RIP Chris Cornell

tjg_marantz · Post by **tjg_marantz** » Thu May 18, 2017 4:07 am

52, poo.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu May 18, 2017 7:22 am

Local news is saying probable suicide.

Be at peace. I was just thinking about him the other day, reading the lyrics to Cop Killer from Lollapollooza back in the early 90s.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 18, 2017 7:34 am

Holy shit.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu May 18, 2017 7:53 am

While Soundgarden was my least favorite of the "big four" grunge bands (Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam), Cornell had some serious pipes. Seriously, that dude could do amazing things with his voice. My favorite song of theirs was off the "Singles" soundtrack, Birth Ritual. RIP Chris.

Crazy to think that of that big four, Pearl Jam is the only one with a surviving singer.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu May 18, 2017 8:00 am

Skinypupy wrote:While Soundgarden was my least favorite of the "big four" grunge bands (Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam), Cornell had some serious pipes. Seriously, that dude could do amazing things with his voice. My favorite song of theirs was off the "Singles" soundtrack, Birth Ritual. RIP Chris.

Crazy to think that of that big four, Pearl Jam is the only one with a surviving singer.

For me Louder Than Love was what Nevermind or Ten was seemingly for everyone else my age. I never became a huge huge fan the SubPop or Seattle sound but "Hands All Over" being played at the clubs always came on right as you were hitting the magic "I'm still a minor and I may have had one drink too many moment." That album would be in the top five soundtracks of my youth.

Cortilian · Post by **Cortilian** » Thu May 18, 2017 8:08 am

I saw Soundgarden open for Guns n Roses back when I first started college. I had never heard of them before (Soundgarden) but I loved GNR. Soundgarden was fantastic and put on a hell of a show. Axl Rose was over an hour late and GNR was just meh.

Dang shame.

Inverarity · Post by **Inverarity** » Thu May 18, 2017 8:20 am

Damn.

Z-Corn · Post by **Z-Corn** » Thu May 18, 2017 8:35 am

Real bummer. Especially if the suicide reports are true...

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Thu May 18, 2017 8:46 am

Yeah, this sucks. Soundgarden was my least favorite of the big four grunge bands as well. However, I learned to appreciate them later in life and particularly learned to appreciate Chris Cornell when he headed up Audioslave. I'd be willing to say he was THE best vocalist to come out of the grunge movement.

When I read the news this morning I immediately thought of my co-worker who is an absolutely huge Chris Cornell fan. She was utterly devastated.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Thu May 18, 2017 8:49 am

He had a really good James Bond song too

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Thu May 18, 2017 9:40 am

YellowKing wrote:I'd be willing to say he was THE best vocalist to come out of the grunge movement.

In terms of technical ability, that's without question. For all his amazing range, however, I always found Cornell's delivery to be rather emotionless.

Layne Staley brought that utterly tortured emotion, which made him my favorite.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Thu May 18, 2017 9:43 am

I agree. Cornell had the power but Staley had that weird sound/style that was fascinating.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Thu May 18, 2017 10:10 am

This has made me the sads. Like most, Soundgarden was never my favorite of the big 4 (although I liked all of them), but I always thought Cornell had the best voice in the group. I was a much bigger fan of Audioslave. And Cornell's various covers (Billie Jean, Nothing Compares 2 U) are phenomenal (IMO). That said, Layne Staley was my favorite out of that bunch. For the reasons others have stated.

I guess Eddie Vedder is the last man standing.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 18, 2017 10:42 am

RunningMn9 wrote:I guess Eddie Vedder is the last man standing.

Forget Mark Lanegan at your own peril - still delivering the goods after 30+ years. Vedder is definitely more well known, but not nearly as prolific. Of the so-called big four, Soundgarden was my favorite, but I've really come to enjoy the entire catalog of Lanegan.

Newcastle · Post by **Newcastle** » Thu May 18, 2017 11:20 am

Lannegan is still out there huh. Wow he has an awesome voice. Loved Uncle Anesthesia. Some of his music after Screaming Trees was more bluesy which i didn't care for.

Sorry to see Cornel go. As many here he wasn't my favorite of the seattle bands, but their music was good. I think I saw em live during lolapolooza. Dont remember much of the show. Yeah inebriation!

Just sad to see him depart and if it was suicide, that sucks. But I can't judge that. Looks like Chris broke his rusty cage and ran.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu May 18, 2017 11:22 am

A colleague had tickets for a show in eight days.

