SoundGarden Live on Planet Earth

SoundGarden Album Art

2008-12-31T23:44:00.000-08:00

SoundGarden Album Art made by grunge

art

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Chris Cornell - one-time front man and songwriter.

2008-12-12T00:35:00.001-08:00

You can take the boy out of the grunge, but you can't etc. etc. Chris Cornell - one-time front man and songwriter for 1980s and '90s Seattle grunge-scene exemplars Soundgarden and later leading light of the hard-rocking Audioslave - may now be a mid-40s dad emoting on James Bond movie soundtracks, but he brought plenty of old-style Cornell to the Ottawa Civic Centre Saturday night.

And the modest crowd of 2000 loved him - once he got started that is, almost 45 minutes late (does he feed his lead-footed stage crew barbiturates?). That love overflowed because Cornell is a good performer - trim, fit and energetic - and because, at least early in the show, he was starting to dip smartly into his deep catalogue.

By press time, Cornell and his five-piece backing band had given us What You Are from his Audioslave days. They'd served up No Such Thing, the closest he gets to grunge on the new album which includes You Know My Name, Cornell's contribution to the James Bond film Casino Royale. And, to massive crowd approval, they howled through Soundgarden's Outshined and No Attention, both de rigeur tunes.

Cornell was also joined by Mat Joly, from the warm-up band Mobile, for a nicely tempered shot of Hunger Strike, from Cornell's days with the short-lived band Temple of the Dog,

And, of course, Cornell's storied multi-octave voice was in full flight on Saturday night.

The warm-up act, Mobile, was excellent. It should be no surprise that a Montreal band would rock, but these guys do their hometown proud. And speaking of proud, they did perform their chugging little tribute number Montreal Calling.

They've only been on the scene a couple of years, but their heady mix of everything from the Stones and U2 to glam rock and late 1960s soul - all of it diced and sliced into their recent, well-received sophomore album Tales From the City - went over well here.

True, it is an often-dark album, in part because some it was written after guitarist Christian "Criq" Brais' mother was diagnosed with cancer. But we were happy to hear the boys, led by Joly, digging wholeheartedly into it (do they do things any other way?), with intense servings of new tunes like No Tomorrow, Hit the Floor #7 and Gravity. Lots of nice sonic special effects, by the way, none of them overdone.

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: The Reunion

2008-08-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

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Will there be a Soundgarden reunion in 2009? Live on Planet Earth had posted a rumor back on November 1 but anything of the sort is totally unlikely to come to fruition. There are just too many documented indicators alluding to the fact that this is an impossibility. Case and point, you can read the November 17, 2008

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Loud Love

2008-08-26T15:13:00.001-07:00

Loud Love Lyrics

Written by chris cornell

Theres no time to keep it low
Ive been deaf now I want noise
You stay down
But I wont be quiet
Ill hammer on until you fight

Loud love
Loud love
Loud love
Loud love

If youve got some time to kill
Slow resistance wins the war
Well I know
But thats no way to go
You cant resist the louder pull

Well thats right
I want something to explode
Ive been deaf
Now I want noise

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Blow up the Outside World

2008-08-08T21:38:00.000-07:00

Blow Up The Outside World Lyrics

Ive givin everything I need
Id give you everything I own
Id give in if it could at least be ours alone
Ive given everything I could
To blow it to hell and gone
Burrow down in and
Blow up the outside world

Someone tried to tell me something
Dont let the world get you down
Nothing will do me in before I do myself
So save it for your own and the ones you can help

Want to make it understood
Wanting though I never would
Trying though I know its wrong
Blowing it to hell and gone
Wishing though I never could
Blow up the outside world

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Black hole Sun

2008-08-08T21:09:00.000-07:00

Black Hole Sun Lyrics

In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguise
As no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
The sun
In my disgrace
Boiling heat
Summer stench
neath the black
The sky looks dead
Call my name
Through the cream
And Ill hear you
Scream again

Black hole sun
Wont you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Wont you come
Wont you come

Stuttering
Cold and damp
Steal the warm wind
Tired friend
Times are gone
For honest men
And sometimes
Far too long
For snakes
In my shoes
A walking sleep
And my youth
I pray to keep
Heaven send
Hell away
No one sings
Like you
Anymore

