By Crooked Steps

Soundgarden's amusing new video for By Crooked Steps, the best track on their comeback album King Animal. It's directed by Dave Grohl, because, you know, all those original grungers are best pals. It is interesting though that Grohl actually requested to direct this and sent in a proposal to the band. It's probably done more to finally convince people that Chris Cornell et al, who were once dubbed Frowngarden by Guns 'N' Roses' crew, actually have a sense of humour despite the fact that in the past they've recorded songs with titles such as Big Dumb Sex, Full On Kevin's Mom and a cover of John Lennon's One Minute Of Silence (which really was just one minute of silence at the end of their debut album). So good on Grohl for that and for helping keep the appearance, at least, of the original Seattle grunge brotherhood alive.

Soundgarden at Shepherd's Bush Empire

Soundgarden
Shepherd's Bush Empire, 9 November 2012

About 17 years ago my brother and I, along with my two best friends, won tickets to see Soundgarden play the first concert at the newly re-opened Shepherd's Bush Empire. Before it had been a theatre and the set of Wogan's daily TV chat show but this was the first time it was being used as a music venue. Our seats were way up in the gods but damn, were we excited. I had seen Soundgarden before and at smaller venues but this was the first time they had returned to these shores since becoming one of the big grunge four (Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice In Chains were the other three) and it was just before their huge breakthrough album, Superunknown, was released. I remember Artis The Spoonman, the man they had named the first single from the album for, coming on and playing a short support and then watching the tops of the band's heads as they treated us to songs we hadn't heard before from the forthcoming album as well as old favourites.

Soundgarden at Hyde Park

 
Hard Rock Calling 2012:
Soundgarden
Iggy & The Stooges
Cold Chisel
Hyde Park, 13 July 2012

There was mud galore and it rained heavy into the night but this was a glorious show and I cannot even tell you the thrill to see and hear Soundgarden back together. And of course Iggy Pop was as wild and entertaining as ever. All in all it was completely worth standing in the pouring rain for.