This Seattle, Washington, USA-based quartet fused influences as diverse as Led Zeppelin, the Stooges, Velvet Underground and, most particularly, early UK and US punk bands into a dirty, sweaty, sexually explicit and decidedly fresh take on rock ‘n’ roll. The band, Chris Cornell (b. 20 July 1964, Seattle, Washington, USA; vocals/guitar), Kim Thayil (b. 4 September 1960, Seattle, Washington, USA; guitar), Hiro Yamamoto (b. 20 September 1968, Okinawa, Japan; bass) and Matt Cameron (b. 28 November 1962, San Diego, USA; drums), proffered a sound characterized by heavy-duty, bass-laden metallic riffs, which swung between dark melancholia and avant garde minimalism. Cornell’s ranting vocal style and articulate lyrics completed the effect. The band’s first recording, 1987’s six-song Screaming Life EP, was the second release on the hugely influential Sub Pop Records label, and marked out their territory. Indeed, Thayil had brought together the label’s owners Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in the first place. Following the Fopp EP, the band became the first of the Sub Pop generation to sign to a major when they attracted the attention of A&M Records, although their debut set, Ultramega OK, was released through SST Records in order to maintain their indie credibility.
A&M eventually released Louder Than Love, one of the most underrated and offbeat rock albums of 1989. After its release Cameron and Cornell also participated in the two million-selling Temple Of The Dog album, that co-featured future Pearl Jam members Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament laying tribute at the door of deceased Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood. However, following the recording sessions for Louder Than Love, Yamamoto was replaced by Jason Everman (ex-Nirvana), though he played on only one track, a cover version of the Beatles’ ‘Come Together’, before departing for Mindfunk via Skunk. His eventual replacement was band friend Ben ‘Hunter’ Shepherd (b. 20 September 1968, USA). Badmotorfinger built on the band’s successful formula but added insistent riffs, the grinding but melodious guitar sound that would come to define the grunge genre, and their own perspectives on politics, religion and society. Among its many absorbing moments was the MTV -friendly single ‘Jesus Christ Pose’.
Landing the support slot on Guns N’Roses’ US Illusions tour deservedly opened up Soundgarden to a much wider audience. Superunknown capitalized on this, and debuted at number 1 on the Billboard chart on 19 March 1994. Produced by Michael Beinhorn (Soul Asylum, Red Hot Chili Peppers) and the band themselves, it was a magnum opus, clocking in at more than 70 minutes and featuring 15 songs. Eventually selling over three million copies, it was promoted by an Australasian tour in January 1994, headlining the ‘Big Day Out’ festival package above the Ramones, Smashing Pumpkins and Teenage Fanclub, before moving on to Japan. Down On The Upside was another fine album, recorded during Cornell’s allegedly serious drug problems; the record belied the band’s internal strife with intense but highly melodic heavy rock. Continuing unrest in the camp led to the band’s split in April 1997, with Cameron moving on to Pearl Jam and Cornell embarking on a solo career.
