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Quanto è importante il ricordo? Gli antichi Romani lo sapevano bene dal momento che la peggiore pena prevista dal loro codice non era quella di morte, bensì la Damnatio Memoriae. Letteralmente si trattava della cancellazione del ricordo di chi si macchiava di crimini contro lo Stato ed il Senato: si eliminava il suo nome dalle fonti letterarie e dalle epigrafi, il suo volto abraso dai rilievi, statue e busti che lo ritraevano distrutti; e nessuno doveva neanche nominare più il suo nome. Forse all’epoca era davvero facile cancellare il ricordo di qualcuno poiché non c’erano, ad esempio, le foto e le canzoni. Ma le foto possono andare perdute e con un click le cancelli, mentre le canzoni no. Tutti noi le leghiamo intimamente a momenti, volti, luoghi, e non le puoi cancellare, al massimo puoi evitare di ascoltarle. Eppure i Romani non devono esser stati così bravi se nomi e gesta di condannati a tale pena come Marco Antonio, Caligola, Nerone, ecc.., sono giunti sino a noi. Perché non è vero che si dimentica. I ricordi si addomesticano, si anestetizzano. Restano lì, affievoliti in un angolino del tuo stomaco, finché un giorno quelle canzoni che non ascoltavi più ti colgono di sorpresa e certi ricordi riprendono quasi vita. In qualche caso suscitandoti un sorriso, in altri non ti viene altro che fare spallucce.
Live on I-5 è un album che raccoglie alcune performance live, appunto, registrate durante il tour in Nord America per la promozione di Down on the Upside nel 1996. “I-A” sta infatti per Interstate 5, strada che attraversa la costa pacifica del Nord America. Le registrazioni furono realizzate proprio allo scopo di pubblicare il primo, e ad oggi unico, album live dei Soundgarden. Ma dopo suddetto tour la band si sciolse e alla fine il progetto fu pubblicato, contestualmente alla reunion della band, nel 2011.
Lo ascolto ad occhi chiusi e la memoria mi teletrasporta al Castello Scaligero di Villafranca di Verona in prima fila sotto il palco, schiacciata contro le transenne da centinaia e centinaia di fans ma con Chris esattamente davanti a me, e questo mi bastava a sopportare quella dolorosa pressione che in certi momenti mi toglieva il respiro ma non la felicità di essere lì. Era il 2 luglio 2014 e i Soundgarden erano in tour per i 20 anni di Superunknown. La scaletta fu anche praticamente quasi la stessa del Live on I-5, il che concorre a farmi rivivere intensamente quel ricordo.
Va subito detto che questo non è l’album migliore per rendere giustizia al talento e alla memoria di Chris, poiché la sua performance vocale è spesso fiacca e asmatica. Ma in fondo questo disagio non è altro che lo specchio dei giorni neri in cui era caduto: la sua vocalità unica sembrava ormai seriamente compromessa dall’abuso di alcol, ed infatti a fine tour si sottopose ad un delicato intervento alle corde vocali; faticava a combattere la sua dipendenza da droghe ed alcol che lo porterà davvero sull’orlo della distruzione depresso ed anoressico fino all’incontro salvifico con l’Amore della sua vita Vicky Karayiannis; infine, all’interno del gruppo si era creata una frattura insanabile che condurrà allo scioglimento.
Come a Villafranca anche l’album si apre con l’irruenza di Spoonman e Searching With My Good Eye Closed ed è subito chiaro che è il suono il vero protagonista di questo live, il quale compensa, anzi sovrasta le défaillance vocali di Cornell. I brani in scaletta riguardano principalmente gli album della parte centrale della loro carriera, mancano infatti canzoni da Ultramega Ok e Louder Than Love, mentre incredibilmente tuona cupo e graffiante il singolo Nothing To Say tratto dal loro primissimo EP Screaming Life. Una strana cover di Helter Shelter incupita e rallentata lentamente sfuma in una delle migliori tracce, una riverberata e psichedelica Boot Camp. Slaves & Bulldozers, spogliata dalla sua veste originaria, è caricata dalla forza propulsiva e hard rock dell’assolo prolungato di Ben Shepherd. Il live si chiude in bellezza con una struggente e solitaria versione di Black Hole Sun che un po’ anticipa la svolta intimista e cantautorale che Chris intraprenderà tempo dopo con la sua carriera solista, e con la furia di Matt Cameron in Jesus Christ Pose nella quale finalmente Chris tira fuori la sua leggendaria voce.
