Badmotorfinger is the third studio album by Soundgarden, released on October 8, 1991, through A&M Records. Soundgarden began the recording sessions for the album with new bassist Ben Shepherd in the spring of 1991. The album maintained the band’s heavy metal sound, while featuring an increased focus on songwriting compared to the band’s previous releases.
The focus on the Seattle grunge scene helped bring attention to Badmotorfinger, and the singles Outshined and Rusty Cage were able to find a major audience in rock radio and MTV. Badmotorfinger became the band’s highest charting album at the time on the Billboard 200, where it peaked at number 39. The album received critical acclaim, citing the significant improvements over earlier releases and evolution in the band’s sound.
Soundgarden supported the album with tours of North America and Europe, including opening for Guns N’ Roses on the Use Your Illusion Tour. In 1992, Badmotorfinger was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance, and it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 1996.
Tracklist:
- Rusty Cage
- Outshined
- Slaves & Bulldozers
- Jesus Christ Pose
- Face Pollution
- Somewhere
- Searching with My Good Eye Closed
- Room a Thousand Years Wide
- Mind Riot
- Drawing Flies
- Holy Water
- New Damage
Soundgarden
Chris Cornell: vocals, rhythm guitar
Kim Thayil: lead guitar
Ben Shepherd: bass
Matt Cameron: drums
Additional musicians
Scott Granlund: saxophone on “Room a Thousand Years Wide” and “Drawing Flies”
Ernst Long: trumpet on “Face Pollution”, “Room a Thousand Years Wide”, and “Drawing Flies”
Damon Stewart: narration on “Searching with My Good Eye Closed”
Artwork
Mark Dancey: front cover illustration
Walberg Design: design
Michael Lavine: photography
Len Peltier: art direction
Production
Terry Date: production, engineering
Soundgarden: production
Larry Brewer: production assistance
Efren Herrera, John Jackson: assistance
Ron St. Germain: mixing
Howie Weinberg: mastering
Susan Silver: management
Chris Cornell (July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017)
