jim carrey<\/span><\/p> The acting legend did not disappoint with an animated speech about his connection to Soundgarden and the band’s remarkable history and contributions to music.<\/p>\n Spank you kindly. Spank you all.<\/p>\n When the biggest rock stars in the world get together to celebrate each other and let loose, things get wild. Don\u2019t forget to schedule your glutathione drips.<\/p>\n Tonight, I have the honor of inducting Soundgarden into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n You may ask, \u201cWhy would Soundgarden\u2014the heaviest of rock and roll royalty\u2014want Jim Carrey to induct them into the Hall of Fame? Is there some deep, cosmic connection between us? Or was the Spoonman not available?\u201d<\/p>\n The truth is, I grew up inspired by the hard rock era. Every day, I\u2019d spend hours in front of a floodlight in my basement, playing power chords on a goalie stick.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Soundgarden wasn\u2019t just part of the movement \u2014 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.<\/p>\n Coupled with Chris\u2019s incredible vocal range, their music could make your heart pound one moment and break the next. When I first heard Soundgarden, I wasn\u2019t just excited \u2014 I wanted to put on a flannel shirt and run into the street screaming, \u201cMy mother smoked during pregnancy!\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Their fourth studio album, Superunknown<\/em>, changed everything\u2014featuring incredible songs like “Spoonman,” “Fell on Black Days,” and their magnum opus, “Black Hole Sun.”<\/p>\n That track was the ultimate example of Chris Cornell\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n I used to talk to him like this: \u201cHi, Chris. How you doing? Me? Great, never better. Please look away. Probe no further.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n After the show, they handed me one of my most prized possessions: the Fender Telecaster that Chris played on the show\u2014signed by the whole band. Do we have a picture of that? Oh, it\u2019s behind me. Damn \u2014 snuck up on me. Pay no attention to the burn marks on the pick guard. Someone backstage was playing with matches.<\/p>\n 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 \u2014 but I\u2019ll never forget that night.<\/p>\n I got to hang with Chris a few times after that. He was always sincere, down to earth, thoughtful, and funny.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t done \u2014 they reunited in 2010 and gave us a second act of new music and live shows that were as vital as ever.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Long live Chris Cornell, and long live Soundgarden.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n soundgarden<\/span><\/p> The members of Soundgarden took turns giving speeches at the conclusion of their performance, which was preceded by a speech from Chris Cornell’s daughter Lillian, who thanked everyone for their support of her father’s music.<\/p>\n Here’s what Soundgarden said, one at a time.<\/p>\n Hiro\u00a0Yamamoto:<\/p>\n Chris Cornell, we are missing you tonight on this stage. We all love you and we would not be here without you. Somewhere out there, Chris, we\u2019re talking to you.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll continue, but let\u2019s remember Chris \u2014 we wouldn\u2019t be here without him.<\/p>\n To my wife, Kate \u2014 every moment with you is special. Love to you and great love to my children, Joji and Yoshi.<\/p>\n Thanks to my parents, whose story as American citizens who were rounded up and placed into prison camps just for being Japanese during World War II affected my life greatly. It echoes strongly today. Let\u2019s not add another story like this to our history. We can do better than this. It\u2019s up to us to take the power back and keep the dialogue alive \u2014 because that\u2019s what we need.<\/p>\n We wouldn\u2019t be here without the support of so many people \u2014 our family, friends, and everyone who helped us directly or indirectly. To all the bands we\u2019ve played and shared stages with, their crews, and everyone involved, thank you. And the biggest thanks to the fans. We\u2019ve heard so many stories about how the music we created became your own, and that\u2019s the greatest recognition of all.<\/p>\n To everyone else out there \u2014 especially all you brown kids \u2014 let\u2019s rock.<\/p>\n Thank you.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Matt Cameron:<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to thank my wife, April, our children, Raymond and Josie Cameron, Susan Silver, Kelly Curtis, Jon Poneman, Bruce Pavitt, Greg Ginn, Chuck Bukowski, Herb Alpert, Jerry Moss, Jimmy Page, Al CaFaro, Jim Guerno, Al Marx, Rick Schaffer, Scott Casey, Jerome Crooks, Eric Johnson, Stuart Halderman, Jack Endino, Terry Date, Michael Beinhorn, Adam Casper, Brendan O’Brien, Joe Parisi, Mark Cunningham, Corin Capshaw, Jill Berliner, Nate Cassino, Neil Hunt, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, The Melvins, The Wipers, Alice In Chains and the countless bands and fellow musicians we had the pleasure of interacting with in the ’80s and ’90s.<\/p>\n I accept this honor on behalf of the fans of our music \u2014 and also the misfits, loners, and introverts who found comfort and solace in the lyrics and music of my hero and bandmate, Chris Cornell. I love you, Chris.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Kim Thayil:<\/p>\n I\u2019d like to thank the Hall for this recognition in honor of our decades-long career. I want to thank our fans for over 40 years of enduring loyalty and support. Collectively, I\u2019d like to thank Sub Pop, SST and A&M Universal Records. Thanks to Red Light Management and their Seattle offices, Silver Management, our legal team and business management.<\/p>\n Thanks to our touring crew and backline and to all our recording engineers and co-producers. Matt took care of a great list of individuals, and yes \u2014 all of them too.<\/p>\n I want to thank my partner, Jenni, and our dog, Evie. I especially want to thank my immigrant parents for encouraging my curiosity in science and the arts and for instilling values that I also found in Hiro, another son of immigrants, as well as in Ben, Matt, and Chris.<\/p>\n Shoutout to Scott Sundquist and Jason Everman. Together, we built a culture of encouragement and creative risk that nurtured our curiosity and collective spirit. If one of us ever hesitated to share an idea, Chris would be the first to say, \u201cLet\u2019s just try it out and see.\u201d<\/p>\n I miss him, I love him, and I love all my Soundgarden brothers.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Ben Shepherd:<\/p>\n Keep it short, right? Hi, Mom.<\/p>\n \u201c\u01e6ungida barigo mab\u00e9t.\u201d That\u2019s a three-letter word meaning, \u201cWe\u2019re side by side. Let\u2019s go forward. There\u2019s a lot of work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Love you all.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Somehow, these artists haven’t been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
What Soundgarden Said in Their Acceptance Speeches<\/h3>\n
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42 Hard Rock + Metal Acts Who Deserve to Be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame<\/h2>\n