As savvy consumers of media, we all know that the Internet news world can have a lot of game-of-Telephone tendencies, thanks to the speed at which information can travel and the clicking hordes’ seemingly endless appetite for tidbits of information, no matter how watered-down or thinly sourced. But really, everyone, when the lead singer of Shinedown–you know, that band that has a death grip on radio’s rock charts these days, despite (or maybe thanks to) their aggressive anonymity?–starts spouting off about knowing that there’s a Soundgarden reunion in the works because of talk with “someone specifically in their organization,” you may want to check it out. Sure, there’s evidence that there might be movement on at least 75% of that front, but my first thought when I read Brent Smith’s bit of speculation was “Oh, he’s probably trying to link his band to ‘Outshined’ in peoples’ minds. Kind of weird, but I guess it’ll keep dude’s name in the limelight.” Luckily, one Daily Swarm reader allegedly has Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd on speed dial, and a text basically asking, “WTF?” was sent his way. And Shepherd answered! The text message that might prove everything, or might just attest to the power of Photoshop, after the jump. More »