Steep Open Mic Week 47: Wake Up by Mad Season
There was a lot of crosslinking in and around the 90s Seattle grunge era. Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple Of The Dog... they all shared band members. Mad Season is another example of this. Bassist, John Baker Saunders, met Mike McCready (guitarist of Pearl Jam) in rehab and they began to jam with Layne Staley of Alice in Chains. They hoped that being around sobering musicians would help Layne curb his substance abuse. It didn't. Both Staley and Saunders have now passed away early.
There is a poiniency when Layne Staley sings. Aside from his unique voice, his lyrics are often from a dying man who is aware of his own fate. I don't worship or glorify this but I am certainly affected by the power of this insight.
I'm unhappy with how I did this song, particularly at the end, I think I went too hard. It was late, it was my millionth take, my voice was shrivelled, my energy had gone... however I decided to use this one anyway.
Thanks
Calum
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Good job man. As much as I wouldn't want to glorify the drug addiction of those like Layne went through, it is out of his honest lyrics and honestly painful performances that really good music that moves people come from. It's an art that has faded from mainstream music although not lost in the underground. I've lost a lot of musician friends from overdoses, but just like with good comedians, we songwriters are often a tortured bunch. I myself never got into opiates, amphetamines and the like. Pot and alcohol were my poison and still are to a much lesser extent. Anyway that was a bit long winded LOL again, good job man.
What a response. I hope you're right in that this music isn't lost because from my angle it looks to be gone. If you want to throw any underground bands my way I'd love to check them out
I was totally into the whole explosion of Grunge in the 90's... It was a breath of fresh air to hear all the raw innovation. It was probably the last wave of music to organically arrive on the scene pre-internet.
You've done a really fine job with this rendition here! - despite it being your "millionth" take. :-)
You know, you took the words right from my mouth. It seems to be the last original phase of music we've had... and certainly the last that had any meaning to it.