Soundgarden founding guitarist Kim Thayil will release his memoir, A Screaming Life: Into The Superunknown With Soundgarden And Beyond, on May 19, 2026 via William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. The book traces Soundgarden’s journey from Seattle’s underground punk clubs to global rock stardom, offering an inside look at the creative chemistry that helped define the grunge era. Thayil reflects on his partnership with Chris Cornell, Matt Cameron, Ben Shepherd, and Hiro Yamamoto, exploring the band’s evolution, challenges, and legacy.
Thayil announced the project on Tuesday (28th) via social media, explaining:
“Hey, all you friends of Soundgarden! Kim Thayil, here to tell you that I’ve been working on a book during the past few years! It’s called A Screaming Life, and 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. 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.”
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