Legendary '90s Rocker, With No. 1 Hit Song, Announces Exciting News
Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil, one of the key figures behind the rise of grunge music in the 1990s, has announced the release of his long-awaited memoir, A Screaming Life: Into the Superunknown with Soundgarden and Beyond.
The announcement came directly from Thayil through Instagram, where he shared his thoughts after spending more than three years working on the project.
"Hello everyone! I'm proud to announce that after over three years of work, my memoir, A Screaming Life, is finally out in the world!" Thayil wrote.
"Revisiting these memories for me was often sweet, at times difficult and challenging, but ultimately rewarding in reaffirming what an amazing journey I've had with incredibly unique and brilliant individuals in my life. None have been more shining than the exceptional partnerships made with my friends and bandmates in Soundgarden," he continued.
Released on Tuesday, A Screaming Life follows Thayil's journey from his early years in Illinois to becoming one of the most respected guitarists in rock music. The memoir also explores the formation of Soundgarden, the band's rise to fame, and the personal losses that shaped its story.
Soundgarden helped bring Seattle's grunge scene into the mainstream. The band became the first major grunge act to sign with A&M Records in 1988 and later achieved worldwide success with its 1994 album Superunknown. The record produced the No. 1 rock hit and Grammy-winning classic "Black Hole Sun," which remains the band's most recognizable song.
Alongside the book's debut, Thayil also revealed that Soundgarden is working to complete what could become the band's final album using vocal recordings left behind by late frontman Chris Cornell.
The memoir revisits many of the most important moments in Soundgarden's history, including the band's breakthrough years, internal struggles and the death of singer Chris Cornell in 2017.
Rather than presenting a sensationalized account, Thayil uses the book to reflect on friendships, creativity and the challenges that came with success.
The nearly 300-page memoir was co-written with Seattle music journalist Adem Tepedelen and covers four decades of music history. Readers are taken through the birth of Seattle's grunge movement, the friendships that defined it and the impact of losing influential figures such as Cornell, Kurt Cobain and Andrew Wood.
One of the biggest revelations connected to the memoir is Thayil's confirmation that Soundgarden is finishing previously recorded material featuring Cornell's vocals.
According to Thayil, the remaining members: himself, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd, have been working through archived recordings that date back to sessions surrounding the band's 2012 album King Animal.
The process has been complicated because the musicians must carefully organize old recordings and complete songs built around Cornell's existing vocal tracks.
Thayil explained, "This is a little bit more confusing. It's kind of forensic. We have to figure out what we have, what we need, what we don't need, and how to work around what's there, built around the vocals that Chris had demoed years ago."
The guitarist also suggested that future live performances of the material could involve guest singers, similar to appearances by artists such as Brandi Carlile and Taylor Momsen during Soundgarden-related tribute performances and the band's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction events.
Thayil, who co-founded Soundgarden in 1984 alongside Cornell and Hiro Yamamoto, remains one of the most respected figures in rock. The guitarist won two Grammy Awards with the band and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Soundgarden in 2025.
Now, with A Screaming Life available worldwide and work continuing on unreleased Soundgarden recordings, Thayil is giving fans both a look back at one of rock's most influential bands and a reason to look forward to what may be its final chapter.
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This story was originally published June 12, 2026 at 9:03 AM.