Cómo hablar y estar ausente, es mi actitud
México, D.F.
Joined September 2008
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Jim Carrey's speech inducting Soundgarden into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
"You may ask, 'Why would Soundgarden, the heaviest of rock and roll royalty, want Jim Carrey to induct them into the Hall of Fame? Is there some deep, cosmic connection between us? Or was the Spoonman not available?'
The truth is, I grew up inspired by the hard rock era. Every day, I’d spend hours in front of a floodlight in my basement, playing power chords on a goalie stick.
When the Seattle music scene exploded, it resurrected rock and roll for me. Bands like Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, and of course, Nirvana, were raw, honest and reaching for something profound.
Soundgarden wasn’t just part of the movement: they helped start it. Guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Hiro Yamamoto and singer/drummer Chris Cornell were experimenting with a fusion of hard rock, punk, metal and psychedelia that created intricate, powerful soundscapes.
Coupled with Chris’s incredible vocal range, their music could make your heart pound one moment and break the next. When I first heard Soundgarden, I wasn't just excited — I wanted to put on a flannel shirt and run into the street screaming, 'My mother smoked during pregnancy!'
They rose from Seattle bars to worldwide superstardom without fear or compromise. They trusted themselves completely, and trusted their fans to come along for the ride, wherever it led.
Their fourth studio album, Superunknown, changed everything, featuring incredible songs like 'Spoonman,' 'Fell on Black Days,' and their magnum opus, 'Black Hole Sun.'
That track was the ultimate example of Chris Cornell’s songwriting genius. It felt like he had given us access to an apocalyptic dream he was having. His presence was deeply authentic. When you looked into his eyes, it was like eternity was staring back.
I used to talk to him like this: 'Hi, Chris. How you doing? Me? Great, never better. Please look away. Probe no further.'
I met the band in 1996, when I hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time. I insisted that Soundgarden be the musical guest. By then, the lineup was Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron on drums and Ben Shepherd on bass.
During rehearsal, they launched into the dark, epic beauty of 'Pretty Noose.' I stood right in front of them, letting the waves of electricity wash over me like an audio baptism. They pushed me under, and when I came up, I was free.
After the show, they handed me one of my most prized possessions: the Fender Telecaster that Chris played on the show, signed by the whole band...
Later that night, Chris showed up at my hotel room with an acoustic guitar and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and we wrote some songs. Okay, maybe I dreamt that part, but I’ll never forget that night.
I got to hang with Chris a few times after that. He was always sincere, down to earth, thoughtful, and funny.
When the band split in 1997, Chris went on to make amazing music on his own and with Audioslave. Kim, Matt and Ben continued to blaze their own musical paths. But Soundgarden wasn't done: they reunited in 2010 and gave us a second act of new music and live shows that were as vital as ever.
Sadly, on a shocking night in 2017, Chris left us. We lost a monumental musical artist and a deeply special soul. But for all time, his voice will continue to light up the ether like a Tesla coil.
Tonight, we make sure that Chris Cornell, Kim Thayil, Hiro Yamamoto, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd go down as one of the most majestic, powerful and influential bands ever to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Long live Chris Cornell, and long live Soundgarden."
Photo by Kevin Kane/Getty Images for RRHOF
