Good Bye Chris Cornell!
Chris Cornell died yesterday! What a loss! For me, "teenaging" in the nineties, Cornell was the one truly great singer and bandleader. I was a fan of retro music, listening to Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, so all of the grunge legends still feel “new” to me. It was the sound of my youth which I didn’t consume extensively by my own, but it was all around back then - on the radio, on TV, in bars and clubs. I liked Pearl Jam, Nirvana not so much, but the only band that left a long lasting impression on me and which I gave my full attention were Soundgarden. Back then it sounded to me like someone threw Zeppelin, Sabbath and Pink Floyd into a boiling pan, mixed them, added some fresh ingredients and made a delicious sonic meal. And it was Cornell’s charisma and uncompromising vocal performances that stood above all. He sang like a man (sorry feminists, no hard feelings!) unlike some of his contemporaries (sorry grunge fans, but Cobain and Vedder were whining too much.). All right, joking aside, I really felt a sense of emptiness when I heard about Cornell’s passing. He left an enormous legacy, not only as a composer and lyricist but as an experimentator that pushed the boundaries of mainstream music, especially rock. The official report says it was a suicide. Personally, I don’t care, he will not be here anymore regardless of the manner of his leaving. May both the Force and the Source be with his soul!
Chris Cornell (born Christopher John Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 17, 2017) was an American musician, singer, and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter and rhythm guitarist for Seattle rock band Soundgarden and as lead vocalist and songwriter for the group Audioslave. He was also known for his numerous solo works and soundtrack contributions since 1991, and as founder and frontman of Temple of the Dog, the one-off tribute band dedicated to his late friend Andrew Wood. Cornell was known for his role as one of the architects of the 1990s grunge movement, for his extensive catalog as a songwriter, for his nearly four-octave vocal range, and for his powerful vocal belting technique.
