Chris Cornell: 'We Just Needed a Break from Being in Soundgarden'

Chris Cornell: ‘We Just Needed a Break from Being in Soundgarden’

2012-07-09

Story by Charles Ken

Chris Cornell says Soundgarden feel revitalized after 13-year break

Soundgarden are one of the chosen few ‘90s grunge rock bands still out there making incredible music. Chris Cornell and the guys released their debut album, “Ultramega OK,” in 1988, and went on to reach international acclaim with 1991’s “Badmotorfinger,” lifted by the exploding popularity of Seattle grunge and the rise of Soundgarden contemporaries, Nirvana, and the latter’s formative album, “Nevermind.”

Soundgarden’s story came to an end in 1997 when the band announced they were breaking up. But, the split wasn’t permanent. In 2010, the guys announced they would reunite for a string of festival shows. More touring followed, and now, Soundgarden are prepping their first studio release since 1996’s, “Down on the Upside.”

Guitarist Kim Thayil says the band’s latest round of North American shows have felt extremely comfortable, partly thanks to the band’s lengthy hiatus. “’There’s definitely a new vitality that comes from time off,” Thayil recently told the Sunday Morning Herald, “’but the four of us [singer Chris Cornell, drummer Matt Cameron and bass player Ben Shepherd] have grown and had other experiences, we’ve played with other people and, coming back together, we’ve found a natural creative energy.’”

Cornell seconds that, saying the 13-year breather gave everyone in the band a chance to delve into other creative areas and come back together with restored energy and interest! “’Ultimately, we just needed a break from being in Soundgarden,” Cornell said. “It feels like we had that break, like everyone’s … happy to be back doing it again.

“Sometimes when bands split up, it’s because somebody hated somebody but we were never like that and two weeks after we split up I remember being struck by how happy everybody was. Everyone has most of the brain cells they had back then … maybe we’ll just appreciate it a little more this time.”

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Charles Ken

Meet the expert - Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He's a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.