The Real-Life Performer Behind “Spoonman” by Soundgarden

Soundgarden’s 1994 grunge anthem, “Spoonman”, may be about a real-life street musician, but for Chris Cornell, it first arrived from a place of invention.

Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament was designing artwork for Cameron Crowe’s 1992 rom-com, Singles, which included a fictitious album featuring the name “Spoonman” on the cover. Although Cornell was aware of Artis the Spoonman, a kitchen utensil-rocking Seattle street performer, the Soundgarden hit was based solely on Ament’s made-up album title.

“I had known there was this guy Spoonman—his business card was these little disposable wooden spoons you would get with ice cream, but it was an ode to an imaginary person in my head, because I didn’t know him yet,” Cornell said.

The Spoonman is indeed a real person. Artis performed spoons on the track and also appears in the music video. The song was released as the first single from Soundgarden’s colossal fourth LP, Superunknown.

Feel the Rhythm With Your Hands

Cornell’s powerful guitar riff is propelled by Matt Cameron’s relentless percussion. It feels like an improvised drum circle that slowly grows into a killer bohemian lollapalooza.

Feel the rhythm with your hands,
Steal the rhythm while you can,
Spoonman.
Speak the rhythm on your own,
Speak the rhythm all alone,
Spoonman.

It speaks to music’s ability to activate the body’s movement and adrenaline. Like a primal joy that can’t be described in words. The hypnotic rhythm of “Spoonman” is grunge as trance music, an escape from reality but also a connection and communion. Perhaps it’s why the great street performers attract large crowds that are drawn in by a force much larger than curiosity.

Spoonman, come together with your hands,
Save me, I’m together with your plan.
Save me, yeah.

Down on the Upside

“Spoonman” can also be viewed as a kind of outsider anthem. Street performers often draw crowds for their novelty. The crowd wonders how this person got here, to this point in their lives, on the street playing spoons. It feels like a fall from somewhere, for many.

But Cornell finds harmony with Artis. And if you’ve ever spent any time in the traveling circus that is a rock and roll band, you’ll understand why.

Photo by Koh Hasebe/Shinko Music/Getty Images