly wrote it down to resemble Matt's writing..and appearance (inner) because people see him differently since he really doesn't go around doing whatever and he's quite warm hearted (not saying the others arren't) and u know.. but deep inside him he's completely different.. he gets pissed, he speaks often about sex (hehe), (known as the pimp of the band), etc.. he's just very undoubting... I think I said that word in the right way.. In other words don't doubt the mystical powers of Matt because he could be the next Manson.. Charles I mean.. Sorry Mattsy! Still love ya!! I hope I said this right. And so.. I am done..hehe.. okay, ladies and gentleboys of SOMMS... I will see-ya whenever there is a post for me to respond to.. Kick It!! - Maria J.C. (Bunchypants or Mrs. Bunchypants, or Bunchy or Mrs. Bunchy or whatever) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 16:44:17 -0700 From: William Flanders Subject: Re: how SG will be remembered At 01:32 AM 9/27/97 PDT, The Koggle wrote: >hello all > >if i'm not mistaken i think the beatles were a huge influence on the >boys.. the only quote i can find about it is outta Guitar 1996 special > >~~~ > >Interviewer: Do you draw from any ethnic influences - perhaps your own? > >Kim: Mine is East Indian. There might be a little bit of an influence >there, but its funny, because Chris often writes parts that have that >sort of an Eastern flavor, and I'll often write parts like that and so >will Ben. So I don't know if it's necessarily something i picked up >from the ethnic thing - it might have been more from listening to The >Beatles or to Indian music when i was a kid perhaps. > At the risk of pissing off Seth one more time, there are other Beatles-Soundgarden associations. One is "One Minute of Silence" and another is "Blow Up the Outside World" where Chris does an okay Lennon impression. Bill ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 21:06:20 -0400 From: Pam Underwood Subject: GH...acoustic album= recording it..IMPRTNT QUESTION. << According to an A&M spokesperson, guitarist Kim Thayil spearheaded the greatest-hits effort, rallying the other band members and providing an interview for the biography to be included with the collection. " >> Allright folks...I don't know about all of you but with some of the stuff I've been hearing lately has got me thinking:: 1. Like someone else said about Kim getting into this he might be into it for the new listeners. Or maybe this is supposed to be a way to finalize the band. BUT that kinda goes against my next point. 2. About this acoustic deal that someone said is supossed to be made(i forget who said it) ...Wouldn't that mean that SG would have to get TOGETHER and work TOGETHER and record TOGETHER to make it all. It almost sounds like either A&M is trying to get them back together or there getting back together. (((((I know I know it sounds kinda off the wall but really think about it)))) I hope this is a meaningful enought post for you all but I really just had to say this to someone and my friends don't seem to have a clue what the hell I'm trying to say. I guess it takes a SG freak to understand one. What do you guys think about the accustioc recording deal? That's enought brain work for one night. *~PAM~* ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 22:09:57 -0400 From: Scott Hammer Subject: Screaming Life Vinyl Among a shitload of other kewl stuff I scored today (JCP CD autographed by all 4 & LTLive duct taped CD for examples), I also snagged a copy of Screaming Life on blue vinyl. Does anyone elses copy say "Buy Green River" & "Buy Malfunkshun" on the vinyl? It's in the part after the recorded stuff, ya know where your needle goes when tha muzick's done... ~^v^OzzY^v^~ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 22:09:59 -0400 From: Matt Artis Subject: Re: characteristic songs/influences/Bleed Together <> It would be interesting to see a post-breakup SG video. This idea is actually getting me excited. What would the video be like? Would it give us any clues as to why the breakup, or a glimpse of what's to come? It's wide open. I hope that there will be video.... Also, in response to what Kim has said about the greatest hits, it bothers me too. I am having trouble understanding why he would say such a thing. It's like A&M brainwashed him and made him say it. I dunno, it just doesn't seem like Kim. Was he drinking that night??? Mabye the band doesn't care as much about the hardcore fan as we like to think they do.....have they been reduced do doing anything for the almighty buck? I hope for the sake of music that they have not because if they have, who hasn't??? ~Matt I woke up depressed..... P.S.- I took my web page down for any of you who still bothered to visit it. Koggle, take me out of the webring for now. I might put it up again sometime in the future..... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 19:10:50 -0700 From: Dave Subject: Re: characteristic songs/influences/Bleed Together I heard that MTV news guy Kurt LOADer talk about the album, and he said the first single would be Bleed Together. > < Subject: Re: from the OFFICIAL website.....wow. Rita wrote: > And I really can't imagine Kim saying half the stuff he said about A- > sides well...my heart just broke more than it did the day they broke > up. I cringed when I read Kim's "statement" (thanked God it wasn't Chris saying it though), and I too was a bit surprised at his apparent positive attitude. Our cynical Kim?!! Shit. I feel pretty down too, actually. This record is obviously not meant to attract "hardcore" fans (unless they're trying to say we aren't hardcore fans if we don't buy it), but, how did Toni put it, *marginal* fans. I liked that, Toni, because that's exactly who it will attract. I remember seeing Kim and Chris on Headbanger's Ball right around the time Badmotorfinger was released and Rikki Rachtman asked if they could tell the difference between *old* fans and *new* ones and Kim immediately said "Yeah" but Chris cut in with "You can?" and Kim stopped. This seemed to be an obvious public relations faux pax, but neither of them took it too seriously and it was pretty obvious that they could tell the hardcore from the marginal fans. Now he's pandering to the marginals. Sorry, I know it isn't their fault and he probably got stuck being the spokesperson for this joke of an album, but as I said a while ago I think the whole thing sucks. When I first voiced my skepticism about this project people countered with the fact that the guys are strong-willed and principled. Unfortunately, as far as A&M and their contract goes, they are no longer in a position of power. I mean, what do they have to bargain with anymore? The way I look at it is they probably want to put the whole SG thing behind them so they can move on. Its like when