Soundgarden, the seminal Seattle grunge rock group, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame<\/a> at the Peacock Theater on Saturday night. Before they accepted the honor from Jim Carrey and ripped into \u201cBlack Hole Sun,\u201d and \u201cRusty Cage,\u201d the band reflected together backstage on their topsy-turvy journey into the ranks of rock\u2019s immortals and the lasting impact of their departed frontman, Chris Cornell.<\/p>\n \u201cI like the honor of it and I\u2019m really happy for our fans,\u201d bassist Ben Shepherd said. \u201cI can\u2019t wait to play.\u201d<\/p>\n For guitarist Kim Thayil, there\u2019s a measure of validation in their induction which he recalled from conversations with Cornell. \u201cChris would say, \u2018Remember how you and I, and [bassist] Hiro [Yamamato] would sit around in a room and talk about the bands we really liked\u2026and that influenced us<\/i> to play together?” It’s like, \u2018Well, that’s the kind of band we should be. The band that makes us<\/i> want to get together and play music.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Soundgarden members Kim Thayil, from left, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd in 2014. (Jack Plunkett \/ Invision \/ AP)<\/span><\/p>\n The induction was a long time coming for Soundgarden. They originally formed in 1984 and steadily moved to the forefront of the underground indie rock scene on labels like Sub Pop and SST while touring the country in a red Chevy van. \u201cIt was almost like a camping trip with sleeping bags,\u201d Cameron recalled. \u201cI remember I brought this one blue blanket to sleep on.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d bring my own breakfast. I\u2019d bring a cooler, and I’d put cereal and yogurt in there,\u201d Yamamoto said. \u201cThese guys would go to Denny’s every day. I can’t do that!\u201d<\/p>\n After moving to A&M Records, Soundgarden spent the 1990s crafting some of the most innovative, heavy and dynamic albums of their generation \u2014 groundbreaking records like “Badmotorfinger,” “Superunknown” and “Down on the Upside.” Soundgarden disbanded in 1997 but got back together in 2010 and resumed working on music and touring.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> Everything that happened at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony<\/a><\/p>\n As rewarding as the Rock Hall honor is, the absence of Cornell \u2014 who took his own life after a concert in Detroit in 2017 \u2014 carried a somber note into the festivities. \u201cIt’s nice to hear the power of the music that we created, but it’s extremely bittersweet as well that we don’t have [Chris] with us,\u201d drummer Matt Cameron said. \u201cIn the few instances where we have performed this music since his passing \u2014 it’s only been a few occasions \u2014 it’s empowering, but it’s also really, really bittersweet.\u201d<\/p>\n In the meantime, Cornell\u2019s bandmates are continuing to work on a collection of tunes they were recording with him just before his passing. \u201cOnce we were able to work on the music again, it all just kind of came back to just how powerful the music still is and how meaningful it still is to us,\u201d Cameron said. \u201cI think we’re going into it with just those types of intentions of trying to make it natural and real, which at this stage of the game, there’s a few things that sound amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n The reunion with Yamamoto \u2014 who left Soundgarden around 1989 \u2014 for the Rock Hall show went a long way to livening the festivities. As soon as the band kicked into one of their early cuts, \u201cEntering,\u201d during rehearsals in Seattle, Shepherd recalled with a hint of awe that, \u201cIt instantly sounded like Soundgarden.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat was one of those things where I might have gone to YouTube and had somebody else teach me how to play it again,\u201d Yamamoto said with a laugh. Nevertheless, Shepherd snapped a picture of the moment and gleefully sent it around to friends.<\/p>\n \u201cWe weren’t sure how it would work, but Hiro’s so adaptable and he’s such an amazing musician that it sounded great from the get-go,\u201d Cameron said. \u201cA lot of low end, but the band has always had a pretty sizable bass presence in our sound. It was just nice.\u201d<\/p>\n Taylor Momsen performs at the induction with Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron of Soundgarden. (Amy Sussman\/WireImage)<\/span><\/p>\n To bring Cornell\u2019s vocals to life at the Peacock Theater, Soundgarden turned to a pair of younger powerhouses. Brandi Carlile and the Pretty Reckless frontwoman Taylor Momsen. Both are tried and true Soundgarden fans and represent the group\u2019s impact on the next generation of musicians that followed in their wake. It\u2019s something they are particularly proud about.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s still surprising, but it is something that was probably on our wish list as something we would hope to expect,\u201d Thayil said. \u201cIf we’re honest with ourselves and we’re honest with what we’re creating and honest in how we communicate together, then this should happen. But it’s still a surprise and still heartwarming.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/b> Why Los Angeles, long overlooked by the Rock Hall, finally gets its musical due<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cIt is sort of nice to be able to contribute to that continuum of music and have younger generations hopefully be inspired by what we were grooving on with the band, which was you know, self-expression and collaboration and trusting your own instincts and things like that,\u201d Cameron said. \u201cI think it’s a nice thing to impart on other young musicians.\u201d<\/p>\n As for who they think should follow Soundgarden into the Hall next, Thayil has some thoughts. \u201cAlice in Chains is the first thing that comes to mind, of course,\u201d he said. \u201cI’m surprised to learn that these six people aren’t in the Hall of Fame: Sonic Youth, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, the Pixies, the New York Dolls and the Black Crows.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd the Melvins!\u201d Cameron added.<\/p>\n<\/span><\/div>\n
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