Song Saturday: Chris Cornell Tribute Block

How's it going my gumdrops? Wow! Like many other fans of Grunge Rock, I was in complete shock and disbelief about Chris Cornell's death. Right now, I am still reeling. Honestly, I did NOT see his death coming. 

The death of a talented Grunge Rock vocalist like Chris Cornell was something TOO unexpected and sudden.

Most Gen Xers, who were familiar with Grunge Rock, during the early to mid-1990's already knew that Chris Cornell was the frontman of Soundgarden. Not only was Cornell the lead singer of Soundgarden, but also the frontman for Temple Of The Dog and Audioslave.

Temple Of The Dog, which formed in 1990, was a Grunge Rock Supergroup, in tribute to his dead friend, Andrew Wood. Wood was the frontman of Mother Love Bone, who died from a heroin overdose.

Temple Of The Dog consisted of Soundgarden's Chris Cornell, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, and Mother Love Bone's Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament.

Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam's frontman) was also featured as the background vocalist on the song, "Hunger Strike."

Meanwhile, Audioslave formed in 2001, which was shortly after Rage Against The Machine (a politically divisive band I STILL hate over 2 decades later) disbanded. 

Audioslave was a Hard Rock Supergroup comprised of Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello, Brad Wilk, Tim Commerford, and Soundgarden's Chris Cornell.

On Thursday, MTV Classic aired a tribute block of the late Chris Cornell's music videos. It's very strange that he is NOW having tributes done for him.

Cornell was the frontman, who usually performed tributes, after singers ranging from Pop to Rock died. He did Whitney Houston, Scott Weiland, and Prince tributes soon after they died.

Now, the situation is unexpectedly reversed. I may have never been a diehard fan of Chris Cornell's, however it is shocking as well as heartbreaking learning, that another talented Rock singer has suddenly died.

Cornell is another talented lead singer from the Grunge Era, who is now dead. There are NOT  very many of those frontmen left, when it comes to Grunge. 

Candlebox's Kevin Martin and Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder are most likely the final 2 vocalists, that are still alive from Seattle, WA's Grunge era.

Most Millennials 30 years old and younger never had the chance to experience growing up, saving an allowance to buy their favorite singers or groups' songs on vinyl, tape, and CD's. That's not including having to rush to hear their favorite songs being played on the radio.

Younger Millennials and Generation Z especially don't have the experience of watching music centric channels that genuinely care about airing music videos 24/7. 

Generally speaking, if you do NOT  have a cable or satellite provider, you are definitely unable to watch music videos 24/7 on MTV Classic.

Like the way I grew up watching MTV during the 1980's and '90s, I am spending MORE time offline watching MTV Classic as an escape from the Internet, Reality TV Shows, and politics.

Sometimes retreating to my old ways of enjoying music television makes me feel a little depressed. Because I am older now, I am watching blocks of old music videos with a hefty portion of dead celebrities within those music blocks.

MTV Classic will do a block of music videos of dead Pop and R&B singers, Rappers, Rock Stars, etc. I cannot speak for others watching, although it does make me say:

"There goes another talented singer, who is dead or has a dead member from the group."

This Song Saturday, some of you will be in for a grim treat. I am sharing a few music videos featuring Chris Cornell in Soundgarden and Temple Of The Dog. 

Some of you should really enjoy a more recent Soundgarden music video ("Black Rain").

The music video for Soundgarden's "Black Rain" was directed by the creator of Metalocalypse's Brendon Small. 

In addition, the animated Death Metal band, Dethklok was featured in this Soundgarden music video.

Watching some of these Soundgarden music videos feels nostalgic. This can especially be said about "Black Hole Sun." Listening to the song instantly makes me think about an old high school crush/secret admirer. 

Anyway, let's all set aside a moment to remember another talented Grunge Rock lead singer for today's Song Saturday.

1) Soundgarden "Loud Love" Louder Than Love (1989)

2) Soundgarden "Jesus Christ Pose" Badmotorfinger (1991)

3) Temple Of The Dog "Say Hello 2 Heaven" Temple Of The Dog (1991)

4) Soundgarden "Black Hole Sun" Superunknown (1994)

5) Soundgarden "Spoonman" Superunknown (1994)

6) Soundgarden "Blow Up The Outside World" Down On The Upside (1996)

7) Soundgarden "Black Rain" Telephantasm (2010) 

 

[BONUS: Chris Cornell's Prince & Whitney Houston Tributes]

1) Chris Cornell [Prince Cover] "Nothing Compares 2 U" Sirius XM Live (2010)

2) Chris Cornell [Dolly Parton/Whitney Houston Cover] "I Will Always Love You" Live (2012)

Do you have a favorite song(s) by the late great Chris Cornell?

Have You Ever Watched MTV Icon: The Cure Circa 2004?

This blog was originally published on Xanga March 9, 2013.

