Just click on the name of the band whose site you would like to visit!
(Don't forget to scroll down and check out the SOUL COUGHING resources at the Orange Source, as well as a report from the TIBETAN FREEDOM CONCERT in New York City)
A Tribe Called
Quest | De
La Soul | They Might Be Giants
Soul Coughing | MC 900 Ft. Jesus | Beastie Boys | Luscious
Jackson
Okay, we've all seen the new Gap comercials featuring great musicians debasing themselves for the sake of jeans. First it was L.L. Cool J, the father of new school rap, then it was Soul Coughing, kings of sugar free jazz, and then it was Aerosmith, ageless masters of better-than-the-original, decade-later comebacks. But have these bands sold out. Is Uncle L more interested in the Benjamins than the "Big Ole Butts?" Has Soul Coughing really "Come Down to This? " Is Aerosmith just going to leave their fans "Cryin'"?
I can't decide. Under any other circumstances, I would label the bands sell-outs. But Soul Coughing? Could Soul Coughing sell out? I need your help. Console me. Tell me it ain't so. Or don't. Tell me they're over. Send me a response.
Addendum: I just saw the newest Gap commercial, featuring Luscious Jackson. The world is ending, folks. This is the apocalypse. "Let it Snow," they sang, "Let it rain fire from the sky."
When I first heard about the Tibetan Freedom Concert, I thought it would be the best day of my life. As it turns out, it wasn't exactly the best day of my life, but it was definitely one of the most memorable.
Preliminary reports said that the Beastie Boys, A Tribe Called Quest, and De La Soul would all be playing on Saturday, June 7th at Downing Stadium on Randalls Island in New York City. The minute I heard this I committed myself to attending what promised to be the best concert in the history of music. There were other acts scheduled for Saturday, including Biz Markie, and some crappier acts, including Michael Stipe and Mike Mills, scheduled for Sunday. Saturday would be a good day, even if I did have to miss the JCL Banquet I had been invited to attend.
As it turns out, you can't believe everything you read on the internet.
When I called the box office, I found out that Tribe was playing on Saturday, and De La and the Beasties had been moved to Sunday. Stipe and Mills hadn't moved, so I'd have to sit through them. I figured this wasn't so bad, since I had seen Tribe in '96 on the Smokin' Grooves tour. I bought my ticket (and one for Jessica, my girlfriend at the time), went to the JCL Banquet, and found a train schedule.
We planned to take the train from New Haven to Grand Central, where we would meet my ABC brother Jesse's mother. She would drive us to the concert and we'd find a bus back to the subway after the show. This all went well- except I should have brought less 'stuff' with me.
I had brought my shell with me, because it was threatening to rain. Then, Jesse's mom gave me a CD that he had left in the city, that I was suppossed to bring back to him. This information comes into play later.
It was hot at the concert. I had my jacket tied around my waist and kept reminding Jessica to drink enough so that she would not dehydrate. She didn't dehydrate. I did.
Before I get to that, a little about the show. Special guest, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones opened the show, and, of course, they rocked. Then I sat through the half of R.E.M. that decided the cause was worthwhile, and special guest Eddie Vedder, just waiting for De La Soul. I had front row standing room for them when I found out they weren't going to show. Well, at least I'd get to see the Beastie Boys.
It was soon after the De La Dissappointment that I became dehydrated and fell into heat exhaustion. I became dazed and lethargic and leaned on Jessica for support. I probably would have passed out if she didn't keep talking to me, and I weren't so worried about right up front for those three bad brothers you know so well.
The last three acts were Bjork, Rancid, and the Beastie Boys. I was about five rows from the front when Bjork started playing, and Rancid was playing on a different stage, so I wasn't worried about the mosh factor.
I didn't know Bjork had such rowdy fans, but when she came on, I began to feel the pushing. During Rancid, the pushing intensified, and when they were done, I began to feel the crush.
Suddenly D.J. Hurricane walked out on stage, and I woke up.
"Who's that?" people asked. How could they not know the Hurra? These were not the fans I wanted in front of me.
I yelled, "That's D.J. Hurricane... from the Beastie Boys!" And that's the last thing I remember clearly.
People began pushing wildly to get up front. Crushing Jessica and I against the gate that kept us ten feet from the raised stage...
Gate rules: Cross the gate once, and get an 'X' on your hand, cross it again, and get kicked out.
"Because you can't, you won't, and you don't stop," the B-Boys began to rock the 'Sure Shot,' and the crowd became uncontrollable. By the end of the song, Jessica was crying because she was being pushed so hard. That was it. I told her that she had to go up over the gate and away from the mosh. She didn't want to get separated, but before she could protest, I had gathered up some surrounding guys and we lifted her up and over the gate. She got on MTV, though. That was at least cool.
My turn was next. All of a sudden someone hit me hard, and my jacket and the CD started to fall. I grabbed them and as I struggled to get up, someone stepped on my shoe, pulling it off of my foot. I scrambled to grab that, and hugged all my possessions to my chest.
"Put me up!" I yelled, and I was lifted on top of the crowd. I started to relax on the 'surf' when I realized I was going the wrong way. I ponted back at the gate, and was eventually dropped safely onto a bouncer, who hurried me across the front of the stage.
I stopped when I was out of his range and began putting on my shoe. I looked up to the stage and saw Mike D himself looking down on me, as if to say...
"Oh my god. What a loser! Can't you keep your shoes on? What kind of a loser are you?"
Well, I don't know if he actually saw me, but if he had, he would have said something like that.
The rest of the show was much more calm.
Would I do it again? You bet your ass.
On March 3, 1997, Soul Coughing came to Syracuse University. They rocked. I was there- front row -but of course, I was new on the Orange Source staff, so I didn't get the privilege of interviewing anyone. Somebody better did.
The most memorable moment of the show was when Doughty took a time out from the playlist to recognize that one of the members of the audience had brought along a sign which read, "Donna Martin Graduates," a reference to the episode of Beverly Hills 90210 in which Donna was almost expelled for showing up drunk to the senior prom. Doughty hopes to see more of this type of support in the future.
If you'd like to read a review of the concert, click on Doughty on the left. If you'd like to read an interview with Soul Coughing's drummer, Yuval, click on his face at the right. If you'd like to visit the Soul Coughing home page, click here.