Where would we be without the ever-evolving modern technology of the world? We’d be lost! That’s right lost. Lost in a world that was totally unaware that rock quartet Soundgarden are due to reunite for concerts in 2010!
The news of the reformation comes from social messaging tool ‘Twitter’, where a tweet (do I really need to explain Twitter again) has emerged from howling front man Chris Cornell who directs fans to a new website called soundgardenworld.com. In addition to the website, thirteen years after the band split, sources have reported to American website ‘Billboard’ that the group are considering offers from several major US and International festivals…Hmm do you know anything about this Eavis?!
Forming in Seattle in 1984 with only three members, Cornell on vocals and drums, Kim Thayil on guitar, and Hiro Yamamoto on bass. New drummer, Matt Cameron, joined two years later in 1986 shortly before the release of first single “Hunted Down” on debut album ‘Ultramega OK’. The bands churning rock n roll, inspired by the likes of Black Sabbath quickly impressed record label bosses at A&M Records who, in 1989, signed the band from hometown label Sub Pop. The move was for all the right reasons and the bands second album ‘Louder Than Love’ was propelled to a much wider audience.
In 1991 the recording of third album ‘Badmotorfinger’, with the addition of new boy Ben Shepherd on bass, was a massive part of the grunge music explosion which featured the spawning of awesome albums by both Nirvana, ‘Nevermind’, and Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’. Featuring the impressive vocal range of Cornell and the down-tuned, dark guitar work from Thayil, tracks like ‘Outshined’ and ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ are still regarded at classics from the grunge era.
Rock radio powered Soundgarden further with huge airplay of tracks from 1994 five-times-platinum album ‘Superunknown’. The album broke them through to the mainstream and established the Seattle group as a big time rock band. Tracks such as “Black Hole Sun” and “Superunknown” are still being played on the airwaves today.
After enjoying many years of success the band ran out of steam and split back in 1997 after headlining the 1996 Lollapalooza festival supporting their album ‘Down on the Upside’. Since the spilt the foursome – Cornell, guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd and dummer Matt Cameron – are said to have had little contact with each other, nor have they played live together since they parted ways. It was also said that the group turned down an offer to reform in 2008 for Sub Pop’s 20th anniversary concerts in Seattle.
Keeping themselves busy however Cornell has gone onto release three solo albums and brought out a further three with the now extinct Audioslave. Thayil and Shepherd have both kept a mainly low profile occasionally and quietly releasing music and collaborating with other artists.
Sources say plans for a reunion were kick-started when all four members attended a Pearl Jam show in October 2009. Plans began to take shape shortly afterwards.
With a lot of details still to surface, a tour route is currently a work in progress as to not clash with drummer Cameron prior commitments to play with Pearl Jam in the Spring and Summer. Cameron has been Pearl Jam’s permanent drummer since 1998.
Wait a minute!? Pearl Jam are playing London’s Summer Hard Rock Calling Festival in Hyde Park this year! So, could we have a reunion gig at Glastonbury 2010 perhaps? My ear is firmly to the ground on this one folks!
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In 1991 the recording of third album ‘Badmotorfinger’, with the addition of new boy Ben Shepherd on bass, was a massive part of the grunge music explosion which featured the spawning of awesome albums by both Nirvana, ‘Nevermind’, and Pearl Jam’s ‘Ten’. Featuring the impressive vocal range of Cornell and the down-tuned, dark guitar work from Thayil, tracks like ‘Outshined’ and ‘Jesus Christ Pose’ are still regarded at classics from the grunge era.