 

How's it going my fellow Xangans? I know that I'm super LATE with this topic, but have any of you ever watched MTV Icon: The Cure?  

I can't believe MTV did another MTV Icon back in 2004. I didn't know anything about it! Then again, that was a BRUTAL year for me. 

In 2004, my grandfather died from multiple terminal illnesses. He was the only father figure I ever had. At the same time, I mostly stayed gone from my dorm room. During 2004, I was swamped with difficult classes and had a needy and attention-seeking drama queen for a roommate. 

It was mostly my roommate's cheating boyfriend at the time (he was cheating on my roommate with her divisive friends), their toxic relationship, and his need to monopolize the TV and our dorm room, that gave me reasons to stay gone. 

I was lucky to sit down and watch TV or listen to music, much less get any sleep. Anyway, I digress.

Last year, I YouTubed MTV Icon: The Cure and wasn't that impressed with it. MTV had Marylin Manson of ALL Rock Stars host the tribute. That narcissist did NOT deserve to host a tribute for The Cure. 

He was so patronizing to us viewers and fans. As if Manson wasn't already a grandiose, pompous ass?

His melodramatic antics and feeling the need to say, that he was more into Metal than he was into The Cure was highly unnecessary. Like the typical narcissist, that asshole wanted to make The Cure's tribute ceremony into being about HIM.

Siouxsie Sioux from Siouxsie And The Banshees, Jonathan Davis from KoRn, Jared Leto's 30 Seconds To Mars, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor, Peter Steele from Type O Negative, Bauhaus' Peter Murphy, or any other musician, who was Goth or highly admired The Cure should've hosted the tribute. 

It felt as if Marylin Manson was insulting The Cure and their fans including yours truly, throughout the entire tribute. 

He disguised his insults as jokes from time to time about Robert Smith, his hair, The Cure's music, etc. I understand that Manson was trying to be "witty," but his insults disguised as jokes rubbed more of us viewers the wrong way. I'm not the only fan of  The Cure's, who noticed that narcissist's inflection.

Last year, I read the YouTube comments all throughout the time I watched this 9-year-old tribute that I missed. 

The Mansonites loved it whereas The Cure fans like myself didn't. I don't believe Robert Smith or the rest of the band cared for Marylin Manson's hosting, either.

It was as if Marilyn Manson was mocking The Cure and us fans. Some YouTube posters said Manson was acting like a "douche bag" and I completely agree with them.

Neither did the late Peter Steele of Type O Negative, nor did I have a problem with joking about the Goth Sub-culture, when he wrote the song, "Black No. 1." 

Type O Negative's song, "Black No. 1" was meant to be witty about the Goth Sub-culture and Goth Chicks without being patronizing. 

It sucks that Peter Steele didn't host the MTV Icon: The Cure, when he (Steele) was still alive. 

I'm willing to bet that Peter Steele would've done a phenomenal job compared to Marylin Manson. Peter would not have been melodramatic to the extent, that he was patronizing The Cure and their fans.

The Deftones and A.F.I. were the best Icon tribute performers; Both were fantastic, when they paid homage to The Cure. Every other band's homage sucked ass. We're talking cringeworthy vocalists from shitty Pop-Punk bands like Blink-182, naming only 1 example. 

Who can take a band, that revels in tomfoolery seriously? 

No one in Blink-182 ever had any real singing talent. 

Mark Hoppus and ESPECIALLY  Tom Delonge still dress like 12-year-old skater boys from the '90s with the voices of 12-year-old boys to match. 

I guess I'm being a little harsh. At least Mark sounds like he already reached puberty but I can't say that for Tom, that's for sure. Oh, my ears!

MTV should've had bands such as 311, 30 Seconds To Mars, and other vocalists with singing talent and an appreciation for The Cure to perform covers. 

Undoubtedly, The Deftones gave the best cover performance out the entire tribute for The Cure. 

I am not only saying this because I enjoy The Deftones, but also because the dark tones, the intensity in the band's performance, and Chino Moreno's vocals sounded amazing. 

A.F.I. had the 2nd best cover. Everybody else sucked ass. I think MTV might have chosen to pull the plug, after MTV Icon: The Cure. Marylin Manson's shitty job of hosting the tribute was as terrible as the other performances.

I will admit, I like some of Marylin Manson's songs and can respect him TO AN EXTENT. Otherwise, he needs his ego to be deflated. 

I have never met the man, but he comes across as very abrasive and should stop patronizing everyone. 

Manson can do his "shock value" schtick as much as he wants and more power to him. However, anytime Twiggy quit Manson's band and Dita filed divorce papers on his birthday years ago, it makes me wonder why. I'm just saying.

So, has anybody else ever watched MTV Icon: The Cure? If you want, you can check out this Deftones' cover of "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep."

The Deftones "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep" MTV Icon: The Cure (2004)