Soul Coughing was an American
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band composed of vocalist/guitarist
Mike Doughty
Michael Ross Doughty ( ; born June 10, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter and author. He founded the band Soul Coughing in 1992, and as of '' The Heart Watches While the Brain Burns'' (2016), has released 18 studio albums, live albums, and ...
(also known as M. Doughty), keyboardist/sampler
Mark Degli Antoni
Mark degli Antoni (sometimes credited as Mark De Gli Antoni) is an American composer, known for his work as co-founder and keyboard sampler for the band Soul Coughing from 1992 to 2000.Huey, Steve.Soul Coughing - Biography, AllMusic.com.
Since le ...
, bassist
Sebastian Steinberg
Sebastian Steinberg (born February 20, 1959) is an American bass player, best known for his work in the band Soul Coughing.
Biography
Steinberg played with Soul Coughing throughout the band's entire history, from 1992 to 2000. In 2001, Steinberg ...
, and drummer Yuval Gabay. Soul Coughing developed a devout fanbase and garnered largely positive response from
critics
A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as art, literature, music, cinema, theater, fashion, architecture, and food. Critics may also take as their subject social or governme ...
. Steve Huey of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
described the band as "one of the most unusual
cult
In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This ...
bands of the 1990s... driven by frontman Mike Doughty's
stream-of-consciousness
In literary criticism, stream of consciousness is a narrative mode or method that attempts "to depict the multitudinous thoughts and feelings which pass through the mind" of a narrator. The term was coined by Daniel Oliver in 1840 in ''First Li ...
poetry. Soul Coughing's sound was a willfully idiosyncratic mix of improvisational
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
grooves, oddball
samples,
hip hop,
electronics
The field of electronics is a branch of physics and electrical engineering that deals with the emission, behaviour and effects of electrons using electronic devices. Electronics uses active devices to control electron flow by amplification ...
, and noisy
experimentalism
Experimentalism is the philosophical belief that the way to truth is through experiments and empiricism. It is also associated with instrumentalism, the belief that truth should be evaluated based upon its demonstrated usefulness. Experimentalism ...
".
Doughty himself described the band's sound as "deep
slacker
A slacker is someone who habitually avoids work or lacks work ethic.
Origin
According to different sources, the term ''slacker'' dates back to about 1790 or 1898. "Slacker" gained some recognition during the British Gezira Scheme in the early ...
jazz". The group broke up in 2000.
Recording career
All four Soul Coughing members were regulars at
The Knitting Factory
The Knitting Factory is a nightclub in New York City that features eclectic music and entertainment. After opening in 1987, various other locations were opened in the United States.
The Knitting Factory gave its audience poetry readings, perform ...
, a New York City nightclub and performance venue that was part of the 1980s and 1990s experimental
downtown scene
Downtown music is a subdivision of American music, closely related to experimental music, which developed in downtown Manhattan in the 1960s.
History
The scene the term describes began in 1960, when Yoko Ono, one of the early Fluxus artists, op ...
. Doughty was a doorman known for his improvized comedic quasi-raps, while the others appeared at the Knitting Factory in various bands.
Doughty, Degli Antoni, and Steinberg all performed in versions of
John Zorn's composition ''
Cobra'', appearing on ''
John Zorn's Cobra: Live at the Knitting Factory'' (recorded 1992, released 1995).
Within a year of its formation, the band was signed to
Slash Records
Slash Records was an American record label originally specializing in local punk rock bands, active from 1978 to 2000. It was notable as one of the first and most successful independent record labels in alternative music, before its eventual ac ...
, a subsidiary of
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
.
The group released three albums: ''
Ruby Vroom
''Ruby Vroom'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Soul Coughing, released in 1994. The album's sound is a mixture of sample-based tunes (loops of Raymond Scott's " Powerhouse" on "Bus to Beelzebub", Toots and the Maytals, Howlin' Wo ...
'' (1994), ''
Irresistible Bliss
''Irresistible Bliss'' is the second studio album by the American electronic music group Soul Coughing, released in 1996. The band initially planned for Tchad Blake, producer of their first album ''Ruby Vroom'', to produce the album, but the death ...
'' (1996) and ''
El Oso
''El Oso'' (Spanish for ''The Bear'') is the third and final studio album by the New York City band Soul Coughing, released on September 29, 1998 by Slash Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album received generally positive critical reception ...
'' (1998), with the latter showing a marked
drum and bass influence. ''
Irresistible Bliss
''Irresistible Bliss'' is the second studio album by the American electronic music group Soul Coughing, released in 1996. The band initially planned for Tchad Blake, producer of their first album ''Ruby Vroom'', to produce the album, but the death ...
