Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong era, like an old man trapped in a young body. I just wasn’t able to connect with the music of my generation. When I was twenty years old I discovered grunge music. The only problem was that I was twenty years too late. It was as if I had stumbled across a hidden tomb, but nobody else seemed to care about the dusty old treasure.

Out of all the bands to come out of the Seattle area in the late 80’s, Soundgarden was the most sonically diverse. Although outshined (pun intended) by Nirvana to some degree, their music was much more creative and interesting. Odd time signatures and innovative tunings seemed to be the rule, rather than the exception, as in The Day I Tried To Live, Pretty Noose and Limo Wreck, but the band always anchored their music in solid melodies, carried by the soulful and soaring voice of Chris Cornell.

It’s hard not to go on and on about Chris, and who can blame me? He had one of the most phenomenal voices in music history, after all. But Soundgarden was so much more. Ben Shepherd played his bass more like a lead guitar, being integral to the melody rather than just a part of the lower end of the frequency spectrum, with examples being Switch Opens and Zero Chance. Meanwhile, the erratic and peculiar solos of Kim Thayil, such as those in Black Hole Sun or Like Suicide, to this day leave guitarists wondering how on earth it even works. Finally, there’s Matt Cameron, whose incredible feel and intensity is unmatched, as best exemplified in Jesus Christ Pose and Superunknown.

Chris Cornell tragically ended his life in 2017 after a concert in Detroit. Artists across the musical spectrum gave tribute to Chris after his death; a testament to his wide-reaching influence. Mike Love did a beautiful cover of Seasons, and Miley Cyrus defied expectations with a powerful version of Say Hello To Heaven. To me though, the most stunning was Norah Jones and her haunting rendition of Black Hole Sun at the very same venue that Chris had last performed just a few days before, reminding us that “noone sings like you anymore”.

Although Chris is gone, his music continues to inspire musicians and music lovers around the world, and I am certain that future generations will discover Soundgarden just like I did, and also feel like old people trapped in young bodies. And you know what? It feels great.

Please enjoy what I would consider to be the perfect setlist for a concert by Soundgarden. The last four tracks are the encore.