Discovery Park – Where the “Hunger Strike” Video Was Filmed

Andrew Wood was 24 years old when he died of a heroin overdose on March 19, 1990. He was the frontman of Mother Love Bone, one of the most eagerly anticipated bands in the Seattle scene at the time. The loss was so sudden, and left such a profound void, that the musicians closest to Andy decided to respond the only way they knew how — with music.

Chris Cornell, vocalist and co-founder of Soundgarden, took the initiative. Together with Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron, he brought together the surviving members of Mother Love Bone — bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard — and two musicians who were just arriving on the scene: Mike McCready, who would become Pearl Jam’s lead guitarist, and Eddie Vedder, who would become its frontman. The result was Temple of the Dog, a project created specifically to honor Andrew Wood. The band’s only album was released on April 16, 1991, on A&M Records.

It was in this context that the band filmed an iconic music video for “Hunger Strike” — a duet between Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell — set among the landscapes of Discovery Park – chosen as the backdrop by director Paul Rachman.

The “Hunger Strike” Video at Discovery Park

Discovery Park is the largest public park in Seattle. It sits on Magnolia Bluff, a peninsula that juts out into Puget Sound to the northwest of downtown, covering just over 500 acres of forest, open meadows, dunes, and shoreline.

The landscape shifts depending on the direction you walk. To the south and west — the area where “Hunger Strike” was filmed — the terrain slopes down to the beach and opens onto the wide horizon of the bay. Along the way stands the West Point Lighthouse, a beacon first lit in 1881 that still operates today and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the video.

Seattle’s sky has a character all its own: even on dry days, there is often a diffuse, filtered quality to the light that softens contrasts and gives the city a particular tone.

That is exactly the atmosphere that comes through in the “Hunger Strike” video. Cornell and Vedder sing amid the park’s vegetation and coastal wind, and director Rachman did not need to construct a scene — the place already was what it needed to be.

Planning Your Visit

It is entirely possible to explore the filming locations from the Temple of the Dog video at a relaxed pace — but the trail down to the lighthouse and Miracle Beach, in the western and southern sections of the park, does require some physical readiness.

From the bus stop to the lighthouse and back, allow at least two hours of walking — roughly one hour each way. The terrain is natural, so wear comfortable footwear, and bring water and a snack. If you are driving, parking is available but requires patience, especially on weekends.