Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil ruled out the chances of the band returning without late singer Chris Cornell, although he echoed his colleagues’ comments about the possibility of working together on some other project.

Speaking at the unveiling of Cornell’s memorial statue in Seattle earlier this week, drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd both said some kind of reunion could take place.

“We would certainly love to try to continue to do something, figure out something to do together,” Cameron said, while Shepherd added, “We’re going through natural healing, then thinking about the natural next step.”

In a new interview with the Seattle Times, Thayil dismissed the idea of the Soundgarden name returning. “I don’t think that’s anything we’d give reasonable consideration to at this point,” he said. “When I say ‘at this point,’ I mean perhaps ever.”

He noted that he didn't "know really what kind of thing is possible or what we would consider in the future. It’s likely nothing. The four of us were that. There were four of us and now there’s three of us, so it’s just not likely that there’s much to be pursued other than the catalog work at this point.”

Thayil said he was continuing to work on Soundgarden catalog material, which could include the release of compilations, live albums and other unreleased tracks. Meanwhile, he said was enjoying being part of MC50, the band put together by MC5’s Wayne Kramer to mark MC5’s 50th anniversary.

“I think if anyone else had called, I would have declined,” Thayil reflected. “But because it was the MC5, which is my favorite band ever, and that opportunity was there, I had to say yes.”

More From Diffuser.fm