Temple of the Dog’s members were Chris Cornell (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Jeff Ament (bass), Mike McCready (lead guitar) and Matt Cameron (drums), with Eddie Vedder contributing backing and co-lead vocals. The Seattle supergroup formed in 1990 as Cornell’s tribute to his friend Andrew Wood, the late singer of Mother Love Bone and Malfunkshun.
The band released one album, Temple of the Dog, in April 1991 on A&M Records, and reformed in 2016 for a tour celebrating its 25th anniversary. The line-up connects Soundgarden and Pearl Jam: here is what each member brought to it.
Chris Cornell – Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica
Chris Cornell of Soundgarden conceived the project. He had written songs such as “Reach Down” and “Say Hello 2 Heaven” on tour before Wood’s death and approached Wood’s former Mother Love Bone bandmates about releasing them.
Stone Gossard – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals
Stone Gossard was a former member of Mother Love Bone and a future member of Pearl Jam. The band also reworked existing material from demos written by Gossard, Ament and Cameron.
Jeff Ament – Bass, Backing Vocals
Jeff Ament, like Gossard, came from Mother Love Bone and went on to Pearl Jam. Cornell approached the two of them while they were still figuring out what to do after Wood’s death.
Mike McCready – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike McCready played lead guitar and later became a member of Pearl Jam.
Matt Cameron – Drums, Backing Vocals
Matt Cameron was the drummer of Soundgarden and later joined Pearl Jam as well.
Eddie Vedder – Backing and Co-Lead Vocals
Eddie Vedder appeared as a guest, singing some lead and backing vocals, before becoming the lead vocalist of Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten, came out four months after Temple of the Dog’s album.
Recording and Reunions
The album was recorded in November and December 1990 at London Bridge Studio in Seattle with producer Rick Parashar. It was not widely recognized until 1992, when Vedder, Ament, Gossard and McCready broke through with Pearl Jam. The band played together again in 2011 and toured officially in the fall of 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who was in Temple of the Dog? Chris Cornell, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready and Matt Cameron, with Eddie Vedder as a guest vocalist.
- Who was Temple of the Dog a tribute to? Andrew Wood, lead singer of Mother Love Bone and Malfunkshun.
- How many albums did Temple of the Dog release? One, the self-titled album, in April 1991.
- Which members were in Pearl Jam? Gossard, Ament, McCready and Vedder, and later Cameron.
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