457: Kim Thayil on Soundgarden’s Untold Stories, Chris Cornell and the Birth of Grunge

Watch the video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4B8b6ueviw&t=51sLong before Soundgarden helped shape the Seattle grunge movement, Kim Thayil says the band sensed they were creating something that “didn’t really sound like anything else.”In a revealing conversation with Joann Butler on Joann Butler In Studio With…, the guitar great discusses his new memoir, A Screaming Life: Into the Superunknown with Soundgarden and Beyond, and reminisces on early days jamming with Chris Cornell and Hiro Yamamoto in Seattle, the moment they realized their chemistry was undeniable, and why nobody in the scene actually liked the word “grunge.”Thayil also discusses Cornell’s evolution from drummer to frontman, the emotional responsibility of finishing unreleased Soundgarden recordings, and his experience with synesthesia, describing how he associates music with colors and shapes. He shares how his perspective on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame changed over time and recalls the surprising moment Soundgarden collectively decided to turn down Gene Simmons, despite being longtime Kiss fans.Thoughtful, funny, and deeply reflective, Thayil offers a rare inside look at one of rock’s most influential bands — and the stories behind the music that shaped a generation. This is a LifeMinute with Kim Thayil.