Soul Coughing

Soul Coughing (1992–2000) was a New York-based band whose music blended elements of hip-hop, jazz, and rock. Their style of music was described by members of the band as "deep slacker jazz."

Related Topics:
1992 - 2000 - New York - Band - Music - Hip-hop - Jazz - Rock

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The band was composed of Mike Doughty, vocalist and guitarist (usually known then as 'M. Doughty'); Mark De Gli Antoni, who played synthesizer and sampler; Sebastian Steinberg, who played the double bass; and drummer Yuval Gabay. The four members met while working in various functions at The Knitting Factory, an experimental music club.

Related Topics:
Mike Doughty - Vocalist - Guitarist - Mark De Gli Antoni - Synthesizer - Sampler - Sebastian Steinberg - Double bass - Drummer - Yuval Gabay - The Knitting Factory - Experimental music

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The band released three albums: Ruby Vroom (1994), Irresistible Bliss (1996), and El Oso (1998). Also released following their breakup was Lust in Phaze (2002), a greatest-hits complilation including a few b-sides and other rarities.

Related Topics:
Album - Ruby Vroom - 1994 - Irresistible Bliss - 1996 - El Oso - 1998 - Lust in Phaze - 2002 - B-side

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Soul Coughing had an unusually strong following in the state of Minnesota in the mid-1990s, with anecdotal reports indicating that perhaps one in eight recordings by the group were sold there—a remarkable amount considering that the state's population is less than two-thirds that of New York City.

Related Topics:
Minnesota - 1990s

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Industry observers have noted that the group's decline in popularity coincided with a wave of media consolidation that was occurring across the United States at the time, possibly leading the group to be dropped from many playlists.

Related Topics:
Media consolidation - United States

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Soul Coughing were noted for their use of unconventional samples, looping snippets from, among others, Raymond Scott (in their songs "Bus to Beelzebub" and "Disseminated"), the Andrews Sisters (in "Down to This"), Howlin' Wolf (in "Down to This") and a Chris Rock monologue (in "$300"). They were also noted for singer M. Doughty's stream-of-consciousness lyrics, reminiscent of beat poetry in both content and half-sung, half-spoken delivery.

Related Topics:
Samples - Raymond Scott - Andrews Sisters - Howlin' Wolf - Chris Rock - Beat poetry

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The song "Rolling" (from "El Oso" album) is used as the soundtrack for a Betty Boop cartoon music video in the Groovies series from Cartoon Network, as was "Circles" (also off "El Oso") in a video featuring numerous Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters of earlier eras caught in the common cartoon practice of background looping.

Related Topics:
Betty Boop - Groovies - Cartoon Network - Hanna-Barbera

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~