CONVERSE RELEASES NEW SOUNDGARDEN ‘KING ANIMAL’ SHOES
Converse are releasing new limited edition Soundgarden shoes, they are called the ‘Soundgarden Chuck Taylor All Star’ sneakers and will be available exclusively at Converse’s store in Santa Monica, California and on Converse.com. The shoes cost 65 bucks, and have King Animal artwork on them. While shoes are cool and all, I really wish they’d release a Cornell/Timbaland ‘that bitch ain’t a part of me’ thong.
I think my life was just made. I know what I’m asking Santa Clause now for Christmas!
So I’m listening to a couple of Soundgarden’s new songs from The Animal Farm or whatever they named this pathetic attempt to recapture their once relevant youths and I’m asking myself – where has all the anger gone? Where is the angst? Where are the twenty-somethings screaming about a system so fucking corrupt that their very futures are threatened by the debt-peddlers of Wall Street?
Face it my sorely misguided youthful friends, rock is dead. And while I completely respect a man’s right to capitalize on his brand by regurgitating the same sound over and over again in a monotonous whining drone whose sole aim is to siphon dollars from your bank account into his, I do not respect his right to pawn himself off as something that he once was – a rock and roller.
The birth of rock was a revolution. Everything about it was anti-establishment. It’s very existence threatened a rigid paradigm and turned social acceptability on its head. And then came punk. Now those fuckers were on to something.
Where is John Lydon when you need him? “God save the Queen. She ain’t no human being.” Or Joe Strummer belting out, “Know your rights. All three of them.” Or the God Fathers of punk The Who, “People try to put us down…” If you don’t know the rest of that song by heart then you best pick up your iPod and dial up that Cold Play song you know you have on repeat.
So with all due respect to the Chris Cornell’s and Eddie Vedder’s and Billy Corgan’s of the world why don’t you just all admit that you’re in it for the money now. At least then our dealings with you on iTunes can be honest. Because from my perspective the crap these guys churn out today is meant solely to sell records. I hear nothing of the rage against the machine that was once their enemy.
Now I lived through the rebirth of rock when Seattle gave a dying music genre the last shot of adrenaline it will ever have – save maybe Cage the Elephant. And don’t get me wrong I love Soundgarden and Pearl Jam and AIC and the Pumpkins but good God, when does it ever end? Am I going to have go watch Eddie Vedder wheel Chris Cornell onto the stage in a wheelchair? Hell maybe Mick Jagger will be in the wings on life support.
I want some new blood. I want some anger. All I know is with the exception of Matt Schultz growling out with the utmost sincerity, “Cause we’re comin’ to your town. And we’re going to burn that motherfucker down,” rock is dead. Anger gone. And all the Soundgarden and Pearl Jam revival albums in the world won’t resuscitate this gasping corpse.
No. What we need is a new crop of pissed off teenagers and twenty-somethings who finally realize that owning every new fucking iProduct and driving a leased BMW to their over-mortgaged house where they return to after a shitty day of work at a job that barely supports the purchase of the iProducts, the BMW lease, the mortgage, and the drowning student debt that weighs on them like a ball and chain for perpetuity – until that realization comes, until the anger returns, until some semi-talented musical misfits pick up their guitars and sing their fucking hearts out with all the anger and rebellion they can muster – then I guess I’ll have listen to Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder pretend to be what they used to be.
Call me a cynic. But I don’t think the youth of today knows how screwed they really are let alone how to express it through song. If they did, I’d have some new music to listen to.
Have a nice day.
Douch Teabag (Brett’s Dad)- I get your point, but I’m really glad they’re back. Have you heard of the Distillers? They’re probably the angriest thing I’ve heard in the last 10 years or so.
*Douche, whoops…
I understand all of your points Brett’s dad! A well-written piece that I somewhat agree with. But can I bring something to attention?
*note: I’m a huge fan of the grunge bands from the 90′s. They were my Year Zero*
Singing about the corruption of our Government, the seediness of our society, all of that anti-establishment talk was peddled to the masses for decades upon decades. And what happened? What did we truly accomplish? We made RATM into millionaires, the Who into a shitty halftime attraction, a shitload of horrible indie bands with bad 9/11 conspiracies a crop of emo and hardcore bands that soon realized that trading in the heartfelt lyrics for whiny lyrics will get them laid more. Megadeth decided to become a crazy republican band. The Foo’s started walking very odd scientific ground. Every artist finds it’s niche to support a president on the campaign trail and become overtly political.
Music, as great of an art form it is, is also a business and a means of supporting what can possibly become a lucrative lifestyle. Artist started out with lyrics like that. Angry words and sloppy power chords and guitar solos that went on for 16 bars+ and we ate it up…but then what happened? We smartened up. It’s all bullshit. Fans of music nowadays would much rather indulge in the fancy iPhone lifestyle, drive a nice care and own a big home. The reality of the world is, there’s no POINT in fighting the powers that be. We live in a first world country and have the freedoms to enjoy all this ‘senseless’ bullshit and can enjoy watching crappy reality television. Needless to say, we have unlimited entertainment. It’s what our grandparents and great grandparents fought for.
