Kim Thayil Chats with Greg Prato

RollingStone.com has issued the following report from Greg Prato (upcoming Exploding in Sound interview coming!):

Since SOUNDGARDEN's 1997 split, all of its members have been spotted or heard in a variety of projects - AUDIOSLAVE, PEARL JAM, WELLWATER CONSPIRACY, HATER - but the group's heavily bearded guitarist, Kim Thayil, opted to disappear from the spotlight.

He hasn't been completely M.I.A., however, as evidenced by sporadic recordings and a handful of appearances onstage, including a recent Chris Cornell-less Soundgarden mini-set in their hometown of Seattle.

Rolling Stone recently tracked down Thayil to get the truth behind all the reunion rumors, the status of a highly anticipated box set, and why there's no Soundgarden shirts at your nearest mall. Plus, look back at a decade of Soundgarden, in photos.

Q: What have you been up to since Soundgarden's split?

A: "Mostly I've done session stuff with friends now and then. Most of the time, I've declined opportunities to play live, record or form bands. Just keeping it a little bit "lower," so I have time to do other things besides be on the road [laughs]. I think the one I've enjoyed the most is sitting in on the Altar sessions with SUNN O))) and BORIS. There's a sort of pop-grunge singer from Japan, a woman named AYA, that was being produced by Adam Kasper. Matt Cameron and Krist Novoselic also played on that record, and I played solos on five songs. The album [titled Senjou no Hana] was only released in Japan. Spent a long time mixing that No WTO Combo record [Live from the Battle in Seattle, with Novoselic and ex-DEAD KENNEDYS singer Jello Biafra]. Also, the work I did with Steve Fisk - both with PIGEONHEAD and the last solo STEVE FISK record, 999 Levels of Undo, I wrote some parts and came up with some leads. Besides working with the guys from Sunn O))) and Boris, I really like the work I've done with Steve Fisk. Believe it or not, in the early '90s, I did some TV commercial soundtrack with Steve! It was a Christmas spot - lots of weird, chaotic noise - for a retail store."

Read the full report at RollingStone.com.