In 1996, Soundgarden took the first steps in what would become their long thirteen-year hiatus with the release of the album Down on the Upside.
Despite debuting at number 2 on the Billboard charts and featuring hit tracks like "Pretty Noose" and "Burden in my Hand," the recording was marked by the group's creative burnout – a ticking time bomb that exploded the following year, in 1997.
Change of producer and differing visions among band members
On the acclaimed Superunknown (1994), Soundgarden partnered with producer Michael Beinhorn for refining details and mediating conflicts. This role was essential because there was a constant clash of visions internally: vocalist Chris Cornell sought to bring more melodic and acoustic-oriented compositions, while guitarist Kim Thayil advocated maintaining the heaviness and low-tuning riffs that made the band famous.
However, on Down on the Upside, the band members decided to take on production duties alongside sound engineer Adam Kasper. Without someone to manage the situation, the atmosphere in the studio became dominated by the musical differences between the two. This power struggle not only drained the group's creative energy but also opened internal wounds that, months later, would eventually heal during the turbulent tour promoting the album.
Implosion during a show in Hawaii in 1997 and the end of Soundgarden's activities
Amidst an intense schedule of shows and promotional activities for the previous tour, mental exhaustion wasn't limited to the recording sessions and also spilled over onto the stage. Like a bomb about to explode, the atmosphere backstage was heavy, with members distancing themselves from each other and constantly using alcohol as an escape valve. This valve stopped working on February 9, 1997, in Honolulu, Hawaii – marked as the final show of the classic lineup.
Bassist Ben Shepherd, annoyed by his equipment malfunctions, threw his bass on stage, made obscene gestures to the audience, and stormed out of the show. The chain reaction was immediate: Kim and drummer Matt Cameron also turned their backs and followed him backstage, leaving Chris Cornell alone in front of a confused audience and a band that had just imploded.
The vocalist still tried to salvage the night by returning to the stage with an acoustic guitar for an encore, but the damage was irreversible. Exactly two months later, on April 9th, an official press release announced the end of Soundgarden due to "differences of interest".
The band was inactive for 13 years and returned in 2010
The hiatus lasted a long thirteen years, broken only by the group's surprising return in 2010. During this period, Chris Cornell formed Audioslave alongside Tom Morello, Brad Wilk , and Tim Commerford, former members of Rage Against the Machine, becoming one of the greatest supergroups in rock history. Matt Cameron joined Pearl Jam in 1998, a band he would only leave in 2025.
On the other hand, Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd adopted more discreet stances in the music scene. The guitarist focused on occasional collaborations, such as his participation in the heavy metal project Probot (conceived by Dave Grohl, leader of the Foo Fighters), while Ben dedicated himself to alternative Seattle projects, such as Wellwater Conspiracy, and toured in support of Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees).
With their problems seemingly resolved, the band returned to filling arenas and released the acclaimed King Animal (2012). However, the reconciliation suffered a severe blow on May 18, 2017, when the premature and tragic death of Chris Cornell definitively ended Soundgarden's activities.
Three decades after its release, Down on the Upside is remembered not only as the catalyst for a rupture, but also as one of the most underrated rock albums of the 1990s, representing Soundgarden's rawest and most unfiltered moment, transforming it into a classic.
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