So when I turn on my iPod, I’m not going to relate, by choice or not, to angry white guys yelling about everything they don’t agree with under the sun. Especially when said angry white guys are leasing the nicest car or playing a fucking show for Apple employees for the newest release of the iPad or fundraising a political party. I’d much rather head people enjoying their freedoms and instead of bitching about the man coming down on me and branding me dirty, I hear about “niggas in paris” enjoying the high life, living life up and having a good time.
Say what you will about the grunge and alternative acts of the 90′s. They slew the hair metal, feel-good debauchery bands of the previous decade, only to implode on themselves and have that sort of music return with a vengance tenfold what Seatlle could ever produce. And it’s not just me who enjoys pulling back the curtains and appreciating the good, the silly, the ludicrous of life.
I agree with da douche. rock n roll is dead. Rap killed it. Until rap dies it aint never comingback. unless rock returns as a zombie and kills rap….oooh scary
Is that your mom Brett? Shes hot. hehe
Rock is far from dead, friends, it’s just not in the limelight anymore. Rock’s not in fashion anymore, so no one talks about it, and 90% of the grunge-era comebacks have been…lackluster, at best. Let’s face it, the best of them is Alice in Cains, and BGWtB is just ok.
There are plenty of amazing rock bands out there., Coheed and Cambria, 2:54, Muse, Trail of Dead, Metric, Blood Red Shoes, and my newest love, Dead Sara. Of course, none of them get any airplay, so you’ll likely never hear them on the radio, but if you’re willing to dig a little you can find great stuff. Not to mention all the 90′s bands who have had strong comebacks (Garbage, Toadies, Pumpkins, Ben Folds Five), the ones everyone forgot about but never went away (Local H, Sevendust, Travis, The Cardigans) and the ones who are still going strong (Foo, Green Day, Deftones).
Again, there’s lots of good stuff out there, you’ve just got to find it on your own, as opposed to being fed it, like we’re used to.
Oh, and after listening to King Animal multiple times over the last few days, all I can say is it wasn’t worth waiting 16 years for and actually makes me miss Audioslave.
@Genejacket – Muse is played on the radio pretty much nonstop…No idea where you live… Perhaps Narnia. They’ve become almost as big as Coldplay in that respect. They’ve become one of the mainstream’s fall back bands. Btw, Foo Fighters are on hiatus and won’t be doing anything new anytime soon, so…
My parents are divorced.
I think my Dad is right on the money about rock being dead, and there being a lack of good young rock bands out there/rock being dead. I just don’t see how older/veteran bands still being around affects that. Pearl Jam and Soundgarden thrived in the 90′s despite Page/Plant, The Rolling Stones, and The Eagles all being around. The problem is today we only have the veteran acts and not the vibrant young rock scene. I think the anger at Soundgarden types is misdirected, the anger should be directed at my generation.
Now whether my Dad likes any of the new music from these bands is up to his own opinion. While I don’t think Pearl Jam or Soundgarden’s most recent efforts are as good as their old material, there are songs on the albums that I love and to me it’s worth it for those for the bands to keep going for those songs. I think his judgement on any new material from these bands is clouded by being angry that there aren’t new good young bands and that Soundgarden/Pearl Jam aren’t the angry young men they used to be. Just because they’re older and more content though doesn’t mean they should go away in a cave somewhere and never create music/perform live again, I’m still interested in hearing what they have to create. It is what they do. The problem is that because there’s no young rock scene he’s placing the expectation on these older guys to do that and that if they are anything less than they used to be they should just go away, and I think that’s BS.
Are we basically saying Billy Corgan is right?
@Douche Teabag (Brett’s Dad)- well, people evolve, grow up. It’s quite normal that they don’t have youth revolt any more, so their songs can’t have that kind of anger.
No band has ever stayed the same…but, music is here. And the love we carry for all of them from our youth.
I don’t like they are supporting any politicians. That’s bullshit!
Rock and politcs were always on opposite sides, that’s how I can’t understand that. MOney?? Of course.
They are not young poor angry kids, they are serious musicians, exclusive rock stars (we made them like that)…things they are a changing!! For everyone.
I’m not angry depressed kid I used to be once, how can we expect them to be?
But I love them still…and their music!! When they are on the stage they give out!! And I go nuts. Still. Always will.
Peace!
…English is my second language, so I’m unable to express myself as good as you have, even I agree with you in many ways, but I also have understanding for that kind of development in those directions.
World is a changed place.
Actually what we need is a band of not angry 20 something’s who dont give a shit. We need a band of pissed off middle aged people who “didn’t make it” and our just super fucking mad. They’d probably have some great views of the world, problem is kids prob wouldn’t dig it cuz the whole “image” thing. Actually I have no fucking clue, just travel back in time and get the 70′s iggy pop. Problem solved
When I was a teenager my old man said modern rock music then was crap then as he put on his Eagles, Fleetwood Mac and Deep Purple records and I’d roll my eyes and blare Def Leppard’s Hysteria (you know you had it when you were young, come on, admit it). Granted, his teenage daughter was into Bon Jovi at the time! Poor bastard had to drive to me and a gaggle of giggling schoolgirls to and from the Slippery when Wet concert.
