Superunknown [20th Anniversary Double LP] [VINYL]

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I can’t begin to tell you how significant that the ironic howl of “Big Dumb Sex” was as both the charm and bane of our early shows. Along with “Beyond the Wheel” and “Slaves and Bulldozers,” this comprised a very heavy and satisfying set of songs that left you, our audience, wondering whether to chant with us or at us. Either way, we knew that you were engaged and that you would catch on. For those that didn’t, well, we never were suited for the disposition of old women, mamma’s boys, and weak-minded men. We also included “Flower” from our BBC sessions, the one original that was recorded during the John Peel sessions. Never has this been issued by Soundgarden in the U.S. or elsewhere. The special bonus surprise at the bottom of the cereal box is the very long time coming DVD. This is an almost complete collection of the video singles, plus some alternate edits, versions for international markets and the fainthearted. The alternate versions are somewhat self-explanatory. The tender minded of us in various markets were patronized accordingly. Why is this not a complete collection of promo videos? Because, there are a few that were difficult to collect and master for the production quality that we would require. We are sure that the quality that you as a fan would require would be at least equal to if not greater than what we could currently provide. Hunted Down,” “Fopp,” “My Wave” and “Room” are singles that were not included on the album, A-Sides. “Superunknown” was a quasi-single that generated an experimental/test video that aired on MTV. It featured CGI animation and is completely dated by today’s standards. We included it on the album and I felt that it was an important reference along with our near complete video singles history to also include with the limited edition bonus DVD.

Further Soundgarden 35 announcements will be forthcoming. With the 30th anniversary of their hard-charging major-label debut Louder Than Love just around the corner, 2019 looks to be another banner year for Soundgarden, who remain one of the most revered bands on the planet.

Always heavier and more psychedelically experimental than their contemporaries, with 1996’s Down On The Upside the quartet showcased musicality and lyrical content that was arguably stranger and darker than anything explored during grunge’s heyday. In 1997, they disbanded after a year and a half of volatile live performances, with Matt offering the explanation that they had been “eaten up by the business” of being one of the biggest bands on the planet. The music never went away, however, as Chris Cornell’s solo work and releases with Audioslave in particular (with whom he would perform Soundgarden covers) kept the idea of a reunion alive. That would come in 2010, with the band’s sixth and final album King Animal following in 2012.

Digression and aggression aside, this is almost the ultimate collection of Soundgarden must haves and might have missed! Ben Shepherd, Chris Cornell, Hiro Yamamoto, Jason Everman, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Scott SundquistOn May 18, 2017, around midnight, vocalist Chris Cornell was found dead in MGM Grand hotel room after a show in Detroit.