Kim Thayil to Explore Soundgarden's Rise and Seattle Grunge Scene in 'A Screaming Life'

Kim Thayil's Memoir Offers Rare Glimpse into Soundgarden's Rise to Fame

Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil is set to release his autobiography, "A Screaming Life: Into the Superunknown with Soundgarden and Beyond", next year via HarperCollins. In the book, co-written with Adem Tepedelen, Thayil will recount his life as a son of immigrants and rock pioneer, delving into the band's early days in Seattle, their rise to fame, and the cultural landscape of grunge.

Born in Chicago, Thayil recounts his journey to Seattle, where he met fellow musicians Chris Cornell and Hiro Yamamoto. The trio founded Soundgarden, with Yamamoto's Japanese heritage adding a unique dimension to the band's identity. As idealistic youths exploring Seattle's underground music scene, they formed a brotherhood that would shape their music and experiences in the industry.

Thayil's memoir will also explore how his Indian heritage influenced his life and career, including his relationship with Yamamoto, who was another immigrant American son. The book will delve into the highs and lows of Soundgarden's journey, from their early days as an underground band to their eventual rise to international fame.

"A Screaming Life" arrives on May 19, 2026, just ahead of Soundgarden's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Thayil will share his experiences, journeys, and growth with the band and the Seattle music scene, offering a rare glimpse into one of the most influential bands in rock history.

In anticipation of the book's release, fans can pre-order "A Screaming Life" now. The memoir promises to be an intimate and introspective look at Soundgarden's story, with Thayil sharing his insights on the band's music, experiences, and the cultural context that shaped their sound.

I'm super stoked about Kim Thayil's upcoming memoir! As a huge fan of Soundgarden, it's gonna be awesome to read about their journey from underground band to grunge legends. I mean, who doesn't want to dive into the story behind some of Chris Cornell's most iconic vocals? The fact that Thayil is sharing his experiences with his Indian heritage and relationship with Hiro Yamamoto adds a fascinating layer to the book. It'll be interesting to see how the band's cultural identity shaped their music and, you know, basically everything they did. Plus, getting a glimpse into Seattle's underground music scene back in the day will be like, totally immersive! May 19 can't come soon enough!

I'm really stoked for Kim Thayil's upcoming memoir , it's gonna be super interesting to get a glimpse into Soundgarden's rise to fame . As someone who grew up in the 90s, I have so many fond memories of their music . I'm curious to see how he'll share his experiences as an immigrant son and how that shaped his relationship with Hiro Yamamoto . The fact that we'll get to read about the highs and lows of Soundgarden's journey is gonna be really inspiring . Can't wait for May 19, 2026!

I'm super stoked to hear that Kim Thayil is writing a memoir about Soundgarden! It'll be awesome to read about how they went from being an underground band to international rock stars . I've always been fascinated by the Seattle music scene and how it influenced grunge, so this book will definitely give me some new insights . Thayil's experiences as a son of immigrants will probably add some interesting perspectives to the story too . Can't wait to read it in 2026!

I'm so done with all this nostalgia for grunge bands . Like, can we move on from the 90s already? I mean, Soundgarden was iconic, don't get me wrong, but let's not forget about the other awesome genres that came out around the same time... like trip hop and electronica . Kim Thayil's memoir is gonna be a total page-turner, I'm sure, but it's just another example of how we're stuck in this musical past .

I'm hyped that Kim Thayil is finally sharing his story, sounds like it's gonna be a wild ride ! As someone who grew up listening to Soundgarden, I'm curious to see what he'll reveal about those early days in Seattle and how the band's identity was shaped by their cultural backgrounds. The part about Hiro Yamamoto's Japanese heritage adding a unique dimension to the band's sound is definitely gonna be interesting - never thought about that before . Can't wait for the book to come out next year, but gotta say, May 2026 feels like an eternity away !

I'm low-key hyped for Kim Thayil's memoir ! I've always been fascinated by the early days of grunge and Soundgarden's rise to fame. It's gonna be sick to get a glimpse into the band's history, from their underground days in Seattle to becoming an international sensation.

