SOUNDGARDEN’s Kim Thayil Talks Rock Hall Induction, Potential Live Reunion & Unreleased Final Album

In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Kim Thayil, guitarist of the iconic grunge band Soundgarden, opened up about the band’s upcoming Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, the status of their long-shelved final album, and a few overlooked artists he feels deserve more recognition from the institution.

When asked if Soundgarden plans to perform at the Rock Hall ceremony this fall, Thayil responded optimistically:

“I think so, if they want us to. It seems that that invitation is there. It’s up to the Hall to how they develop their program, but we would love to play there.”

Though nothing is set in stone, Thayil pointed to past collaborations as potential indicators of what fans might expect:

“You could probably look at the people that Matt, Ben, and I have played with over the past handful of years… There’s a few people we’ve performed with who would be the first ones for the call.”

One of those names could very well be Shaina Shepherd, who sang with Soundgarden during a benefit show late last year alongside Duff McKagan (Guns N’ Roses). When asked about her, Thayil said:

“Yeah, [she’s] great, and she’s local… We have a trust in their ability and an affection for their love of our work, and our love of their work.”

He even drew comparisons to Nirvana’s Hall of Fame performance in 2014, where the band brought out multiple guest vocalists. Thayil noted that a similar approach may be taken by Soundgarden.

As for the long-discussed final Soundgarden album—featuring unreleased recordings with the late Chris Cornell—Thayil confirmed that he still believes it will eventually be released. Legal disputes between the band and Cornell’s estate have slowed the process, but hope remains.

“I think so. Our objective and goal was always to complete that… I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished… I have pride for what I did, and I want to see that come out.”

“It’s a gift to the fans. And, I don’t know how strange this sounds, but I feel like it’s a gift to Chris too.”

The still-unreleased songs that were reportedly part of that album include:

• “Road Less Traveled” (Chris Cornell/Matt Cameron)
• “Orphans” (Chris Cornell/Matt Cameron)
• “At Ophians Door” (Chris Cornell/Matt Cameron)
• “Cancer” (Chris Cornell)
• “Ahead Of The Dog” (Chris Cornell/Kim Thayil)
• “Merrmas” (Chris Cornell/Ben Shepherd)
• “Stone Age Mind” (Chris Cornell)

Despite the delays, Thayil reaffirmed the band’s commitment to honoring their legacy and releasing the material with care:

“It’s not just my work, it’s our collective work. And in this case, specifically, the work of Chris.”

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