Alternative rock collective King Ultramega, featuring members of Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Soundgarden, has returned with a moving instrumental rendition of Audioslave’s Be Yourself. The single, released in partnership with MusiCares, honors Chris Cornell’s legacy while raising awareness for mental health and addiction recovery services in the music community.
Watch Be Yourself:
Stream the single: kingum.rpm.link/beyourselfYT
The track features guitar legend Joe Satriani, whose emotive playing carries Cornell’s vocal melodies with phrasing, expressive vibrato, and dynamic pedal work. Anchored by producer/bassist Mark Menghi and legendary drummer Kenny Aronoff (The Rolling Stones, The Smashing Pumpkins, John Fogerty), the song balances reverence for the original with Satriani’s unmistakable voice on guitar.
Satriani explains:
“Chris often used his voice like a guitarist would finesse riffs and phrases. I took a deep dive into his magical sensibilities and created a multi-tracked guitar production that I felt would pay proper homage to his brilliance.”
Menghi, who conceived the project, recalls the inspiration:
“I was out on a run when I heard Chris sing, ‘to be yourself is all that you can do.’ It felt like he was talking to me. I immediately thought, this could live as an instrumental in Satch’s hands. My hope is that people hear Chris in Joe’s guitar.”
Aronoff adds:
“I listened to ‘Be Yourself’ over and over, absorbing the lyrics, feel, and vibe before recording my drums. The emotional weight of the song had a big effect on my performance.”
King Ultramega is a passion-driven project dedicated to honoring Chris Cornell, one of the most gifted artists of his generation. Conceived during the pandemic when Menghi first reimagined Soundgarden’s Rusty Cage with friends, the project grew into a collaborative tribute featuring a lineup of iconic musicians including Kim Thayil, Charlie Benante, William DuVall, Bill Kelliher, Alissa White-Gluz, Joe Satriani, Kenny Aronoff, and more.
Guided by one principle, How would Chris like this?, Menghi and his collaborators have built a body of work that celebrates Cornell’s voice, songwriting, and enduring impact on music and culture.
Lineup for Be Yourself
- Joe Satriani – Guitar
- Mark Menghi – Bass
- Kenny Aronoff – Drums
Connect with King Ultramega:
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