WHERE ARE THEY NOW? THE KIM THAYIL EDITION.

Thursday, June 19th, 2008 at 1:23pm by

kim thayilThat is a fucking great question; what the fuck has ex-Soundgarden axeman Kim Thayil been up to recently? We all know what Chris Cornell has been doing, and some of us might know that ex-Soundgarden skinsman Matt Cameron has been busy playing drums for some band called Pearl Jam for the last 10 years. As for bassist Ben Shepherd, “Nobody gives a flying fuck what Ben Shepherd is doing because bassists do what again?” But thankfully MetalSucks reader and fellow blogger NoYokoNo has done some research and turned up an answer about how Soundgarden’s resident beardo is keeping busy.

Thayil did some low-profile one-off projects such as The No WTO Combo w. Jello Biafra and Krist Novoselic) and Dave Grohl’s Probot and some other studio projects here and there. But here’s where it gets interesting:

More recently, however, those grim bastards in Sunn O))) have embraced Thayil, whom the duo probably connected with either due to the Probot project, released on their cultish Southern Lord imprint, or by simple geographic proximity (Seattle). He has appeared on a handful of incestuous releases on that label, including the Sunn O))) / Boris collaboration Altar and Ascend’s Ample Fire Within, the album that sparked this post.

THAT’S the kind of shit I had hoped to hear. I actually wrote about Ascend a few weeks ago, not knowing Thayil was involved; if you didn’t check them out then, hopefully this will motivate you.

-VN

  • bucketochicken

    Good timing. I was just listening to Badmotorfinger earlier this week and wondered what Thayil was up to.
    Man, Soundgarden was awesome.

  • Sam

    Really cool that you guys should bring this up, because I’ve always been wondering what Kim is doing these days.

    By the way, he’s also briefly quoted in the most recent issue of Blender in an article about the history of Sub Pop records.

  • http://www.myspace.com/evilsammy Sammy

    How refreshing is it to hear of a former musician from a huge band who’s been playing all this time but not making a big deal out of it. Come to think of it, Thayil has never made a big deal about himself or his influence on modern rock (which is HUGE, btw).

    Thanks for the update NoYoko.

  • nrich

    shepherd was a helluva bassist with those guys, he should’ve kept playing in some other bands like the others

    love the finger blasting on jesus christ pose and ty cobb

  • http://www.thedeciblog.com nick

    Awesome! Can you guys find out what Thayil’s former high school classmate/ Soundgarden band member Hiro Yamamoto is up to?

  • http://metalrunsinmyveins.blogspot.com dschalek

    The new ASCEND album is excellent. Sort of a melodic version of BURNING WITCH with some definite SUNN O))) thrown in for good measure.

  • http://www.myspace.com/evilsammy Sammy

    How do you pronounce Sunn O)))?

  • Dr. Satan

    Sun.

  • Itheus

    Thayil and Sun O)))
    I have to hear that…

  • http://noyokono.blogspot.com noyokono

    HA! Thanks for linking to my post about Thayil. I am touched (in the privates) that you guys would consider my self-indulgent blog worth reading even for a minute.

    Thayil is truly underrated considering his contribution to heavy music, and I contend that a solo album on Southern Lord now would be a suitable re-entry in the arena. It would sure beat the crap outta Chris Cornell’s cover of “Billie Jean”!

  • Doodmeister

    Now if we could just find out what Jerry Cantrell has been up to since his solo band is no more.

  • http://noyokono.blogspot.com noyokono

    @Doodmeister: Well, I’m pretty sure the whole Alice In Chains reboot has been keeping Cantrell pretty busy.

  • ronftl

    So – Thayil is actually ON the Ascend CD?? & where do I find it (yeah, kind of lazy)

  • http://www.dogtemple.deviantart.com dogtemple

    someone said, whats hiro up to?

    hes in the band truly and theyve just started touring again. if you like early soundgarden you will love truly. cant recommend this band enough/ http://www.myspace.com/trulysite check it out

  • http://NA.com Justin Maser

    Vince Neilstein, regarding this article. Saying Ben Sheppard did nothing for the band so who cares just shows that you know nothing about music. Ben wrote and composed many Soundgarden songs. He probably was responsible for 33% of the music on the albums. As far as what he is doing, he plays several live shows a year with HATER or solo, as well as owns and runs his own bar in Ballard.

    Kim, lives in the U-district. He is out and about all the time, though musically, he is a hermit. He is often seen at heavy metal shows and shows from smaller side bands like HATER, Brad, Wellwater, etc… as well as local tribute shows.

    Matt is in Pearl Jam and plays with Ben a couple times a year with side bands, mostly one off live shows in Seattle.

    Chris, he is making really bad music. Though I ran into him last year and I asked “What’s up with Soundgarden?” He said” Don’t worry, we’ll get back together someday”. Don’t hold your breath though, Ben, hates him, though he would likely re-unite anyway.

  • http://NA.com Justin Maser

    OH, Hiro left to go to School, he is a teaching in Bellingham. He played is band right after he left called Truley with Robert Roth, they recently played 5 live shows about a month ago for the first time in over 10 years. They have a my space.

  • http://dogtemple.deviantart.com dogtemple

    hey thats cool!

    quite interesting finding all this out. I went to the truley gig in september and had a good chat with hiro hes well cool! asked if he would do a soundgarden reunion – he kinda skirted round it said he would be doesnt know if chris would want him there ‘the way hes being at the moment’. he said he sees the other guys still and all seemed promising assuming chris cornell was up for it.

    the truley gig was wickid too, well worth seeing if you can.

  • Liz

    Thanks for this article. Really miss Thayil’s sound. Been wondering what he’s up to. So now you know (who gets mystified).

