Ultramega Ok

‘Ultramega OK’ is the long-planned “correction” of the band's legendary, Grammy-nominated debut album. The album was originally recorded in 1988 and released on SST Records. While the band enjoyed working with the original producer, Drew Canulette, during the recording process, they soon realised that they weren't really happy with the final mix. So shortly after the release, plans were made to remix the album for subsequent pressings. Then success intervened: The band very quickly struck a deal with A&M and began work on their major label debut ‘Louder Than Love’, so the ‘Ultramega OK’ remix project fizzled out, while Soundgarden became rock stars of the grunge era in parallel with Ultramega.

In 2016, after worldwide success, a breakup, a reunion and many albums and tours, the band finally acquired the original multitrack tapes of ‘Ultramega OK’ and took the time to remix it. They gave the tapes to long-time friend and engineer Jack Endino (Nirvana, Mudhoney, Screamin Trees, Skin Yard), who worked with the band to realise a new mix of the album that tied up the loose ends for the band and represented the sound of their debut as it was originally intended.

While working on the tracks, the band dug up six early versions of songs that ended up on ‘Ultramega OK’ at the time. The songs were recorded in 1987 by Jacko Endino and Chris Hanzsek at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle and mixed by Jack Endino in 2016. This version shows Soundgarden in raw, powerful form - closer in sound to the six-song, Endino-produced debut ‘Screaming Life’ - and provides a fascinating insight into the development of the songs that would eventually become classics in the band's live set. These six songs are what the band calls the ‘Ultramega EP’ and they are part of this re-issue.