'' and ''
El Oso
''El Oso'' (Spanish for ''The Bear'') is the third and final studio album by the New York City band Soul Coughing, released on September 29, 1998 by Slash Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album received generally positive critical reception ...
'' both reached the
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of art ...
albums chart. The band enjoyed minor hit
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
with "Soundtrack to Mary" and "Super Bon Bon".
In 1996, Soul Coughing contributed to the
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
benefit album ''
Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip'', produced by the
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization (RHO) is a not-for-profit, 501(c) 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.
Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilati ...
. Also in 1996, one of the group's songs, "Unmarked Helicopters", was included in the ''
Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files''. The band also placed songs in the soundtracks to the films ''
Batman & Robin'' ("The Bug"), ''
Tommy Boy
''Tommy Boy'' is a 1995 American buddy adventure comedy film directed by Peter Segal, written by Bonnie and Terry Turner, produced by Lorne Michaels, and starring former ''Saturday Night Live'' castmates and close friends Chris Farley and Davi ...
'' ("Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago") and ''
Spawn
Spawn or spawning may refer to:
* Spawn (biology), the eggs and sperm of aquatic animals
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Spawn (character), a fictional character in the comic series of the same name and in the associated franchise
** '' Spawn: ...
'' ("A Plane Scraped Its Belly on a Sooty Yellow Moon", featuring
Roni Size
Ryan Owen Granville Williams (born 29 October 1969), better known by his stage name Roni Size, is an English DJ and record producer. He came to prominence in 1997 as the founder and frontman of Roni Size & Reprazent, a drum and bass collective. ...
). Their song "Super Bon Bon" was included on the soundtrack for the video games ''
Gran Turismo 2
''Gran Turismo 2'' is a 1999 racing game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. It is the sequel to '' Gran Turismo''. It was well-received critically and financially, shipping 1.71&nbs ...
'' in 1999 and ''
The Bigs 2
''The Bigs 2'' (known in Europe and Australia as ''The Bigs 2 Baseball'') is a baseball sports video game developed by Blue Castle Games and published by 2K Sports for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, and PlayStation Portable. ...
'' in 2009.
The song "Circles" from ''El Oso'' reached #8 on the
''Billboard'' Alternative Songs chart,
and was used as the soundtrack to a
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network (often abbreviated as CN) is an American cable television channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. It is a part of The Cartoon Network, Inc., a division that also has the broadcasting and production activities of Boomerang, Car ...
extended commercial that poked fun at repeating cartoon backgrounds.
Soul Coughing broke up in 2000.
Mark Degli Antoni moved on to a career as a
film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film. The score comprises a number of orchestral, instrumental, or choral pieces called cues, which are timed to begin and end at specific points during the film in order to ...
composer,
while Mike Doughty began a prolific solo career, occasionally revisiting Soul Coughing songs in new styles.
''
Lust in Phaze
''Lust in Phaze'' is a 2002 'best of' compilation album composed of tracks recorded by the band Soul Coughing. The album title comes from a lyric in their song "Soft Serve", which does not appear on this album. The album is composed of, in order ...
'', a greatest hits compilation including a few
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
s, was released in 2002. Rhino Records reissued Soul Coughing's three studio albums on 180-gram black vinyl in 2015, marking the first time ''Ruby Vroom'' had been pressed to vinyl. In 2017, Swedish record label Woah Dad! acquired Soul Coughing's back catalog from Slash Records.
![Soul Coughing - First Avenue Star](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/Soul_Coughing_-_First_Avenue_Star.jpg)
Soul Coughing was honored with a star on the outside mural of
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
nightclub
First Avenue,
which recognizes performers who have played sold-out shows or otherwise made major cultural contributions to the iconic venue.
Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis", according to journalist Steve Marsh.
Soul Coughing was especially popular in Minneapolis, thanks to airplay on alternative radio station Rev 105, and regularly performed there to audiences five to ten times larger than in other cities.
Discography
Albums
Compilations
Live albums
Singles
References
External links
Soul Coughing Underground– An unofficial website including a discography, guitar tablature, and other information
website of Mike DoughtyDoughty's Patreonwebsite of Mark Degli AntoniSoul Coughing collectionat the
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
's live music archive
Suckerfied Assman Tripping In His Own Dribble: An Appreciation of Soul Coughing (No Ripcord feature)
{{Authority control
1992 establishments in New York City
2000 disestablishments in New York (state)
Alternative rock groups from New York (state)
Musical groups disestablished in 2000
Musical groups established in 1992
Musical groups from New York City
Slash Records artists
Warner Records artists