From: Automatic digest processor To: Recipients of SOMMS digests Subject: SOMMS Digest - 22 Sep 1999 to 23 Sep 1999 (#1999-14) Date: Thursday, September 23, 1999 2:05 AM There are 22 messages totalling 911 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. french 2. Chris at the Fillmore (3) 3. Soundgarden's Style (2) 4. EM and the Fillmore 5. An apology to Greg Upchurch (2) 6. free 7" 7. 11-12-96 auburn hills, MI sg boot 8. cornell.com e-mail add? 9. Philadelphia Onsale date announced. 10. Contemplating suicide... 11. WOS review of Fillmore show 12. Euphoria Morning Review 13. Short set 14. So sorry nyc... 15. Chris Cornell in L.A. night #1 16. An Okie review (3) To UNSUBSCRIBE from SOMMS, send email to LISTSERV@MITVMA.MIT.EDU with the following in the body of your message: SIGNOFF SOMMS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 10:55:05 +0200 From: Bart Subject: french Well... it's obviously a joke..... you bunghole ....=20 :) -----Ursprungligt meddelande----- Fr=E5n: Kenny Bungss Till: SOMMS@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Datum: den 20 september 1999 13:45 >Hey you guys........ > >just got my copy of the record.......The long awaited... >Thought I knew most of the stuff that was supposed to be on it..... >But I gor reallt chocked when I saw a bonustrack..... >It was "can4t change me" in FRENCH !!!! ha ha ha ha >The song is really slow and he4s singing i french...... >WHy ???!!! That my question !!!!!!! > >Take care and enjoy !! > > > > >I4M LOOKING CALIFORNIA, AND FEELING MINNESOTA > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 10:27:05 -0500 From: Greg Garfield Subject: Chris at the Fillmore This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0135_01BF04E5.04835140 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Okay, I'm back from S.F., and let me tell you GodDAMN, what a show! = Hooked up with my old buddy for pre-show sushi, sake and Sapporo in = Japantown. By the time we arrived at the Fillmore, they were already = letting the crowd in. Got briefly frisked and asked for my ID for a = drinking stamp. Apparently they don't see Texas driver's licenses too = much, 'cuz the guy looked a little suspicious, but I got the stamp = anyway. No seating on the floor, just an open standing room only. Went = upstairs to the balcony to get a first round. Upper balcony had great = seats and round tables overlooking the stage, all taken >:( Then we = heard the opening strains of something familiar, but I couldn't place it = in the first few seconds....then I got it. It was an instrumental intro = based on Like Suicide that then segued into Sunshower. It was epic. I = won't bore you with the whole show, only the highlights for me. Chris = was in ferocious singing form. In fact, I think it was his finest = singing performance I've ever had the honor of seeing live. The band = was great. Alain did a fabulous job on guitar, and Natasha was = captivating as well. The bassist was capable and the drumming was good = (not Matt, but I won't go there again). Loved every freaking song = except, I'm sorry to say...Like Suicide. I just thought the band = slaughtered the song. The arrangement was all messed up and convoluted, = and when Natasha played some freaky keyboard part in the first chorus, I = thought she fucked up and hit the wrong key. Until she played the exact = same thing again in the second chorus. I was just standing there shaking = my head. Of course, Chris belted the vox in finest form, and that was this rendition's only saving grace for me. = Seasons rocked. Mission was outstanding (and it has hitherto been my = least favorite on the album, but that opinion is changing). Chris = recognized one person in the crowd screaming "Moonchild!" And said, "I = heard someone over here ask for 'Moonchild.' I don't know how you could = have heard it yet, but here it is and I'm dedicating it to you." I guess = he didn't hear me and my friend screaming out other tunes from the album = like "FOLLOW MY WAAAAAYYYYYYY!!" but that's cool. Of course, we were = probably two of only a handful who were singing along and jumping up and = down with every song. People were looking at us like, *hunh?