Temple of the Dog
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 in Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Founder | Chris Cornell |
| Fate | Inactive except for reunions and one tour in 2016 |
| Successor | Pearl Jam (members later formed) |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | Worldwide (music audience) |
Key people | Chris Cornell, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready, Matt Cameron, Eddie Vedder (featured) |
| Products | Album: Temple of the Dog (1991) |
Number of employees | 6 (band members) (1990–1991) |
Temple of the Dog was a rock supergroup originating from Seattle, Washington, established in 1990. The project was initiated by Soundgarden’s lead vocalist Chris Cornell as a homage to his late friend Andrew Wood, who was the frontman of Mother Love Bone. The ensemble included Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar and Jeff Ament on bass, both former members of Mother Love Bone and later founding members of Pearl Jam; Mike McCready on lead guitar, who would also join Pearl Jam; and Matt Cameron on drums, known for his work with Soundgarden and subsequently Pearl Jam. Before becoming Pearl Jam’s frontman, Eddie Vedder provided lead and backing vocals. Pearl Jam's first album, Ten, was released four months after Temple of the Dog’s only studio record.
Their one and only album, titled Temple of the Dog, came out in April 1991 through A&M Records. The recording sessions took place in late 1990 at London Bridge Studio in Seattle with producer Rick Parashar. Although it received critical acclaim upon release, broader attention came only in 1992 following Pearl Jam’s commercial success. This connection has led to Temple of the Dog being recognized retrospectively as a supergroup. Matt Cameron joined Pearl Jam as their drummer from 1998 until 2025, effectively making the lineup identical to Temple of the Dog’s except for Cornell.
In 2016, the band reunited for a tour commemorating the 25th anniversary of their album—this remains their sole tour to date.
Formation
The inception of Temple of the Dog was driven by Soundgarden’s lead singer Chris Cornell, who had shared living space with Andrew Wood, the vocalist for Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. Wood passed away on March 19, 1990, due to a heroin overdose. Shortly thereafter, while on a European tour, Cornell began composing tribute tracks that resulted in "Reach Down" and "Say Hello 2 Heaven", which he recorded upon returning home.
The musical style was notably slower and more melodic than Soundgarden’s usual heavy rock sound. Cornell invited Wood’s former bandmates from Mother Love Bone—Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament—who were regrouping after Wood’s death, to participate. Ament referred to this collaboration as "a really good thing at the time" that enabled them to continue creating music. The lineup was rounded out by Soundgarden (and later Pearl Jam) drummer Matt Cameron and future Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready, who was a childhood friend of Gossard. The name Temple of the Dog was inspired by a lyric from Mother Love Bone’s song "Man of Golden Words".
The group rehearsed Cornell’s tribute compositions alongside reworked demos contributed by Gossard, Ament, and Cameron. One such demo developed into two separate tracks: "Footsteps," which appeared on Pearl Jam’s debut album, and "Times of Trouble," featured on Temple of the Dog’s record. They briefly considered covering some of Wood’s solo material but ultimately decided against it to avoid any impression of exploiting his memory.
Recording
Instead of releasing a single track, the band chose to produce an EP or full album. The recording process took place over 15 days at London Bridge Studio with producer Rick Parashar and involvement from all band members. Gossard described the sessions as relaxed and free from pressure or record label interference. During rehearsals for Temple of the Dog, Eddie Vedder, then auditioning for the band under its original name Mookie Blaylock (later Pearl Jam), contributed backing vocals. The track "Hunger Strike" featured a duet between Cornell and Vedder; Vedder intuitively covered lower vocal parts that Cornell found difficult to perform. Cornell later acknowledged Vedder’s contribution as perfectly fitting his artistic vision. "Hunger Strike" emerged as the group’s breakout single and marked Vedder’s first prominent vocal appearance on a record. In the documentary Pearl Jam Twenty released in 2011, Vedder described it as one of his most cherished and significant songs.
Initial release and eventual acclaim
Temple of the Dog debuted on April 16, 1991, through A&M Records, initially moving 70,000 units within the United States. Ament requested inclusion of a Pearl Jam sticker on the cover to promote their emerging band identity, but A&M declined the suggestion. Although critics responded positively, the album did not chart upon its release. Steve Huey from AllMusic awarded it four and a half stars, highlighting its fusion of Mother Love Bone’s dramatic rock elements with Pearl Jam’s robust hard rock sound. David Fricke of Rolling Stone later described it as an album worthy of eternal recognition. The group believed the record successfully paid tribute to Andy Wood’s memory as intended. Following its release, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam concentrated on their respective projects, resulting in no touring activity for Temple of the Dog.
