Kim Thayil
| Kim Thayil | |
|---|---|
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Thayil performing with Soundgarden in 2012.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kim A. Thayil |
| Born |
September 4, 1960 Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Genres | Alternative metal, grunge, alternative rock, heavy metal |
| Instruments | Guitar, bass guitar, mandolin |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | A&M, SST, Sub Pop |
| Associated acts | Identity Crisis, Soundgarden, No WTO Combo, Probot, Dark Load, The Presidents of the United States of America |
| Notable instruments | |
| Gibson Les Paul Custom Lite | |
Kim A. Thayil (born September 4, 1960) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he cofounded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984. Thayil was named the 100th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone.
Although he was born in Seattle in 1960, Thayil grew up in the Chicago suburb of Park Forest. His parents came from the state of Kerala in India to Seattle. His father Boniface Thayil earned a degree in chemical engineering, got employed in Chicago and moved there with his family.
Thayil's first band, Zippy and His Vast Army of Pinheads, did both original songs (written by Thayil and inspired by his punk music tastes) and cover tunes (mostly the Sex Pistols and the Ramones).
He played guitar in a Post Punk band called Identity Crisis in 1980, and released a 7" inch EP called "Pretty Feet".
Thayil met Hiro Yamamoto at Rich East High School in Park Forest. He graduated, along with Hiro Yamamoto and Bruce Pavitt, from the alternative learning program at Rich East High School in 1981. He and Yamamoto decided to move to Olympia, Washington, to study at Evergreen State College, but they were unable to find jobs, and decided to move to Seattle, where Thayil earned money as a DJ for KCMU and achieved a degree in philosophy at the University of Washington. There they met Chris Cornell, a roommate, and the three formed Soundgarden in 1984.
Soundgarden became the first of Seattle's grunge bands to sign with a major label (A&M Records). They went on to release five albums, including three which went platinum at least once, and won two Grammys.
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