Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil was a guest on the Eddie Trunk satellite show Trunk Nation and explained why doing this album could be difficult. Him, bassist Ben Shephred and drummer Matt Cameron don’t actually possess the files of Cornell’s vocals. Thayil wouldn’t allude to who has these files or where they are but did say:
“Yeah, definitely, and I think that will happen. It would be ridiculous if it didn’t, but, you know, these are difficult things. Partnerships and property.”
He does feel the album will eventually get made and that “it would be ridiculous” if it didn’t. Ok so if a new album with Cornell’s vocal demos does get made, Eddie asked him if they’d reform with a new lead singer the way Alice in Chains did with William DuVall years after Layne Staley’s death.
“Reasonably, you got a big part missing, so, I think in terms of the Soundgarden catalog, that’s going to be active as best as it can be. In terms of unreleased recordings, live materials, I’m still going to attend to that. That’s my gig. I love that. Let’s make records. Given the commitments the other band members have and given our sentiments over Chris, I do not see us re-configuring a tour-or anything-without him.”
Soundgarden’s final studio album was 2012’s King Animal.
[spin]
