Temple of the Dog: A Fond Look Back 35 Years Later—The Daily Earworm

In 1990, Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell began forming the foundations that would become Temple of the Dog. The project was meant to honor Cornell’s former roommate and friend, Mother Love Bone frontman Andrew Wood, who had passed away in March of that year.

Cornell assembled a group that would become a supergroup of sorts after the fact. In today’s Daily Earworm, we take a look back at Temple of the Dog—the formation, the band, the incredible 1991 album, and the memories created.

The Formation of Temple of the Dog

Cornell was on a tour of Europe with his band Soundgarden shortly after Wood’s death when he began writing songs to pay tribute to his longtime friend. When Soundgarden returned home, Cornell had finished two songs, “Reach Down” and “Say Hello 2 Heaven.” The songs were slow and melodic—not really a match for Soundgarden’s sound.

Cornell reached out to Wood’s former Mother Love Bone bandmates, Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament, about recording the songs as a single and B-side. Gossard brought in his friend Mike McCready to play guitar, and Cornell recruited Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron. The five began recording the two songs, and things went so well that they began pulling in other material that they had been working on individually.

Soon, the project had turned into a full album. They settled on the band name Temple of the Dog, a phrase from the Mother Love Bone song “Man of Golden Words.” The recording session took just 15 days. During the session, Eddie Vedder flew in to audition for the band that Ament, Gossard, and McCready were creating in the aftermath of Mother Love Bone. He ended up adding vocals on a few songs.

Thus, Temple of the Dog was formed. In retrospect, the band was a supergroup formed by members of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam—the band that Vedder had flown in to audition for. No one could have known at the time what those two bands would become—torchbearers for the Seattle grunge scene, and two of the most influential rock bands of a generation. No one could have predicted that both bands would be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame decades later. And of course, no one could have predicted that decades later, it would be Cornell’s death that would rock that same Seattle music scene.

Temple of the Dog: The Album

In 1991, Temple of the Dog’s self-titled album was released on A&M Records. The album received favorable reviews, but failed to chart. Cornell went back to Soundgarden, who went on to release their breakthrough album Badmotorfinger. The newly formed Pearl Jam released their massive debut album, Ten.

As both bands ascended to the top of the rock world, A&M Records realized that they were sitting on a goldmine. They re-released the Temple of the Dog album and released “Hungerstrike,” with Vedder and Cornell alternating vocals, as a single. “Hungerstrike” climbed to #4 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart and #7 on the Alternative Airplay chart. The album’s second single, “Say Hello to Heaven,” reached #5 on the Mainstream Rock chart. Temple of the Dog surged up the Billboard 200, peaking at #5. The album eventually was certified platinum. The album charted again 25 years later when the deluxe edition re-issue was released, reaching #14 on the Billboard 200.

The Supergroup No One Knew Was a Supergroup

In 1992, Temple of the Dog had become a supergroup that no one had seen coming. Pearl Jam and Soundgarden had both become powerhouses of the Seattle music scene and rock in general. Cornell later cited the success of the band as the reason that he joined Audioslave. The experience had opened him up to the possibilities that could be created through collaborations with other bands. Audioslave, of course, became another successful supergroup, combining Cornell with the instrumental members of Rage Against the Machine.

The Legacy of Temple of the Dog

Temple of the Dog leaves behind a legacy that cannot be denied. Besides a stellar album, the band helped in the formation of Pearl Jam, as well as paving the way for Cornell to join Audioslave later in life. Listening to Temple of the Dog, you can hear what Pearl Jam would become. You can hear Cornell growing into the singer who would power Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger and Superunknown, and later Audioslave’s massive eponymous debut. You can also hear the echoes of Wood’s Mother Love Bone. The Temple of the Dog album was like the rock version of “A Christmas Carol.” You got the ghost of rock music past, present, and future, all rolled into one.

The Daily Earworm is a daily column that tells the stories, from the historic to the lesser-known, of some of the music industry’s greatest songs, albums, and artists. Here are some other music tales that you may find interesting:

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