Here in Australia now people are salivating and getting all worked up that geriatric piece gristle, Ozzie Obourne and Black Sabbath are coming to town. I know a 21 year old who is all ecstatic about getting her pre sale tickets and I thought, does she know any other Sabbath song apart from Paranoid? Or maybe she just wants to see that crazy old man who had the reality show where he yelled at his spoilt kids and allowed his pet dogs to piss and shit on his fine Persian rug.
As for King Animal, I love it. It took me two listens through and maybe because I just haven’t heard a decent rock album for many years (and I look and really try to like some of the new stuff I’ve downloaded such as Aussie Beatles wanna bes Tame Impala (google them on youtube, you may like them or loathe them) and others. After a while I grow bored of them and go looking for the 90s indie stuff, but maybe because it also reminds me of my youth? I don’t know.
I like the new SG effort more than Down on the Upside. This year I saw both SG and Smashing Pumpkins in Australia and the Pumpkins were better live, even if Billy bored the shit out of us all with the first half of their concert by arrogantly assuming the entire crowd wanted to here his new album in its entirety which gave us a good excuse to duck out to the bar for a few quiet ones. However, also caught Chris Cornell’s solo tour at Sydney Opera House last year and that was more enjoyable than the SG and Pumpkins concert. Or maybe I’m getting old and prefer to sit down in a nice mature venue with fine acoustics for a change
Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoyed the different opinions
Again, Corgan was bitching , but he was right … How can you say this is not CASHING IN ? Smashing Pumpkins refused to let Levi’s jeans use the song today for one of their commercials…
Who are the sellouts ?
And this album is a joke , I totally agree with brett’s dad , where is the angst ?
I appreciate and sympathise with Mr Teabag’s desire for more new young blood in rock, and I’m sure Chris would do so too – in fact he’s said as much in several interviews. It would enliven the genre as a whole. It could only be a good thing.
However, that doesn’t mean that music being made by those who’ve survived over time is somehow invalidated simply because the musicians who made it are no longer young. Rock has often been about anger and aggression, yes. But that doesn’t have to be all it’s about. One of the standout tracks on ‘King Animal’, ‘Bones of Birds’, is about the terrors and agonies and vulnerabilities of parenthood, something I assume Mr Teabag will be able to remember and understand.
Condemning any kind of art to some kind of emotional ghetto where it can only express a limited range of things is not the way forward for anyone. You could say that there’s nothing more pathetic than old men trying to behave like young men, and I’d probably agree with you. But you don’t have to be young to be angry. Yes, some middle-aged men just go to sleep. Get fat and lazy. Rest on their laurels. But not all. In many ways, experience and maturity can make you even more angry with the world, as indeed we can see from Mr Teabag’s own post. The same is true for musicians, although that anger tends to express itself in other, perhaps deeper ways than it does in our teens. And their experience of life, the pain they’ve suffered and the crises they’ve survived can, if they let it, make their art even more profound.
As for generalisations like “why don’t you just all admit that you’re in it for the money now” – well, that might be true of some artists, I don’t know, However, I’ve watched Soundgarden reconvene, slowly, naturally, carefully, and their motivation has been very far from that. There have been no greedy cut-and-run grunge package tours or rush-released albums apeing their greatest hits. They haven’t pretended to be anything they’re not or made any rash promises about the future. The development has been genuinely creative, the art honest. If you like it, if you find it credible, buy it; if you don’t, move along. There’s plenty of other good music out there to discover. Genre isn’t everything, and rock isn’t the only kind of music that exists.
Clare O’Brien
This whole “they are in it for the money” argument is ridiculous. Every band covered on this site is in it for the money. If you choose to play music as your profession then you need to make money – simple as that. If one cared about making music only for the purpose of the love of the craft then they could easily do that without using it as a vehicle to pay the rent. Recording equipment is cheap. Write songs you want to hear and record them for yourself and your friends and leave it as that. Even if you have the need to perform, it’s very easy to get shows in your local town and be a weekend warrior. I’ve done it my whole life. All of these bands have a certain desire to “make it big” and they did. That does not lessen the quality of their music but to champion one band over another for not “selling out” is ridiculous.
To the point that rock is dead, that simply is not true at all. There is great music out there if you can bother yourself to find it. I mean, you’re on the freaking internet – use it. I’m glad most of the rock I listen to doesn’t get filtered through the main stream media. Look at what happened when grunge took off – the media turned it in to a watered-down joke within a couple of years. If you care about rock that much take the time to find the good bands that are making it.
Finally, I don’t want the bands I listen to trying to take on political and social issues. In reality, very few have the knowledge and scope to take it on accurately and effectively. At the end of the day these are mostly uneducated musicians. Their points of view on issues that affect the world mean nothing to me, and if you’re looking to them for political commentary you should probably not be allowed to vote.
completely agree with you Creative Grunge Referencecomp
Back to the corporate shoe release……thats a bit of a sellout, i think. That and EV’s having the most expensive concert tshirts and paying a broker $300 if you want to see SG’s new tour. Thanks for the music tho-love it. Maybe this gen x’er should start writing.
