‘We were going off the cliff’: Soundgarden’s Kim Thayil on inventing grunge – and losing Chris Cornell and Kurt Cobain

Kim Thayil, guitarist for the pioneering grunge band Soundgarden, discussed his experiences in the music industry and the band's journey in a recent interview. Thayil, who has lived in Seattle for over four decades, only recently began drinking coffee during lockdown, a departure from his previous habits and his Seattle friends' preferences. He also noted that Soundgarden, formed in 1984 with bassist Hiro Yamamoto, was "two-thirds Asian" at its inception, a fact he was aware of within the predominantly white punk scene of the time. Despite these early distinctions, Soundgarden rose to prominence as leaders of the grunge movement, achieving multiplatinum sales, critical acclaim, and a Grammy award. Their hit song, "Black Hole Sun," became a widely recognized anthem. Thayil is also releasing a memoir titled "A Screaming Life," which touches upon these aspects of his career and personal history. The interview also references the band's completion of nine unfinished songs and the profound impact of losing bandmate Chris Cornell and fellow grunge icon Kurt Cobain.