Hang my head
Drown my fear
Till you all just
Disappear

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Pretty Noose

2008-08-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Pretty Noose Lyrics

I caught the moon today
Pick it up
And throw it away all right
I got the perfect steal
A cleaner love
With a dirty feel all right
Fallout and take the bait
Eat the fruit
And kiss the snake goodnight
Common ruse dirty face
Pretty noose is pretty hate
And I dont like
What you got me hanging from
Let your motor race
Pick it up
And get this mother gone
Out from and far away
The wooden stake
This thing has got me on
Diamond rope silver chain
Pretty noose is pretty pain
And I dont like
What you got me hanging from
I dont care what you got
I dont care what you need
I dont want anything
And I dont like what
You got me hanging from

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Jesus Christ Pose

2008-08-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

Jesus Christ Pose Lyrics

And you stare at me
In your jesus christ pose
Arms held out
Like youve been carrying a load
And you swear to me
You dont want to be my slave
But youre staring at me
Like I need to be saved
In your jesus christ pose
Arms held out
In your jesus christ pose
Thorns and shroud
Like its the coming of the lord
And I swear to you
That I would never feed you pain
But youre staring at me
Like Im driving the nails
In your jesus christ pose
And you stare at me
In your jesus christ pose
Arms held out like its
The coming of the lord
And would it pay you more to walk on water
Than to wear a crown of thorns
It wouldnt pain me more to bury you rich
Than to bury you poor
In your jesus christ pose

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Burden in my hand.

2008-08-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Burden in my hand. Lyrics

Follow me into the desert
As thirsty as you are
Crack a smile and cut your mouth
And drown in alcohol
cause down below the truth is lying
Beneath the riverbed
So quench yourself and drink the water
That flows below her head

Oh no there she goes
Out in the sunshine the sun is mine

I shot my love today would you cry for me
I lost my head again would you lie for me
I left her in the sand just a burden in my hand
I lost my head again would you cry for me

Close your eyes and bow your head
I need a little sympathy
cause fear is strong and loves for everyone
Who isnt me
So kill your health and kill yourself
And kill everything you love
And if you live you can fall to pieces
And suffer with my ghost
Just a burden in my hand
Just an anchor on my heart
Just a tumor in my head
And Im in the dark

So follow me into the desert
As desperate as you are
Where the moon is glued to a picture of heaven
And all the little pigs have god

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: Band Names?

2008-08-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

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..

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth: The History

2008-08-08T10:38:00.000-07:00

The seeds of Big were originally planted far away from the Emerald City in the fertile plains of the Midwest. Park Forest, Ill. natives and longtime friends Kim Thayil (guitar), Hiro Yamamoto (bass) and Bruce Pavitt, decided to move to Olympia, Wash. in 1981 to attend college and check out the budding underground culture. Thayil and Yamamoto soon became involved in a band called the Shemps, which featured vocalist/drummer Chris Cornell, while Pavitt founded the fanzine that would evolve into Sub Pop Records. The Shemps folded in 1984, but Yamamoto and new roommate Cornell decided to form a new project, soon bringing Thayil onboard and taking their name, Big, from a popular Seattle sculpture.

With drummer Scott Sundquist, Big toured heavily in the Pacific Northwest, gradually building up a large underground following with their unique mix of rock, metal and punk. In 1986 Sundquist left the band and was replaced by Skin Yard drummer Matt Cameron. The following year, the band signed to Pavitt's fledgling Sup Pop label and released their debut single, "Hunted Down," and the subsequent EP, Screaming Life. Another EP, FOPP, followed in 1988 earning the band big time buzz and major label interest. Preferring indie labels, they signed to SST and released their debut full-length, Ultramega OK later that year.

The band soon moved to the majors, signing with A&M Records, and began to record their sophomore album in December 1998. Louder Than Love was released in 1989 earning glowing reviews and eventually a Grammy nomination. Unfortunately, the band's success didn't stop Yamamoto from leaving the group to return to school. With a full tour schedule planned, the remaining members of Big frantically searched for a new bassist. Former Nirvana guitarist Jason Everman eventually won the job, but not before the band auditioned old friend Ben Shepard, who impressed the group with his style, but didn't know any of the songs. At the end of the tour, Everman left Big and was replaced by Shepard.