I concerti sono finiti. Non ci saranno più ricordi nuovi. Dovrò farmi bastare per tutta la vita quelli che ho, malgrado adesso non mi facciano affatto sorridere.
Elenco tracce testi e video
01 Spoonman (04:23)
Feel the rhythm with your hands
Steal the rhythm while you can, Spoonman
Speak the rhythm on your own
Speak the rhythm all alone, Spoonman
Spoonman, come together with your hands
Save me, I'm together with your plan
Save me
All my friends are Indians
All my friends are brown and red, Spoonman
All my friends are skeletons
They beat the rhythm with their bones,
Spoonman
Feel the rhythm with your hands
Steal the rhythm while you can, Spoonman
Come on when I get off
Thank you, good night people.
02 Searching With My Good Eye Closed (04:12)
Written by Chris Cornell
Painted blue across my eyes
And tied the linen on
And I'm on my way, on my way
Looking for the paradigm
So I can pass it off
Is it on my side, on my side
Is to the sky (x3)
And down
Searching for a ground
With my good eye closed
If I took you for a ride
Would you take it wrong
Or would you make it right, make ir right
Looking for a pedestal
That I can put you on
And be on my way, on my way
Is it to the sky (x3)
And down
Searching for a ground
With my good eye closed
Stop you're trying to bruise my mind
I can do it on my own
Stop you're trying to kill my time
It's been my death since I was born
I don't remember have the time
If I'm hiding or I'm lost
But I'm on my way
03 Let Me Drown (04:10)
Stretch the bones over my skin
Stretch the skin over my head
I'm going to the holy land
Stretch the marks over my eyes
Burn the candles deep inside
Yeah you know where I'm coming from
Give up to greed, you don't have to feed me
Give up to fate, you don't have to need me
So let it go, let it go, let it go, won't you let it
Drown me in you, drown me in you, drown me in you
Slip down the darkness to the mouth
Damn the water burn the wine
I'm going home for the very last time
So throw it away, you don't have to take me
Make no mistakes I'm what you make me
So let it go, let it go, let it go, won't you let it
Drown me in you, drown me in you, drown me in you
I see you turn around and burning down
The feeling starts to sink
I feel the hurt surround me
Please dissolve me
She's resolved to be
Heal my wounds without a trace
Seal my tomb without my face
I'm going to the lonely place
Give up to greed, you don't have to feed me
Give up to fate, you don't have to need me
So let it go, let it go, let it go, won't you let it
Drown me in you, drown me in you, drown me in you
04 Head Down (06:25)
I see that smile
I see that smile
I see that smile on your face
We hear you cry
We hear you wail
I see that smile on your face
We see you laugh
We see you dance
We take that away every day
We see you cry
We turn your head
Then we slap your face
Bow down, bow down
Bow down to live your life
Head down, head down
Head down hide that smile
Head high, head high
Head high you’ve got to smile
Head high, head high
Head high you’ve got to smile
I see you try, I see you fail
Some things will never change
We hear you cry, we hear you wail
We steal that smile on your face
Bow down, bow down
Bow down to live your life
Head down, head down
Head down hide that smile
Head high, head high
Head high you’ve got to smile
Head high, head high
Head high like a song you like
05 Outshined (05:12)
I got up feeling so down
I got off being sold out
I've kept the movie rolling
But the story's getting old now
Oh yeah
I just looked in the mirror
Things aren't looking so good
I'm looking California
And feeling Minnesota
Oh yeah
So now you know
Who gets mystified
So now you know
Who gets mystified
Show me the power child, I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'til I'm up on my feet again
I'm feeling
Oh I'm feeling
outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
Oh yeah
Someone let the dogs out
They'll show you where the truth is
The grass is always greener
Where the dogs are shedding
Oh yeah
I'm feeling that I'm sober
Even though I'm drinking
I can't get any lower
Still I feel I'm sinking
So now you know
Who gets mystified
So now you know
Who gets mystified
Show me the power child, I'd like to say
That i'm down on my knees today
yeah it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'til I'm up on my feet again
I'm feeling
Oh I'm feeling
outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
Ooh yeah!