Kurth · Post by **Kurth** » Thu May 18, 2017 11:31 am

LordMortis wrote:
Skinypupy wrote:While Soundgarden was my least favorite of the "big four" grunge bands (Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam), Cornell had some serious pipes. Seriously, that dude could do amazing things with his voice. My favorite song of theirs was off the "Singles" soundtrack, Birth Ritual. RIP Chris.

Crazy to think that of that big four, Pearl Jam is the only one with a surviving singer.
For me Louder Than Love was what Nevermind or Ten was seemingly for everyone else my age. I never became a huge huge fan the SubPop or Seattle sound but "Hands All Over" being played at the clubs always came on right as you were hitting the magic "I'm still a minor and I may have had one drink too many moment." That album would be in the top five soundtracks of my youth.

I'm right there with you on Louder Than Love and "Hands All Over." Very sad to see this news.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Thu May 18, 2017 11:31 am

Smoove_B wrote:
RunningMn9 wrote:I guess Eddie Vedder is the last man standing.
Forget Mark Lanegan at your own peril

Mark Lanegan wasn't a front man for one of the big four.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 18, 2017 11:37 am

RunningMn9 wrote:Mark Lanegan wasn't a front man for one of the big four.

True, but he existed before and exists after. He's likely the most underappreciated artist of the so-called "grunge" scene, IMHO.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu May 18, 2017 12:49 pm

Road Rash on the 3DO got me hooked on Soundgarden. I must have heard Rusty Cage about 8 billion times because of that game. And yes I was one of 5 people that bought a 3DO.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Thu May 18, 2017 12:50 pm

Octavious wrote:Road Rash on the 3DO got me hooked on Soundgarden. I must have heard Rusty Cage about 8 billion times because of that game. And yes I was one of 5 people that bought a 3DO.

Same here. It was that soundtrack that hooked me when I rented the console

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu May 18, 2017 12:50 pm

Smoove_B wrote:
RunningMn9 wrote:Mark Lanegan wasn't a front man for one of the big four.
True, but he existed before and exists after. He's likely the most underappreciated artist of the so-called "grunge" scene, IMHO.

Tad? (Though I wasn't a fan. I was never a real "grunge" guy. I was an "industrial" guy.)

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 18, 2017 1:01 pm

LordMortis wrote:Tad? (Though I wasn't a fan. I was never a real "grunge" guy. I was an "industrial" guy.)

Lanegan was making music at least 4 years before TAD. Soundgarden and Screaming Trees formed in 1984, but the alleged "true" fathers of Grunge were Malfunkshun and Green River, both around 1980. Malfunkshun gave us Mother Love Bone via Andrew Wood and Green River gave us Pearl Jam and Mudhoney. I still listen to Temple of the Dog and now wish I'd seen their reunion tour last year. I can clearly remember hearing Nirvana for the first time in high school. After that, they all sort of blur together. This whole thing is really bringing me down.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Thu May 18, 2017 1:09 pm

Smoove_B wrote:I can clearly remember hearing Nirvana for the first time in high school. After that, they all sort of blur together. This whole thing is really bringing me down.

Nevermind came out in the fall of our senior year in high school, but I don't remember grunge becoming a thing on the east coast for a while after that. By our freshman year in college, it was *everywhere*. At the time, Pearl Jam's Ten was the album that sold me. I didn't really care for Nirvana until much later (after Cobain's death). If I'm just sitting around listening to things from that era these days, it will almost always start with Alice in Chains.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu May 18, 2017 1:14 pm

RunningMn9 wrote:
Smoove_B wrote:I can clearly remember hearing Nirvana for the first time in high school. After that, they all sort of blur together. This whole thing is really bringing me down.
Nevermind came out in the fall of our senior year in high school, but I don't remember grunge becoming a thing on the east coast for a while after that. By our freshman year in college, it was *everywhere*. At the time, Pearl Jam's Ten was the album that sold me. I didn't really care for Nirvana until much later (after Cobain's death). If I'm just sitting around listening to things from that era these days, it will almost always start with Alice in Chains.

Louder Than Love was first, last, and always for me. "Full on Kev's Mom" was as eye opening for what music could be as was Ministry's "Flashback".