As the release of Big's third album, Badmotorfinger, approached in 1991, the anticipation mounted as the critics predicted Big to be the breakout stars of the insurgent Seattle scene. Unfortunately, the album was overshadowed by the surprise success of Nirvana's Nevermind, but it still managed to go platinum and peak at No. 39 on the charts, spawning the classic singles "Outshined" and "Rusty Cage." Categorized as a metal band, Big toured with acts like Guns N' Roses Monster Magnet and Skid Row before joining the lineup of 1992's Lollapalooza with Pearl Jam, Ministry and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, among others. The band gained even more exposure through Cornell and Cameron's involvement with Temple of the Dog, a band assembled in tribute to Andrew Wood, the late singer of Seattle's Mother Love Bone, which also featured Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard and Eddie Vedder.

After a brief rest, Big released Superunknown in 1994. The breakthrough, featuring the hits "Spoonman," "Fell on Black Days" and the crossover smash and MTV staple "Black Hole Sun, would eventually go triple platinum and earn two Grammys. After a multi-leg tour, the band released Down on the Upside in 1996. Another strong album showered with critical raves, Down on the Upside was somewhat of a disappointment in sales even with the singles "Pretty Noose," "Burden in My Hand" and "Blow Up the Outside World."

Returning to Lollapalooza that summer, Big toured with acts like Metallica and the Ramones before launching their own tour in late 1996.With rumors of internal turmoil circulating in the press, they continued touring until, on April 7, 1997, they laid the rumors to rest by breaking up. Since then, Thayil and Shepard have appeared in various side projects, Cameron has taken up residency behind the drum kit with fellow Seattlites Pearl Jam, and Cornell has embarked on a solo career.

Sound Garden Live on Planet Earth

2008-08-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by lead singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Matt Cameron became the band's permanent drummer in 1986 and bassist Ben Shepherd became a permanent replacement for Yamamoto in 1990.

Soundgarden was one of the key bands in the creation of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle and was based around the band's record label Sub Pop. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label, but Soundgarden did not achieve commercial success until Seattle contemporaries Nirvana and Pearl Jam popularized grunge in the early 1990s.

Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and yielded the Grammy Award–winning singles "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman". In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction. Soundgarden has sold 8 million records in the U.S. and an estimated 20 million albums worldwide.

Soundgarden was formed in 1984 by Chris Cornell (drums and vocals) and Hiro Yamamoto (bass); they were later joined by Kim Thayil (guitar). Thayil had moved to Seattle from Park Forest, Illinois with Yamamoto and Bruce Pavitt, who would later start Sub Pop Records. The band named themselves after a wind-channeling pipe sculpture, "The Sound Garden," located in Magnuson Park, Seattle.
Cornell originally played drums while singing, but in 1985 the band enlisted Scott Sundquist to allow Cornell to concentrate on vocals. The band's first recordings were three songs that appeared on a compilation for C/Z Records called Deep Six. It also featured songs by fellow grunge pioneers Green River, Skin Yard, Malfunkshun, The U-Men and the Melvins. In 1986, Sundquist left the band and was replaced by Matt Cameron, who was the drummer for Skin Yard.
Soundgarden began work on its A&M debut, Louder Than Love (the original title allegedly being Louder Than Fuck), in December of 1988. Just after the album's release, in the fall of 1989, Yamamoto wanted to return to school and left the band. Left in a lurch, with a tour already booked, Soundgarden began auditioning bass players. Ben Shepherd was among those who showed up, but though the band liked his style, he didn't know the songs. Jason Everman, who did know them, got the gig [he is in the band photo that appears at the very top of this page]. The A&M album led to tours across the states and Europe, including a successful tour package with Voivod and Faith No More. An earlier show was filmed for a home video, which was released as Louder Than Live. The videotape displayed the band's vengance in concert and featured a medley consisting of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom" and Cheech and Chong's "Earache my Eye". A&M also released a promotional CD called Louder Than Live, with a few other songs not on the video. But after the tour, Everman (who had previously worn out his welcome with Nirvana in record time) was history. "Jason just didn't work out," says Thayil.

It was right around this time that Mother Love Bone singer Andy Wood -- who had been friends with the members of Soundgarden and a onetime roommate of Cornell's -- died of an overdose.