Soul Coughing

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Soul Coughing
Soul Coughing.jpg
Soul Coughing publicity photo, 1998.
Background information
OriginNew York City, U.S.
Genres
Years active1992–2000
Labels Slash/Warner Bros.
Members Mike Doughty
Mark Degli Antoni
Sebastian Steinberg
Yuval Gabay

Soul Coughing was an American alternative rock band composed of vocalist/guitarist Mike Doughty (also known as M. Doughty), keyboardist/sampler Mark Degli Antoni, bassist Sebastian Steinberg, and drummer Yuval Gabay. They developed a devout fanbase and garnered largely positive response from critics. Steve Huey of AllMusic described the band as "One of the most unique cult bands of the '90s...Driven by frontman M. Doughty's stream-of-consciousness poetry, Soul Coughing's sound was a willfully idiosyncratic mix of improvisational jazz grooves, oddball samples, hip hop, electronics, and noisy experimentalism". [1] Doughty described the band's sound as "deep slacker jazz". [2] The group broke up in 2000. [1] [3]

Contents

Recording career

All four Soul Coughing members were regulars at The Knitting Factory, a New York City nightclub and performance venue that was part of the 1980s and 1990s experimental downtown scene. Doughty was a doorman known for his improvised comedic quasi-raps, while the others appeared at the Knitting Factory in various bands. [1] [4] 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). [5]

Within a year of its formation, the band was signed to Slash Records, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Records. [1] The group released three albums: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996) and El Oso (1998), with the latter showing a marked drum and bass influence. [6] Irresistible Bliss and El Oso both reached the Billboard 200 albums chart. [7] The band enjoyed minor hit singles with "Soundtrack to Mary" and "Super Bon Bon". [8]

In 1996, Soul Coughing contributed to the AIDS benefit album Offbeat: A Red Hot Soundtrip , produced by the Red Hot Organization. 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 ("Is Chicago, Is Not Chicago") and Spawn ("A Plane Scraped It’s Belly On A Sooty Yellow Moon", featuring. Roni Size). Their song "Super Bon Bon" was included on the soundtrack for the video games Gran Turismo 2 in 1999, The Bigs 2 in 2009 and the Amazon Prime Series Reacher_(TV_series) , Season 2, Episode 7, "The Man Goes Through". [9]

The song "Circles" from El Oso reached #8 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart, [8] and was used as the soundtrack to a Cartoon Network extended commercial that poked fun at repeating cartoon backgrounds. [10] [11]

Soul Coughing broke up in 2000. [1] [3] Mark Degli Antoni moved on to a career as a film score composer, [1] while Mike Doughty began a prolific solo career, occasionally revisiting Soul Coughing songs in new styles. [12]

Lust in Phaze , a greatest hits compilation including a few B-sides, 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. [13] In 2017, Swedish record label Woah Dad! acquired Soul Coughing's back catalog from Slash Records. [14]

Star honoring Soul Coughing on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue Soul Coughing - First Avenue Star.jpg
Star honoring Soul Coughing on the outside mural of the Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue

Soul Coughing was honored with a star on the outside mural of Minneapolis nightclub First Avenue, [15] which recognizes performers who have played sold-out shows or otherwise made major cultural contributions to the iconic venue. [16] Receiving a star "might be the most prestigious public honor an artist can receive in Minneapolis", according to journalist Steve Marsh. [17] 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. [18]

Discography

Albums

TitleDetailsPeak chart positions
US
[19]
Ruby Vroom
Irresistible Bliss
  • Released: July 9, 1996
  • Reissue: August 24, 2015
  • Label: Slash/Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP
136
El Oso
  • Released: September 29, 1998
  • Reissue: August 24, 2015
  • Label: Slash/Warner Bros.
  • Formats: CD, CS, LP
49
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

Compilations

TitleDetails
Lust in Phaze
  • Released: March 19, 2002
  • Label: Slash/Rhino
  • Format: CD

Live albums

TitleDetails
Tokyo, Japan 03.02.97
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: KUFALA Recordings
  • Recorded: February 2–3, 1997
New York, NY 16.08.99
  • Released: January 4, 2005
  • Label: KUFALA Recordings
  • Recorded: August 16, 1999
Berlin/Amsterdam 1997
  • Released: January 4, 2005
  • Label: KUFALA Recordings
  • Recorded: 1997
Rennes, France 03.12.94
  • Released: January 4, 2005
  • Label: KUFALA Recordings
  • Recorded: December 3, 1994
Live Rarities
  • Released: January 4, 2005
  • Label: KUFALA Recordings
  • Recorded: 1993, 1994, 1997

Singles

YearTitlePeak chart positionsAlbum
US
Alt.

[20]
US
Main.

[21]
US
Bub.

[22]
1994"Down to This"Ruby Vroom
1995"Sugar Free Jazz"
"Screenwriter's Blues"
1996"Soundtrack to Mary"37Irresistible Bliss
"Super Bon Bon"27
1997"Soft Serve"
1998"Circles"83824El Oso
"St. Louise Is Listening"
1999"Rolling"
"−" denotes singles that did not chart.

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