In 1990 the music people were listening to had fallen into a sameness, a pop drift that needed the tendency of rock to re-invent itself. In Seattle that kind of spirit was brewing under our often leaden skies in local bands whose personal demons drove them to write and perform darker themes and song structures. The local band Mother Love Bone led by Andrew Wood tapped into that spirit and became the foundation for the kind of soaring transcendence that was distilled in the music of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Wood’s personality was powerful, according to the members of Temple of the Dog (TOTD) whose members include Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell and four members of Pearl Jam, Mike McCready Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament and Matt Cameron. Wood’s sudden death in 1990 inspired the formation of TOTD and the original 2 song tribute became a complete album which reached Number 5 on the national charts in 1992, in part due to the strength of the single "Hunger Strike" which featured Pearl Jam vocalist Eddie Vedder.

The fact that the music is still relevant, still as powerful, still such a distinctly Seattle sound 25 years later is testament to the authenticity of its quality and the band’s deeply talented musicians.

TOTD embarked on an 8 show five city tour this fall and performed Nov. 20 & 21 at Seattle’s Paramount Theater. The tickets for the show reportedly sold out in literally 60 seconds.

Early in the show Cornell said, “Even though this was a short tour, it’s a genuine relief to come back here to Seattle because these songs were written here and inspired by the people in this room.”

This is an extremely muscular band but they use that power with restraint and a syncopated heart.

They played the entire TOTD album, with Cornell in excellent voice throughout.

Cameron’s drums were both a propulsive force and a steel reinforced foundation for McCready’s flying riffs on songs like "Your Savior" (a song written in opposition to religious institutions feeding off the poor). Many of Seattle's musicians were in a Cameron Crowe film called Singles and Cornell talked about some of the "Fake song titles made up for the movie, some of which are the best song titles I've ever heard, one of them was called "Flutter Girl" and one of them was this song called 'Seasons'," which Cornell later recorded as a solo act.

If Wood was in the room in astral form he undoubtedly enjoyed the band’s renditions of "Stardog Champion" from Mother Love Bone plus "Stargazer," and "Heartshine." These weren't the only covers.

The band also reached back into Harry Nilsson’s catalog for "Jump Into the Fire" which they made less frenetic and more churning. Cornell said, "Andy was the kind of person who would never complain about his problems. He would light up the room with his personality."

TOTD also covered “Hey Baby (Land of the New Rising Sun),” by Jimi Hendrix with some stunningly fluid lead guitar by McCready and "River of Deceit" by Mad Season, and "Man of Golden Words" that borrowed from Pink Floyd and Mother Love Bone again.

Throughout the show, even without prompting, audience members sang along to the songs, now committed to memory, with whoops and whistles heard when a familiar riff or song was played.

Cornell, who lived in West Seattle for some time, was clearly happy to be back in familiar surroundings. There was some anticipation in the crowd that Eddie Vedder, who still lives in West Seattle might show up to join the band for a song or two but he was a no show.

Temple of the Dog demonstrated that the emergence of the Seattle sound was inevitable, and remains today, 25 years after the birth of grunge, an authentic representative of who we are here. Fascinated by pain, driven by a desire to create, and blessed with a deep reservoir of talent and purpose to share it with the world.