Rock does not equal anger.
King Animal is an unbelievable follow-up to Soundgarden’s legacy. They’ve never made the same album twice and with KA, they still haven’t. It is a musical progresssion and it exceeded my expectations.
Brett’s dad not dead
It’s not anger really – its passion for what you do that makes it sincere and compelling.
Excellent responses all. The irony of my commenting on the dire state of rock is that Brett and I are actually headed to see Soundgarden, one of my top three or four bands of all-time, on November 27 at a tiny venue in LA.
So there I will be. Watching Chris Cornell and crew belting out anthems old and new. I will soak up every second of it. I will revel in it. I will drive away with my son thinking as we roll south on the 405 – THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME!
The real meaning behind my diatribe is that I want for my son what I was able to experience more than once – a movement. My roots in rock date back to Zepplin, Hendrix, The Who, The Stones and grew into the likes of Aerosmith, Tom Petty, and too many great bands to list here. I witnessed the punk movement, new wave, grunge, all of it fresh and a reflection the raw energy lost in youth.
Today, I see a passionless parade of posers and wannabes. I understand that not every song is born from angst and anger. But a good movement is always rooted in rebellion. Today’s youth has so much to rebel against. And rebellion makes for awesome rock.
I want some rebellion dammit. I’m fifty years old but my musical mind is still eighteen. LONG LIVE GRUNGE REPORT! There is hope yet…
O my – no “cash grab” here at all… LOL, so what do all these Soundgarden fans think now that lit up the comments on yesterdays Billy/Cornell bs story?
I love Soundgarden and SP, but honestly just about everything sucks compared to what it was allowed to be in the 90′s… Creativity and the edge with music are gone, this generation is a bunch of pussies.
If mainstream media considers something good these days it usually means that it’s going suck – just like SP’s Oceania and Zeitgeist. Oceania is by 100 times the worst, most crappiest indy pop crap that SP has ever put out – and yet it’s praised and received as the best thing ever. And Zeitgeist? I think one of, if not the most underated albums of the 2000′s – it rocked in a very 2000′s (not 90′s) way, very new and fresh. So what happens? Media and mainstream hate it, now talking about “remixing” it and rereleasing… Shoot me now.
Why has everything been turned to indy pop pussy bullshit! Are you kids to scared to get angry or sad? Angst please!!!
Honestly I hope SP/Billy are putting out this Oceania bullshit just so they can capture the mainstream again, today’s 2000′s mainstream. That way they can actually release kick ass abrasive edgy rock with their next album, and still have some of today’s mainstream audience follow over.
Don’t even know what to say about Soundgarden…
…maybe they could make some different color shoes.
Well, I for one think they’re fantastic and definitely plan on getting a pair. I mean, Pearl Jam already had a Vans shoe, but these are way better.
Chandra Dawson, thank you for putting my thoughts into words
You complained last week about not being seen as a legitimate media source and how the website name gets you passed over etc. Having your dad publicly rip on every band you cover and saying the music you like and cover is shit and rock is dead isnt going to help you either. he might as well said your website is pointless because rock is dead. epic fail, nice job dad.
And also, when will these baby boomers get off their podiums and realize they are the core of most of our societal issues.
Get back on topic, people. this is about SHOES, not ROCK IS DEAD.
Here’s a thought – if you want angry Soundgarden, listen to Rusty Cage/Jesus Christ Pose. If you want interesting Soundgarden, listen to Bones of Birds, A Thousand Days Before, or Rowing. The old angry music is still there. This is an addition, not a subtraction.
Dad sounds like he lives in a fantasy world and Jr is the one who he is talking about.
Sneakers are cool. I am buying them and don’t give a shit who cares.
Please keep “Selling Out”
Rock is still strong Grunge is still around but things change. Death to this site will be soon with the trolls and the long nonsense by daddy.
Rock is not dead, people. It’s just hidden by all the plastic garbage.
And if you were a real Soundgarden fan, guarantee you WOULDN’T be complaining about King Animal.
Those Chuck’s are awesome, by the way.
@chris – amazing answer! that’s it!
I agree with chris, nice shoes as well, might get myself a pair…
@enough – Thank you for your kind response. First of all, I am not a baby boomer. I was born in ’62 so I missed that window. Second, scroll up a bit in this thread and read my clarification.
I certainly never said that any of the bands GrungeReport covers is shit. As a matter of fact, I went out of my way to say, “And don’t get me wrong I love Soundgarden and Pearl Jam and AIC and the Pumpkins but good God…”
The point of my comment was that Brett and I have fairly lengthy discussions about the state of rock. We lament over the lack of young talent.
I am a die-hard rock guy. Sure I listen to other genres – but when I put my headphones on to workout, or to charge into 20′ Hawaiian surf, Pearl Jam is blasting in my ear.
I get that the old guard of the 90′s Seattle movement is still the best rock around. What I would love to see is a new movement. That was the point of my comment. You guys and girls deserve your own era. You shouldn’t have to rely on 48 year old Chris Cornell to be the most relevant musician in your life. That’s all I was saying.
