Image Courtesy of Mike LavineSince ending their 12-year hiatus in 2010, Soundgarden has released a new studio album, King Animal, and a three-disc rarities compilation entitled Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path and of course the band has toured extensively. That touring started with Soundgarden's first reunion show on April 16, 2010 at the Showbox in the band's hometown of Seattle, Washington. Nearly five years later, frontman Chris Cornell remembers that first show back together.
"Personally, I was just trying to remember the songs and be able to play and sing. I mean, kind of get through it, you know?" he tells ABC News Radio. "Just sort of put everything in the place that's it's supposed to be in, and not look like we don't know how to do this."
When they first reunited, Cornell says that it took some time for Soundgarden to regain their onstage swagger.
"We weren't there when we first started playing. That took, I think, a tour, even if it was a short one," he explains. "It took us actually going out there and playing consecutive nights and becoming that band again."
Five years later, Cornell thinks that Soundgarden's onstage chemistry has progressed to peak levels, which has allowed them to become that band again.
"If somebody sort of goes off the map, the other three follow, without fail," Cornell says of the live chemistry between him, guitarist Kim Thayil, bassist Ben Shepherd and drummer Matt Cameron.
"Now we're back to that sort of level of 'in the moment' interpretation," he continues. "That's where Soundgarden should live as a live band."
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright © 2015, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.