
A garden of kinetic sculptures that makes music when wind blows through them... a sculpture in Seattle called "Sound Garden".
If you've ever listened to a Soundgarden album, you probably understand why they are one of the most important bands of the 90s. If you haven't, you've missed something. Their success was propelled by Chris Cornell, who was not only owner of an incredible voice but also one of the most brilliantly talented songwriters rock music has known. Unlike too many songwriters who are content to judge songs on how well they will sell, Soundgarden made music that was not only good, but profound. In short, they earned their fame, and that is something not many rock musicians can say.
But that doesn't mean that their lyrics were their only strength. From a purely musical standpoint, Soundgarden produced outstanding work as well. Their hallmark style usually was to begin a song slowly and quietly, then to build it up until the music climaxed in a more energetic mode. Indeed, the band's name, although written as one word, is really two words, which describe the band amazingly accurately. A lot of their music was closer to sound, anti-musical and tuneless noise, yet it was also beautiful, elegant, and sweet; In effect, they created a garden of sound, that was paradoxically both ugly and disturbing, yet beautiful and soothing at once. This counterpoint is what made Soundgarden's music so effective. (Side note: This is not the official story in where they got their name, although it may be part of why they chose it. Officially, the band is named after "The Sound Garden", a sculpture in their hometown of Seattle.)
They apparently named themselves after a pipe sculpture in Seattle's Sand Point that makes unearthly howling noises in the wind..
1 comment:
One of my favorite band in the 90's
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