Garbage: 'Our record label gave up on us'

[@charlespeterson3986]

I love Garbage. Their first two albums just get better with time. Image-wise, the band was a group of very talented older guys, plus Shirley. As popular music became more and more youth-driven, they were of course going to fade out of the mainstream. But they're still fantastic. It's the mainstream that sucks.

[@rchloe-bv3sl]

I wish the 90s rock vibe would come back to the mainstream. I'm sick of pop/hip hop mashups.

[@tinastanley4444]

r. chloe I'm with you!

[@Turk_2023]

hundreds of thousands of kids picked up instruments in the 60s/70s/80s because of the awesome music, but it`s over now....The girls like Katie Perry instead of Fleetwood Mac and the boys like video games and shooting up schools, and whatever songs are in grand theft auto they know.....Black kids in the 60s& 70s had awesome influence from the all those great black musicians and singers....But then rap was introduced and pretty much ruined that and black girls want to be rhiana and boys want to be gang bangers.......

[@aggroed]

follow the underground. go to your nearest music venue or record store. ask questions. watch bands you've never heard of. . it's fun. you'll find some cool stuff!

[@colewinters5954]

Yes me too im so sick of the 'girl sings a verse, then a rap break, then girl sings a verse' or vice versa style its so dull and formulaic.

[@robb9702]

Same here!

[@arttee7817]

I just read "This is the noise that keeps me awake " this band are true artists with such an honest insight into humanity and a beautiful way of expressing it in their music. Thanks

[@robb9702]

I'm glad Garbage as a band stuck to their roots and didn't sway to the rap crap during that time. Kudos!

[@bobbyturcotte7968]

I'm metal lover But Garbage had me from the first album! Their musicianship captured me, and song writing skills. Love every album...

[@boromirofgondor1856]

same, a metal head here who thinks Black Sabbath is the best band ever, but somehow from 1994 this band is my most favorite

[@gojohngo106]

So true!

[@Bob_Jones123]

The painful lesson is in most cases, bands have 3-5 years max where they are on top and make their mark. The fans eventually move on with few exceptions. If they are still relevant after 5 years, the bands either take a long hiatus or break up due to exhaustion, tension, burnout.

[@superficialwannabe]

I love this band. SInce the age of 5 years old-Mum blaring version 2.0 in the ol, mercedes driving through Wandsworth. I'm at the age now where I'm so grateful to have had their musical influence to guide me. Awesome band. Garbage authenticity inspired countless other bands and artists that evolved in and out of the mainstream. Garbage is not in the present mainstream because mainstream music nowadays has transformed into something negative and crass

[@jamesmusisca7547]

i wish i had a music label these people would have a studio anytime anything they want they hold the power masters of the universe

[@ryiin]

One of the most underrated bands.

[@unionjack-3736]

1990's the last great decade of music & movies

[@arricammarques1955]

90's was the 60's inverted in reflection!

[@krustenhund]

oh nice thought.

[@michaelwilliams459]

I love their music. I love Shirley ❤️

[@ramirovazquez2282]

They were never garbage- au contraire, they were pure gold! Remember: one man's demon is another man's angel and one man's garbage is another man's treasure!

[@formattester6]

this band was sooooo ground breaking and GREAT!!!!!!

[@gmantramp404]

Not in the league of the early Banshees 🤘🤘

[@davidviner4932]

Brilliant band, lovely people, so much respect for you all. I was a child of the 70s so was lucky enough to enjoy the 80s electronic music. There was only one band I felt were worthy of listening to in the 90s and that was Garbage. I will always be a fan, you saved that decade :)

[@jamesbehrje4279]

Thank you for having a backbone and standing up to corporate mainstream record companies. They destroyed the whole grunge/alternative rock genre. It was like after 2003 rock was dead. where I live Miami we used to have 2 huge rock stations. They turned one of them into a electronica dance station and the other one into a hiphop station. The electronica station replaced a station that was on the air for 40 yrs. That station lasted about a year before it went off the air. The other rock station lasted longer then the first one. It was a younger station then the older one and had slightly differences that probably helped to keep it on the air for a few years. When it did go off the air it was turned into a Spanish language dance station. All of the stations now are hiphop or Spanish language stations. We still had e a classic rock station that plays music from bands like the doors, the Beatles, and the eagles. I was born in the early 80's. My whole generation grew up on rock, and its like we never existed. There is no radio play at all for me. I'm not the minority either. There are a lot of other grungy rock people like me. I know because when I was younger I would go to the huge concerts the the rock stations would promote. The concerts always had a massive turnout. It's sad how corporations can play with society like they do. They literally forced people to listen to just one type of music now. You have to listing to hip hop or rap. Before you had a choice because it was pretty even across the board between all the different music genres. Now it's primarily hip hip-hop/rb/rap, Spanish language/ top 40/ country.