you give two weeks notice on a job and then really don't feel into it anymore, just wishing your time was up. These guys are human and they're in a sticky situation what with an unfulfilled contract and all. Maybe A&M threatened to sue. Who knows. But I can almost guarantee that if SG were still together there would be no *A-Sides* compilation. They all seemed to hate that idea because they saw their albums as complete things, which is why they had trouble deciding on singles. So this whole thing has got to be painful for them too. > that's the thing, I never expected a Greatest Hits to begin with. If > there were a compilation, I > hoped that it would accomodate their die hard fans, in other words, > an album of rarites and stuff. I feel exactly the same way, and apparently they did try to put out something more like that, but they were shot down. Lets just hope they don't owe A&M anymore records (does anyone know if they do?). > I blame myself for still believing in heroes. Don't give up on them Rita. Just realize that your heroes are human. This is another perfect example of something I wish I could sit down with the guys as a friend and just find out exactly what THEY think about the whole thing. Because we'll probably never know the whole story. What a horrible let-down after DOTU. I was so hopeful after that album and I couldn't wait to see what they would do next. Now I don't even have an incentive to buy this damn thing because I already have Bleed Together. Doesn't A&M realize that we here in the US have access to foreign releases? I for one won't be buying this one (unless they include a poster or something that is ;). Kathie ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 22:17:04 +0000 From: Kathie and David Subject: Re: How will Soundgarden be remembered? Bill wrote: > I perceive Soundgarden fading out, like Bon Jovi or Poison or > Whitesnake did. You realize of course that putting SG in this group was sacrilege;) While I agree with you that SG will not become a *legend* for the general public, they do have a permanent place in music history not only for their intelligent music but for the whole scene they came out of (unlike the other three you mention). > This is very disconcerting, as Soundgarden is by far the most > inspirational art of my life, more so than any of the legends from > the past, and I *have* listened to a great deal of that too. This is one of the things that has always fascinated me about SG in my own life. I was a huge Led Zep fan and I saw Queen every time they came to Chicago, but I never felt the same attachment to those bands that I do to SG. And I think this is true for most of us. There is no doubt that Soundgarden will endure for me. I still listen to them more than any other band. And I have felt that way since the first time I heard them back in 1989. > Or will some of their truly unique songs like applebite and 4th of > July and Flower inspire bands to explore areas of rock not usually > seen by the public. This is what I'm hoping will happen, and probably will to some extent since musicians aren't what I would consider part of the *general public*. There's probably already SG tribute bands (I know that isn't what you mean, but...) > There are some recent bands whose immortality is certain: Metallica, > Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Oasis, Beck...the list goes on. No, no, no. Metallica (far from a recent band, though) and Nirvana (since they were the first from the "Seattle Scene" to really *make it*) for sure, but I disagree with the others. This is just my opinion of course, but inferring that Smashing Pumpkins, Oasis and Beck will have an impact similar to Led Zeppelin doesn't sit well with me. I guess we'll see. > But what is it about them that > Soundgarden lacks? And what is it about Led Zeppelin that > Soundgarden lacks? Longevity maybe? I know SG has been together for a long time (had been I should say) but they were just starting to get really popular. The other thing is the popularity itself. Soundgarden was simply too deep for that good old *general public*, so they weren't wildly popular. Time is also a factor, as in historical time. Soundgarden wasn't in the middle of the Seattle *explosion*, almost on purpose I think, so although they were a part of it I don't think they benefitted from it as much as they could have. Led Zeppelin was one of those phenomenons we really don't see anymore, mainly because of the MTV saturation factor. Someone else mentioned the fact that there were fewer bands to choose from back then, and when you factor in musical style they were pretty much in a class by themselves. Times have changed. > Does this bother anyone else? Yes. I still think SG would have gained all kinds of fame and fortune if they had been able to keep going (happily or course, not the way things apparently were). While we all see their greatness already I believe that if they had continued to make music they would have shined brighter than we can even imagine. Hopefully one or all of them will be able to do that on their own. Kathie ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 21:20:28 -0700 From: Jordan Snodgrass Subject: B-SIDES Ok, I've had an overwhelming number of requests, so the offer is closing tonight at midnight. All offers received before midnight still get on the list, after that, sorry, but no more. I've got over 35 requests X 3 CDs per request X 30 mins each disc to burn = 3150 minutes of burning CDs!! I hope my drive can handle it. I'll send a private email to everyone on my list in a couple of days... -js ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 21:26:53 -0700 From: Jordan Snodgrass Subject: Wellwater Hey, does anyone know if the song "Palomar Observatory" is about the one in san diego? I can't seem to find the lyrics to the song.. -js ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Sep 1997 23:30:22 -0500 From: Geoff Subject: Re: Wellwater There are no lyrics to that song. So I guess the answer is yes. Geoff Jordan Snodgrass wrote: > > Hey, does anyone know if the song "Palomar Observatory" is about the > one in san diego? > I can't seem to find the lyrics to the song.. > > -js ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 Sep 1997 14:13:47 +0900 From: fluttergirl Subject: Calendars All, I understand we have already covered the topic of Soundgarden calendars and where to find them, but I must have missed it. Could anyone help this inept soul in finding a '98 (or '97) calendar? I have the feeling I'm not the only one who is in need of some assistance on this subject ;) Lily. ---------------------------------- '...Untie these golden wings...' ---------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of SOMMS Digest - 27 Sep 1997 to 28 Sep 1997 ************************************************