Soundgarden

Chris Cornell

Vocals, Guitar

Kim Thayil

Guitar

Matt Cameron

Drums

Hiro Yamamoto

Bass ('84-'89)

Ben Shepherd

Bass

Formed: 1984
Location: Seattle, Washington, USA
Genre: Rock, Grunge, Hard Rock
Years Active: 1984 - 1997; 2010 - 2017; 2019; 2025
Meaning of the Name: Taken from a public art installation in Seattle
Way of Working: Collaborative
Associated: Temple of the Dog

Essential Releases

Badmotorfinger (1991)

Psychedelic, dense, and pessimistic. Technically-complex work of fine craftsmanship.

Superunknown (1994)

Commercial behemoth of an album featuring more accessible songwriting.

Not all grunge bands were created equal. No other Seattle band matched the technical virtuosity and progressive structures of Soundgarden. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Alice in Chains may have shared a postcode, but what really united them was guitar music, geography, and a shared anti-commercial attitude. When they rose to the pinnacle of rock in 1991, it marked an irreversible sea change that swept the hair bands overboard without a life raft.

In their DNA, Soundgarden are a hard rock band in the vein of Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin; they were even accused of being Led Zeppelin clones early in their career. Metal fans gladly embrace Soundgarden (and Alice in Chains) due to the heavy sludge of tracks like '4th of July', as well as their use of key genre features such as crushing riffs, down-tuned guitars, and Chris Cornell's powerful falsetto that could shatter glass and shred eardrums.

What grunge did so effectively was channel the tired, apathetic sentiment so many young people felt towards the sanitised version of rock that dominated the charts in the '80s. Bands like Winger and W.A.S.P. had replaced the serious political and occult themes of '70s hard rock with more radio-friendly, albeit still controversial, themes of sex and partying.

While the dominant '80s bands retained enough of a rock edge to anger the parents of the P.M.R.C., they commercialised youthful rebellion to such an extent that a true anti-establishment movement became inevitable.

The angst-ridden, serious lyricism of bands like Soundgarden returned hard rock to its incendiary starting point. Protest songs such as 'New Damage' (1991) take aim at President George Bush, who famously used the phrase "new world order" to mean the US was the only remaining superpower, inevitably inviting challenge. Their scathing lyrics include: "A new world order / It's new damage done." 'Jesus Christ Pose' mocks the self-serious persecution complex exhibited by many musicians, while 'Holy Water' targets the ineffectiveness of religion:

"Holy Bible on the nightstand next to me as I'm raped by another monkey circus freak."

The irony is, however, that the anti-commercial stance baked into the foundation of grunge is precisely what made it so successful. Nirvana became the biggest band in the world during with their anthemic cries of a disillusioned generation. Soundgarden's Superunknown (1994) sold millions of copies and topped the US album charts despite its themes of depression, mental breakdown, and exhaustion—a tone drastically different from the popular rock of the '80s.

Grunge had an inherent tension between anti-commercial sentiment and gigantic commercial success that was incoherent. By reshaping the rock landscape, the Seattle scene made stars of people unsuited for the role and the weight of fame contributed greatly to the death of Kurt Cobain. Chris Cornell took his own life in 2017 after his addiction and mental health problems were exacerbated by the pressures of life in a world famous band.

Ultimately, the legacy of Soundgarden lies in their ability to traverse genre boundaries by appealing to fans of both metal and alternative rock. They provided a cerebral diet of dense arrangements that incorporated several chord and rhythm changes with poetic, morose lyrics about the darker elements of life. They captured the authenticity of the Seattle underground and amplified it for the world to hear.

Skills

*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.

Emotional Impact

i Does it connect with the heart? What does it make you feel and how much of it?

85

Mental Impact

i Does it connect with the head? Social issues, interesting observations, clever lyrics, similies etc.

85

Originality

i Are they unique? Did they break new ground, use new techniques or create new genres.

70

Artistry

i Using creativity and imagination to present themselves in a unique way. Example, Wu-Tang Clan as Shaolin and Marvel characters etc.

65

Authenticity

i Do they really mean what they say? Is it autobiographical, personal?

80

Live

i Stage presence, working the crowd, performance. Miming, forgetting lyrics reduce this.

90

Production

i Studio techniques. More important for electronic music including hip hop.

70

Musicianship

i Their ability to play individually and as a group. Technical skills. DJing. Freestyling for hip hop.

90

Singing

i Technical attributes.

90

Songwriting

i Storytelling. Cohesive themes. Is the song about something? Stan by Eminem is an example of excellent songwriting.

85

Danceability

i Does it make you move? Do you tap your foot, nod your head or move your whole body?

60

Fun

i Is listening to it a good time? Are the lyrics funny? Depressing themes lowers value.

40

Consistency

i Have they put out good music across their careers. Two good albums and 5 band ones will reduce this value. Reduced for Pixies due to their post-reunion albums.

70

Range

i Fast, slow, ballads, party jams. Do they go beyond their own genre?

80

Cool

i Laid-back, icy detachment, unflustered.

85

Charisma

i Factors include appearance, force of personality. Elvis making people faint etc.

80

Commercial & Critical Success

Awards >>>

• Grammy Award WINNER! x2
• Grammy Award Nominee x7

Certifications >>>

• Badmotorfinger - Platinum in the US & Canada; Gold in the UK & Australia
• Superunknown - Platinum in the US, UK, Australia & Canada; Gold in Holland
• Down on the Upside - Platinum in the US, Australia & Canada; Silver in the UK

Charts >>>

• Superunknown - Number 1 in the US, Australia & Canada; Number 4 in the UK
• Down on the Upside - Number 1 in Australia; Number 2 in the US & Canada; Number 7 in the UK
• King Animal - Number 5 in the US; Number 6 in Australia & Canada

Critics >>>

• Revolver - Badmotorfinger - The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time: 69th
• Rolling Stone - Louder Than Love - The 69 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time: 26th
• Rolling Stone - Superunknown - Best Albums of 1994: 3rd
• Rolling Stone - Superunknown - The 100 Greatest Albums of the 90s (2011): 38th

Similar Acts

• Alice in Chains
• Pearl Jam
• The Melvins
• Screaming Trees
• Mudhoney
• Helmet

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