In the summer of 1992, after Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger and Pearl Jam’s Ten achieved commercial success, A&M reissued the album and launched a music video for "Hunger Strike." This promotion significantly increased sales and propelled the album into the top 100 best-selling records of 1992. To date, it has surpassed one million copies sold and received platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America.
Later developments
McCready, Ament, Cameron, and Cornell regrouped under the name M.A.C.C. to record a rendition of Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun)" for the 1993 compilation Stone Free: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix. This track was incorporated into their live performances. In a 2007 interview, Cornell expressed willingness to reunite or collaborate with any combination of Temple of the Dog members. He also acknowledged that his involvement with Temple of the Dog influenced his decision to join Audioslave, fostering cross-band collaboration.
Concert appearances
During rehearsals, Temple of the Dog performed complete one-hour sets but limited live shows initially. Their live debut occurred at Seattle’s Off Ramp Café on November 13, 1990, followed by an opening slot for Alice in Chains at the Moore Theatre on December 22, 1990.
After releasing their album, the band occasionally reunited when Soundgarden and Pearl Jam shared concert bills. Notable performances include "Hunger Strike" at the 1991 Foundations Forum in Los Angeles; a three-song appearance at Hollywood Palladium celebrating RIP Magazine’s fifth anniversary; and sets at Lollapalooza in 1992 featuring "Hunger Strike" and "Reach Down."
On October 28, 2003, Cornell joined Pearl Jam at Santa Barbara Bowl for a reunion performance of Temple of the Dog songs "Hunger Strike" and "Reach Down," with the latter included on Pearl Jam’s 2003 fan club Christmas single. Pearl Jam has occasionally performed "Hunger Strike" without Cornell.
In 2005, Cornell’s band Audioslave incorporated Temple of the Dog material into their concerts. Additionally, Cornell featured these songs during his solo tours.
Cornell reunited with Pearl Jam again on October 6, 2009, in Los Angeles to perform "Hunger Strike," generating excitement among fans about a potential twenty-year reunion tour slated for April 2011.
At Pearl Jam’s twentieth anniversary PJ20 festival in September 2011, Cornell appeared for several songs including Mother Love Bone covers and multiple Temple of the Dog tracks alongside guest artists.
In October 2014, Cornell joined Pearl Jam at the Bridge School Benefit to perform "Hunger Strike," marking his final duet with Vedder.
On January 30, 2015, members of Pearl Jam performed alongside Cornell and McCready during Mad Season's Sonic Evolution Concert with two Temple of the Dog songs accompanied by the Seattle Symphony.
To commemorate their album’s twenty-fifth anniversary in fall 2016, Temple of the Dog embarked on an official tour. Vedder was absent due to family obligations; audiences sang his vocal parts during shows such as those at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre where Cornell dedicated "Hunger Strike" to him.
On November 23, 2024, Pearl Jam performed "Hunger Strike" in Sydney with fans singing Cornell’s part—marking its first live presentation since his passing. They repeated this performance on May 18, 2025, in Pittsburgh on the eighth anniversary of Cornell’s death.
Members
- Chris Cornell – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica, banjo
- Mike McCready – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Stone Gossard – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Jeff Ament – bass guitar, backing vocals
- Matt Cameron – drums, backing vocals
Featuring
- Eddie Vedder – co-lead and backing vocals
Studio albums
| Year | Album information | Highest chart rankings | Certifications (sales criteria) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | CAN | |||
| 1991 | Temple of the Dog | 5 | 11 | |
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart rankings | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Main | US Alt | CAN | NZ | UK | |||
| 1991 | "Hunger Strike" | 4 | 7 | 50 | 47 | 51 | Temple of the Dog |
| "Say Hello 2 Heaven" | 5 | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Pushin Forward Back" [US promo] | — | — | — | — | — | ||
Music videos
- 1991 – "Hunger Strike"
- 2016 – "Hunger Strike" (2016 Mix)