USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

[MaizeRage]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I've always believed the theory that Pearl Jam was the Gen X Grateful Dead. Musically, they were just okay, but a great live band that cultivated a devoted following by selling the experience of going to their shows more than the actual music.

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I've always believed the theory that Pearl Jam was the Gen X Grateful Dead. Musically, they were just okay, but a great live band that cultivated a devoted following by selling the experience of going to their shows more than the actual music.

I could understand that viewpoint. I thought they were better than okay musically, but I also think that about the Dead.

Their live shows were always awesome. Changing sets from night to night, getting audience involved, really put on a show. And I tell ya, one of my fave memories was seeing Eddie play piano while a Neil Diamond impersonator sings "Forever In Blue Jeans," and Eddie declaring "This is the original grunge song!"

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I could understand that viewpoint. I thought they were better than okay musically, but I also think that about the Dead.

Their live shows were always awesome. Changing sets from night to night, getting audience involved, really put on a show. And I tell ya, one of my fave memories was seeing Eddie play piano while a Neil Diamond impersonator sings "Forever In Blue Jeans," and Eddie declaring "This is the original grunge song!"

That is funny, simply because "grunge" is such a horrible generalization of a term.

The original grunge song is probably Green River's "Swallow My Pride", or something in that 1986-ish realm. There are certainly Soundgarden, U-Men, and Melvins songs from that time period that also fit the sound. Hell, some people even say that King's X belong in the genre, and they get played on SiriusXM "Hair Nation", FFS.

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

And I always considered Soundgarden and PJ "hard rock." Nirvana was grunge, sure. Blurred lines between hard rock and punk. SG and PJ were nothing like that. They just came from the same area at the same time. *shrug*

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

And I always considered Soundgarden and PJ "hard rock." Nirvana was grunge, sure. Blurred lines between hard rock and punk. SG and PJ were nothing like that. They just came from the same area at the same time. *shrug*

Soundgarden was alt metal until Superunknown. Then, they were alt rock. Down on the Upside was mostly alt-pop. They had the most interesting progression over their original 1984-1996 run.

Nirvana were their own thing. I can't pigeonhole them into anything other than "alternative".

FWIW, I think Cornell is the best singer of his era, but not the best writer.

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Soundgarden was alt metal until Superunknown. Then, they were alt rock. Down on the Upside was mostly alt-pop.

Nirvana were their own thing. I can't pigeonhole them into anything other than "alternative".

FWIW, I think Cornell is the best singer of his era, but not the best writer.

Ooooooo, Cornell was awesome as a singer, but man, Eddie had a golden voice, too. And yes, I agree, Nirvana was just...can't really define them.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Ooooooo, Cornell was awesome as a singer, but man, Eddie had a golden voice, too. And yes, I agree, Nirvana was just...can't really define them.

Vedder couldn't hit the notes Cornell did in his prime. Cornell had 5 octaves back in the day, until he drank/smoked his way down to 3 or 4.

Best writer(s) of the era is/are subjective to topic. I think Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell wrote the best songs about substance abuse, but...duh.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Vedder couldn't hit the notes Cornell did in his prime. Cornell had 5 octaves back in the day, until he drank/smoked his way down to 3 or 4.

Best writer(s) of the era is/are subjective to topic. I think Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell wrote the best songs about substance abuse, but...duh.

I think of Vedder as the best writer from that era since there is a song for everyone as far as lyrics go.

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I think of Vedder as the best writer from that era since there is a song for everyone as far as lyrics go.

That era, or genre? I shall temporarily suspend my man card for a day, and say Alanis was a premo song-writer in that era, and I would consider top 5, if not 3.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

That era, or genre? I shall temporarily suspend my man card for a day, and say Alanis was a premo song-writer in that era, and I would consider top 5, if not 3.

I don't think that requires a suspension of a man-card. Jagged Little Pill is some angry music. She didn't sustain it the way Vedder has.

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I don't think that requires a suspension of a man-card. Jagged Little Pill is some angry music. She didn't sustain it the way Vedder has.

Oh she burned out, for sure. Same with Fiona. Fiona tore that up with her hit album. Great songs.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Oh she burned out, for sure. Same with Fiona. Fiona tore that up with her hit album. Great songs.

I didn't feel as strongly about the Fiona album as Alanis -- I have both, but I went through 2 copies of Alanis...

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I didn't feel as strongly about the Fiona album as Alanis -- I have both, but I went through 2 copies of Alanis...

Alanis was p*ssed. Fiona was mourning, brooding. Little different style, but kudos to both.

 

[bostonewe]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Alanis was p*ssed. Fiona was mourning, brooding. Little different style, but kudos to both.

Agreed.

 

[rufus]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

I've always believed the theory that Pearl Jam was the Gen X Grateful Dead. Musically, they were just okay, but a great live band that cultivated a devoted following by selling the experience of going to their shows more than the actual music.

Have you forgotten Phish? They're the Gen X Grateful Dead.

 

[The Rube]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Have you forgotten Phish? They're the Gen X Grateful Dead.

But Phish sucked.

 

[rufus]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

But Phish sucked.

So does the Dead.

 

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

That era, or genre? I shall temporarily suspend my man card for a day, and say Alanis was a premo song-writer in that era, and I would consider top 5, if not 3.

No need to suspend the man card. She was very good 20 years ago.

 

[Kepler]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

Cornell had 5 octaves back in the day

No way. That is Freddy Mercury territory.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: USCHO Music Thread 3: They Heard Me Singing

No way. That is Freddy Mercury territory.

There was a story read by the local morning radio show discussing who had the most versatile voice to appear at one of the arenas in Chicago(?). Their equipment said, of all people that had appeared there within the last 35/40 years, Axl Rose had the greatest range of any performer. The place had hosted vocal heavyweights over the years too, not just rock bands. They were talking about the lady power pop singers, Queen had been there as they talked about Freddy Mercury at length, and some other acts like Aretha Franklin. The recordings of Axl Rose, according to the guy selling his book, were from GnR's days at the top of Rock n Roll's kingdom, before he really let himself go.