Those who head to Chris Cornell’s solo run of shows this winter, billed the “Songbook Tour,” will notice one important Soundgarden nugget missing from his repertoire of songs such as “Black Hole Sun,” “Fell on Black Days” and “Blow Up the Outside World”: eternal grunge rock hit, “Spoonman.”

What is it about “Spoonman” that makes it not right for this tour? According to Cornell, the hard rock vignette just doesn’t work acoustic. “Some songs just lend themselves to [playing acoustic],” Cornell said. “Some songs were written on an acoustic guitar that nobody would even know, like ‘Spoonman,’ for example. The original demo is just acoustic guitar, but when I do it acoustically as a performance live, I don’t think it really works. It’s not nearly as good as it is when it’s Soundgarden playing. And it doesn’t become a different thing that’s also good in its own right. I’m sure there’s a way to do it that might work, but I haven’t really found that way.”

On the subject of how Chris Cornell — a man known for his gruff, hypnotic voice hammering against a background of electric guitar — grew so fond of performing acoustic, he says it all started during his days in Audioslave. “When I was in Audioslave, I started out doing one or two acoustic songs in the middle of the set, and it ended up being five or six,” he said. “I like that feeling, in the middle of a rock show, to be able to strip it down to one guy and a guitar. And I started doing that on my solo tours even when I had a band out with me. I would do a long acoustic set in the middle…”

Then, a few years back, he did an acoustic stint in Stockholm that, to his surprise, got picked up by a load of U.S. radio stations. “… at that point, I just felt like, OK, people obviously want to hear me do this,” he said. “So, I did a few shows in Los Angeles over the last couple years, and they were great. But it was still not me taking it out on the road and discovering what it could be. So at some point, I thought, ‘I’m just gonna book a 25-date tour and see what this becomes.’ And that’s what ‘Songbook’ was.”

Then be sure to check out The Mahwah Museum in Mahwah, NJ for Les Paul exhibit.

The Les Paul in Mahwah Museum Exhibit opened (more…)

Aerosmith front man Steven Tyler has made his style ambassador status official as the muse/spokesperson for Andrew Charles, Andy Hilfiger’s new rock & roll clothing line, which just launched at (more…)

Actor Richard Gere auctioned his extensive collection of classic guitars, to the tune of (more…)

Saving 50% to 70% off a new guitar that is straight from the factory sounds too good to be true, but it happens everyday here at Marks Guitar Stuff.  When you shop for guitars on our store [Click Here To Visit The Store] you’ll find new, brand name, refurbished guitars.

Whoa! What are refurbished (more…)

When one thinks of actors who are also musicians, Richard Gere does not necessarily top the list. (more…)

Bono invites a BLIND fan from the audience to perform this Final song (more…)

Here comes another solid model from Epiphone’s Masterbilt Series, featuring spruce and rosewood with solid top and back, cutaway, satin finish and the stellar eSonic2 pickup and preamp system!

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A bridge that automatically tunes your guitar for you – and actually works? The future is here!

Colin Schofield has been named to the position of Business Development Manager for The Gretsch Company. In this newly created role, Schofield will be assisting company president Fred Gretsch in the development and execution of strategies to further build and strengthen the Gretsch brand worldwide. To this end Schofield will be working out of Gretsch company headquarters in Savannah, Georgia.

Schofield has extensive experience in the music products industry, in US and international markets alike. He spent nearly twenty years with the Avedis Zildjian Company, eventually serving as vice president of marketing worldwide. Responsible for global brand management and for the development of worldwide marketing strategies, Schofield was the driving force behind numerous innovative marketing programs as well as new product introductions including the A Custom and K Constantinople cymbal ranges. More recently he held sales and marketing management positions with Premier Percussion and Aquarian Drumheads.

Says Fred Gretsch, “We’re excited to have Colin joining our team. We look forward to the significant contributions he will make to the continued growth and success of the Gretsch brand.”