Soundgarden reveal if they'll ever tour without late frontman Chris Cornell

1 September 2019, 18:00 | Updated: 15 November 2019, 18:03

Soundgarden won't replace late frontman Chris Cornell. Picture: Christie Goodwin/Redferns via Getty Images

The band's guitarist Kim Thayil has revealed the Black Hole Sun rockers won't continue playing live without their late frontman.

Soundgarden will never replace their late frontman Chris Cornell by playing live with a new singer.

The grunge icon - who also fronted Audioslave - shocked the music and entertainment world when he tragically lost his life to suicide on 18 May 2017, aged just 52 years old.

Now, the Black Hole Sun band's guitarist Kim Thayil has revealed he and the rest of the band - which was also comprised of Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd - came to the "conclusion" that it wouldn't be possible to continue playing live due to their "sentiments and love" for the singer.

Speaking during SiriusXM's Trunk Nation LA Invasion, he said: "Reasonably, you've got a big part missing... I do not see, given the commitments that other band members have, given our sentiments and love for Chris, I do not see us reconfiguring a tour or anything, as other bands have done in the past, without him."

He added: "This is really complicated, but I've known Chris since I was a kid, basically we grew up together, our early 20s.

"You want to honour the work and legacy you did.

"Is it best to regard it with dignity and let it rest?

"Do you want to honour it by celebrating the music and work that he's done?

"This has been difficult for a lot of people in the family and the band, and I think our conclusion was that."

However, Thayil had some good news for fans, as they are hoping to release their final album featuring the Loud Love singer.

He said: "We definitely have another record in us. Stuff that's written, stuff that's demoed and recorded - certainly.

"All it would need is to take the audio files that are available.

"And I think that will happen. It would be ridiculous if it didn't. But these are difficult things - partnerships and property."

Meanwhile, Brad Pitt is working on a documentary about his late friend.

The World War Z actor and director Peter Berg - who co-own production company Film 45 - have teamed up with Chris' widow, Vicky Cornell, to work on the feature-length film, which will explore the life and career of the singer.

Vicky will also serve as producer on the project.

WATCH: Footage of Chris Cornell's final concert