    I wonder if he’s laughing has ass off at Cornell’s hideous train wreck of a collaboration with TL. *shakes head* Seeing that sh*t, I felt embarrassed for him. He’s obviously too PW to be embarrassed for himself.

  • logs/faskings

    SOUNDGARDEN WAS THE SHIT. NOW CREED AND NICKELBACK ARE. THANKS LOGS/FASKINGS.

  • roundabout

    okay, got me – I WILL listen to this Ascend stuff (& Sun O)))??? – Kim is the SHIT; heard he and a bunch of mind-like musicians got together recently and did a “Rap-spoof” thing, but don’t know the name or where to listen to/get it (Kim & friends did it while CC was busy with Timbaland, so we all know what Kim thinks of that crap).
    Btw- someone commented on Ben Shepard (sp?) – & another comment on how great Ty Cobb was; Ben actually wrote the music & the lyrics for Ty Cobb, so yeah Ben was very active in Soundgarden (& has been since). Appears just one of the guys lost his way…
    & was that a joke about Jerry Cantrell?? First studio album release for AIC this year since Staley passed…and if you’ve seen them live recently, they ROCK, so this is gonna be fun!!

  • blip

    i find it interesting that chris would mention that soundgarden would reunite someday, because it totally contradicts a recent interview where he basically said, “what’s the point? let’s not taint the SG legacy” (youtube it). i agree with the arrogant bastard, but for different reasons. as much as i love SG, chris couldn’t sing half the songs anymore. his voice is shot. not to mention that i haven’t really dug many of his songs since badmotofinger. honestly, i hope they don’t get back together unless matt, ben, and kim have much bigger roles in the songwriting department and overall direction. chris has completely cheesed out. sometimes it’s hard to believe he’s the same guy who sang/wrote “beyond the wheel” and “ugly truth.”

    FWIW, i think ben shepherd joining the band saved SG from disaster, and he was my favorite songwriter in the band. both hater albums rule, as well as the first wellwater conspiracy record.

    imo, all of the WWC records are for more adventuresome and interesting than anything pearl jam will ever put out. i know the money is good and they’re friends and all that, but matt could probably play in just about any band he wanted. why is he wasting his time with such a mediocre, over-rated band?

  • roundabout

    CC’s present band does an adequate job with the SG material, so there’s no point in reuniting – especially since I agree w/u, blip, about Cornell’s voice being on the decline (btw, the “other” SG members did contribute substantially, & had their largest role in the songwriting dept. on “Down on The Upside”, so it’s not accurate to think all the music was CC’s writing alone). There is a later interview where Chris is more cryptic about a SG reunion (not dismissive of it, if circumstances were right), but I think it’s WAY wishful thinking on his part, given the current status of his career.
    Okay, back to Kim – didn’t see any mention of him playing with Tom Morello (The Nightwatchman, soon to be touring with NIN with his new band, Streetsweeper, which you can hear at their website; sounds fantastic – very reminiscent of RAGE : ) in Seattle with the AOJ tour; would LOVE to hear some of that!!! ANYONE????
    Also, I keep meaning to check out the NWTO movie, on DVD now (got good reviews, not-so-good box office…Cherlize Theron (sp?) is in it), to see if they have any of the ‘Battle in Seattle” music on it?? ANYONE know about this???

    Last – gonna put my 2cents in on CC’s demise here, even though there’s a better place, I’m sure. Honestly, I think since he presumably cleaned up (quit smoking, drugs & alcohol) for this new wife of his, he presents himself as just a bit too content. His behavior is totally different w/issues like privacy, not to mention the weird collaborations, than previously – I gotta believe the guy’s got a helluva a lot more going on than a midlife crisis (do you know ANYBODY who just decides to “quit” all those vices, then act like it was a piece of cake???). He’s probably being treated for depression – seems more bipolar – (wifey probably thinks psych meds aren’t really drugs) got some heavy-duty self-delusional/self-importance issues going on. With his recent anorexic look, I gotta wonder how “clean” he’s been able to remain, too!!! Just really suspicious of anyone who’s personality does a 180 overnight.
    Gotta love the Twitter shit between Reznor & CC, too – any coincidence that Tom Morello’s band is touring w/NIN now, too?? Not too hard to figure out what most rock royalty think of Cornell’s dick behavior, lol.

  • http://NA Justin

    I just saw Kim, Ben and Matt and the Tom Morello and the Watchmen show. They played 3 songs and it was amazing. Kim also played on a couple Morello tunes and came back out for the on cor and ripped it up on this land is your land. Ben said after the show out back while signing stuff SG had a meeting a month ago. He did not say what for, it could have been reunion talk, or just financial stuff.

    Chris is bi-polar, he is either really nice, or a complete ass. I have met him at least 20 times over the last 20 years. It was worse when he was getting a divorce from his x-wife, she was trying to sue him so he would not talk to anyone thinking he was going to get served, serious. This went on for 3 years.

  • roundabout

    jesus, can I kiss your frickin’ ass??!!! That show sounded AWESOME!!!

    I met him 3 times, I think – nothing special (usual star meets fan thing for me, anyway). Do remember the divorce – still A TON of bitterness…maybe that’s why new-wifey trails him to EVERY single show he does – never out of her sight. He’d say it’s his choice, that he loves it that way, of course, but being joined at the hip when she’s got better things to do – ummm, raising their kids – sounds kind of whipped to me; wonder who’s REALLY doing the whipping, lol!!!

  • HomerSumpson

    @Justin Maser – Yeah would you know if Ben hated Chris. Which by the way..THEY CAME BACK TOGETHER…d’ohh!