Soundgarden’s Last Tracks With Chris Cornell Will Be Completed, Says Guitarist Kim Thayil

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil believes the final recordings the band made with Chris Cornell will eventually see the light of day. Cornell passed away in May 2017, leaving the album unfinished.

Thayil expressed his determination to complete the project in a new interview with Rolling Stone. “I think so. Our objective and goal was always to complete that,” he stated regarding a potential release (as transcribed by Blabbbermouth). “I probably have OCD enough to not want to leave something unfinished or incomplete like that, so I think the more we can attend to our body of work and our catalog…I think everyone in the band feels that way. I don’t just to attend to my work, but the collective work, and in this case specifically, the work of Chris.”

He emphasized the collaborative spirit and the importance of honoring Cornell‘s legacy. “I have pride for what I did and I want to see that come out. It doesn’t exist in the vacuum. It exists as a collaboration with Matt [Cameron, drums] and Ben [Shepherd, bass] and Chris, but it takes on an entirely different weight when you think about what it is you’re honoring, and the work that you’re paying tribute to,” Thayil explained. “It is us collectively. We want to do it proud. And that part of us is certainly one of the most intimate components of what Soundgarden has been since 1984.”

Thayil also sees the potential release as meaningful for both the audience and his late bandmate. “It would be a great gift to the fans,” he noted. “And I do think about this, and I don’t know how strange this sounds, but I feel like it’s a gift to Chris too.”

Progress towards releasing the music was made in April 2023 when Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell, Chris‘s widow and estate representative, reached an amicable agreement regarding the recordings, resolving previous disputes over control of band assets like social media accounts.

In related news, Soundgarden is set to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025. They join fellow Performer category inductees Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, and The White Stripes.

Other honorees include Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon (Musical Influence Award), Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, and Carol Kaye (Musical Excellence Award), and Lenny Waronker (Ahmet Ertegun Award).

The 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for November 8th at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. It will stream live on Disney+ and air later in edited form on ABC.