Outshined
So now you know
Who gets mystified
Show me the power child, I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
It gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'til I'm up on my feet again
Oh I'm feeling
Oh i'm feeling
Show me the power child, I'd like to say
That I'm down on my knees today
Yeah it gives me the butterflies, gives me away
'til I'm up on my feet again
Oh I'm feeling
Oh I'm feeling
outshined, outshined, outshined, outshined
06 Rusty Cage (04:38)
You wired me awake
and hit me with a hand of broken nails
you tied my lead and pulled my chain
to watch my blood begin to boil
But I'm gonna break
I'm gonna break my
I'm gonna break my rusty cage and run
Yeah, I'm gonna break
I'm gonna break my
I'm gonna break my rusty cage
And run
Too cold to start a fire
I'm burning diesel burning dinosaur bones
I'll take the river down to still water
And ride a pack of dogs
But I'm gonna break
I'm gonna break my
I'm gonna break my rusty cage and run
Yeah, I'm gonna break
I'm gonna break my
I'm gonna break my rusty cage
And run
Hits like a Phillips head into my brain
It's gonna be too dark to sleep again
Cutting my teeth on bars and rusty chains
I'm gonna break my rusty cage
And run
When the forest burns along the road
Like God's eyes in my headlights
And when the dogs are looking for their bones
And it's raining ice picks on your steel shore
But I'm gonna break
I'm gonna break my
I'm gonna break my rusty cage and run
Yeah, I'm gonna break
I'm gonna break my
I'm gonna break my rusty cage
And run
09 Boot Camp (03:16)
I must obey the rules
I must be tame and cool
No staring at the clouds
I must stay on the ground
In clusters of the mice
The smoke is in our eyes
Like babies on display
Like angels in a cage
I must be pure and true
I must contain my views
There must be something else
There must be something good
Far away
Far away from here
Far away
Far away from here
Far away
Far away from here
Far away
Far away from here
And I'll be here for good
For good
10 Nothing to Say (04:24)
Nothing, nothing, nothing but the one thing
Someone said my words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Dying words I bury everyday
Nothing to say, I've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Big bad word spell it with four letters
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Oh my God, your words are out of balance
Nothing to say, you've got nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing, nothing
You've got nothing, nothing to say
Nothing but the one thing
Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing
12 Dusty (04:32)
I think it's turning back around
And I think I like it
I think it's turning back around
Though I don't know why it is
I think it's turning back on me
I'm down on the upside
I think it's turning back on me
Now I'm the good ride
And nothing's gonna put me out
It's backing down and under
I'm down on the upside now
It's turning back around
Turning back around
I think it's coming on the wind
Just like you said it
I think it's coming on the wind
And I'm gonna let it
I think it's turning back on me
Everything's easy
I think it's turning back on me
Everything's real to me
15 Ty Cobb (02:42)
I'm sittin in a magic hat
with smoke and mirrors
and tire rubber fires
watch me disappear
What made it slow you down
sucking on a ball and chain
another motherfucker goes down the drain
hardheaded fuck you all
Just add it up to the hot rod death toll
Sick in the head
sick in the mouth
and I can't hear a word you say
Not a bit, don't give a shit
I got the glass,I got the steel
I got the love to hate
All I need is your head on a stake
hardheaded fuck you all
Just add it to the hot rod death toll
16 Black Hole Sun (03:00)
In my eyes
Indisposed
In disguise as no one knows
Hides the face
Lies the snake
The sun in my disgrace
Boiling heat
Summer stench
'Neath the black the sky looks dead
Call my name through the cream
And I'll hear you scream again
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Won't you come
Stuttering
Cold and damp
Steal the warm wind tired friend
Times are gone for honest men
Sometimes far too long for snakes
In my shoes
Walking sleep
In my youth I pray to keep
Heaven send hell away
No one sings like you anymore
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Hang my head
Drown my fear
Till you all just disappear
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come
Black hole sun
Won't you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Won't you come
Won't you come (Black hole sun, Black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
Won't you come (Black hole sun, black hole sun)
17 Jesus Christ Pose (06:23)
And you stare at me
In your Jesus Christ pose
Arms held out
Like you've been carrying a load
And you swear to me
You don't wanna be my slave
But you're staring at me
Like I...
Like I need to be saved
Arms held out
In your Jesus Christ pose
Thorns and shroud
Like it's the coming of the Lord
And I swear to you
That I would never feed you pain
But you're staring at me
Like I...
Like I'm driving the nails
In your Jesus Christ pose
Arms held out
In your Jesus Christ pose
Thorns and shroud
Like it's the coming of the lord
Would it pay you more to walk on water
Than to wear a crown of thorns
It wouldn't pain me more to bury you rich
Than to bury you poor
In your Jesus Christ pose
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