But I’m glad I touched a nerve…
Douche Teabag’s first comment is interesting. Anyways, My name is Reuben Solly and I’m 17, and I plain on starting the next great legendary band, I love many types of music (the awesome types and especially grunge)and REALLY dislike the artificial pop and boy band poser “rock” crap that’s all over the radio these days. I like to write my OWN songs, and one of them, let me tell you, Is going to be the next “Smells Like Teen Spirit” or “Back In Black” all over again. My band will probably be named, Quick Silver Burst. I’ll probably post a video of me playing it on YouTube some time in the future. The song is called, “Put Me In Jail”. There IS still hope for REAL rock music coming from a youth, and I am going to be proof!
Any questions?
fuck you
OMFG
Brett I hope you at least getting a pair of shoes for this Deal with the Devil
I understand what Brett’s dad means about wanting a rock revolution for the youth of today to be a part of. My mom is the same age as Chris Cornell, and the members of pretty much all of the bands I listen to are around that age. I do wish there was some kind of musical revolution that involved people of my age that had some kind of integrity like the Grunge movement had. I wonder what I am going to do when I am in my 40′s, I fear I won’t have any new good music to listen to once the artists of the 90′s stop making music. I have searched the internet for new, younger bands to listen to but I just haven’t found anything that I relate to like I do 90′s music. Newer bands just don’t seem to have any emotional integrity.
http://music.yahoo.com/blogs/stop-the-presses/soundgarden-chris-cornell-brad-pitt-unlikely-enduring-pals-041949575.html
Theres a story on Yahoo about Crhis Cornell and Brad Pitt being friends. Just thought i would link it
BTW the most recent comment under my name was posted by my Dad (who previously commented as Douche Teabag) who must have been logged into my account, just so people don’t get confused. We share the same name as well.
@Brett – My bad on posting under your name. Forgot I was logged in. I backed up the database this morning.
Oh yeah, for any of you who think my commentary is off base I have only this response.
Once awesome rock band licenses name to shoe company = rock is dead.
The prosecution rests…
new Soundgarden is really good.
new deftones is their best yet.
the new toadies and garbage albums are also good.
good bands from Across the pond:
Dinosaur Pile-Up
Band of Skulls
good US Bands:
Torche
Star & Dagger
Theirs good rock out there you just have to dig deep these days.
@Aaron – I will have a listen. Cheers.
Who knew Soundgarden’s website was having a layout change?
I’m an angry, old woman…..and have lived through the movements Douche Teabag has witnessed. It seems to me the younger generations aren’t angry because they have everything (huge generalisation, I know)… Hence, the grunge era is still my favorite era.
Alright, I’ll form a band and revive and change the musical landscape again.
Real rock never belonged to mainstream even though there were times when it was popular.There are many great angry alternative bands right now but you have to seek for them.
Proofs:
Russian Circles – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzYW1pY3hFA
Pallbearer – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8p6Rkax3mg
Ufomammut – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZROT8AjdbkE
There’s is more evidence.
Aside from the insightful upset over the current shitty teenage angst music scene, you’re upset because you think these bands are just trying to cash in on their brand name now; as if they weren’t before? I think you fooled yourself.
So because you were young and identified with them easily back then and for whatever reason don’t appreciate what motivates them now, you think they’re just trying to make a buck. And you’re going to give you hard earned money to see them?!?!?!?
While reading your rant, hooker with a penis popped into my head:
“All you know about me is what I’ve sold you,
Dumb fuck.
I sold out long before you ever heard my name.
I sold my soul to make a record,
Dip shit,
And you bought one.”
@Hooker with a penis – nice Tool reference…
Soundgarden shoes? Really? I have an idea. Why didn’t the SG marketing team just put one of those spiffy shoes on the album cover? Maybe Kim Kardashian can give them some product-launch advice next go around.
Come on people. Am I the only one who sees this for its absolute absurdity? I about fell out of my chair laughing when Brett put this article up.
That’s what got me so riled up.
Shoes? Give me a break. I love Soundgarden and all the other Seattle bands but we need some new blood. That’s all I’m saying…
sell out move.
@bradley, so was buying a record.
Sell out?? well I’m not sure, but those are some damn cool sneakers, maybe good for moshing
Part of the trouble is that angry people with guitars and basses have said just about everything that can be said.
Not only that, but the internet has made it so that anyone can access anything at any time and no one has to listen to the radio or watch TV anymore. Ergo we have no “movements” as we used to know them because there aren’t these enormous bases of people all listening to the same thing.
All genres have a finite shelf life, then they continue on as museums. It happened with classical music and jazz. Rock is pretty much there. Next up is hip hop. Ask most hip hop die-hards how they feel about the modern state of their music and they’ll sound a lot like us. Y’know, aside from that co-opted “street accent” they all have.
PS: Cage the Elephant fucking sucks. I was totally with you until that part.
@ Bretts Father
Youre right to an opinion is inalienable.
I also have the inalienable right to my own opinion.
In my opinion King Animal is the best rock album released since…I honestly dont remember the last time I heard anything this good. Im only 19, but Im majoring in Music at University of Fredonia, so dont say I dont know what Im talking about please.
