Soundgarden Guitarist Kim Thayil Reflects on ‘Badmotorfinger’ Years

2016-12-10

Story by Cat Badra

Kim Thayil says Soundgarden’s ‘Badmotorfinger’ years carry some mixed emotions

“Badmotorfinger,” Soundgarden’s groundbreaking 1991 opus, is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and in honor, the band has released a special 25th anniversary Super Deluxe reissue of the collection. While fans obviously adore “Badmotorfinger,” guitarist Kim Thayil hasn’t always felt that way.

Speaking with Rolling Stone, Thayil explained that his memories from the “Badmotorfinger” years aren’t “glowing” or ‘sunshine-y.” He went on to say there was tension at the time due to the supposed commercialization of the Seattle grunge scene. Plus, Soundgarden’s founding bass player Hiro Yamamoto had just left the band, and good friend Andrew Wood of Mother Love Bone had recently passed away from a drug-overdose.

When the guys dug up “Badmotorfinger” in honor of its 25th year, though, Thayil said he was moved by the “many elements and dimensions to that album that are powerful and pleasant and strong.”

He added, “I sincerely started falling in love with the album…You’d think I’d be sick of it, but I started becoming more and more proud.”

The deluxe reissue includes some cool extras, such as of the tune “New Damage” with Queen’s Brian May. According to Thayil, Soundgarden recorded that version of the song for a Greenpeace benefit album and used a solar-powered studio, explaining, “We met Brian May here in Seattle, sent the multi-tracks in a studio that he wanted to work in – I think it was in New York. And he wrote a very Brian May–ish guitar-solo part over it.”

The “Badmotorfinger” Super Deluxe reissue packs seven discs: four CDs, two DVDs and one Blu-ray audio disc. It includes 109 songs, videos and mixes, 79 of which are previously unreleased. “Badmotorfinger”

What’s the status of new Soundgarden music? Thayil said, “We’re still in the writing process. We have a dozen things demoed.”

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Cat Badra
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Posted by Cat Badra | Alternative, Grunge, Music, Rock

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