I'm curious to see how much of his Indian heritage influences his story . As someone who's all about representation and diversity, I love that Thayil is sharing his experiences as an immigrant American son. It's gonna be a wild ride reading about the highs and lows of Soundgarden's journey!

Plus, can you imagine what it was like to grow up in Seattle during the grunge era? It must've been such a cool time to experience! I'm definitely pre-ordering my copy as soon as it drops on May 19, 2026 .

This is gonna be so sick! I've been a huge fan of Soundgarden since I was like 10, and now I get to read about Kim Thayil's life and experiences firsthand? That's mind-blowing. Can't wait for May 2026 - pre-ordering it now!

So like I'm super stoked for Kim Thayil's new book - it's gonna be a total game changer for Soundgarden fans! The fact that he's opening up about his life, his relationship with Chris Cornell and Hiro Yamamoto, and how his Indian heritage influenced his music is gonna be so fascinating to read. I mean, we already know Soundgarden was a big part of the grunge movement, but to see it all go down in Thayil's words is just gonna be amazing . And can you even imagine how introspective it's gonna be? Like, a true rock legend sharing his innermost thoughts and feelings... it's almost too cool for school . Pre-ordering the book now!

OMG u guys!!! I'm literally so excited 4 Kim Thayil's memoir !! I mean, can u even imagine gettin all these behind-the-scenes stories about Soundgarden's rise to fame?! It's like, Chris Cornell was literally my idol growing up and now we're gonna get a glimpse into his life outside of music . And Hiro Yamamoto's story is just so inspiring too! I love how he's goin to share all these personal experiences and insights about their journey and growth as musicians . And can we talk about the cultural context that shaped Soundgarden's sound?! It's gonna be so cool to see all those stories come together in this memoir . May 19th, 2026, cant wait!!

I'm actually super stoked for this book release!!! It's gonna be so cool to get a glimpse into Kim Thayil's life and how it influenced Soundgarden's music. I mean, Chris Cornell was like the ultimate frontman, but what about his relationship with Kim? And how did their different backgrounds mesh together? I love that this book is gonna give us an inside look at the grunge scene in Seattle back in the day

I'm so stoked about Kim Thayil's new book! Can you imagine getting a behind-the-scenes look at Soundgarden's rise to fame? It sounds like it's gonna be super insightful into the band's early days in Seattle and how their diverse backgrounds influenced their music. Did Chris Cornell have any say in writing the book, or was it all Kim Thayil?

I'm low-key hyped about Kim Thayil's upcoming memoir . As a huge Soundgarden fan, I've always wondered what it was like to be part of that grunge movement. It's gonna be sick to get an inside look at the band's rise to fame and how their Indian heritage influenced Kim's life and music.

At the same time, I'm also kinda worried about how much the book will reveal . With all the ups and downs Soundgarden faced, it might get pretty heavy. But hey, if it means we get more insight into their experiences and creative process, then I'm down for it.

Also, can you imagine reading about the early days of Seattle's music scene? It sounds like it was a super special time and place . I hope Kim shares some stories about Chris Cornell's songwriting process or Hiro Yamamoto's contributions to the band... that'd be fascinating!

Grunge is back! Chris Cornell's voice still gives me chills I'm low-key hyped for Kim Thayil's memoir "A Screaming Life" can't come soon enough Soundgarden forever

this memoir is gonna spark a whole conversation about representation in the music industry , especially when it comes to artists of immigrant backgrounds like Kim Thayil and Hiro Yamamoto . it's interesting to think about how their experiences as non-native Americans influenced Soundgarden's sound and identity . also, what does this book mean for our understanding of the grunge movement and its place in music history? was it just a genre-defining phenomenon or did it represent something more nuanced?

I'm gonna miss the old days when you could just pick up a vinyl and listen to your favorite album from start to finish without having to stream it I mean, I know technology has its perks, but sometimes I think we've lost some of that magic. Like, have you ever tried listening to Soundgarden's "Badmotorfinger" on a cassette player? It's a whole different vibe, man!