Soundgarden Addresses Why They Missed Back To The Beginning
The surviving members of Soundgarden were slated to take part in Back To The Beginning, the epic all-star concert headlined by the final performance of the original Black Sabbath lineup….
The surviving members of Soundgarden were slated to take part in Back To The Beginning, the epic all-star concert headlined by the final performance of the original Black Sabbath lineup. However, once the dust settled on the incredible show, their absence was noticed.
So, what happened? Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd issued a joint statement via social media paying tribute to Sabbath and explaining why they didn't perform. After thanking Tom Morello, the event's musical director, the band said, "We are super bummed and regret that we were unable to coordinate the schedules of our individual and collective projects to attend and contribute to the festival."
In their statement, Soundgarden said of Black Sabbath, "Thank you for an astounding career that provided us and your legion of fans with a lifetime of beauty, horror, love, power, happiness, melancholy, and a profoundly sublime, yet viscerally rocking transcendence informed by both doom and hope. Your majestic brilliance has inspired greatness in scores of other bands, musicians, and songwriters. However, the crown will forever remain yours!"
The Future of Soundgarden
Following the death of singer Chris Cornell in 2017, Soundgarden disbanded. However, there have been rumblings in their camp in the past year.
In December 2024, the surviving members of Soundgarden reunited for a charity show benefitting Seattle Children's Hospital. The band was fronted by Seattle-based singer-songwriter Shaina Shepherd. Additionally, Soundgarden is finally being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in November as part of the 2025 class.
The biggest development as of late came earlier this month when drummer Matt Cameron announced he was leaving Pearl Jam after being in the band for 27 years. Cameron, of course, joined Pearl Jam in 1998 after Soundgarden split in 1997. Once Soundgarden reformed in 2010, he split his time between the two bands.
After he announced his departure from Pearl Jam, Cameron confirmed via his Instagram Story that he was "still an active musician." As of publishing, it is unknown whether Cameron is reuniting with his Soundgarden bandmates.
