Soundgarden was one of the key bands in the creation of grunge, a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle and was based around the band's record label Sub Pop. Soundgarden was the first grunge band to sign to a major label, but Soundgarden did not achieve commercial success until Seattle contemporaries Nirvana and Pearl Jam popularized grunge in the early 1990s.
Soundgarden achieved its biggest success with the 1994 album Superunknown which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and yielded the Grammy Award–winning singles "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman". In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction. Soundgarden has sold 8 million records in the U.S. and an estimated 20 million albums worldwide.
Soundgarden was formed in 1984 by Chris Cornell (drums and vocals) and Hiro Yamamoto (bass); they were later joined by Kim Thayil (guitar). Thayil had moved to Seattle from Park Forest, Illinois with Yamamoto and Bruce Pavitt, who would later start Sub Pop Records. The band named themselves after a wind-channeling pipe sculpture, "The Sound Garden," located in Magnuson Park, Seattle.
Cornell originally played drums while singing, but in 1985 the band enlisted Scott Sundquist to allow Cornell to concentrate on vocals. The band's first recordings were three songs that appeared on a compilation for C/Z Records called Deep Six. It also featured songs by fellow grunge pioneers Green River, Skin Yard, Malfunkshun, The U-Men and the Melvins. In 1986, Sundquist left the band and was replaced by Matt Cameron, who was the drummer for Skin Yard.
Soundgarden began work on its A&M debut, Louder Than Love (the original title allegedly being Louder Than Fuck), in December of 1988. Just after the album's release, in the fall of 1989, Yamamoto wanted to return to school and left the band. Left in a lurch, with a tour already booked, Soundgarden began auditioning bass players. Ben Shepherd was among those who showed up, but though the band liked his style, he didn't know the songs. Jason Everman, who did know them, got the gig [he is in the band photo that appears at the very top of this page]. The A&M album led to tours across the states and Europe, including a successful tour package with Voivod and Faith No More. An earlier show was filmed for a home video, which was released as Louder Than Live. The videotape displayed the band's vengance in concert and featured a medley consisting of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom" and Cheech and Chong's "Earache my Eye". A&M also released a promotional CD called Louder Than Live, with a few other songs not on the video. But after the tour, Everman (who had previously worn out his welcome with Nirvana in record time) was history. "Jason just didn't work out," says Thayil.
It was right around this time that Mother Love Bone singer Andy Wood -- who had been friends with the members of Soundgarden and a onetime roommate of Cornell's -- died of an overdose.
Soundgarden was formed in 1984 by Chris Cornell (drums and vocals) and Hiro Yamamoto (bass); they were later joined by Kim Thayil (guitar). Thayil had moved to Seattle from Park Forest, Illinois with Yamamoto and Bruce Pavitt, who would later start Sub Pop Records. The band named themselves after a wind-channeling pipe sculpture, "The Sound Garden," located in Magnuson Park, Seattle.
Cornell originally played drums while singing, but in 1985 the band enlisted Scott Sundquist to allow Cornell to concentrate on vocals. The band's first recordings were three songs that appeared on a compilation for C/Z Records called Deep Six. It also featured songs by fellow grunge pioneers Green River, Skin Yard, Malfunkshun, The U-Men and the Melvins. In 1986, Sundquist left the band and was replaced by Matt Cameron, who was the drummer for Skin Yard.
Soundgarden began work on its A&M debut, Louder Than Love (the original title allegedly being Louder Than Fuck), in December of 1988. Just after the album's release, in the fall of 1989, Yamamoto wanted to return to school and left the band. Left in a lurch, with a tour already booked, Soundgarden began auditioning bass players. Ben Shepherd was among those who showed up, but though the band liked his style, he didn't know the songs. Jason Everman, who did know them, got the gig [he is in the band photo that appears at the very top of this page]. The A&M album led to tours across the states and Europe, including a successful tour package with Voivod and Faith No More. An earlier show was filmed for a home video, which was released as Louder Than Live. The videotape displayed the band's vengance in concert and featured a medley consisting of Spinal Tap's "Big Bottom" and Cheech and Chong's "Earache my Eye". A&M also released a promotional CD called Louder Than Live, with a few other songs not on the video. But after the tour, Everman (who had previously worn out his welcome with Nirvana in record time) was history. "Jason just didn't work out," says Thayil.
It was right around this time that Mother Love Bone singer Andy Wood -- who had been friends with the members of Soundgarden and a onetime roommate of Cornell's -- died of an overdose.
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