Soundgarden‘s Kim Thayil has announced plans to release his first memoir, A Screaming Life.
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Arriving in May 2026, via HarperCollins, the guitarist will document the former grunge giants’ “humble beginnings manifesting grunge in Seattle’s beer-soaked punk clubs to their revered status today as rock icons”. You can pre-order it here.
He wrote on his Instagram page: “It tells my story as an American son of immigrants growing up in Chicago. Then, along with another immigrant’s American son, Hiro Yamamoto, we travel to Seattle as idealistic youths, involve ourselves with underground and independent subcultures, and connect with Chris Cornell to form Soundgarden.”
Thayil added: “It follows my experiences, journeys and growth with the band and the building of the Seattle music scene; ultimately, to partner with Matt Cameron and later Ben Shepherd as we worked and played towards our worldwide successes. I explore the heights, depths and insights gained from my experiences within the unique and special brotherhood we built.”
According to a synopsis, readers will also learn about how the band “faced the triumphs and challenges on the road to their meteoric rise”, as well as the fact that “Soundgarden was shaped by the diverse backgrounds of its creators: Thayil’s Indian heritage and founding bassist Hiro Yamamoto’s Japanese background added unique dimensions to the band’s identity, influencing not only their music but also their experiences in the industry.”
It comes ahead of Soundgarden being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2025 on November 8 alongside The White Stripes, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater.
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Also making the cut are Bad Company, Thom Bell, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Nicky Hopkins, Carol Kaye, Salt-N-Pepa, Lenny Waronker and Warren Zevon.
Last year saw Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Kool & The Gang, Peter Frampton, Foreigner and Dave Matthews Band, Mary J Blige and A Tribe Called Quest inducted.
Elsewhere, the surviving members of Soundgarden previously spoke about an unreleased album featuring late frontman Cornell.
“There’s not a set release date or anything as of yet,” Cameron said of the forthcoming project last month. “There were a couple schools of thought, like, ‘Hey, let’s put out a single’. I think eventually we decided we want to make sure the whole thing is completed before we start releasing singles. I’m excited for people to hear it.”
He continued: “We’re definitely over halfway done with it. Kim [Thayil, guitarist] is in the process of finishing his guitar parts; he wants to make sure they get exactly the way he wants them.”
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