The Reason Why This Blog Exists:

Soundgarden. A "new" track hit the airwaves this week called "Black Rain" and it's one of those songs that makes you think about the level of heavy a band could actually get and/or attain to reach. I'd say that this is about the heaviest they ever got (along with "Cold Bitch", "Birth Ritual" and "Beyond The Wheel"). This massive "new" song was actually recorded in 1991 for the Badmotorfinger sessions and was left off the record for reasons I just can't wrap my tiny brain around. This shit is ridiculous.

Rumor has it that Chris Cornell layed down some overdubbed vocals on the track recently. If true, you can't tell at all, which is a testament to the rebirth of his scream...and not the album Scream, which neary cost him all of his fans (and rightly so).

I was lucky enough to see the reunion show in Seattle back in April and nearly shit myself at how amazing they were and how HEAVY they could still be. Another best-of retrospective hits stores on September 28th (w/Black Rain included), but I'm still holding out for the giant box o' goodies Kim Thayil has been hinting at for over 13 years.

This is a level of awesome that is truly hard to comprehend.
Beyond The Wheel" (Showbox, Seattle 4/16/10):

Fancy Friday

Well, here it is. Right before the car drove off the cliff. It's almost like a beautiful funeral. Enjoy and have the fanciest weekend possible.

Chris Cornell: "Billie Jean" (Live in Stockholm, 2007):

New Beck is Not So Good

Beck is good. I truly believe that. I love his most popular stuff and his most obscure, but every now and again, dude gets lost and makes some serious mistakes. I know the always-sparkly folks at Pitchfork and the oh-so trustworthy critics at Rolling Stone give anything he touches higher than high ratings, but I can't help but feel more than disappointed by Modern Guilt. Lead single "Gamma Ray" is a killer 60's throwback and "Volcano" is a beautifully droned-out LP closer, but what lies between is regurgitated Gnarls Barkley b-side beats and what Beck would probably not have used as B-Sides just 2-3 years ago.

Maybe I need to sit with the record more. Every time I say that, it doesn't help. Records that need to "grow" on you tend to um, suck. Eddie Van Halen said to listen to VH III at least seven times before it would sink in. I never made it past 1/3 of the LP. Who has that much time to waste?

I know this record will top many Top 2008 lists, but this will probably enter my Lest Good column. It's no Chris Cornell, but Beck doesn't have the ability to sink that low. This is merely a bump in the road. He'll be back with some new craziness that will make many an ass shake in no time. Funny though...I love his groovier stuff, but it's his introspective work that always wows me the most. For my money, Sea Change is his crowning achievement.

Peep this:

Testicular Tuesday!

So while every other blog on the face of this ill-fated planet is debating whether the two new officially leaked Metallica tracks are any good (they are kinda, sorta, maybe, who cares?), I got inspired by the fine fellows at MetalSucks.net to listen to some Chimaira and get me out of the current funk I'm in (thanks Chris Cornell, you sack fondler). There's a tangent I'll go off on tomorrow.

Chimaira is fucking awesome. Every record is better and better and they never forsake the hook and the riff, even managing to keep things together and ridiculously un-boring during 9+ minute songs. I'm partial to their 2005 self-titled release, but they proved their worth with last year's Resurrection, mostly by simultaneously telling Roadrunner to suck it, while signing on with indie powerhouse Ferret.

Chimaira is so good, they could tell you about hugging kittens and still make it sound brutal as fuck.

"Resurrection":
"Nothing Remains":

Beyond The Shit

As I've stated here many times in the past, I'm a huge Soundgarden fan. I love everything they ever did and respected them greatly for bowing out before they turned into something else. It saddens me to see Chris Cornell turn into such a puppet for Verizon, Timbaland, his wife...Whatever it is, it's fucking mindblowingly sad. What's left of his fanbase (all twelve of you, listen up) has blinders on and support the new material, but to me it's way more than just new songs. If Chris were to put out a record I dislike, I'd still support him. "Carry On" was horrible but I still went to the shows, rocked out and had a great time. However, this new "Scream" business is just pathetic and a sorry attempt to be cool again. Chris, you dipshit, you will always be cool to your fans...Just don't shit where you eat.

Fortunately for me, I can let this be what it is and hope it dies and he moves on into another direction. I'm not asking for Louder Than Love Part 2. I'm not asking for shit. I would think that someone of his talent would want to play BETTER music. Write BETTER music. Have BETTER fans (ie: the ones you're leaving in the dust). You're bored with rock? Cool. Make a 60's Soul record. Make a psych-blues record. Make an all acoustic record. Do what you were put on this planet to do.

To separate Chris Cornell and V-Cast Cornell, I simply act as if they're two entirely different artists.

