This past Saturday (June 14) – and per The New York Times – numerous “No Kings” demonstrations and marches erupted across the United States to protest Donald Trump’s military/birthday parade. Many people took to social media to voice their objections, too, including legendary rock/metal band Soundgarden (who shared a statement related to the “No Kings” movement alongside their own “Non-State Actor” flag).
What Soundgarden Said
Yesterday, Soundgarden posted a series of four images to Instagram. In order, they are: the American flag; a customized “Non-State Actor” B&W variation of the flag; the “No Kings” emblem; and the “King Animal” logo from their 2012 studio LP of the same name.
Their corresponding statement reads:
Hey friends, fans, family and freaks! Today is Flag Day; here’s our flag! Check out this badder-asser visualizer/video for “Non-State Actor” by Soundgarden’s art director, Josh Graham. It’s in our bio!
“Non-State Actor” appears on Soundgarden’s 7th studio album, King Animal. It’s a Ben [Shepherd] crafted musical piece. Kim [Thayil] wrote the lyrics with Chris [Cornell] modifying them words for his singing.
On our U.S.A. flag the stars represent our 50 states. On our Non-State Actor flag the stars have been replaced with the King Animal icon/skate logo. … get it?… Non-Skate Actor!
Let your freak flag fly during today’s precious birthday parade! Better yet, let’s celebrate the men and women who serve under the flag to support and defend the constitution, not the heavy machinery, not the hardware, not a birthday boy and not a king. U.S.A.!
XOSG!
You can see their post below:
READ MORE: 5 Grunge Albums Every Vinyl Collector Should Own (And How to Buy Them)
Fan Reactions
Soundgarden’s Instagram post has received dozens of responses over the last day, and predictably, they’re quite mixed.
Naturally, many people share Soundgarden’s feelings. For instance, one person replied, “Love Soundgarden! No kings, we’re a democracy,” just as another expressed: “Thank you for your music and your voice during this pivotal moment in history. Soundgarden has always been for the free thinkers and rock n roll rebels on the right side of history!”
In contrast, several commenters have chastised the band for their specific views or for getting political in general. In particular, someone answered, “God bless the USA🇺🇸 and President Trump ,happy birthday Army, and happy Flag day 🇺🇸.” Later, two other users wrote (respectively): “Chris Cornell wouldn’t approve of this looting riots” and “Just play music no one cares about your political opinions. Hate when bands do this shit.”
There’s even a Reddit thread about Soundgarden’s post (with a majority of positive responses). “Of course Soundgarden is on the right side of history,” “Gawd I fucking love these guys!” and “Chris Cornell has always been pretty clear about his support for stealing bread from the mouths of decadence” are just some of encouraging replies.
One person even conceded: “Ok, so the overall message is great and consistent with the band’s values but holy hell they need to invest in a better social media manager. Such a weird tone and bad grammar.”
More About “No Kings” Movement + Protests
The official No Kings website explains the motivations and goals behind the movement as follows:
As ICE raids escalate and Trump doubles down on authoritarian tactics—including politicizing the military—we’re meeting the moment with action. The road ahead isn’t just about one protest or one day. It’s about building a movement powerful enough to win against authoritarian forces dead set on destroying our democracy.
We’re inspired by the 3.5% principle: it only takes 3.5% of the population engaging in sustained, strategic protest against authoritarianism to achieve significant political change. Everything we do from here on out is grounded in three core commitments: staying in the fight, taking concrete action today, and investing in the long-term.
The website/movement is also steered by the following sentiment: “They’ve defied our courts, deported Americans, disappeared people off the streets, attacked our civil rights, and slashed our services. The corruption has gone too. far. No thrones. No crowns. No kings.”
As for why June 14, 2025 was chosen for the rallies, it’s both Donald Trump’s 79th birthday and the 250th anniversary of the United States Army. As such, and via BBC News, the protests were in defiance of “a rare military parade hosted by Trump in Washington DC, and came after days of protests in Los Angeles and elsewhere over his immigration policies.”
As reported by The New York Times, the nationwide protests saw people “fill[ing] plazas, streets and parks across the country . . . mounting a mass mobilization that called for protecting American democracy from a president whom many opponents accused of overreaching the powers of his office.”
The publication continues:
The demonstrations set off in waves as the day progressed, in small towns and major cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles, the heart of a surging protest movement against President Trump. Some 2,000 events, organized under the slogan No Kings, were planned across all 50 states, animated by the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, federal spending cuts and Mr. Trump’s military parade in Washington. . . . Many events nationwide drew large crowds with demonstrators striking patriotic themes, waving American flags or reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
You can read more about what transpired via Newsweek and NBC News (among other outlets), and you can see photos from yesterday’s events via The Atlantic and the Associated Press.
More About Soundgarden
Last week, Loudwire included Soundgarden’s monumental third studio record – 1991’s Badmotorfinger – in our list of 5 Grunge Albums Every Vinyl Collector Should Own (And How to Buy Them). “Put this one on when you’re looking for something a little tougher, but still moody,” we wrote.
Back in May, the Live Semi-Finals of NBC’s The Voice saw standout contestant (and divisive performer) Lucia Flores-Wisemen do a stripped-down and orchestral rendition of what’s arguably Soundgarden’s signature song: “Black Hole Sun.”
“I think whatever you want to do with your voice, the opportunities are endless,” country-pop artist and The Voice coach Kelsea Ballerini said after the performance. “I’m a fan. You’re a star. You don’t need me to tell you that. I’m excited to see what’s next.”
The Big 4 of Non-U.S. Grunge Bands
Not every grunge band came from Seattle. Some even didn’t come from the U.S. Check out the ‘Big 4’ of non-U.S. grunge bands.
Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire
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