* How do you = know all these? hee hee. The show was epic. Loved Flutter Girl. They = took the drum machine out of it and just had drums all the way thru = which made it a little more raw. Follow My Way was AMAZING! So was Sweet Euphoria. And All Night Thing ROCKED. And Steel Rain was = the perfect capper. But DAMN that show was SHORT. Chris shook a bunch of = peoples' hands that were right up on the stage (My friend and I were = close, but not that close) and walked off. I was like "oh, no! That's = IT!?" And I had to think back over what the setlist was to make sure = they didn't gyp us out of some songs. They didn't. But DAMN I wish they = would have done Disappearing One and Wave Goodbye. Chris looked as = healthy and fit as ever. He didn't have the hair goop in, so I can = safely say whoever thought he was dyeing his hair black now is wrong. = It's the same brown as it always was. I think the 'wet look' just makes = it look darker. Chris seemed VERY gracious to all the fans there and the = support they showed for him and the band. It rocked. Then they left the = stage, the bar closed and we walked across the street to another bar and = got drunk. What a night. Wouldn't have traded it for all the tea in = Chinatown! That said, the "merchandise" SUCKED. Only one shirt, black, = with nothing on the back, and the only thing on the front? The 'lens = flare' thing from the CD cover and the words "Chris Cornell - Euphoria = Morning". I mean, not even his profile, like on the album cover! How = lame! I still had to get two. (I had a friend back home that really = wanted one) But I hope they come up with some better shirts for the = extended tour. The baseball cap sucked, too. *G ------=_NextPart_000_0135_01BF04E5.04835140 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Okay, I'm back from S.F., and let me tell you GodDAMN, what a show! = Hooked=20 up with my old buddy for pre-show sushi, sake and Sapporo in Japantown. = By the=20 time we arrived at the Fillmore, they were already letting the crowd = in. =20 Got briefly frisked and asked for my ID for a drinking stamp. Apparently = they=20 don't see Texas driver's licenses too much, 'cuz the guy looked a little = suspicious, but I got the stamp anyway. No seating on the floor, just an = open=20 standing room only. Went upstairs to the balcony to get a first round. = Upper=20 balcony had great seats and round tables overlooking the stage, all = taken=20 >:(  Then we heard the opening strains of something familiar, = but I=20 couldn't place it in the first few seconds....then I got it. It was an=20 instrumental intro based on Like Suicide that then segued into = Sunshower. It was=20 epic. I won't bore you with the whole show, only the highlights for = me. =20 Chris was in ferocious singing form. In fact, I think it was his finest = singing=20 performance I've ever had the honor of seeing live.  The band was = great.=20 Alain did a fabulous job on guitar, and Natasha was captivating as well. = The=20 bassist was capable and the drumming was good (not Matt, but I won't go = there=20 again). Loved every freaking song except, I'm sorry to say...Like = Suicide. I=20 just thought the band slaughtered the song. The arrangement was all = messed up=20 and convoluted, and when Natasha played some freaky keyboard part in the = first=20 chorus, I thought she fucked up and hit the wrong key. Until she played = the=20 exact same thing again in the second chorus. I was just standing there = shaking=20 my head. Of course, Chris belted the vox in
finest form, and that was = this=20 rendition's only saving grace for me. Seasons rocked. Mission was = outstanding=20 (and it has hitherto been my least favorite on the album, but that = opinion is=20 changing). Chris recognized one person in the crowd screaming=20 "Moonchild!" And said, "I heard someone over here ask for = 'Moonchild.' I don't know how you could have heard it yet, but here it = is and=20 I'm dedicating it to you." I guess he didn't hear me and my friend=20 screaming out other tunes from the album like "FOLLOW MY=20 WAAAAAYYYYYYY!!" but that's cool. Of course, we were probably two = of only a=20 handful who were singing along and jumping up and down with every song. = People=20 were looking at us like, *hunh?* How do you know all these? hee hee. The = show=20 was epic.  Loved Flutter Girl. They took the drum machine out of it = and=20 just had drums all the way thru which made it a little more raw. Follow = My Way=20 was AMAZING!
