Sept. 4: Soundgarden lead guitarist Kim Thayil is 50 today.

Soundgarden is an American heavy metal/rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. They were one of the originators of "grunge," a style of alternative rock that developed in Seattle, and was the first grunge band to sign to a major record.


Although he was born in Seattle in 1960, Thayil grew up in the Chicago suburb of Park Forest. Thayil's parents are from the state of Kerala in India.

Thayil met Hiro Yamamoto at Rich East High School in Park Forest. After graduation, they moved to Washington, where Thayil studied philosophy at the University of Washington. There they met Chris Cornell, a roommate, and the three formed Soundgarden in 1984.


Soundgarden's biggest success came with the release of their 1994 album Superunknown, which debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and yielded the Grammy Award-winning singles "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman." In 1997, the band broke up due to internal strife over its creative direction.


As of 2008, Soundgarden had sold over eight million records in the United States, and an estimated twenty million worldwide.

Press links below to view You Tube videos:
-- "Fell on Black Days"
-- "Black Hole Sun"
-- "Spoonman"