The legendary guitarist discusses synesthesia, unreleased Soundgarden recordings, turning down Gene Simmons, ahead of the release of his new memoir, A Screaming Life: Into the Superunknown with Soundgarden and Beyond out June 9.
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00:00 – Introduction: Kim Thayil In Studio With Joann Butler
00:52 – A Screaming Life: Why Kim wrote his memoir now
04:00 – The Truth About “Grunge”: Why the band hated the label
06:49 – Soundgarden’s Origin Story: Correcting the history books
10:28 – The Magic of Day One: Writing 3 songs in one session
13:56 – Discovering Chris Cornell’s Voice: From drummer to frontman
17:08 – Synesthesia: How Kim sees colors and shapes in music
22:34 – The Future of Soundgarden: Update on unreleased recordings
24:34 – What was Chris Cornell really like?
25:01 – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Why it finally matters
26:54 – What’s Next: Touring, the studio, and the three remaining members
28:02 – The Gene Simmons Story: Why Soundgarden turned down KISS
Long 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 recalls the 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 insightful, Thayil offers a rare inside look at one of rock’s most influential bands — and the stories behind the music that shaped a generation.
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