Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

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BSC
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by BSC »

I'm gutted by Chris Cornell's death and I cannot stop thinking about him. I think it would be useful to document some of my thoughts.

In my life I've been fortunate in that I've never really had to deal with death. Of course, elderly relatives have passed away and I've lost pets that I loved, but I don't recall being so down after a death. I remember quite clearly that I got into Soundgarden when they got back together in 2010. I had become a fan of Pearl Jam a couple of years prior, I was aware that Matt Cameron was also Soundgarden's drummer so when all the media hype kicked off, I gave them a listen. Obviously I had heard Black Hole Sun and Spoonman was on one of the Rockband games that I played. The first song I properly heard was Jesus Christ Pose. I remember hearing that helicopter style riff with the crazy drum beat behind it, and then the powerful high vocals came on. It was like nothing I had ever heard before, I wasn't sure what I listening to, but I knew that I loved it. From that point on, Chris Cornell's music (I buried deep into his catalogue and loved everything I found), Pearl Jam and Megadeth became the soundtrack of my teenage years.

I'm 23 now, I graduated from university a couple of years back, moved into a one bedroom flat and got a graduate job. All of a sudden, life became a bit boring and bland. Within the past year and a half I've gone through periods of being quite down, all of the close friends had moved away after graduating and I was lonely in my flat. I had always really enjoyed Chris Cornell's Songbook album, but the songs on that album have really resonated with me in recent years. Songs like Fell on Black Days, Like a Stone, Cleaning My Sun and Black Hole Sun really stand out. I would have a few drinks on a Saturday night, lay on the sofa in my slightly drunken state and just listen to Chris Cornell (along with others, such as Richie Kotzen). Despite feeling down and lonely, I never felt too alone as Chris's voice kept me company.

Higher Truth is such an incredible album. I remember the day that came out, I was walking to walk, I had already heard Nearly Forgot my Broken Heart but I didn't know what to expect of the other songs. When Dead Wishes came on I had a massive shit-eating grin on my face. When I got to Murderer of Blue Skies I stopped walking and just listened to song on the pavement of a busy road. From that point on, Higher Truth became one of my favourite albums.

I remember when a big batch of musicians died in 2016, I always thought 'I'll be gutted if Chris Cornell died' but I never thought it would happen so soon. I was taking a toilet break in my boring office job when I saw the news, I cried. I do not know how someone who has had such a positive influence on many people could feel so down to feel the need to kill himself, and I'm sure I'll never find out. The world really is a darker place without Chris Cornell in it. I find it heart-warming to see all the tributes to him coming from other musicians and I'm glad his death has been so widely picked on by the media. Work colleagues who I never thought would be a fan of Chris Cornell have come up to me to say they liked You Know My Name. I'm also glad that there's such a wide back-catalogue of work that we can use to celebrate his life, but I feel like I've lost a friend and knowing that they will be no further music from Chris saddens me greatly. I think I'll always regret not going to see him live, I had a couple of opportunities to see Soundgarden live since they reformed but they always played slightly too far away and I wasn't motivated enough to do the journey. Chris to a city within an hour drive of me last year on his Higher Truth tour but I was too late to get tickets.

Thanks for reading (if you've made it this far). I haven't been able to stop thinking about Chris and I've had his melodies in my head ever since Thursday, hopefully this brings some closure.

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by Ubik »

Great post, BSC.
For all of the hope that it brings...

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

Indeed. I think the only thing keeping me sane the last few days is that I have fellow SG/CC fans who understand this pain. Hell, I met some of them on an online music forum because I used a CC avatar and kindred music souls find each other. Even drove from another state to see SG and CC solo with one of them later. Another of them lost her mother recently, had to be taken off life support, and I sent her a link of CC singing Like Suicide acoustic (it is based on a true story about euthanizing a bird) and told her to listen to it when she was ready to scream or cry. A few days later she texted me back, "I knew that was what the song would be <3" I forget some times that she and I have never met in person.

One of my friends is a huge Prince fan. Watching her grieve the last year, I kept thinking, that is going to be me when Chris dies someday. I'm not going to be able to function. I was having a lovely morning, had gotten up early, turned on the radio to hear the weather while I was putting away the dishes before I left for work. Screamed NOOOOOOOOO at the phone and started sobbing. Had to lead a meeting at work in a couple of hours and had to get my car repaired so I just got through the day more numb than anything else. More sobbing this weekend. I had 5 hours in the car today and cranked Superunknown loud and it was therapeutic mostly.

Fell on Black Days and The Day I Tried to Live have been my theme songs. I hadn't even been listening to them much anymore because the lyrics play in my head all the time anyway. They are mostly dark, but there are glints of hope at the end of them. Listening to them and other music got me through some very very depressed times. Euphoria Mourning was my lullaby most nights for a couple of years.