[@emmodog]

Love This comment. I grew up in Miami. 55 yo and you are dead on. Another thing is there used to be more bars and clubs that had live music. In the late 80s early 90s, my college and early 20s, I saw a lot of live bands for reasonable prices. Some local some traveling around Florida. I had friends in bands or got to know the musicians cause I'd see them frequently. The local real estate market changed in the early 00s and those clubs got closed down. Dance music definitely came out of the underground. So I'm sure the corporate radio stations felt they were responding to that shift. Definitely backfired for rock lovers. I know this 5 years later, but your comment about Miami was so accurate. I needed to respond.

[@nelsonribeiro4761]

Respect them a lot for sticking to their roots... after 20 years, I still listen to them. My kid too. Gotta teach young generations what is good music.

[@MADGUNSMONSTER]

AGREED. I tried to teach my younger brother, but he sticks to this unintelligible much mouth rubbish.

[@Gordies-World]

It doesn't matter to me. You are legendary. And I will follow you all till I die.

[@JohnnyBeane]

Great interview. Thank u for doing this!

[@Ohhhwehere]

oh god this band has been a part on my life forever. thank you guys for making such amazing music

[@machucavargas3636]

I miss you guys. I want to hear you guys play together again. This really saddens me

[@jonsword9508]

Thank You Garbage You made an impact!

[@MattC78]

Garbage is a great band. I have all their albums.

[@tooniemama6959]

I love Shirley and Garbage and their music is on a whole other level, but I believe the rock group "Blondie" was doing sample rap beats, electronics & indie rock guitar back in the 70s.

[@spartan876]

Pretty sure that garbage would admit to this. They just did a huge tour with blondie, shirley is a massive fan of debbie harry

[@karlagomez1618]

Yes, but what Shirley is saying is that the label tried to force them to work with Hip Hop producers, to make their music more likable. It wasn´t their decision. In Blondie´s case they were making experiments with other kinds of music, don´t forget the context when blondie release Rapture, hip hop music was underground music only popular with african americans. And it does not surprise me that Garbage felt they doesn´t wanted to do that since Butch Vig besides being in the band produced the first Nirvana album and some of the best NIN records. Duke also produced great shit, I mean it is not about getting into hip styles to be popular, they wanted to make their own music whereas it was appealing to young audiences or not

[@drumkombat161]

I don't think there were many rap beats in the 70's.

[@danielbarnat610]

This band is right on when they say: "We're not your kind of people. We think you're kind of phony and everything's a lie". That's what they really think about the music industry and the media and pretty much everything! I would have to agree.

[@DanHarkless_Halloween_YTPs_etc]

Excellent retrospective! Thanks for putting this together, FaceCulture!

[@dothedew8250]

i thought when shirley mentioned that the recod label gave up on them was on a joe rogan podcast, i had been looking for this clip for the past 12 hours. Thank you, great interview!!!

[@llezzamagu1]

They sound from now, or then... timeless.... luv you Garbage, awesome music full of soul

[@draem_seekr]

I was introduced to them by a game called Grand Turismo for the Playstation 1 and while playing a 2 lap circuit on a rally car(I think it was a Subaru Impreza or an Evo). A completely laid back track plays as the BGM and it really grew on me. This was my favorite game for a long time and all the songs that were in the game really clicked with my taste. Man those were some good times and had great bands and music :) We fans will always be behind you man!

[@murd3rtr0n]

I don't know if I'd describe it as a laid back track considering the chorus goes something like, "If flesh could crawl, my skin would fall, right off my bones, and run away from here, as far from God, as angels could fly."

[@spartan876]

Gran turismo 1 didn't have rally murd3rtron.... he must be talking about "i think im paranoid" in gran turismo 2.... although I think as heaven is wide is a pretty laid back song in a dark way... lol.

