At the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, Soundgarden’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame echoed with reverence and raw power. Carrey, the band’s presenter, ushered in their legacy with both humor and emotion, framing the evening not just as recognition, but as ritual.
He explained how, as host of Saturday Night Live in 1996, he insisted on booking Soundgarden as the guest musical act. That moment would change him:
“They handed me what is to this day one of my most prized possessions. The Fender Telecaster Chris Cornell played on the show, signed by the whole band.”
With the late Chris Cornell’s absence felt deeply, Carrey honored his memory with haunting imagery:
“When you looked into his eyes, it was like eternity was staring back.”
Soundgarden’s induction stood not just for a band, but for a city and a seismic cultural shift. Carrey described the moment when Seattle’s music scene exploded, saying it “resurrected rock ’n’ roll for me.”
Later in their speech, original bassist Hiro Yamamoto spoke of his Japanese-American family’s internment during World War II, linking it to the responsibility music carries:
“That affected my life greatly… let’s not add another story like this to our history.”
Guitarist Kim Thayil paid tribute to Cornell’s creative spark:
“If one of us ever hesitated in sharing an idea, Chris would be the first to say, ‘Let’s just try it out and see.’ I miss him. I love him, and I love all my brothers.”
That sense of brotherhood—of bandmates, listeners, and a movement—was the undercurrent of the night. Carrey concluded that to appreciate Soundgarden’s legacy is not merely to applaud a catalog, but to remember the moment when darkness and melody collided and changed the course of rock.
In the end, he declared — softly, but pointedly —
“Chris would be proud.”
