50 Fun Facts About Soundgarden

In which city was Soundgarden formed in 1984?

They were contemporaries of Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam and Nirvana in the Pacific Northwest scene.

Who was Soundgarden's lead singer?

He also played drums in the earliest line-up before Scott Sundquist was brought in.

Who played lead guitar in Soundgarden?

Guitar World called him the Tony Iommi of the Seattle scene.

Which instrument did the singer play while singing in the band's first year?

Scott Sundquist took over in 1985 so he could focus on vocals.

Who was Soundgarden's drummer from 1986 onward?

He came from Skin Yard and later spent decades in Pearl Jam.

Who was the band's original bassist?

He left in 1989 to return to college and rejoined the survivors for the 2025 Hall of Fame set.

Which former Nirvana member briefly played bass for Soundgarden in 1989–90?

He was fired in mid-1990; Thayil said he 'just didn't work out'.

Who became Soundgarden's bassist in 1990 for the classic line-up?

Cornell said he brought a fresh and creative approach to Badmotorfinger.

The band took its name from what?

A Sound Garden stands on NOAA property next to Magnuson Park and channels the wind.

Which 1986 compilation carried Soundgarden's first recordings?

The C/Z Records album also featured Green River, the Melvins and Malfunkshun.

Which hometown label were Soundgarden the first grunge band to sign with?

DJ Jonathan Poneman put in $20,000 to fund them, turning the label into a real company.

What was Soundgarden's first single, released in 1987?

Its B-side, Nothing to Say, went on a KCMU tape called Bands That Will Make Money.

Who managed Soundgarden from 1986 and later married Cornell?

She was Cornell's girlfriend at the time.

Which independent label released the debut album Ultramega OK in 1988?

Cornell later called it a huge mistake because the SST-suggested producer did not know the Seattle scene.

Which major label made Soundgarden the first grunge band with a major deal?

Punk fans accused them of selling out, especially after they toured with Guns N' Roses.

What was the band's first music video, aired on MTV's 120 Minutes?

Mark Miremont directed it for the Ultramega OK campaign.

Which 1989 album was the first grunge record to enter the Billboard 200?

It peaked at 108 and gave them Hands All Over and Loud Love.

Which Badmotorfinger video did MTV ban in 1991?

The band received death threats on the UK tour from people who read it as anti-Christian.

Which band picked Soundgarden to open the Use Your Illusion tour?

Cornell called playing 35 minutes to 40,000 indifferent people 'a bizarre thing'.

What is notable about the title of the 1992 EP Satanoscillatemymetallicsonatas?

It came with a limited Badmotorfinger and featured their cover of Black Sabbath's Into the Void.

In which 1992 film did Soundgarden perform Birth Ritual?

A Cornell solo song, Seasons, is also on the soundtrack.

Which album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in March 1994?

It has gone six times platinum in the US and remains their biggest seller.

Which single won the 1995 Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance?

Spoonman took Best Metal Performance the same night.

Which single won the 1995 Grammy for Best Metal Performance?

It was one of five singles from Superunknown.

Which poet inspired Cornell's writing on the 1994 album?

The album's lyrics were read as dealing with substance abuse, suicide and depression.

Why did Soundgarden cancel shows in late 1994?

Playing five or six nights a week had taken its toll; the dates were made up in 1995.

What was Soundgarden's fifth album, released in May 1996?

The band produced it themselves and leaned toward acoustic textures.

Which band insisted Soundgarden join the 1996 Lollapalooza tour?

Kirk Hammett has said the Enter Sandman riffs were inspired by Soundgarden.

In which city did the bassist storm off stage at the last show before the 1997 split?

Cornell finished the night with a solo encore; the break-up was announced that April.

What previously unreleased song appeared on the 1997 best-of A-Sides?

It was recorded during the Down on the Upside sessions.

Which supergroup did Cornell front with members of Rage Against the Machine?

They made three albums between 2002 and 2006 before he left in 2007.

Which producer made Cornell's 2009 solo album Scream?

Euphoria Morning and Carry On were his earlier solo records.

Which band did the drummer join full-time after Soundgarden's 1997 split?

He joined for the Yield tour in 1998 and stayed until July 2025.

Which side project's 1997 debut featured the bassist as singer?

Hater was the other side band Shepherd and Cameron ran while in Soundgarden.

What did Cornell's New Year 2010 tweet say would 'ride again'?

The link unlocked a video for Get on the Snake from Louder Than Love.

The 2010 compilation Telephantasm was bundled with which video game?

The unreleased Black Rain debuted there and became their first single since 1997.

Which Soundgarden song appeared on the soundtrack of The Avengers (2012)?

It was the first newly recorded song since the reunion.

What was the title of the band's 2012 comeback album?

Been Away Too Long was its lead single; Adam Kasper produced.

Who directed the video for By Crooked Steps?

Thayil had played on Grohl's Probot album in 2004.

Which band co-headlined a 2014 North American tour with Soundgarden?

Death Grips opened; Matt Chamberlain filled in for Cameron on some dates.

In which city did the band's singer die in May 2017?

The band had played the Fox Theatre that night; the rest of the tour was cancelled.

Under what anagram name have the surviving members performed?

They used it for a 2024 Seattle Children's Hospital benefit and for new social accounts in 2021.

Who inducted Soundgarden into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2025?

Hiro Yamamoto played with the band for the first time in 36 years that night.

Which two singers fronted Soundgarden at the 2025 Hall of Fame ceremony?

Cornell's daughter Toni also sang Fell on Black Days.

Which producer rejoined Soundgarden in the 2020s for sessions on a final album with Cornell's vocals?

Thayil said in 2025 the band was aiming for a 2027 release, the tenth anniversary of Cornell's death.

Fell on Black Days is written in which time signature?

Limo Wreck is in 15/8 and The Day I Tried to Live alternates 7/8 and 4/4.

On Rusty Cage, the low E string is tuned down to which note?

Thayil called the odd meters 'a total accident'.

Which video game series licensed the band's music in 1994, a first for A&M?

The 3DO version is credited with revolutionising licensed music in games.

Which Pantera album was partly inspired by Soundgarden's second record?

It prompted Pantera to hire Terry Date as producer.

Where did VH1 rank Soundgarden on its 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock?

By 2019 the band had sold about 30 million records worldwide.