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 18, 2017 1:17 pm

Yeah, Nevermind (and Smells Like Teen Spirt) were fall of 1991. Amazingly, Pearl Jam's Ten was released right around the same time - August of 1991 but didn't take off until later in 1992. Badmotorfinger from Soundgarden was October of 1991. I remember the MTV playing the HELL out of all those songs, but yes showing up to college in the Fall of 1992 was grunge-tactular - and that's exactly when Dirt from AiC was released (September of 1992).

Also, we are f-ing old.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Thu May 18, 2017 1:43 pm

I think I'm going to lose a lot of cred here by admitting that I have never heard of The Screaming Trees.

YellowKing · Post by **YellowKing** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:01 pm

I was at lunch one day with some co-workers and we got on the subject of music. We were sitting there talking about old 90s bands and our first albums, etc. And I just happen to look over and there was this group of teenagers at an adjacent table just laughing their asses off at us.

Getting old sucks, but on the bright side I make more money than they do and don't have a curfew.

Rip · Post by **Rip** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:02 pm

My daughter just saw Soundgarden and Mastodon back on May the 6th in Carolina.

RunningMn9 · Post by **RunningMn9** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:10 pm

McNutt wrote:I think I'm going to lose a lot of cred here by admitting that I have never heard of The Screaming Trees.

I'd be genuinely shocked if anyone didn't recognize Nearly Lost You when hearing it.

Here..

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:11 pm

as a Seattle resident, this is big news here. check out KEXP.org's live stream

Ænima · Post by **Ænima** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:13 pm

RunningMn9 wrote:
McNutt wrote:I think I'm going to lose a lot of cred here by admitting that I have never heard of The Screaming Trees.
I'd be genuinely shocked if anyone didn't recognize Nearly Lost You when hearing it.

Here..

All I Know got a ton of airplay as well.

McNutt · Post by **McNutt** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:17 pm

RunningMn9 wrote:I'd be genuinely shocked if anyone didn't recognize Nearly Lost You when hearing it.

Here..

Yes, I've heard that. I had no idea who played it.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:25 pm

http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-n ... 8352-story

The Wayne County Medical Examiner has confirmed the cause of death for rocker Chris Cornell as hanging by suicide.

sigh

Fretmute · Post by **Fretmute** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:39 pm

The Wayne County Medical Examiner needs an editor.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:41 pm

Fretmute wrote:The Wayne County Medical Examiner needs an editor.

At least Fox 2 does.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Thu May 18, 2017 2:51 pm

Skinypupy wrote:
YellowKing wrote:I'd be willing to say he was THE best vocalist to come out of the grunge movement.
In terms of technical ability, that's without question. For all his amazing range, however, I always found Cornell's delivery to be rather emotionless.

Layne Staley brought that utterly tortured emotion, which made him my favorite.

I saw Cornell do an acoustic show at a theatre a few years ago.
The stripped down versions of his songs made me appreciate his voice much, much more. Without having to scream over guitars, bass and drums, you could hear the small intricacies and the subtle changes in range.
His voice was truly an instrument.

hentzau · Post by **hentzau** » Thu May 18, 2017 3:04 pm

It's interesting. All of my friends on Facebook (and you guys here) are talking about all of this music that I know nothing about. I had never even heard of Chris Cornell. Heard of Soundgarden, but if you offered me a million dollars to name one of their songs, well, I'd still be showing up at work tomorrow.

The early 90's appear to be a blind spot in my musical repertoire.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Thu May 18, 2017 3:25 pm

McNutt wrote:Yes, I've heard that. I had no idea who played it.

Well, there's no time like the present. The album it is off of Sweet Oblivion is top notch; it's still in my current rotation. Oddly enough Mark Lanegan has stated in interviews he really doesn't like all his early work. After you get into that, go and get Whiskey for the Holy Ghost.

But I didn't come here to talk Lanegan...or maybe I did. The other really big point in time I remember with Chris Cornell was when he released his first solo effort - Euphoria Morning, but it wasn't until years later that I learned one of the songs ("Wave Goodbye") was written in memory of Jeff Buckley. Regardless, Euphoria Morning is another album that is still in my current rotation and one I listen to frequently. For those hung up on his blunt-instrument Soundgarden voice, try this album as a way to hear him in a different way.

msteelers · Post by **msteelers** » Thu May 18, 2017 4:05 pm

I always liked Hunger Strike, personally.

I wasn't a huge fan of Cornell's music, even though I really liked his voice. And somehow Superunknown was one of the first CDs I ever owned.