[@MrKahlerHahn]

@@spartan876 no... gt1 had as heaven is wide in it. GT2 had I think I'm paranoid in it, but not on the european version, which pissed me off big time

[@cdn20782]

I usually don't even listen to this kind of music, but garbage really is one of the most unique band on the planet. The singer has a voice like no other. Her voice really get me to listen to their music and really appreciate their talent. Coming from a Metallica, iron maiden, etc... Fan.

[@jamesmule9998]

One of the very best female voices in music ! She needed more good songs! If we're in her shoes ,would have gone solo!

[@antonelazuliani6133]

I love Shirley Manson and Garbage band since always.

[@bigjim284]

I hated a lot of the collaboration with other artist, rap and hip hop never interested me much. Good for you guys hanging on to you roots and creative style.

[@morbb5691]

I first heard Garbage back in around 2009; I wanted something besides heavier metal to listen to and I saw the video "Only Happy When it Rains" and I liked them. Even though I'm not a musician, I can kinda understand the difficulties the band would have with record companies and how the music industry is. I can appreciate the fact that Garbage remained more true to themselves as a band instead of always caving in to the desires of the record companies who just want bands to make them money and follow the current trends. Another band I like is King's X. They had problems and difficulties with Atlantic records back in their early days for not being sell-outs for what the record company wanted. King's X eventually moved on to other record companies after Atlantic. Probably the same basic difficulties with record companies that Garbage has been through. King's X remained true to themselves as a band over the years as well. King's X wasn't really part of the mainstream of music either but they still had a loyal fan base in spite of it all.

[@Lexmanity]

Guys, you 've done excellent work so far so keep it up the good work. We are all very proud of you :)

[@RaeZoladawn777]

such great musician s I love them true rockers love Shirley so much she just kicks .......xxxx

[@SerenityMusic3]

Oh no I'm so sorry for this

[@ShawnFerrell]

Watching even a moment of a Garbage music video makes me wanna go back in time.

[@TsetsiStoyanova]

Industry is fudged up

[@ahidayat7795]

It’s really devastating to see this amazing great quality band disappeared .. and got replaced with “gucci gang..gucci gang...gucci gang..gucci gang”

[@NiGHTSaturn]

How stupid Geffen was to not let them do what they wanted. Especially since in 2004, Rock came back in the mainstream in full swing. Good on them that they did more records independently.

[@ThoughtandMemory]

Keep fighting the mainstream. One of the best sounds ever. I used to play tomb raider on the original playstation listening to the first album. Brilliant.

[@victoria9791]

I like Garbage because they are weirdos, straight talkers and have unique style as well as stand up for womens equal rights and, of course, their music really rocks!

[@matthewortado4943]

Well spoken interview!

[@williamkinsey4979]

I,m like you babe. If we are guilty of anything we are guilty of being genuine. And we will always be in the minority. Don't you dare compromise!

[@aceofspades856]

Fuck that record label, you guy still rock! I'll always be a fan!

[@steadfastcoward]

By that time it was Universal Music Group, or what they were morphing into...Herb Alpert wouldn't have given them any flack if he were still at the helm.

[@welcome2me]

one of the best to ever do it...remember them blasting way loud at the arcade way back in the 90's

[@FeguerFineArt]

Shirley Mason is still Amazing!

[@leeannmansfield5254]

Shirley has the best voice xxxx

[@rns011]

Styles change, come and go but Garbage will always be.

[@keithrichards9034]

It's absolutely awful 2nd rate trash apart from the 2 hits they had. Such lack of definition, they were lucky to get as far as they did.

[@musicgirl999]

Ronald Schwartz I agree! Same with Incubus and LP too. RIP Chester!!

[@carolinegray5297]

I disagree it’s good music

[@keithrichards9034]

I agree with you, I was just severely pissed off at the time >,< they did well, they're good. laters,

[@cmolodiets]

yes there always will be garbage

[@corcaightowner8881]

It's good your are not apart of the mainstream. You are leaders.

[@CharityisClarity]

Its like asking an apple tree to be an apple Patience has great reward tho Integrity matters Im glad your saw through the Blinding lights Full of wisdom Friends in the end Shirley i think your a fashion type icon in a way You symbolise more then just music i mean The group and sound was amazing overall Unique and refreshing full of energy Im glad you kept it unique to you For oursake the fans The refuse of the industry The band lived up to its name Yes But one mans garbage is another mans treasure Thanks for being awesome always

[@k_mysti]

Fuck that label.

