A moving tribute to Chris Cornell, a sign of peace between the band and Vicky Cornell, and fresh details about what lies ahead: Soundgarden’s long-awaited final album, their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and their appearance at Black Sabbath’s last-ever show.
On the anniversary of Chris Cornell’s passing, the official Soundgarden Instagram account dropped something powerful. For the first time, bassist Ben Shepherd opened up publicly – raw, honest, and emotional – about the band’s final album and the grief he’s carried since losing his brother in music and life.
Ben shares that he was sitting outside his son Noah’s school, with Road Less Traveled looping in his head all day – a song written by Chris and Matt Cameron. It’s one of the tracks lined up for Soundgarden’s final record, whose name has yet to be decided. Hearing Chris’s voice again, he says, helps. “He knew what I was going through and forgave me – like he always did.”
He remembers the magic in the studio. That rush of creativity. That deep, pure connection. Chris and Ben would laugh like kids every time they recorded. “Wow, we actually get to do this – can you believe it?” That kind of joy stuck with him for over thirty years.
With vivid, poetic words, Ben described how his heart would fill with life, like it was helium-inflated, lifting him off the ground. Just hearing Chris sing was enough to bring him to tears – again and again.
And when the band would step away from that creative whirlwind, there was this deep, deafening silence. That’s where Ben finds himself now – floating in that calm, slowly pulling himself back together, staring at the horizon. The stars are out beyond the mountains. Is it sunrise, or sunset? Doesn’t really matter – it feels peaceful, grounding. Like the rhythm of the Earth breathing.
He then spoke with gratitude. He feels lucky to be surrounded by love and honored to have shared a lifetime of music, chaos, loss, and soul-searching with his brothers – Kim, Matt, and Chris.
But above all, Ben said it feels damn good – reviving, even – to hear Chris still singing from beyond that horizon. To feel the pulse of all those souls still meeting through the music.
“Hearing – both as a fan and as a band member – one or two of the songs Chris brought in years ago come to life in front of my blistered fingertips and ears, becoming true Soundgarden songs… it’s like having a glacier lifted off your chest. We’ve all got heavy stuff to carry in this life… but we’re all doing our best, for ourselves and to honor others. You, Chris… you’re still right here with us.”
The post ended with a beautiful, heartfelt line: “We miss you brother, see you again… P.S. say hi to Mark,” – a nod to Mark Lanegan, Ben’s close friend and collaborator, who passed away in 2022.
And what made this even more moving? Vicky Cornell, Chris’s widow, left a comment: “A beautiful tribute Ben 🙏🤍.” A small but meaningful gesture – after years of legal tension, it might be the first real step toward healing between her and the surviving band members.
Meanwhile, the band’s final album is finally taking shape – built on the last sessions they recorded with Chris, and years of legal battles just to finish what they started. Though still untitled, it’s expected to feature the following songs:
- Ahead Of The Dog (Cornell/Thayil)
- At Ophians Door (Cornell/Cameron)
- Cancer (Cornell)
- Merrmas (Cornell/Shepherd)
- Orphans (Cornell/Cameron)
- Road Less Traveled (Cornell/Cameron)
- Stone Age Mind (Cornell)
And that’s not all. This summer, Soundgarden will take the stage one more time – at what’s set to be the final show ever for Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne. Then in November, they’ll be officially inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s a legacy born of fire and heartbreak, but there’s still light breaking through.
Chris Cornell is still here – with every chord, every scream, every echo.
As for Ben Shepherd, he’s back with new music of his own. Thirteen years after his solo debut In Deep Owl, he dropped a new EP on April 7 titled The Star Chief Chronicles. Recorded with Drew Church on bass, Arik Ohlson on drums, and produced by Nate Yaccino, the EP includes four brand new tracks and is available exclusively on vinyl via Ben’s Bandcamp: hbshepherd.bandcamp.com
And while we wait for more news on Soundgarden’s final album, go back and spin The 2nd, the killer second LP from Ben’s side project Hater – with Matt Cameron and John McBain. It was recorded in 1995 but didn’t drop until 2005. Pure underground Seattle gold.
Born in Reggio Emilia in 1980. He created pearljamonline.it in 2001 and wrote the first edition of “Pearl Jam Evolution” in 2009 along with his wife Daria. Since 2022, he is behind 2 podcasts: “Pearl Jam dalla A alla Z” and “Fuori Orario Not Another Podcast”. He has collaborated with Barracuda Style, HvsR, Rolling Stone, Rockol and Il Fatto Quotidiano. He continues relentlessly to try to find “beautiful melodies that say terrible things”.
Favorite song: Present Tense
Favorite album: No Code
Favorite bands/artists other than PJ: Tom Waits, Soundgarden, Ramones, Bruce Springsteen, IDLES, Fontaines D.C., The Murder Capital, Dead Kennedys, Mark Lanegan, Cat Power, R.E.M.