Soundgarden guitairst discusses possible Chris Cornell replacement for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: “It’s a high bar”
Following the announcement of Soundgarden’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the band’s guitarist, Kim Thayil, has discussed the prospect of performing without the late Chris Cornell.
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that The White Stripes, Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, Soundgarden, and OutKast will be inducted into the ‘Performance Category’ later this year. The other artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2025 are Salt N Pepa, Warren Zevon, Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, Carol Kaye, and Lenny Waronker.
Cornell tragically passed away in 2017, and Soundgarden has yet to play live again since. Typically, bands perform for their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, even if some of their band members are no longer here. For example, when Nirvana were inducted in 2014, they had a rotating cast of female vocalists who replaced the late Kurt Cobain on classic songs.
Now, Thayil has opened up about the challenging prospect of replacing Cornell, telling Billboard: “It’s a high bar, not just technically, but emotionally. There has to be a reverence for the missing brother and founder, and there also has to be reverence for the legacy — both for Chris’ work and Chris’ creativity, as well as the regard and reverence we have for ourselves collectively and for each other.”
The guitarist continued: “Some suggestions have come out; I’m not prepared to share that, but I’ll just say it’s a higher bar than the usual composite of guitarists and drummers or singers.”
Thayil also stated that he believes Cornell would “definitely be stoked” at Soundgarden being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He also touched upon Cornell’s relationship with Soungarden’s fans, noting, “He’s the one who convinced me how appreciative the fans and our peers and the Soundgarden community — that includes the people that we work with and work for us — would be about it.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony is set to take place on November 8th and will be live-streamed on Disney+.
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