Soundgarden have so many dynamics that I feel they ‘Outshine’ most modern rock competitors, so I dont know where you know of a better rock album.
You do make a point. Your opinion is indeed interesting…Im just asking for some rock albums released since 2000 that are better than King Animal.
King Animal estimated to sell around 70-75k copies in the first week…. not bad for a “boring” album as some of you say..
@Chandra Dawson – I love a woman with an opinion. But wouldn’t it be great to see a new movement come around?
The reason that bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden remain at the forefront of rock is that they are the last bastion of rebelliousness we have to hold onto. You can say what you want about their music of late being reflective of their more mature views of the world – and how bands grow musically and yadda yadda yadda. But the fact remains if those guys from Seattle didn’t rattle some cages when they were young we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
I just miss the energy. And listening to the same anthems over and over for 30 years is just tiresome. I was talking to Brett earlier today and reminiscing about going to punk shows at the Cuckoo’s Nest. You want to talk about sheer energy – watching Henry Rollins go ballistic onstage was something Eddie Vedder could only aspire too – but Eddie came damn close.
Most of the people who come to this site are too young to remember the first day Jeremy or Smells Like Teen Spirit blasted out over the airwaves of LA on KROQ. I do remember. And I remember thinking to myself, “Thank you God. Rock is not dead.”
You people are awesome for caring enough to share your thoughts and call me out on my bullshit.
Keep rockin’…
TO BRETT:
IS. THERE. AN. ALBUM. THAT. HAS. BEEN. RELEASED. IN. THE. LAST. TEN. YEARS. THAT. IS. BETTER. THAN. KING. ANIMAL?
I agree with most of what douche says. None of these grungebands are gonna save rock. New young rockbands is what rock needs. I think soundgarden fans, like any fan, cant handle critism about their favourite band no matter how true it is. Imagine 90′s soundgarden putting out shoes like this. lmao. Rock is dead people. Most shit nowadays is so fucking radio friendly and watered down grunge. and shit that isnt on radio has no balls. And no im not some guy that lived during the grunge era or anything. i was born in 91 grew up with korn, linkin park ,disturbed and all that shit. then got into grunge and classic rock and realised how shitty the music i listened too was. It seems so fucking phony. I mean look at avenged sevenfold. theyre one of the most popular bands right and theyre fucking fake as fuck.yeah theres goodmusic out there but most kids arent gonna go out of there way too look for it. Rock is dead, rock is dead,rock is fucking dead!
Mr. Douche Teabag (Brett’s father),
Sir, I just wanted to say that I really appreciate what you wrote. Very well stated!
Personally, as much as I love Soundgarden, I believe that when the hype dies down soon, and after everybody listens to King Animal a dozen times, most will realize that it simply isn’t that great of an album.
The SG boys are in fine form, and the grooves and riffs are killer, but it’s all very repetitive. Plus, the lyrics are ridiculously ambiguous and weird. What in God’s name is a “Non-State Actor”? What the heck is that about? I can’t believe people here are fawning over “Eyelid’s Mouth” and “Rowing”. Both of those songs SUCK!
The four great songs on the album are: “Bones of Birds,” “Blood On The Valley Floor,” “Been Away For Too Long,” and “Worse Dreams”.
“Halfway There” and “Taree” are okay. “By Crooked Steps” as an awful attempt to sound like Audioslave. Most of these songs lack meaning to me. Maybe if I was 17 again, but at 37, these guys have little to say (on THIS album).
All three Audioslave albums blow King Animal away by a mile (this from a guy who saw SG back in 92). “Carry On” is a masterpiece compared to KA. All the last three Pearl Jam albums are also way better.
King Animal is a good album, but it’s far from great or memorable. I’m happy Soundgarden’s back. I love these guys and their music. I bought KA and I will play the shit out of it. But that doesn’t mean I have to lie to myself and pretend KA is better than it really is.
Brett’s dad: I don’t care about anger and angst. That’s the realm of young people. Parents, like myself and the SG guys and I’m sure many on this board, view the world with a bit more perspective and are less judgmental. Young people rage against the “machine.” Older people are part of the machine and are more likely to rage against themselves and their own shortcomings. I just want to hear music I can relate to and that strikes a chord with my heart. Usually, that’s what I get from Mr. Cornell.
Chris and Soundgarden are still as good as ever, even if I’m not crazy about King Animal. Maybe they were trying too hard to “sound like Soundgarden” on this record. I love “Carry On” and “Audioslave” and “Euphoria Morning” much better than this though.
SuperSG: If you’re asking my opinion, do I think there are better albums in the last 10-12 years than King Animal? Yes, of course. King Animal is one of my favorite albums of 2012, but it’s not my favorite of the last 10 years. People would probably laugh if they heard what my favorite album of the last 10 years was. While I enjoy many songs on King Animal there are definitely albums I’ve enjoyed more in the last decade or so.
YUMM: I agree. While I enjoy many of the Grunge/90′s bands coming back obviously since I own this site (even though they’re not what they were when they were in their 20′s/30′s, but I appreciate them for what they are now) and think they’re better than most young bands today, they will not save rock. The only thing that can save rock is young bands, and it should carry on the tradition of all past rock/be the next chapter rather than trying to relive any particular era.
