Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Soundgarden recently reunited for a special halftime performance during the September 9 NFL matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots at Lumen Field in their hometown of Seattle, Washington, as per theprp. Following the format of select past tribute performances, the grunge pioneers were joined on stage by The Pretty Reckless vocalist Taylor Momsen and Pearl Jam guitarist/vocalist Mike McCready.
Together, the expanded lineup delivered a medley of classic Soundgarden tracks “Outshined” and “Spoonman.” However, the broadcast caused significant frustration among fans watching at home when network television feeds cut away from the set almost entirely. To make amends to viewers who missed out on the moment, the band has officially released complete footage of the full halftime performance.
Lead guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and singer and drummer Chris Cornell founded the American rock group Soundgarden in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. In 1985, Cornell hired Scott Sundquist to play percussion so they could concentrate entirely on vocals. Matt Cameron quickly took Sundquist’s place on the drums in 1986. After Yamamoto departed in 1989, Jason Everman and Ben Shepherd took his place. After splitting up in 1997, Soundgarden came back together in 2010. In October 2018, Thayil said that Soundgarden had separated once more after Cornell’s death in 2017.
Along with other Seattle-based artists like Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and Nirvana, Soundgarden was a pioneer of grunge music, an alternative rock genre that emerged in the American Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s and gained popularity in the early 1990s. They released two EPs, “Screaming Life” (1987) and “Fopp” (1988), after becoming the first of several grunge bands to sign with the Seattle-based record company Sub Pop. The Los Angeles-based independent company SST Records also published Soundgarden‘s debut album, “Ultramega OK”, in 1988. Despite the album’s poor national sales, it received positive reviews and was nominated for the band’s first Grammy Award.