[@kabardinka1]

A classic discussion of the nasty realities of the corporate music biz. Still a great band with one of the best singers around.

[@IncredulousMisanthrope]

I agree. And i also love how the whole discussion is relevant to this day even though they had this interview a few years ago and it sums up everything. Nothing has changed since the 70s and the media wants you to listen/watch whatever they throw at you. Innovation is always ignored and shoved away, and once a band tries something else instead of being what the record label wants you to be, the label throws them away.

[@DokkaChapman]

Garbage is one of those bands where I'd love to be a fly on the studio wall. You just listen to the music and it sounds so technical that you wonder how it gets made!

[@jerzzemacabretroose5879]

But you're not doing exactly what executive fatheads want you to do... Keep fighting. I love you guys.

[@shawngary2271]

they are awesome

[@missnotofthisworld7469]

Garbage is Awesome! I love Shirley Manson! Piss on that record Label. They couldn't control and make the same lame old shit! I prefer a band like Garbage instead of the lame shit! We love you Shirley Manson! Garbage Forever!

[@boromirofgondor1856]

Garbage is one of the Best bands out there. all of them are real artists, just listen to their latest Album and what they created in their 50s/60s is just amazing. its great that stayed their course and not following the popular wave.

[@jamesmusisca7547]

i think just the right people and you'll run wild

[@Fnortner01]

I'd say they reclaimed what they had in the past and then some.

[@benmacanas7319]

Amazing Band and voice what a TRIP!

[@MondoBeno]

I loved their 90's music, but I think the problem is the audiences changed. 90's styles were not as popular by 2003, when the garage rock craze started, and now you have all the bimbo acts like Iggy Azalea. It happens with a lot of rock bands, their sound/look is out of date. Back in 2003, Liz Phair tried to keep "up to date" by hiring Avril Lavigne's song writers to write her lyrics. The album sold well, but the critics trashed it.

[@scottdj1982]

Easily one of my fave bands growing up

[@valentina47734]

Loved them since their first single. Thought there were wonderful and strange.

[@tonyp9601]

Yes... They were a real band and it came across in their productions definitely. You can tell right away there is a band behind there doing that. It comes right out at ya.

[@suminshizzles6951]

When was the last time you saw a drummer on a huge stage playing a roland electronic drum kit? They are breaking barriers time and time again. Thank fuck they did not bow down to their label and eventually went their own way doign their own thing in their own studio.

[@andy6576]

1:10 Not true, "Happy Mondays" were merging Electronica with guitar-based indie a few years earlier. Garbage were still great, though.

[@cristinaarnett3299]

This band was "ground breaking" at the same general time that a lot of other sort of grungy girl bands/ singers were getting big. Garbage's biggest problem was that Shirley's voice only had 1 sound. And you can only do so much with that. I was a HUGE fan when I was a teenager, and I still appreciate them as an adult, but muh. She only sings a few notes and the songs all sound alike and they just really aren't saying much.

[@Hero_Of_Old]

You must be joking

[@pomarem]

Garbage was always playing at my place Friday to Sunday still is......

[@katyreign416]

Fuck rap, I miss real music

[@nixko2532]

Being successful in the wrong era, but was one my favourites bands of the 90$

[@pikadroo]

Yes, I heard you opening the soda can open all the way in 2018.

[@rafaelnakahodo6344]

Hermosa shirley forever!!

[@katyreign416]

Makes me feel better to remember why I haven't made it, my idol is her

[@nanominardi4084]

Loved Shirley

[@normannamundsen464]

Garbage is one of the best band I have in my heart. Thank you for doing this thing you know how to do👍👍👍👍🎊💝💝💝 the best to evryone from Normann in Norway😄😄😄

[@ExclusiveLM]

This band was really powerful with their first album. But, their subsequent CDs just did not keep up with the times. Pop music is just that. What young people like at that very moment, they the kids will make popular. Record companies steal. But, lets face it. If a band does not turn on young kids, they are no longer relevant. Pop music changes every 5 years. For a band to continue to be successful it has to morph into something else every 5 years too. Madonna, Mariah, Beyonce, all knew how to change. When Mariah started she did love songs then changed to more rap stuff. For a band that does not want to change it's hard. That's what happened to artists like Prince. Prince was very talented. But, the record company wanted him to change and he refused and even he was shunned. Prince later said that he felt like a slave to the record company for not promoting him enough. But, if you as an artist change and still stay with up to date music, then the record company will back you up if they see that you will sell a lot with your NEW music and not just rest on the success of your previous albums. That sucks. But, it's the truth.