So was Sweet Euphoria. And All Night Thing ROCKED. And = Steel=20 Rain was the perfect capper. But DAMN that show was SHORT. Chris shook a = bunch=20 of peoples' hands that were right up on the stage (My friend and I were = close,=20 but not that close) and walked off. I was like "oh, no! That's = IT!?"=20 And I had to think back over what the setlist was to make sure they = didn't gyp=20 us out of some songs. They didn't. But DAMN I wish they would have done=20 Disappearing One and Wave Goodbye. Chris looked as healthy and fit as=20 ever.  He didn't have the hair goop in, so I can safely say whoever = thought=20 he was dyeing his hair black now is wrong. It's the same brown as it = always was.=20 I think the 'wet look' just makes it look darker. Chris seemed VERY = gracious to=20 all the fans there and the support they showed for him and the band. It = rocked.=20 Then they left the stage, the bar closed and we walked across the street = to=20 another bar and got drunk. What a night. Wouldn't have traded it for all = the tea=20 in Chinatown!  That said, the "merchandise" SUCKED. Only = one=20 shirt, black, with nothing on the back, and the only thing on the front? = The=20 'lens flare' thing from the CD cover and the words "Chris Cornell - = Euphoria Morning". I mean, not even his profile, like on the album = cover!=20 How lame!  I still had to get two. (I had a friend back home that = really=20 wanted one)  But I hope they come up with some better shirts for = the=20 extended tour. The baseball cap sucked, too. *G
------=_NextPart_000_0135_01BF04E5.04835140-- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 12:00:47 EDT From: Matt Hammons Subject: Re: Chris at the Fillmore In a message dated 9/22/99 8:25:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time, ggarfield@GARFIELDCO.COM writes: << Chris recognized one person in the crowd screaming "Moonchild!" And said, "I heard someone over here ask for 'Moonchild.' I don't know how you could have heard it yet, but here it is and I'm dedicating it to you." >> That would be our very own Original Pretty Noose herself :) We're so proud of her. Be Well, Matt ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 12:06:33 EDT From: Heather Scott Subject: Re: Chris at the Fillmore I'm surprised that none of the Bay Area SOMMSters have mentioned the limited edition commemorative poster that the Fillmore gives out after all shows. I know I'm framing mine! -Heather ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 15:36:10 -0400 From: Bill Herrington Subject: Soundgarden's Style A musician friend of mine once remarked on SG's style, saying it is based on feedback and drop-tuning. He has heard a fair amount of AIC, PJ, Nirvana, even some Melvins here and there, so he isn't ignorant of the Seattle style and all the pitfalls of labeling. I'm wondering what you all think of this claim. I wonder what you think made SG unique musically, that is, not because of precious pleasant associated memories (of which I have many). I wish I could've been at the DC show. Oh well. --- Bill Herrington billh@exit118.com http://theranch.exit118.com Good Stuff: http://slashdot.org/ http://www.google.com/ Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger Kyuss - Sky Valley Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 12:32:55 PDT From: Omar Pahati Subject: EM and the Fillmore My thoughts on the Fillmore show: Had a great time. I was blown away by his voice. So expressive it nearl= y brought me to tears. My favorites were Sunshower, Steel Rain. Seasons b= egged for an acoustic guitar, still liked it though. Like Suicide was disappoi= nting but he really nailed it. Fluttergirl really benefited from a more promin= ent drum part (drummer was really good too BTW). I hope Chris comes back to = the Fillmore. =2E..EM: My first 3 listens were a little bit disappointing. I feel like the songwriting is lackluster; not a whole lot of movement. But, its very emotionally powerful in terms of vocals and lyrics. I just think the arrangements can be too sparse. The songs don't breathe. And sometimes = with so little going on with the music Chris' voice sounds too prominent and o= ver the top. = But I get that this is some complex music that I'll need to listen to repeatedly to really understand and get into. And as an aside: none of = the guitar solos were remotely interesting to me. later, omar ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webm= ail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 