Thayil Spin interview, for posterity
LOLs from this still as fresh as the day they were printed...
A couple of days and a harrowing plane flight later, the band makes it to a resort town called Surfer's Paradise, which is more or less the Miami Beach of Australia, a skinny coastal town about an hour south of Brisbane, pounded by waves and plagued with jellyfish, crowded with high-rise hotels popular with JApanese honeymooners. Surfer's Paradise is the jumping-off point for the Big Day Out tour, a sort of Australian Lollapalooza that Soundgarden will headline this year. In the lobby bar of one of the tallest hotels, Cornell and Thayil are settling back with a couple of beers when Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins wanders through, and decides to join them for a strawberry margarita. Corgan chatters about the pain of his life, the supposed incompetence of his band (everybody rolls their eyes), the lifesaving virtues of Jungian therapy, bands that suck. Cornell gets up to leave. Corgan tells Thayil how important Soundgarden used to be to him, and he baits him by saying that the Pumpkins sometimes do a cover of Soundgarden's "Outshined" that segues into a Depeche Mode song or something.
"I'm thinking of making my next album really new wave," Corgan says, "like '83-'84 new wave, not like Berlin. I spend all my time doing things that may be a bit tangential, but I think I'm going to go back to the core, the heart music. Echo and the Bunnymen."
This is standard stuff to anybody who has read even a single Billy Corgan profile, the basic curriculum of Pumpkins 101. But Thayil isn't buying. He's sore.
"Don't you see," Thayil says, "you're this incredibly talented guy. People like your music. You have a good band. You sell a lot of records. You don't need all this...stuff."
"What sign are you?" Corgan asks.
"What do you mean, what sign am I?" Thayil says. "What difference could that possibly make?"
"C'mon," wheedles Corgan, "when is your birthday?"
"All right, goddamn it: September 4th."
"Aha!" Corgan says. "A Virgo. You're argumentative."
"Damn right, I'm argumentative," Thayil says, and takes a long, angry pulll at his beer, "which you should know because I've been arguing with you for half an hour, not because of any sign."
"I'm a Pisces," Corgan replies. "We pick up on those things."
A minute later, Corgan, still probing, finally finds the key to Thayil's heart: "I hate how in magazine pictures, they always stick me somewhere in the back."
Thayil explodes: "What do you mean? You write all the songs, and you do all the interviews. You play the instruments on the album. You control the band to the extent that most people think of Smashing Pumpkins as the Billy Corgan Experience, and all you care about is some photograph?"
"But I hate it," Corgan says, "it means they don't think I'm the cute one."
"Ooh," Thayil says a little too loudly as Corgan walks away, "I'll bet he's going to call his therapist in Chicago, wake her up at four in the morning, and tell her about that big, mean bear who made fun of him."
The next day at the Big Day Out festival, Thayil is talking to Kim and Kelley Deal in the Breeders' dressing room when Corgan walks past wearing a long-sleeved Superman T-shirt like the one your four-year-old nephew probably owns.
"You hurt me deeply," Corgan says, touching the giant S on his chest and pouting. "You hurt me deeply in my heart." The Pumpkins go on to play the best set anybody has ever heard them play, their usual passiveness and precision overlaid with an unfamiliar scrim of anger that throws their music into brilliant relief.
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:49 (twelve years ago) link
oops here's the link to the full article too
http://web.stargate.net/soundgarden/articles/spin_4-94.shtml
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:50 (twelve years ago) link
wkiw Thayil
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:51 (twelve years ago) link
man 90s indie rock/punk major label debuts would be a motherfucker of a poll.
― jesus christ (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:53 (twelve years ago) link
oh my god that's amazing
makes me want to get into Soundgarden tbh
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:53 (twelve years ago) link
Am 85% sure I could post a scan of that. PS, anybody wanna buy a bunch of old SPINs?
― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:54 (twelve years ago) link
Not sure how well Brutal Youth sold, but I do remember hearing "13 Steps Lead Down" on the local "alternative" station and it was actually the song that first got me interested in Costello (I was 14).