[@spartan876]

I disagree with you wholeheartedly. I think a lot of bands went sour at the turn of the millenium, it wasn't only older music but newer music too. I think the industry had made shirley quite insecure and it kinda fucked with her mind. I also think there was a lot of pressure from the digital revolution. There was fear of musicians going obsolete or losing money cause of stuff like napster. It just became hard to make a living because records weren't selling. Bands weren't being signed, there was a tremendous sense of fear in the world. I blame that on why Garbage's output declined in quality, there was lots of negative pressure. The world isn't as fickle as you believe when it comes to trends. The 5 year trends you talk about are manufactured by a dying media establishment for a demographic that psychologically doesn't even know how to make proper choices yet. Nowadays, Garbage is fully independent. Strange Little Birds is really good in my opinion and was recorded in butch vig's basement! I think things are going to become as they were in the 80s and 90s. The music industry as we knew it is dying and its being replaced with something much better, with indie labels and platforms like bandcamp and youtube.

[@PinoyAbnoy]

ive read the miles davis biography where he said something about changing with the times if you want to be relevant. and miles eventually created jazz fusion influencing future music genre

[@allensaunders449]

ExclusiveLM great bands do there own thing they don't follow shallow trends

[@cowlumbus]

Except they were not a pop band...alternative which came and went. They did go more pop in later albums but missed.

[@alegauna366]

Are you a CEO of a record company? Whats got to do Beyoncé With this band? Fuck off

[@vylkenzonkk7714]

Superb!

[@katekrissana]

Version 2.0 is one of my most favourites of all time

[@stevesmith7839]

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE

[@rejy223]

she is beautiful

[@Muthrtung]

fucking label bullshit! they did the same thing to Amy n Evanescence. Pursuing them, then trying to threaten that they can only have a deal, if they include a male rapper. Bring me to life, & Amy writing that part, was an agreed compromise, but not before they'd told the label to get stuffed & went home ... to get a call again. women like Shirley, & bands like Garbage, are crucially important in the world. For way more than they're rad music

[@skip123davis]

i absolutely hate hip hop/rap. violent "lyrics" misogynistic sentiment. i always liked the depth of garbage, as well as the environment that "no doubt" created. that made up for the 80's and the shitty "music" like duran duran and michael jackson that came out. the mid-late 90's was a good time for pop music.

[@jason42080]

The sad thing is that Garbage's Ego was their downfall...yeah your artist we get that but so is everyone in the music industry and not wanting to do collaborations/mash-ups showed disrespect to other artists in different style music that liked Garbage's music...but hey at least she acknowledged that their personal mindset was one the reason for their hardships

[@jonathonhopkins]

God this is when music didnt fucking suck

[@GoldenArtsOnline]

Im quite sure she plays in Sarah Chronicles second season? I taught she was amazing there.

[@PumpkinPails]

I'm glad they didn't cave to the pressures of their record company. Garbage featuring some rapper doesn't make any sense. I'd love to hear them with the guy from Placebo, though.

[@jaredeschler1806]

Yeah mash up with a rapper that sucks. They're aren't hardly any new good bands. I saw these guys at a club in the 90s probably right after the rains song blew up which is one of their best. They were really good. They had a lot of energy.

[@ГришаСолодухин]

Класс!!!👍👍👍👏👏👏

[@jerryhensley6255]

one of the greatest albums ever made just saying

[@jerryhensley6255]

I will be a fan until the day I die

[@stevejenkins6924]

Cool band and people .

[@trumpetmano]

Record Labels are so full of shit- If they just left the artists alone to do their thing....

[@thegreatowl5282]

\m/!

[@Jim-os6ed]

rockstars are meant to stick out. Thanks Garbage :-)

[@asusmctablet9180]

I guess these guys never heard of Curve, who were a tech heavy indie band with a strong female singer

[@m.asquino7403]

Shirley were are you?

[@maryannlavi7046]

Yeah....but... Shirls :)

[@jamesmusisca7547]

gave up their loss

[@Boogieplex]

I just came here cuz shirley is hot....oh,and she sings beautifully.