14:51:44 -0500 From: Greg Garfield Subject: An apology to Greg Upchurch This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0230_01BF0509.FC960D40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I'm a real asshole sometimes. I owe Greg Upchurch an apology for making = a thoughtless and hurtful remark. The entire band did a kick ass job = Tuesday night, Greg Upchurch and Ric Markmann included. A while back I = traded e-mails with Greg, and he was very friendly and shared kind words = for a me, a fellow southern drummer. Well, Greg did a great job (a = better job than I would have, I'm sure!) He really nailed that fill with = balls in 'Mission' that leads into the first "I have nothing but = then..." I was air drumming with him. I don't know why I said such a = thoughtless thing. No, Greg's not Matt, but then Matt's not Greg. Greg's = obviously got his own style, and that's truly cool. I guess I'm just a = little territorial still and finding it hard to let go of the fact that = other drummers can do a great job in that throne playing for Chris. = Actually in all truth I'm probably just DAMN jealous, 'cause I would = KILL for that job. Chris obviously felt great having Greg back him at = that show. Greg's playing on 'When I'm Down' is very graceful and = masterful with strategically placed accents hit with conviction. He's = got a great sense of dynamics. I'm sorry he came in a little late in the = recording process not to get a few more songs! All the drummers on the = album did a great job. At any rate, I haven't heard enough of Greg's = playing to make a judgment anyway, so I should just shut the f%@##k up = unless I've got something nice to say, right? (*hangs head in shame*) = Greg, I'm sorry. You don't have to fill any shoes. Just keep wearing = your own, and you've got a long, fruitful career ahead. I wish you all = the best. You guys are the best around. Hope I have the opportunity to = meet ALL of you someday. I'd fly cross country anytime to see you play = again. But try to add DALLAS to the tour dates, will ya? Twist some = arms! *G ------=_NextPart_000_0230_01BF0509.FC960D40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I'm a real asshole sometimes. I owe Greg Upchurch an apology for = making a=20 thoughtless and hurtful remark. The entire band did a kick ass job = Tuesday=20 night, Greg Upchurch and Ric Markmann included. A while back I traded = e-mails=20 with Greg, and he was very friendly and shared kind words for a me, a = fellow=20 southern drummer. Well, Greg did a great job (a better job than I would = have,=20 I'm sure!) He really nailed that fill with balls in 'Mission' that leads = into=20 the first "I have nothing but then..." I was air drumming with = him. I=20 don't know why I said such a thoughtless thing. No, Greg's not Matt, but = then=20 Matt's not Greg. Greg's obviously got his own style, and that's truly = cool. I=20 guess I'm just a little territorial still and finding it hard to let go = of the=20 fact that other drummers can do a great job in that throne playing for = Chris.=20 Actually in all truth I'm probably just DAMN jealous, 'cause I would = KILL for=20 that job. Chris obviously felt great having Greg back him at that show. = Greg's=20 playing on 'When I'm Down' is very graceful and masterful with = strategically=20 placed accents hit with conviction. He's got a great sense of dynamics. = I'm=20 sorry he came in a little late in the recording process not to get a few = more=20 songs! All the drummers on the album did a great job. At any rate, I = haven't=20 heard enough of Greg's playing to make a judgment anyway, so I should = just shut=20 the f%@##k up unless I've got something nice to say, right? (*hangs head = in=20 shame*) Greg, I'm sorry. You don't have to fill any shoes. Just keep = wearing=20 your own, and you've got a long, fruitful career ahead. I wish you all = the best.=20 You guys are the best around. Hope I have the opportunity to meet ALL of = you=20 someday. I'd fly cross country anytime to see you play again. But try to = add=20 DALLAS to the tour dates, will ya? Twist some arms! = *G
