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Hiro Yamamoto
Yamamoto in a 1987 promo photo
Background information
Birth name	Hiro D. Yamamoto
Born	(1961-04-13) April 13, 1961 (age 63) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Origin	Park Forest, Illinois
Genres	Heavy metal, grunge, alternative metal, garage rock, surf music, exotica
Occupation(s)	Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)	Bass guitar, vocals, guitar
Years active	1984–2006 2008–present
Labels	Sub Pop, A&M
Member of	Truly, Stereo Donkey
Formerly of	Soundgarden

Hiro D. Yamamoto (born April 13, 1961) is a Japanese-American bassist who was a founding member of grunge band Soundgarden, along with Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell in 1984. He left the band in 1989, and two years later, he started the independent rock band Truly together with Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel and Robert Roth from The Storybook Krooks. In 2016, Yamamoto co-founded the surf trio Stereo Donkey.

Soundgarden

Hiro Yamamoto was the founding bassist of Soundgarden. He performed with Cornell, Thayil, and drummer Scott Sundquist on the Deep Six compilation, and performed with Cornell, Thayil, and drummer Matt Cameron on the EPs Screaming Life, Fopp, and Loudest Love, as well as on the albums Ultramega OK and Louder Than Love. He departed the band following the spring 1989 European tour. Jason Everman (formerly of Nirvana) replaced him on the bass briefly, after which Ben Shepherd became the permanent bassist. After Yamamoto departed, he completed the requirements for his master's degree in physical chemistry at Western Washington University. He is currently the Chief of Organic Chemistry at Edge Analytical in Burlington, Washington.

As did Cornell, Thayil, Cameron, and Shepherd, Yamamoto actively wrote songs for the band:

• "Heretic" (first version on Deep Six, second on Loudest Love) ... lyrics
• "Tears to Forget" (first version on Deep Six, second on Screaming Life) music (co-written)
• "All Your Lies" (first version on Deep Six, second on Ultramega OK) music (co-written)
• "Kingdom of Come" (Fopp) credited to Soundgarden
• "665" (Ultramega OK) music
• "667" (Ultramega OK) music
• "Circle of Power" (Ultramega OK) lyrics, vocals
• "Nazi Driver" (Ultramega OK) music
• "Toy Box" (Flower) lyrics, music (co-written)
• "Power Trip" (Louder Than Love) music
• "I Awake" (Louder Than Love) ... music
• "No Wrong No Right" (Louder Than Love) ... music

Truly

In 1991, Yamamoto formed a three-piece indie band, Truly. The other members were former Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel and singer Robert Roth. Truly released two studio albums and a compilation of unreleased material before breaking up in 2000. The band reunited in 2008.

Stereo Donkey

Following a successful 2016 jam session, Yamamoto formed a surf-inspired trio, Stereo Donkey, with drummer Mike Bajuk, and guitarist Pat Wickline.

In November 2018, the band released an eponymous six-track EP, recorded in the old church that Wickline lives in. According to Wickline, "The room is a fourth member of the band." The recording reportedly works as both surf music and exotica, yet is still rooted in, "Pacific Northwest rock history".

Other performances

On November 8, 2021, Yamamoto performed with other noted musicians at an event in Seattle honoring the Asian Hall of Fame's 2021 inductees, and the 35th anniversary of the Robert Chinn Foundation. The other performers included Jeff Kashiwa, Krist Novoselic, Ed Roth, and Danny Seraphine.

Discography

Soundgarden

• Screaming Life (EP)
• Fopp (EP)
• Ultramega OK
• Flower (single)
• Louder Than Love
• Loudest Love (EP)

Truly

• Heart and Lungs (EP) – 1991
• Fast Stories... from Kid Coma – 1995
• Feeling You Up – 1997
• Subject to Change: Artists for a Hate-Free America – 1997 compilation
• Twilight Curtains – 2000

Stereo Donkey

• Stereo Donkey (EP) – 2018

References

1. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. "Flower". ASCAP Repertory.
2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Biography: Soundgarden". AMG. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
3. "Soundgarden founder Hiro Yamamoto inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame". king5.com. November 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
4. Cole, Brent. "Stereo Donkey: PNW surf trio". What's Up!. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
5. "Asian Hall of Fame aims to celebrate Asian contributions, combat anti-Asian hate". The Seattle Times. November 9, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2022.

External links

• Official Stereo Donkey website

• 1961 births
• American rock bass guitarists
• American male bass guitarists
• Grunge musicians
• American musicians of Japanese descent
• Living people
• Musicians from Seattle
• Soundgarden members
• Truly members
• American multi-instrumentalists of Japanese descent
• Western Washington University alumni
• American alternative rock musicians
• Alternative rock bass guitarists
• Alternative metal bass guitarists
• American male guitarists
• 20th-century American guitarists
• Surf musicians
• Exotica