Check this out. Chris, you were never indie (as you have stated in recent interviews). You were METAL. It's ok, it really is.

"Beyond The Wheel" 1991- The Spectrum, Philly (Get Ready, this shit is UNREAL!)

This Pretty Much Says It All

Leave it to Chris Cornell (or as some Italian ex-fans are calling him, Crisis Cornell) to be so delusional as to call the first single/joint/ringtone off his new as-yet-to-be released album "Long Gone". Shit, that says it all and more. Long gone are his lyrics, music, dignity, pride, album sales and fans. He has some fans left, but they're just as delusional as Cornell.

Come to find out that dude doesn't even write some of this trash on his new album, which is going to be called "My Life, My Ass: The Chris Cornell Experience" or something horrendous like that. He has the guys behind the last Britney Spears album on board. Oh, and CC said in a recent interview that this record is akin to...God help us all...Dark Side of the Moon. DARK SIDE OF THE FUCKING MOON, HE SAYS! The nerve of this brainwashed ball licker.

Fuck him. I'd rather listen to Nickelback. They suck a steaming pile of rat shit as well, but at least they play rock and stay loyal to their fans, but most importantly, themselves. This isn't Chris Cornell. This is a ringtone waiting to not be purchased. No 14 year old girl wants a 44 year old man's new club-banger as a ringtone. She wants Miley Cyrus.

Watch this and smoke something nice...(and RIP Natasha)...

I Don't Want To Talk About It

This guy used to be Chris Cornell. I think. What a douche bag. His new "songs" suck...Wait, that might be the understatement of the year. I will let this photo do the talking. I'm fucking done with this.

Go Tell Everybody

"Go Tell Somebody" was the working title of the brand new King's X record before it was changed to XV. These three Texans meant that shit. XV is not only their best record in 10 years, it might be their crossover record. Don't get me wrong, KX has been promised the brass ring so many times it's not even remotely funny anymore. From the hopeful MTV support of "It's Love" to the Headbangers Ball play of "Dogman" and on to their switch to be Metal Blade's #1 Priority in 1998, this band can't could never catch a break and ride that wave to mainstream success. Fortunately, their music took on different shapes and forms and made them the #1 band on the planet for musicians to be fans of. Just as Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell (not today, maybe seven years ago...Douche bag), Alice In Chains, Dream Theater, Iron Maiden, Porcupine Tree...Shall I go on?

I discovered King's X a bit late. It was 1996 and they had just released Ear Candy, still one of my favorites. i went back and discovered their earlier records but was really a fan of the Dogman and Tapehead LP's. So raw and detuned, yet so beautifully harmonic (three-part harmonies).

Without me going off about how many times I've seen them, following the band around the South in 1998 and 2000, and hanging out with the amazing Dug Pinnick, the bottom line is that King's X are what their new album ad says they are: "Rock Royalty".

The new LP is unbelievable good and fresh and sounds like a band that is hungry once more. Check out Ty, Jerry and Dug's solo and side project material (Poundhound, Supershine, The Mob, Platypus, Jughead, The Jelly Jam, Galactic Cowboys, and the forthcoming Montana w/Jeff and Mike of Pearl Jam) and go tell every motherfucker you know about XV!

"Dogman"
"Julia"

Chris Bore-nell

Dear Chris Cornell,

You bore me. You used to rock. Hell, you rock harder live now than ever before. However, your last record was novice bullshit at best and from the looks of what's to come in the future (I'm looking at you, post-fat current buffed on roids Timbaland), the forcast calls for a shitstorm of epic proportions.

Do you even remember how good you used to be? Matt Cameron seemed to noitce it and joined FUCKING PEARL JAM...And only a mere four months after the demise of Soundgarden. Now it took you two years, but you put out Euphoria Morning in 1999 and it is a gem, a brilliant downtrodden, Jack Daniels-soaked album. Seriously, a masterpiece. Then you formed Audioslave and put out three amazing LP's, each one standing alone from the other two. Then you threw us for a loop and quit while promoting Revelations somewhere in Sweden, where you performed songs from your entire history acoustically and got me so pumped for your second solo disc. Why did you do this to me? Do you not like me? You must not.

Carry On is horrible, Chris. I don't know what you decided not to drink/smoke/inhale/shoot up this time around, but you need that shit...and badly. How badly? Just listen to 10 seconds of "Poison Eye" or "You Know My Name" or view a clip of the ridiculous video for "No Such Thing" and you'll know the answer for yourself. In fact, I think you already know, as you played nearly no songs off Carry On on the debut tour for the album itself!