Ugh, yuck. Gross. Audioslave is so far from being better than King Animal, that’s flat out delusional. Other than that, some interesting reads in this thread.
@ SUICYO
Your opinion my bro.
SUICYCO – Great thoughts. On the ‘anger and angst’ thing. I’m basically saying that the biggest movements in rock were driven by the youthful expression of disillusionment. And while there should be enough disillusion to go around these days it is definitely not showing up in the music.
I guess I just want to see my son witness some of the great emotion that music brought for me when I was young. For him, listening to vintage Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, and Billy Pumpkins is the closest he can come. And it’s too bad. His generation needs a voice. Hey maybe Justin Beiber will get hooked heroin and write some really good shit.
SuperSG – The best album in the past ten years? You sound like my kid when he gushes over STP. But if you’re a hard core SG fan then from your perspective you’re correct. And I’m happy that SG delivered after 16 years. I can’t wait to see them on the 27th. I’m such a hypocrite.
Whats with all the talk about new awesome bands having to be young? I’d be happy if a new band full of 45 year olds came out and made awesome fucking music. Age isn’t the problem…
The problem is that these guys are all generally wealthy now and after being in the record industry system for over 20 years probably view it as more of a job than a passion. These guys are just jaded and the boring music shows.
Fuzz – You hit the nail on the head. Except for the 45 year old rocker thing. That’s a bit of a stretch – but I get the point.
Can we all just agree that Cage the Elephant blows?
Greg – No. We can’t. Because they don’t. Unless you want to blow them. Then knock yourself out.
Music goes through different stages, I don’t think rock is dead it’s just not in the mainstream anymore. There was a huge cultural shift in the early 2000s with the whole pop movement, reality tv, social media, itunes, etc.
If rock is dead why are they still playing the Beatles, Stones, and Doors music 40-50 years later? Sure, you could argue those are only classic rock stations so they have to play it. I think it is because rock has given us timeless music.
In 20, 30, 40, 50 years you won’t be hearing Britney Spears or Justin Bieber on the radio anymore. Their music isn’t timeless.
You won’t get angry songs from guys in their 40′s either, at this age a lot of them are settled down with kids. I do wish for angst fueled music again, it just might be in a different form. Calling angry youth in a band, where are you guys?
Wow. There is some great discussion of opinions on this thread. Good reading!
Wow so you call the new Soundgarden “pathetic” but you like Cage the Elephant. I think we’re done here.
And yes, they do blow. Or suck. Whichever oral sex euphemism floats your boat, they’re a suck band. SUCK.
All of you should check out this band from Canada called Wintersleep. They are amazing and even more amazing live. It’s incredible music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyfaZY3ImkI&feature=related
This may seem like a real naf move by soundgarden but, this is 2012 and Chris Cornell does wear converse so……
Greg – Don’t quote me out of context. I said their new Converse album was a “pathetic attempt to recapture their once relevant youths.” I love Soundgarden. The message behind my comment was that we need some new blood. I want for the younger generation what I had in my late teens and 20′s. There was passion in music back then. I can’t say the same now.
Many nights Brett and I talk about this very subject until I nod off to sleep. We constantly search for good new music but it is like finding a needle in a sea of mediocrity. Of course I enjoy a new SG album, or every PJ addition to their library. But it’s not the same as their youthful output. Nothing is I suppose. Art evolves. But it can become stale over time.
The whole Converse thing just set me off I suppose. I’m 50 years old. Cornell is 48 – as is that whole Grunge crew (thereabouts). The younger generation deserves their own movement. They shouldn’t have to cling to these aging rockers. Granted their early music is timeless. But so is Beethoven.
And with regard to the oral fixation – you started it…
Keep rockin’…
Everyone is entitled to their opinion and Brett’s dad is very good at articulating his. I don’t need Soundgarden to sound as young and angry as they used to, simply because 1) they are no longer the people they were in 1990, and 2) neither am I. I am not craving youthy angst at this stage, I am in my mid-thirties with a professional job. Like someone else said, there’s no need for me to rage against the machina, I am part of the machine and the machine ain’t all bad. Many of the problems can be fixed from within and I don’t need a 2012 version of the Sex Pistols to make me feel less alienated. I think King Animal still rocks harder and louder than 97% of what passes for music these days, and that’s really all I ask. Soundgarden is still a “smart” rock band, loud and heavy but also technical and nuanced. They still do the things I enjoyed back then, but I have no need to pretend that I am still 22 and in the throws of “hating da man”. Still love the old albums, including Screaming Life, but I still get a new kind of buzz from a song like Worse Dreams or Rowing. The music industry probably does need better rock bands, new bands I mean, but why do they have to reflect existential angst? I think people are craving what 1990 felt like because they haven’t moved on from that time. Move on! Soundgarden actually still sounds just as good from a more mature vantage point, or even better.
When you are young, you sometimes run in circles before you know where you are headed. Music should follow a natural progression in a band’s or musician’s life due to experience and evolvement. If you don’t like the album, there are some bands out there that will give you what you need in terms of anger and simplistic intensity or even degree of loudness. Personally for me, this album is intricately intelligent in every way.
