Seattle Times | "Soundgarden ready for ‘Seattle-centric’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction"
Photo: Kim Thayil with Soundgarden; Las Vegas July 2011 (Jeffgarden.com)
“There isn’t a soul in Seattle who needs to hear a recitation of Soundgarden’s hall of fame credentials, but for the record, here’s how the Rock Hall described their worthiness: “Soundgarden ignited the grunge movement that radically changed rock & roll in the 1980s and 1990s. The band’s raw power came out of the Northwest and flew in the face of a disconnected world, giving fans what they had long desired: a voice and a sense of belonging. A unique combination of alternative, metal, and punk, Soundgarden’s compelling sound cemented their place in music history.”
Soundgarden’s induction also cements drummer Matt Cameron into an exclusive club as a two-time member, after being inducted with Pearl Jam in 2017. “Oh, it’s amazing,” Cameron said. “I just have to pinch myself. I would have never expected this to have happened. It’s an incredible honor.”
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“We wanted to keep it as Seattle-centric as possible and include some people that were there with us in the beginning,” Cameron said before the list of special guests had been revealed.
Other confirmed Seattleites include Heart’s Nancy Wilson, Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains — who ought to get their crack at the Rock Hall in the next few years — and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. Friend of the band Taylor Momsen, lead singer of New York rockers The Pretty Reckless, is also slated to perform with Soundgarden.
For Thayil, having a strong Seattle contingent join Soundgarden on the momentous occasion “is a big deal and a tip of the hat” to the band’s roots and “what we grew with together.”
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Thayil: “It always warms my heart to be onstage with Matt and Ben. It’s always been important, and it’s taken on new significance in recent years. It’s an emotional homecoming and a reaffirmation of the affection that we have for each other and for the work that we’ve created together. It’s always significant to me, emotionally and fraternally, to do things with Matt and Ben, and it will always be that way.”
On working to finish Soundgarden’s final album after a protracted legal dispute with Cornell’s estate …
Cameron: “It’s a massive emotional roller coaster. A lot of highs, a lot of lows. The highs are based on the fact that the music is seeing its light of day, it’s coming to life. Some of it feels like it could have been a new chapter in songwriting for the group, so that’s super bittersweet. But it’s been challenging to work on some of this music, soloing up Chris’ vocals and hearing that beautiful voice come through the speakers all on its own.”
Thayil: “The delay in the process was damaging in some ways to the emotive nature of the experience. Certainly, it’s great that we’re doing it now. I’m wondering — because you can’t help but wonder — how that emotive and creative journey might have been undertaken six, seven, eight years ago. You will never know that, and there’s something unfortunate (and) damaging about that. But there’s something also beneficial about that because we’re doing it now, and it’s beautiful. It’s a way to post tribute to our beloved brother. All of it just has that much more weight emotionally and creatively, and we don’t take that lightly.””