I'm only a few years younger than Chris. I found his life story inspiring, and was so thrilled and impressed by his output lately - I was just worried he was going to get exhausted - and so excited to see where he was headed next. I mean, he's started getting into orchestral music. Shit wrong tense, I can't remember that he's dead. King Animal and Higher Truth were not the raging demons of CC's youth, but that fit perfectly with where I am in life - I don't feel things as strongly, but I like to think I'm a little wiser and thoughtful, and fear of death is different now than 20 years ago. I find it terrifying now that his demons got him, because surely they can get anyone.

Chris's death has hurt me more deeply than that of most people I know will, because I felt more in tune with his brain than most other people. I am really glad for every time I drove a ridiculous number of hours to see him, making up for never seeing SG in the 1990s. I was really looking forward to Songbook shows for decades to come.

Bought myself a Chevelle ticket on a work night soon, because what the hell, gotta live while we and they can.
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prslover
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by prslover »

You guys hang in there , I am very hurt too. I'm still sorta shocked. I mean damn I just saw SG 3 weeks ago in Tampa.
I have pics and vids but i don't know how to post them in here .

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

Thank you Taylor :(


AB Blackbird tribute at ROTR also great, prob. been posted somewhere already.
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by nagpo »

prslover wrote:You guys hang in there , I am very hurt too. I'm still sorta shocked. I mean damn I just saw SG 3 weeks ago in Tampa.
I have pics and vids but i don't know how to post them in here .
upload them on youtube, post link here

photos = upload to image hosting site

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by Andy92 »

I got to see Taylor sing that at ROTR too, and it was phenomenal.
anguyen92 wrote:Oh well. Deal with it.

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by nagpo »

his wife wrote an open letter to him

"To My Sweet Christopher,

You were the best father, husband and son-in-law. Your patience, empathy and love always showed through.



You had always said I saved you, that you wouldn’t be alive if it were not for me. My heart gleamed to see you happy, living and motivated. Excited for life. Doing everything you could to give back. We had the time of our lives in the last decade and I’m sorry, my sweet love, that I did not see what happened to you that night. I’m sorry you were alone, and I know that was not you, my sweet Christopher. Your children know that too, so you can rest in peace.



I’m broken, but I will stand up for you and I will take care of our beautiful babies. I will think of you every minute of every day and I will fight for you. You were right when you said we are soulmates. It has been said that paths that have crossed will cross again, and I know that you will come find me, and I will be here waiting.



I love you more than anyone has ever loved anyone in the history of loving and more than anyone ever will.



Always and forever,

Your Vicky


Read More: Chris Cornell's Wife Vicky Shares Open Letter to Her Husband: 'I'm Sorry You Were Alone' | http://diffuser.fm/chris-cornell-wife-o ... ck=tsmclip

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by Ubik »

I love the nonchalant "we were just doing a song together for his wife..." :lol

As an aside, would love to see the guys attempt Jesus Christ Pose in tribute...
For all of the hope that it brings...

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agny
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

Back in the days before everything was on digital video too!
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

I've never wanted to hear most bands cover my favorite SG songs. But AB could do a lot of them, even Fell on Black Days and Day I Tried to Live.

Some of them I think Alice in Chains would do best.
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by nagpo »

The new Chris Cornell song is great. Called "You never knew my mind" it was written by Johnny Cash

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h06uzVCFsoE

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

Shoutout to my SG/CC fellow fans here. Been avoiding thinking about it most of the day to get through work but thinking of him now.
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BSC
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by BSC »

BSC wrote:I'm gutted by Chris Cornell's death and I cannot stop thinking about him. I think it would be useful to document some of my thoughts.

In my life I've been fortunate in that I've never really had to deal with death. Of course, elderly relatives have passed away and I've lost pets that I loved, but I don't recall being so down after a death. I remember quite clearly that I got into Soundgarden when they got back together in 2010. I had become a fan of Pearl Jam a couple of years prior, I was aware that Matt Cameron was also Soundgarden's drummer so when all the media hype kicked off, I gave them a listen. Obviously I had heard Black Hole Sun and Spoonman was on one of the Rockband games that I played. The first song I properly heard was Jesus Christ Pose. I remember hearing that helicopter style riff with the crazy drum beat behind it, and then the powerful high vocals came on. It was like nothing I had ever heard before, I wasn't sure what I listening to, but I knew that I loved it. From that point on, Chris Cornell's music (I buried deep into his catalogue and loved everything I found), Pearl Jam and Megadeth became the soundtrack of my teenage years.

I'm 23 now, I graduated from university a couple of years back, moved into a one bedroom flat and got a graduate job. All of a sudden, life became a bit boring and bland. Within the past year and a half I've gone through periods of being quite down, all of the close friends had moved away after graduating and I was lonely in my flat. I had always really enjoyed Chris Cornell's Songbook album, but the songs on that album have really resonated with me in recent years. Songs like Fell on Black Days, Like a Stone, Cleaning My Sun and Black Hole Sun really stand out. I would have a few drinks on a Saturday night, lay on the sofa in my slightly drunken state and just listen to Chris Cornell (along with others, such as Richie Kotzen). Despite feeling down and lonely, I never felt too alone as Chris's voice kept me company.