------=_NextPart_000_0230_01BF0509.FC960D40-- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 15:04:48 -0500 From: Amy Subject: Re: free 7" Amber wrote: > has anyone else looked at the official chris site and seen the free > limited 7" offer? ok, what the hell is that? anyone have an idea? i'm > nowhere near any of the cities it's being sold in so i'm shit out of > luck.... There is a green Fluttergirl (the old -GOOD- version) / Sunshower 7". If you're willing to pay for it, it's all over ebay. Amy ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 15:53:03 EDT From: Mike Gallagher Subject: Re: An apology to Greg Upchurch I thought Greg Upchurch was one of the highlights of the NYC show. I found myself several times blocking out Alain, Natascha and Ric and focussing solely on Chris and Greg. I thought he rocked. I couldn't stand the rest of them, but Greg definitely left an impression on me without a doubt. --Mike-- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 16:43:34 EDT From: Charlie Mccutcheon Subject: 11-12-96 auburn hills, MI sg boot *huff* it's been a while since i asked this, but here goes: DOES ANYBODY HAVE A BOOTLEG VIDEO (or audio tape, at this point) OF THE SOUNDGARDEN PERFORMANCE OF 11-12-96 @ THE PALACE OF AUBURN HILLS? PLEEASE!! *cue violins* some guy, who shall remain anonymas (*ahem* gaston de la vega*ahem*) said he had it, and after much cajoling, he finally agreed to dubbing me a copy and gave me his addy. i sent a blank cassette and the fucker hasn't replied to any of my subsequent e-mails. so if anyone knows where i can score a copy of my holy grail, PLEASE tell me!! thanks, charlie p.s. my next post will contain my views on the soundgarden "sound". honest! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 06:34:02 +0800 From: Raven Nation Subject: cornell.com e-mail add? hej, i got an e-mail from chriscornell.com[artist direct] about the free cd rom that comes free with *euphira morning*, i'm sure most of you did too. i e-mailed them via the e-mail add that came with the above e-mail but my e-mail bounced. what's up with that? i was trying to inquire about this free cd rom stuff, if it will be offered outside the United States or not. i hope somebody in here can give me an answer or a way to get an answer, thanks. please e-mail me directly. - rvn http://noone.tsx.org ' my eyes roll back into my head so i can see my mind the wounds i've got will heal you see.... but the scars just swell with time ' --- wolfgang[*left alone*] ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 19:01:35 EDT From: Niki Freer Subject: Philadelphia Onsale date announced. PSA numero dos. Chris Cornell & band Tower Theater, November 17, 1999 Internet Onsale: Friday, Sep 24 1999 , 10:00AM can you feel my blood boiling, seeing my hometown go on-sale, where i saw SG in 96, and me here in Atlanta GA? grumble!!! expletives galore. keep checking Ticketmaster, folks. they seem to be adding an on-sale date every day. -mindriot ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 19:28:59 -0400 From: Jamesetta Simpson Subject: Contemplating suicide... "I haven't had time to contemplate suicide yet today, but there's a break after this interview". So starts the Q&A on Chris in the College '99 issue of Rolling Stone (Trent Reznor on cover). It's not a bad short piece. Suggest you read it or better yet surf over to Deb's Rust Cage in a day or so and read it there. Deb, if you don't have it yet, let me know and I'll type it for you. Jamie (SOMMs Mom) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 16:15:10 PDT From: Omar Pahati Subject: WOS review of Fillmore show http://wallofsound.go.com/news/stories/chriscornell092199.html later, omar ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webm= ail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 19:22:50 EDT From: Josh Lewis Subject: Euphoria Morning Review All I have to say is "The Soundgarden family, brothers forever" Chris Cornell ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 16:57:36 PDT From: Omar Pahati Subject: Short set On this warm up tour Chris has been playing a short set of about 75 mins.= On the full length tour I would suspect that he would want to lengthen that = a bit at least to 90 minutes, hopefully more. What do you think he'll play? Perhaps more importantly, what would you w= ant him to play? Along with new songs that may have been written since EM's completion I w= ould expect more TOTD at least. Other songs that I would want him to play wit= h his new band (and believe that they could pull off): Mind Riot, Bootcamp, Overfloater. And maybe a cover song or 2. = We'll have to wait and see. later, omar ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webm= ail.netscape.