Still think All This Useless Beauty is one of the most underrated records in his catalogue and it gets my vote easily, though it might be worth mentioning that I've always had significant trouble giving a shit about Weezer.
― Look at how funky he is! (jer.fairall), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:54 (twelve years ago) link
dan i kinda cant believe you're NOT into soundgarden
― jesus christ (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:55 (twelve years ago) link
ok, Kim Thayil, all is forgiven (except everything I've heard from the Soundgarden reunion)
― instant coffee happening between us (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:56 (twelve years ago) link
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRQGWMHy4_gTA3lpIUmLZFWhT-YwjraukTQFgoZzHcLDgFW1LO9l9A7XAWm
xxp: I do like "Black Hole Sun" but that's really the only thing by them I know (besides "Spoonman", lol)
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 4 May 2012 15:57 (twelve years ago) link
Jealous of you Dan --- you got some fun ahead if you're gonna give into Soundgarden.
Their reunion show last year sent me diving back into Superunknown, which I thought I didn't like...turns out I was RONGLike a Suicide, Day I Tried To Live, Head Down...holy shit
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:00 (twelve years ago) link
Black Hole Sun is still the worst thoughgod I hate it
Soundgarden's heyday was right when I was at the peak of my raverraver listening, where the only things I listened to that weren't in the 140+ BMP range were Cure, TKK and NIN albums
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:02 (twelve years ago) link
This may have been the greatest year in the history of music.― Jeff, Friday, May 4, 2012 4:34 AM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalinkwhen i started looking back at '96 and eventually getting the idea for this thread, i started out going "wow, 1996 has the highest concentration of albums i like of any year ever," but then i realized i didn't really love many of those albums, and not nearly as many as for '95 or '94― some dude, Friday, May 4, 2012 6:13 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― Jeff, Friday, May 4, 2012 4:34 AM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
when i started looking back at '96 and eventually getting the idea for this thread, i started out going "wow, 1996 has the highest concentration of albums i like of any year ever," but then i realized i didn't really love many of those albums, and not nearly as many as for '95 or '94
― some dude, Friday, May 4, 2012 6:13 AM (2 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
96 was a great year. there's even a thread about it. (that links to a list of fifty-some albums from '96 that i love, thread in general = defend 1996.)
the idea that it might have been a bad year is bizarre to me. a year of declining fortunes for major label "alternative rock", maybe, but that's something for marketing execs to worry about.
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:08 (twelve years ago) link
Much as it pains me to admit it, I love this thread idea because it solidifies the context for one of the greatest singles of the 1990s: Local H's "All the Kids are Right."
Never heard of St. Johnny until today. Not bad. Kotton kandy Sonic Youth with an endearingly bad singer who could still use more feedback around him. But check these titles from Speed Is Dreaming which epitomize alt's short shelf life:
A Car Or A Boy? I Hate Rock And Roll Down The Drain I Give Up What Was I Supposed To See? The Devil's Last Stand You're Not My Friend You Can't Win Gran Mal Everything Is Beautiful Black Eye Turbine Stupid
Fact: The greatest and third greatest albums of the 1990s were released this year (Endtroducing... and Call the Doctor).
― Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:09 (twelve years ago) link
Fact!
― goole, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:11 (twelve years ago) link
yeah, love soundgarden to death up through superunknown ("the day i tried to live" <-- holy shit). it's only with down on the upside that i start to have doubts. though the avengers track kind of sucks, i still have my fingers crossed for the new one.
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:15 (twelve years ago) link
oh how could the new one not suck.
