Kim Thayil Doesn’t See Soundgarden Touring Without Chris Cornell

Many have been wondering what the future holds for Soundgarden ever since Chris Cornell's death. While guitarist Kim Thayil has confirmed the band's desire to eventually release the last album they had been working on, he admits he doesn't see Soundgarden touring without the singer.

"We definitely have another record in us. Stuff that's written, stuff that's demoed and recorded — certainly. All it would need is to take the audio files that are available," the guitarist told Trunk Nation. He, bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron would polish their parts, and they would use the vocal files Cornell recorded before his death.

"And I think that will happen. It would be ridiculous if it didn't. But these are difficult things — partnerships and property," he added.

As for the future, the guitarist emphasized that he will still be involved in the release of live recordings and other unreleased material, in addition to any performances at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame if they are inducted, but most likely not any touring. "Reasonably, you've got a big part missing...I do not see, given the commitments that other bandmembers have, given our sentiments and love for Chris, I do not see us reconfiguring a tour or anything, as other bands have done in the past, without him."

Many bands have gone on to find new vocalists, such as Alice in Chains and AC/DC. However, Thayil says he thinks the remaining members of Soundgarden are all on the same page on this issue.

"This is really complicated, but I've known Chris since I was a kid, basically — we grew up together, our early 20s. You want to honor the work and legacy you did. Is it best to regard it with dignity and let it rest? Do you want to honor it by celebrating the music and work that he's done? This has been difficult for a lot of people in the family and the band, and I think our conclusion was that," he said.

Watch the full interview below.

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