Temple of the Dog and the Best of The Seattle Supergroup Scene

Posted by Albert Costill on Feb 27, 2009 in Rock | Comments

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It’s only natural for musicians to eventually team up together. It’s like lamb to the slaughter. Sometimes a collaboration just isn’t enough to get musicians off. Sometimes they need to go the extra mile and form a supergroup.

With recent news of James Iha and Taylor Hanson’s Tinted Windows project, and of course the much awaited Chickenfoot (featuring Hagar, Satriani, Michael Anthony from VH and Chad Smith from RHCP!), let’s take a look down memory lane and check out the many supergroups of the past and present, more importantly those that rocked the Seattle scene throughout the 90′s.

The first known supergroup could be considered the “Million Dollar Quartet”, which consisted of Sun Studios’ best of the best, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins in 1956 as an impromptu jam session. Damn, that’s cool.

During the 60′s supergroups seemed the norm. A lot of musicians were in bed together, especially all the British lads. A guy like Eric Clapton was involved with numerous supergroups, like some earlier, and smaller, bands likeThe Yardbirds and Cream. Then he teamed up with former Cream mate Ginger Baker and Steve Winwood for Blind Faith, then there was Derek and the Dominos and my personal favorite the Dirty Mac (John Lennon, Keith Richards on bass, and Mitch Mitchell, who if you don’t recall was the drummer for the Jimi Hendrix Experience). Now that’s a supergroup.

Then there were other so-called supergroups in the 60′s like Humble Pie, Crosby, Stiles, Nash and Young and The Plastic Ono Band.

Then during the 80′s the Traveling Wilburys (George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and ELO’s Jeff Lynne) made the supergroup cool again. These groups pretty much made us forget about some horrible supergroups like Asia and Toto, although “Africa” is a guilty pleasure of mine.

So, it was only common sense that during the 90′s the Seattle bands would gravitate towards each other. These guys were not only peers, but also, friends. And they made some damn good music.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that just because a bunch of talented, and well known, musicians come together doesn’t mean that it’s great. Just look at some earlier supergroups, like Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

They’re garbage. More recently, Velvet Revolver and Audioslave proudly wove the supergroup flag. While both Velvet Revolver and Audioslave had lots of potential, and some decent tunes and great live performances, they feel well short of their capabilities.

With that I present the seven best supergroups featuring 90′s Seattle artists.

7. Tuatara: This instrumental group consists of R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin along with Luna’s Justin Harwood and saxophonist Skerik, who helped out another supergroup Mad Season.

The band expanded with the addition of Scott McCaughey, who is also in Buck’s other group The Minus 5. These guys are still hanging around and have made some pretty mellow, jazzy tunes.

6. Class of ’99: Layne Staley (Alice in Chains), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction) and Martyn LeNoble (Porno for Pyros) joined forces to cover Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall” for Robert Rodriquez’s 1998 flick The Faculty.

This impressive line-up delivered a sick version of this often covered Pink Floyd. It’s true to the original, but has that little 90′s damper spin to it.

5. Wellwater Conspiracy: Formed in Seattle in 1993 this group featured Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd with Monster Magnet guitarist John McBain. Despite the departure of Shepherd in 1997, Cameron and McBain have kept Wellwater Conspiracy strong.

What’s really cool about Wellwater Conspiracy is that Cameron handles vocal and drumming duties. Yes, he actually does have a good voice. Besides that, the group has also been able to have friends like Kim Thayil, Eddie Vedder and Josh Homme to lend a hand here and there.

4. Alice Mudgarden: Alice in Chains, Mark Arm (Mudhoney) and Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) jammed out on the track “Right Turn” on Alice in Chains 1992 EP Sap. Great harmonies make this one of AIC’s greatest songs. Just listen to the ending when every vocalist delivers their lines, it’s insanely great.

3. Mike Watt’s All-Star Band: Back in 1995 the influential bassist Mike Watt debuted his first solo album Ball-Hog or Tugboat?. While not a household name, Watt was able to snag a who’s who to make appearances on the album. Everyone from Flea, Mark Lanegan, Sonic Youth, The Meat Puppets, Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, Henry Rollins, Evan Dando, J Mascis and more.

While that’s impressive enough, when it came time to hit the road, Watt was backed by Vedder and Grohl. Now, let that sink in. This dude got two members of the two biggest Seattle bands to share the same stage with him. Oh yeah, Pat Smear was there too. Amazing.

2. Mad Season: When Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready ran into bassist John Baker Saunders during a rehab stint something was going to give. The result was Mad Season, which also featured Screaming Trees drummer Barrett Martin and McCready’s friend Layne Staley. The group’s only release was 1995′s Above. And, it’s a great album. Great music and great vocals from Layne, make this an essential, if you feel like being down in the dumps.

The band made a live performance during Pearl Jam’s Self-Pollution Radio in January 1995, and only a few others around Seattle, before calling it quits in 1999. The band wanted to record more material, despite Layne being unable to, so he was replaced by Mark Lanegan in 1998, but with schedules and the death of Saunders in 1999, it was over.

1. Temple of the Dog: The biggest supergroup from the 90′s, and one of the all time best, was formed after the death of Mother Love Bone frontman Andrew Wood. Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron teamed up with Mother Love Bone’s Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard to honor their friend. Along for the ride was Gossard’s protege Mike McCready and some surfer from San Diego named Eddie Vedder. Their self-titled 1991 album is pretty much a classic for 90′s alternative fans.

The single “Hunger Strike” is a staple on any 90′s station and fan’s playlists. And, Temple of the Dog pretty much helped launch the career of Pearl Jam. I still think it’s cool that Matt Cameron would eventually become drummer for Pearl Jam in 1998, which made the little reunion in 2003 easier, since they only need Chris Cornell to show.