Back in '92, myself, my girlfriend of the time (now my wife) and some friends, saw Soundgarden at the Town and Country Club (now the Forum) in London, on the "Bad Motor Finger" tour. It was just as they were about to break, the gig was sold out and it was a great night.
Chris Cornell became my hero, a real ROCK GOD, he had the looks, the voice and the band, here was someone I could aspire to, except I didn't have any of his attributes. I was never a musician, I was the listener searching for a talent that despite repeated attempts was never a musical talent. I couldn't sing, couldn't write a song and I have since found out that in my home town, I was a bit of a rock god but didn't know it. That is the story of my life...."I didn't know it"... all the various things that I could have done, been or gotten in to trouble for but didn't know it at the time. I guess that means that you miss some of lifes adventures but on a positive note it meant that I was never really an ego, I wasn't the "in crowd" I was just a known face and friend.
As the great listener, I was always picking up on new bands and Soundgarden were one of those bands, probably the only one that I still follow.
16 years since their last album, there are on the verge of releasing a new beast. I have pre-ordered it and because I did that, I was given access to a code that gave me dibs on tickets to see them tonight at Shepherds Bush Empire. There are certain gigs that become legendary for those in the know, Marilyn Manson at Reading in 2001, Iron Maiden at Donnington in '88 and smaller gigs like Iron Maiden performing as Charlotte and the Harlots in a school hall or Pearljam playing at the ULU on the "10" tour. This is a major band, fresh from headlining a festival, playing a tiny venue on the outskirts of London. It is minutely close to being legendary.
The pre-release was open for 2 days to those that had pre-ordered the album and then the tickets would go on general release. I called in first thing and got my 2 ticket allocation at a cost of £40 per ticket. I was expecting £20 but was reminded that that was the cost 20 years ago...the last time I saw them. The tickets were all gone by the close of play that day. I am taking one of the friends that came with me 20 years ago, it seems right and fitting as he also bought the pre-release album but lucked out on the tickets.
So I am in the midst of getting excited about Soundgarden all over again. I must be too old by now surely? The inner child still has those rebellious feelings but I am no longer sure what rebellious is, it became mainstream when I wasn't looking. It is funny how things change but remain the same. I am older, I can see that in the mirror but I am none the wiser. I still listen to the same old stuff but have bolstered it with the music of my Father and of his Father (The Andrews Sisters and the Chordettes have just made it on to my phone). Rather than going forward, my musical taste is in regression to the extent that I am uncertain about Soundgarden releasing a new album, after all, I am still listening to the older albums, why do we need a new one? It was then that it hit me, rebellion is moving backwards not forwards. Listening to easy listening or old time rock and roll is far more rebellious than listening to My Chemical Romance or Paramore. Rock is now mainstream and image wise it can't move anywhere that hasn't already been done so what's left? Let me tell you, Andy Williams and Ella Fitzgerald will be the new rebellion.
PS. Just heard the new Soundgarden album, god it's good to have them back!!
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