― da croupier, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:16 (twelve years ago) link
chris cornell has been a shit farmer for way too long now
xxpost Down on the Upside is not great. Ty Cobb is okay, and Blow Up The Outside World. But def pale compared to Superunknown...you could kinda tell they were pretty much done
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:16 (twelve years ago) link
and yeah, Cornell's kinda burned his bridges with me as far as new stuff goes
that Billie Jean cover, I mean
RAGE
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:17 (twelve years ago) link
and that horrible Timbaland solo album was just...whut
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
Chris Cornell is as cheesy as Dave Navarro, I keep expecting them to end up with their own Bravo show. xp
― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
i live for disappointment
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
Cornell was always like a hair away from becoming David Coverdale even when Kim Thayil and Susan Silver were around to ground him
― da croupier, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:20 (twelve years ago) link
omg Navarro Cornell reality show would be tragic and amazing
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:20 (twelve years ago) link
xpost LOOOOL
don't get disliking "black hole sun" though
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:21 (twelve years ago) link
droning, annoying
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:23 (twelve years ago) link
overplayed. hate it now. I prefer listening to the albums/ep before Superunknown anyway.
― Algerian Goalkeeper, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:23 (twelve years ago) link
holy shit nicole
― goole, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
bhs overplayed to irritation threshhold was breached
― jesus christ (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
got cable tv in our area the year that black hole sun vid was never off mtv. That killed the song for me. Thankfully on the down on the upside tour cornell played it solo acoustic so it wasnt as annoying.
― Algerian Goalkeeper, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
Would recommend Tori Amos to fill out the Cornell/Navarro judging panel
― da croupier, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
Down on the Upside is not great. Ty Cobb is okay, and Blow Up The Outside World. But def pale compared to Superunknown...you could kinda tell they were pretty much done
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, May 4, 2012 4:16 PM (7 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Yes, and 'Pretty Noose', 'Rhinosaur', 'Burden In My Hand', 'Never Named', 'Never The Machine Forever', 'Switch Opens', 'Overfloater' and 'An Unkind'.
― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
yeah, befitting the era it's too long but there are still a lot of good songs
― call all destroyer, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:31 (twelve years ago) link
that was true for me at the time, but 16 years down the road, it's gone back to just being a song i like
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:35 (twelve years ago) link
i swear to god there were two versions of the BHS video that played -- the first didn't have nearly as much cgi, maybe none at all? back me up here somebody
― goole, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:37 (twelve years ago) link
don't remember a version w/out heavy cgi. there is this though:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar0SK2fDCxQ
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:38 (twelve years ago) link
yeah the video was super-annoying too
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:41 (twelve years ago) link
http://cltampa.com/binary/6aa3/black_hole_sun.jpg
love the video
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:45 (twelve years ago) link
the
worst
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:46 (twelve years ago) link
btw i just put on black love on spotify. my reaction to the whigs was the exact opposite of some of you, i first heard gentlemen like three years ago and my thought was god damn if i heard this record when i was 17 it would be one of my 10 favorite records ever. i'm not really in a place now where i connect with it 100% emotionally but it's pretty amazing music.
― call all destroyer, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:48 (twelve years ago) link
i remember this!
― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:48 (twelve years ago) link
Thankfully on the down on the upside tour cornell played it solo acoustic so it wasnt as annoying
Oh yeah, that would totally make that song MUCH less annoying.
I give up on Soundgarden after Badmotorfinger. And really after the first half of that album. Everything up to and including "Jesus Christ Pose" >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everything after.
― 誤訳侮辱, Friday, 4 May 2012 16:49 (twelve years ago) link
wiki to the rescue
The video was released in June 1994.[25] After several weeks of airplay on MTV, a second version of the video was substituted containing more elaborate visual effects than the original, including the addition of a computer-generated black hole.
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:50 (twelve years ago) link
i'm still def an early-screamo Soundgarden stan -- but in the last year or two I've come around on Superunknown
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:51 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHfhNvsYlgc
love the toys in the attic vocal rasp on "do it riiiiiiiight"
― 10. “Pour Some Sugar On Me” – Tom Cruise (contenderizer), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:54 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, totally remember that earlier "Black Hole Sun" video.
― You Don't Throw Oranges On An Escalator (Deric W. Haircare), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:55 (twelve years ago) link
because this still makes me lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni632sTHZWU
― Peppermint Patty Hearst (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 4 May 2012 16:56 (twelve years ago) link