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 18:39:58 EDT From: Nadezhda Ball Subject: So sorry nyc... Sorry NYC SOMMIES... Ok, so ticketmaster sux. But that was the 11/14 info that I got, straight from the horses mouth... Anyway. Whatever that thing was about Tower CD-Rs, we do have 'em down here. Free with a purchase of EM or if you happen to see a lil SOMMSter hedgehog roaming around, and you already have the album, and just want the CD-R you can just ask her for it, and be sure to mention somms . It's just a lil interview with our buddy chris... And I'm really sorry about the ticketmaster screw up. That's just what the goddamn stoopid ticketmaster machine said. and happy belated, my favorite sg bad boy! well... bye... da queen uda hedgehogz bows in shame... dezh. "of this isn't makin sense, it doesn't make it lies." "the truth don't look that good on me." ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 23 Sep 1999 10:48:54 +1000 From: Mansel Ismay Subject: Re: Soundgarden's Style That wo uld be probably an accurate description of the early days... but Post-LTL I'd have to say that their style changed dramatically.. yes, they still had alot of dropped tuning & feedback but it was more organised... Nirvana were based on feedback more though, because Kurt was like a feedback Jedi master. Several things made SG unique...they helped pioneer the early sound (grunge), their sound is very trademark, for an example of this, listen to any Pearl Jam song, then go listen to Toy Box. Anyway I'm not going to go into all the other reasons... -Mansel -----Original Message----- From: Bill Herrington To: SOMMS@MITVMA.MIT.EDU Date: Thursday, September 23, 1999 5:27 AM Subject: Soundgarden's Style >A musician friend of mine once remarked on SG's style, saying it is based >on feedback and drop-tuning. He has heard a fair amount of AIC, PJ, Nirvana, >even some Melvins here and there, so he isn't ignorant of the Seattle style >and all the pitfalls of labeling. > >I'm wondering what you all think of this claim. I wonder what you think >made SG unique musically, that is, not because of precious pleasant >associated memories (of which I have many). > >I wish I could've been at the DC show. Oh well. > >--- >Bill Herrington >billh@exit118.com >http://theranch.exit118.com > >Good Stuff: > http://slashdot.org/ > http://www.google.com/ > Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger > Kyuss - Sky Valley > Cannonball Adderley - Somethin' Else ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 19:29:34 EDT From: Sarah Bucolic Subject: Chris Cornell in L.A. night #1 Hey SOMMSters. I went to the Chris Cornell concert last night. The concert itself rocked. I was dissappointed that he didn't play Wave Goodbye because it's one of my favorite songs off of EM. The concert lasted about 90 mins. I noticed that Alain and Chris were wearing the same pants. Natasha was awesome. I met Susan Silver afterwards. She's really pretty and nice. I also met Gwen, Tony, and Adrian from No Doubt. Darryl Hannah and Robert Redford were also there. They were all going to Chris' record company after-party. After the Henry Fonda Theatre was cleared out we went to the back to see if we could meet Chris Cornell. Well no such luck. He just got in his limo with Susan and drove off with all the windows up. I understand if he was in a hurry and he couldn't sign autographs, but atleast wave to your fans Chris. Don't completely ignore them. I didn't think that was very nice. Don't get me wrong, I still love Chris and his music to death, but I was disappointed after that. Maybe I'll have better luck tonite when I go to night #2. Well there's my review. The concert itself was awesome. Take care and rock on!!! Sarah ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 20:11:41 -0500 From: Candy Haun Subject: An Okie review I never post BUTT I couldn=92t resist =93sharing=94 this review. Candy The following review was in The Daily O=92Collegian (Oklahoma State University) on September 16, 1999. Chris Cornell - Euphoria Morning (three stars out of five) review by: Cary Aspinwall email: aspinwa@okstate.edu likes: macho men =93Who=92s Afraid of Mr. Sensitive?=94 For me, this CD wasn=92t so much a question of =93Can Chris Cornell pull = of a solo effort?