Higher Truth is such an incredible album. I remember the day that came out, I was walking to walk, I had already heard Nearly Forgot my Broken Heart but I didn't know what to expect of the other songs. When Dead Wishes came on I had a massive shit-eating grin on my face. When I got to Murderer of Blue Skies I stopped walking and just listened to song on the pavement of a busy road. From that point on, Higher Truth became one of my favourite albums.

I remember when a big batch of musicians died in 2016, I always thought 'I'll be gutted if Chris Cornell died' but I never thought it would happen so soon. I was taking a toilet break in my boring office job when I saw the news, I cried. I do not know how someone who has had such a positive influence on many people could feel so down to feel the need to kill himself, and I'm sure I'll never find out. The world really is a darker place without Chris Cornell in it. I find it heart-warming to see all the tributes to him coming from other musicians and I'm glad his death has been so widely picked on by the media. Work colleagues who I never thought would be a fan of Chris Cornell have come up to me to say they liked You Know My Name. I'm also glad that there's such a wide back-catalogue of work that we can use to celebrate his life, but I feel like I've lost a friend and knowing that they will be no further music from Chris saddens me greatly. I think I'll always regret not going to see him live, I had a couple of opportunities to see Soundgarden live since they reformed but they always played slightly too far away and I wasn't motivated enough to do the journey. Chris to a city within an hour drive of me last year on his Higher Truth tour but I was too late to get tickets.

Thanks for reading (if you've made it this far). I haven't been able to stop thinking about Chris and I've had his melodies in my head ever since Thursday, hopefully this brings some closure.
I'm just reflecting on my previous post about a year ago.

It's dawned on me within the last year the sheer loss to the entire world that Chris's death caused. I feel like the world is just a sadder place knowing that Chris is no longer in it and writing new music. I also found the quantity of tributes to Chris to be quite telling of his impact on the world of music. There were an awful lot of Black Hole Sun tributes, but also people playing Like a Stone, Hunger Strike, Say Hello to Heaven, Blow Up the Outside World, Outshined, etc. Chris's body of work clearly had a huge impact, and he was exceptionally far away from a 'one hit wonder'.

I don't know whether it's in bad taste to compare Chris's death to other musicians deaths, but when a rockstar dies I feel that their death turns them into a legend. I feel like musicians like Layne Staley, Kurt Cobain and Jeff Buckley died before they really had an opportunity to write a bad album, and they (very sadly) left us at their prime and got immortalised as music legends as a result. Whereas Chris was undoubtedly a music legend.

I enjoyed all of Chris's work prior to his death, but Audioslave had never really clicked with me, never had Soundgarden's Down on the Upside, but since his death I had been listening to those albums more closely and have gained a new appreciation for them. I consider Audioslave's self-titled to be one of my favourite albums. Obviously, I don't need to tell you how incredible Badmotorfinger and Superunknown. Higher Truth was the last album that I was truly excited for, where each day I was thinking about how we were one day closer to its release and trying to find any kind of snippet online. Whilst Chris's death has led me to listen to some of his work more closely, I think I've only listened to his Songbook album a couple of times in its entirety, that album is associated with some dark times for me that I struggle to listen to it now. There used to be a time where I listened to Fell on Black Days every day.

Has anyone seen the video of Eddie Vedder playing Black where he cries at the end? It's exceptionally difficult to watch, but just again reassures me that the loss of Chris is of huge magnitude.

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by agny »

Some of us have been watching these guys review hard rock/metal bands on other threads. Jesus Christ Pose was a terrible first suggestion for them to hear but I'm glad they gave SG another shot. Fun to watch them discover the brilliance that is Outshined:
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by Ubik »

agny wrote:Some of us have been watching these guys review hard rock/metal bands on other threads. Jesus Christ Pose was a terrible first suggestion for them to hear but I'm glad they gave SG another shot. Fun to watch them discover the brilliance that is Outshined:
No one can resist Outshined :cloud9
For all of the hope that it brings...

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by gbruin »

agny wrote:Some of us have been watching these guys review hard rock/metal bands on other threads. Jesus Christ Pose was a terrible first suggestion for them to hear but I'm glad they gave SG another shot. Fun to watch them discover the brilliance that is Outshined:
If they were in the pit at a show, they'd feel very differently about JCP.
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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by nagpo »

Unfortunately the new Cornell collection doesn't seem to include the track he and Myles worked on together.

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Re: Soundgarden and Chris Cornell

Post by MidnightToker »

nagpo wrote:Unfortunately the new Cornell collection doesn't seem to include the track he and Myles worked on together.
What's this you speak of? Source for that info?

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