R.I.P. Chris Cornell, frontman of Soundgarden
Chris Cornell, frontman of Soundgarden and Audioslave, has died at the age of 52. The Associated Press reports that his death is being investigated as a suicide.
Cornell died Wednesday night after Soundgarden had performed a show in Detroit, and the band’s representative, Brian Bumbery, said his death was “sudden and unexpected.” AP also reports that Cornell’s wife had reportedly called a family friend and asked to check on him.
Chris Cornell founded Soundgarden in 1984, who by the early ’90s had ascended to become one of the most important bands in the rising grunge movement. Along with Pearl Jam, Nirvana and Alice In Chains, Soundgarden brought Seattle’s heavy, angst-ridden heavy alternative sound to a mainstream audience, for which they won Grammys for the singles “Spoonman” and “Black Hole Sun.” Their catalog includes many of the most celebrated grunge albums of all-time, including Screaming Life, Ultramega OK, Louder Than Love, Badmotorfinger and Superunknown.
Cornell also formed Temple of the Dog in 1990 with members of Mother Love Bone to pay tribute to that band’s late singer Andrew Wood, and in 1999 he released his debut solo album, Euphoria Morning. In the ’00s, he teamed up with members of Rage Against the Machine to form Audioslave, who reunited early this year to perform in protest of Donald Trump’s inauguration.
RIP Chris Cornell
Incredibly Talented
Incredibly Young
Incredibly Missed. pic.twitter.com/pKNI4tKiXz— Jimmy Page (@JimmyPage) May 18, 2017
Jeff Terich is the founder and editor of Treble. He's been writing about music for 20 years and has been published at American Songwriter, Bandcamp Daily, Reverb, Spin, Stereogum, uDiscoverMusic, VinylMePlease and some others that he's forgetting right now. He's still not tired of it.