=94 It was more like, =93Is it possible to like a CD without liking the musician?=94 You remember Soundgarden, right? They had a hit about 1994 with =93Black Hole Sun.=94 Yeah, you remember. Well, forget that. It was never the band=92s best song, and they broke up in 1997. And now, former frontman/guitarist Chris Cornell has his own little solo album, =93Sweet Euphoria.=94 Now, I have never liked Chris Cornell, but his first post-Soundgarden solo effort is a nice piece of work - if only somewhat puzzling. How did Cornell progress from the hard-rock, nasty attitude of =93Badmotorfinger=94 in 1991, to this whiny, overly sensitive ballad frea= k I heard on =93Sweet Euphoria?=94 My guess: =93Sensitivity=94 training=97that, or he somehow got in touch = with his feminine side. Need evidence? Back in the glory days of grunge (ah, Seattle...), Chris and the boys put out some tough, edgy stuff=97songs like =93Rusty Cage=94= and =93Mind Riot.=94 Well, the songs on Cornell=92s latest album are titled t= hings like =93Flutter Girl,=94 and =93Moonchild.=94 He=92s even got a new =93Mr. Sensitive Ponytail Guy=94 haircut. I don=92t know if he=92s been hanging out with the Dali Lama or if he=92s started worshiping at the altar of L. Ron Hubbard, but he seems to have found his spiritual side. Well, good for him. Not that it=92s not an amusing progression. It=92s not like =93Badmotorfinger=94 was any sort of untouchable masterpi= ece, but this album sort of made me long for the days when Soundgarden was such a bad-ass band they made Billy Corgan cry like a baby during an interview with Spin magazine. I just don=92t think I ever had any interest in seeing Cornell=92s softer side. He was already pretentious enough without it. He just always seemed to be the kind of person who would insist that he had a right to be depressed, because he was so much =93deeper=94 than everyone else. For example, take the CD cover art. The back features a picture of him on a lonely, wrought-iron bed, looking pensive and mournful with a black cat. (Oooh, deep.) I just get the feeling that he pities himself=97and I can=92t help but wonder, when you=92re as wealthy and successful as he is, can=92t you jus= t suck it up? I mean, come on=97there are worse problems in the world. I doubt this guy does much charity work. My favorite has to be the press release that came with the CD. In it, he talks about the track =93Wave Goodbye,=94 which he wrote about the late singer Jeff Buckley. Lyrically, it=92s one of the most straightforward songs I=92ve ever written,=94 he said. Yeah, like =93Spoonman=94 was so obtuse. But seriously, this CD is probably Cornell at his musical and lyrical best. I especially enjoyed the first track, =93Can=92t Change Me,=94 whic= h is all over the radio right now. =93Follow My Way=94 and =93Sweet Euphoria=94= (the title track) are pretty good, too. The album is honest, soulful and somewhat entertaining. I would say it=92= s better for a long car trip than a party, just because it would make everyone at the party really depressed. Those who are looking for the catchiness of 1996=92s =93Superunknown=94 a= lbum will probably be disappointed. But for those who have always enjoyed the rough edges of Soundgarden=92s music, it might be fun to see how one of Seattle=92s =93good young boy=94 network has grown up. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 20:15:24 -0500 From: Princess of Power Subject: Re: An Okie review >Those who are looking for the catchiness of 1996=92s >=93Superunknown=94 album >will probably be disappointed. 1996's Superunknown eh? this guys really knows what he's talking about.... ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 22:05:14 EDT From: Niki Freer Subject: Re: An Okie review Candy writes: > The following review was in The Daily O=92Collegian (Oklahoma State > University) on September 16, 1999. ya know, outside of the goofy errors of titling the album wrong [why in hell=20 does every reviewer anymore think it's named Sweet Euphoria?] and claiming=20 1996 was the year of SU.... an incredibly amusing and entertaining review.=20 thank you for posting this!! quote of the week: "Yeah, like 'Spoonman' was so obtuse." mindriot ------------------------------ End of SOMMS Digest - 22 Sep 1999 to 23 Sep 1999 (#1999-14) ***********************************************************