1994 was, in many ways, the year of Soundgarden. The Seattle band’s fourth studio album, Superunknown, had become a major commercial breakthrough, eventually going multi-platinum while establishing Soundgarden as one of the biggest rock bands in the world. “Black Hole Sun” became an MTV phenomenon and a staple of rock radio, while songs such as “Spoonman” helped push the band even further into the mainstream. Soundgarden’s growing profile was reflected by the band’s appearance at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards, where “Black Hole Sun” won Best Metal/Hard Rock Video, confirming that the group had moved far beyond its underground roots.
The band’s influence was becoming so widespread that it was even turning up in places where fans might not have expected it. Soundgarden’s music reached institutions of mainstream American television, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where the band’s name came up in connection with one of the most unlikely figures in entertainment: Howard Stern. In an excerpt from the new book The Great American Nightmare: An Oral History of The Howard Stern Show, Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil recalls watching Stern appear on The Tonight Show and, for a moment, thinking he looked remarkably similar to one of his own bandmates.
KIM THAYIL: I don’t have satellite, but Matt [Cameron, Soundgarden’s drummer] would maintain these subscriptions and these accounts. And Matt was – and still is – a huge fan of Howard Stern, and would always reference him when talking to us. I know Chris [Cornell] was a fan, I know he appeared on the show. And I believe Matt did with the Pearl Jam guys.
Howard was on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno [circa 1994], and someone called, I don’t know if it was Susan [Silver] our then-manager, but said, “Howard Stern is going to be on The Tonight Show. He’s been a fan of your record, and he’s a fan of Chris’ vocals.” So, I watched The Tonight Show. They announced Howard Stern. He walked out, and he was wearing a jacket similar to what Chris might have worn at the time, and he’s wearing these like, combat boots. Well, I always wore combat boots, and Jerry [Cantrell] from Alice in Chains always wore combat boots, and Chris started wearing combat boots – and then it was all Doc Martens.
But Howard came out with what I think were combat boots – they were probably Doc Martens – and they’re unlaced, like how Chris would often wear them. And he had long hair at the time. I thought, “He looks like a tall Chris.” And the band played “Spoonman” when Howard Stern comes walking out after being introduced. And it took me a second to recognize, “I know that song…they’re playing ‘Spoonman!’ The Tonight Show band is playing ‘Spoonman’!”
The Great American Nightmare: An Oral History of the Howard Stern Show is available for purchase now.
