A screaming life A screaming life A screaming life

In his new memoir, “A Screaming Life: Into the Superunknown With Soundgarden and Beyond,” Kim Thayil, ’85, traces his journey from cofounding the seminal Seattle band Soundgarden to his years touring with the band. He chronicles the departure of bassist Hiro Yamamoto and Soundgarden’s eventual breakup and reunion, as well as the death of lead singer Chris Cornell. Thayil also reflects on his Southeast Asian identity and developing his musical voice.

Why tell your story now?

Adem Tepedelen, who used to write for The Rocket, thought my story might be interesting. I balked at first, but there are a lot of things I wanted people to understand. Not just about Soundgarden, but about the place where I grew up and my immigrant parents and Hiro’s background. I wasn’t just a suburban boy in California in my dad’s garage.

Two of the three of you in Soundgarden were Asian. What was it like making music in a mostly white music scene?

We were playing in a subculture informed by students, artists, skateboarders and other musicians. We played all-ages halls, bars and clubs, and we played art galleries. The culture was open-minded around issues of race, ethnicity and gender. The indie music subculture was more open in its embrace of new ideas.

From left to right, Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto and Matt Cameron, who joined the band two years after its founding. Photo circa 1988, by Roy Wilkinson.

You attended the UW, where both your parents earned degrees in 1964. What do you remember about your time on campus?

I finished my studies in ’84 and got my diploma in ’85 after paying overdue library fines. I wasn’t the best student. My attendance was sketchy because I lived in a house in the U District with a bunch of rock musicians, and I was the only one attending university.

My philosophy professors were important to me. Ken Clatterbaugh’s syllabus for philosophy of science was compelling and informative. Stephen Jay Gould’s “The Mismeasure of Man” had a big impact on me. So did Carl Sagan and other science historians and philosophers.

James Mish’alani, who taught philosophy of literature and ethics, was influential and inspiring. I don’t know if my professors knew that I majored in philosophy because of what I learned from them. I made a lot of lifelong friends in their classes.

At KCMU [the student-run radio station], I worked as a coordinator in the promotions department and wrote for its newsletter. I also got to see a lot of great new wave and punk rock bands that the station promoted, bands like The Bongos, Romeo Void and Devo. I saw Fear and Public Image Ltd. and X. I even DJ’d a shift from 2 until 5 in the morning.

You write about Soundgarden’s songs. What remain some of your favorites from the early days?

Our first release, “Screaming Life,” and our debut full-length album, “Ultramega OK,” both had songs that we made early on in our first three or four years being a band. We selected these songs for the records because the live audiences loved them and they were fun to play live. “Nothing to Say” got a good reaction, and “Beyond the Wheel,” which Chris wrote. “Flower,” which I wrote with Chris, and a few songs with Hiro Yamamoto like “All Your Lies.” Those were from our first two indie albums with Sub Pop and SST.

What was it like getting inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year?

That was the first time I’d played onstage with Hiro in decades. Ben Shepherd, who’s been our bass player since 1991, played, along with our drummer, Matt Cameron.

We had incredible special guests that night: Mike McCready from Pearl Jam, Jerry Cantrell from Alice in Chains. Brandi Carlile and Taylor Momsen, from The Pretty Reckless, did the singing.

What’s next for you?

Soundgarden is currently finishing the recordings we were working on with Chris when he passed. My plate is full with the record, my memoir and various Soundgarden business dealings I tend to daily. Over the last few years, I’ve played in a band called 3rd Secret with Matt Cameron and Krist Novoselic [of Nirvana].

Listen to the Soundgarden songs Thayil mentioned, plus a few UW Magazine favorites from SST Records, Sub Pop and Seattle grunge.