BTW, I wouldn’t wear the thong. But I would carry a That Bitch Ain’t a Part of Me backpack.
Fine. Semantic games aside, you still put Cage the Elephant above Soundgarden’s new album. Which is your right. But it also totally ruined what I thought was a totally rockin’ speech. TOTALLY ROCKIN’. It would be like ripping on the new Alice in Chains put then propping up the Black Keys or something.
You keep rockin’ too, sorry for being a dick.
Unless I missed it, I noticed no one has mentioned the “PEARL JAM Vans” that Ten Club sold on their website…
EV is a clown!!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pearl-Jam-Black-Flannel-Vans-Classic-slipons-Size-7-5-9-0-US-/271098831008?pt=AU_MusicMemorabilia&hash=item3f1ebfe0a0
There are some really good bands out in the wild: violent soho,red fang, baroness…
The amount of behind-keyboard know-it-all comments just hit the roof and blasted trough the stratosphere.
But it is kinda sellout of them to do this…
Greg – All in good fun. I think it’s awesome when people are passionate about music. When I write I tend to go off a bit. I get my message across but I kind of go all over the place to get there.
Talk to you again… Have a good Thanksgiving. Think about Brett and I on the 27th – we’ll be at the SG LA show at a 1,000 seat venue.
You guys have a good Thanksgiving too! So glad you and your son put together this site, good to know us grunge monkeys aren’t alone!
@ SuperSG: Avenged Sevenfold: Nightmare (may get in crap for that one, not a fan of them, but that album was amazing), AIC: When Black Gives way To Blue (far superior to King animal), Tool: Lateraulus and 10,000 days, Metallica: Death Magnetic, Anything from Nine inch Nails, Anything from Godsmack, Puscifier: Conditions Of My Parole, Etc.. Etc.. In no specific order of course. King animal was a huge dissapointment for me, especially after all this talk about “saving music and bringing back grunge”. All I can think about was AIC’s last album, that was the epitamy of new grunge. AIC FTW
is this what you’re looking for?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsmaTq-T4zE
the reality is that rock music has gone the way of jazz before it, leaving various disparate underground strands in it’s wake. this is really actually quite healthy. what would be weird is if the kids wanted to be just like their parents.
i’m in my early 30s and variously identify as either x or y. that puts rock music as either the creation of my parents or the creation of my grandparents – and more accurately my grandparents. did you like what your grandparents created? please. don’t let roger daltry skew the importance of rock music in your mind.
you seem to be referencing occupy. the dominant forms of music listened to by those protesters would be political hip-hop, political punk/hardcore and political folk. there’s no deficit of angst, anger or criticism hidden in there.
…but, i suppose these things are strange and alien to you, right? it’s ok. i’m not really into it either.
if you’re curious about where the protest and art-rock side of rock music went after grunge then look up the following: post-rock (gybe!, silver mt. zion), math-rock (65 days of static), melodic hardcore (defeater, la dispute), noise-rock (lightning bolt), neo-prog (the mars volta). there are other scenes, but those are the most interesting. if you want the guitar solos? unfortunately, you’re mostly stuck with variations on 90s death metal. and, it is on this point and this point only that you are correct – post-grunge guitar music mostly sucks.
i’ll give you a shred of hope, though: things seem to be recombining, much as they did in the mid 60s and late 80s. we’re on the cusp of a generational change that will probably bring a lot of this stuff into the mainstream.
when it does, you might like it, if you give it a chance; just don’t be surprised when it doesn’t sound exactly the same as the music your generation produced.
this is another highlight from last year that old grunge people would fall all over:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33pi4-IWkng
other moderately successful acts to check out: joy formidable, ume, fucked up, night birds, boris.
the fact that people grow into better versions of themselves seems to be lost on drugged out individuals, i say this considering the fact that the 90′s hailed the birth and death of what would only be know as an era of whiny individuals. to all of you whom disagree, i care not, and to those whom see the validity of my statement, congratulations on having an above average I.Q. any person not expecting a change in a band that was completely gone (minus the outstanding solo music from Chris) are you still high from the mid 90′s binge?
this is supposed to be a joyous occasion to as well as the dawn of true artists taking back a broken industry. the radio is dying and it’s due to emo, screamo, and all that pop rock that kills (literally and metaphorically) the youth’s true form of rebellion (listening to the music that annoyed our parents to utter madness). we have grown and as have our favorite bands, either eccept it or stop listening, the choice is yours.
p.s. the distillers are no more and brody dalle is wed to the lead singer of queens of the stone age, she also has another band called spinnerette, she has grown too so get mad all you want.
p.p.s. music is and always has had plateaus and we haven’t yet risin’ from our last fall so be patient. something good is coming.
p.p.p.s. the 90′s gave us grunge and nu metal…
NU-METAL IS DEAD! Johnathan Davis has killed his creation and the only ones who could save it are still pissed off at you ignorant fools for calling them korn chamber. apologise NOW!
NIce
Im gonna buy a pair n get it signed by the team after the game
on second thought,
no
that would make me someone who owns two pairs of shoes
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