Listen, this third album collabo with Timbaland is quite possibly the worst idea in the history of the music industry, including such groundbreaking acts like Milli Vanilli, Right Said Fred and Limp Bizkit...Even worse than a possible Yanni/Cannibal Corpse Dance Remix EP. Consider what you did in Soundgarden and cut off the head before it's too late.

To get you motivated to do so, please view the clip below from your past and notice how good it is. Seriously, take notice. Ever wonder why Ben, Kim, Hiro and Matt don't call anymore? They are ashamed to know you.

Thanks Chris. Don't take this too hard. Just warm up to a bottle of Jack, a pack of Reds and write some good songs. I know you have it in you somewhere.

Never bother me again-
S&U

Like A Stone

(My accountant. Nah, just Stoney)

Yes, I love me some Audioslave and all that was Chris Cornell (up until Carry On, which is about as appealing as a turd on a hoagie roll), but this post is about Stone Gossard. Lots of talk about Mr. Gossard this evening over dinner with some friends and my lovely wife. Turns out, he rules.

Do yourself a big favor and dig through the bargain bins for Bayleaf, Stone's only solo album and a serious fucking gem. Every song on this beast is awesome, and not just regular awesome...Angelina Jolie circa 1998 awesome. I bought this thing twice. Once through Pearl Jam's Ten Club for an absurd price, then again thru CD Now for an even bat-shittier price...As a Japanese import with one bonus track, the well-worth-it "Can't Stop". Ranging from Neil Young worship ("Bayleaf"), to Queens of the Stone Age to-the-note rip-off ("Pigeon"), to R&B/funk heaven ("Cadillac"), this LP is truly a favorite in my vast collection. Ty from Green Apple Quickstep lends vocals to three tracks, which just mixes it up, not taking away from the beauty of the record.

It's a damn shame that this got as much love as a Brad record, which also sucks. One of my favorite albums and definitely the strongest side project/solo record in my collection. Just a brilliant glimpse into the world of Stone Gossard in 2001. Rumor is that a follow-up is on the horizon, as well as a completed new Brad LP called Best Friends, already in the can for two years with no release date. Oh, and a new Shawn Smith LP, The Diamond Hand, is due in March via Sound Vs. Silence Records. Cop that shit.

1993 with Brad "20th Century"...Ass-shakin' music

On The Storm...It's Time To Go

Sometimes I feel like a wanderer, nomad, vagabond, call me what you will...Ok, that's James Hetfield talking, but it's the truth. Moving out West in a few weeks and it seems perfectly fitting to quote the song that named this blog.

I love me some Soundgarden, especially ther last 4 albums. Louder Than Love, Badmotorfinger, Superunknown and my personal favorite, Down On The Upside are like Zeppelin 1-4, Sabbath 1-4, Wham! 1-4...Well maybe not the latter, but you get my drift. These are essentials among essentials.

If you don't like Soundgarden, I have absolutely no use for you. We all know what a shitfest Cornell has become lately, although his shows are amazing. Carry On will get my vote as the most disappointing release of 2007 (don't worry Linkin Park, I didn't forget about you...You have to have been good at one point to get this vote, so you're shit out of luck).

Here's the band in their prime, right before it all ended. Maybe Chris needs to watch this clip to get motivated to get a bottle of Jack, a pack of cigarettes and a new wife...This one sucks. Yoko is an understatement.

Boot Camp. Ridiculous:

Chris Cornell is a Beatles Fan

So much so that he has started to pattern his life after John Lennon.

See what I mean? he got his own Yoko Ono. Granted in the last one she's not with the band but still hovering around the table.

These photos are all from Meet and Greets with Chris Cornell and his band...and I guess his wife was under the impression it was a Meet and Greet with Chris Cornell and his wife. In recent weeks she has also taken to managing his schedule and tour, Her day job is a Publicist, guess she got bored.

I've seen this in person a few times, she owns him, he follows her around like a dog on a leash. Chris Cornell can't seem prevent the women in his life from running it. It just gets my goat because these people waited in line hours to meet their idol and get a picture with him and there she is, like a wart...who wants a picture with Cornell and his wife? (who incidentally claims to be 27. She's 27 like I'm Michael Jordan)

Perhaps she doesn't understand the magnitude of his fame or fan base, She's been reported as only having heard 'Black Hole Sun' before she met Chris. To me, it's just incredibly disrespectful to sit WITH the band at a meet and greet for fans. Chris is also happy these days, I'm sure falling in love and getting clean had everything to do with it, but man does his new music suck, his voice is phenomenal but the songs, oh man they suck. It's such a shame, I'm a huge fan of Soundgarden/Euphoria Morning/Audioslave but since he met this succubus the quality his work has been going downhill. He wrote so much better when he was on smack.

I'm not saying I want him to be a junkie again but a divorce might solve a few problems in his life right now.