Surviving Soundgarden Members Reuniting For Charity Gig
The surviving members of Soundgarden — Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, and Ben Shepherd — are reuniting for a charity show.
Thayil, Cameron, and Shepherd will perform under the name Nudedragons, which is an anagram for Soundgarden. They first used the name in 2010 for their first show together since breaking up in 1997. That show was at The Showbox in Seattle, which happens to also be where this charity show is taking place.
As for this charity show, it’s set for Saturday, December 14 and will benefit Seattle Children’s Hospital. Handling the late Chris Cornell’s vocals is Seattle-based singer-songwriter Shaina Shepherd. She shared via Instagram, “The only thing sweeter than singing with @nudedragonsofficial is giving back with the team at @smoochforkids.”
The surviving members of Soundgarden shared via Instagram, “Nudedragons will be returning to the stage, and the Showbox, for the first time in 14+ years as part of the SMooCH benefit for Seattle Children’s Hospital on Saturday, December 14. Shaina Shepherd will be featured on vocals for their brief encore performance.” (Shepherd wrote in the comment section of the post, “The honor of my life.”)
Tickets for the SMooCH benefit are sold out. Currently, it’s unknown whether it will stream anywhere, but don’t be surprised when fan-shot footage of the event is quickly uploaded to social media and YouTube.
Soundgarden Still at Odds with Chris Cornell Estate
Since Cornell’s death in 2017, Soundgarden has had little activity. In November 2023, news had surfaced that Soundgarden and the Cornell estate were still experiencing issues regarding the final pieces of music from the late singer.
When asked about the status of this music, drummer Matt Cameron told The Vinyl Guide podcast, “We’re still in the middle of a dispute with the estate. Everything is on hold right now.
As far as a timeline for the release of this music, Cameron said it likely won’t happen in 2024. However, he still remains hopeful for its eventual release.
In April 2023, Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell issued a joint statement agreeing to release the final recordings of Chris Cornell with the band. Their statement read as follows:
“Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell, on behalf of the Estate of Chris Cornell, are happy to announce they have reached an amicable out of court resolution. The reconciliation marks a new partnership between the two parties, which will allow Soundgarden fans around the world to hear the final songs that the band and Chris were working on. The two parties are united and coming together to propel, honor and build upon Soundgarden’s incredible legacy as well as Chris’s indelible mark on music history – as one of the greatest songwriters and vocalists of all time.”
Soundgarden and Vicky Cornell have been battling back and forth publicly since December 2019. A number of lawsuits have been filed by both parties during that time. The subjects of these lawsuits have included back royalties, ownership of demo tapes and social media passwords.
