Soundgarden is set to release its final album with the late frontman Chris Cornell.
The rock group, which is credited with bringing the grunge movement to the mainstream alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam, will return with one more album featuring Cornell.
Cornell died by suicide in 2017. He was 52. The last Soundgarden album released in his lifetime was 2012’s King Animal. However, on Monday, May 5, Soundgarden lead guitarist Kim Thayil told Rolling Stone that the band will release one more record with Cornell’s vocals.
“Our objective and goal was always to complete that [album],” Thayil, 64, told the outlet. “I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished or incomplete like that, so I think the more we can attend to our body of work and our catalog.”
“I think everyone in the band feels that way,” the musician continued. “I don’t just to attend to my work, but the collective work, and in this case specifically, the work of Chris.”
“I have pride for what I did and I want to see that come out. It doesn’t exist in the vacuum. It exists as a collaboration with Matt [Cameron] and Ben [Shepherd] and Chris, but it takes on an entirely different weight when you think about what it is you’re honoring, and the work that you’re paying tribute to,” he said.
“It is us collectively. We want to do it proud. And that part of us is certainly one of the most intimate components of what Soundgarden has been since 1984.”
Drummer Cameron, 62, joined the band in 1986, while bassist Shepherd, 56, joined in 1990. They joined Cornell and Thayil when the band was revived in 2010.
“It would be a great gift to the fans,” Thayil told Rolling Stone. “And I do think about this, and I don’t know how strange this sounds, but I feel like it’s a gift to Chris too.”
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Soundgarden will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the 2025 class. Founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto, who appeared on the band’s first two albums, will be included. Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, the White Stripes, Salt-N-Pepa and Joe Cocker are also being inducted this year.
Thayil told Rolling Stone that he believes Cornell “would’ve been really proud and happy” by the news of the induction.
“He’s the one who imparted that understanding to the rest of us after he inducted Heart. He came away from that with a different understanding of the event and of the accolade, and he shared that with us,” he said.
“We had conversations about it a few times. And since he had a better understanding of what to expect, and to prepare for it, than the rest of us. I think for that reason he would’ve been very happy and very proud.”
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