Post subject: RIP Chris Cornell. Share the memories and appreciation
My dad's favourite singer and band (Soundgarden). I'm devastated too, love him. He had arguably the best voice in rock ever, and was one of the best lyricists out there. Amazing songwriting skills with 3 bands and solo. What a sad way to end such a meaningful life, he'll be sorely missed. Haven't cried this much since Bowie and Lemmy...
Superunknown is, IMO, one of the greatest albums ever recorded. Badmotorfinger and Down On The Upside are great as well. "Blow Up The Outside World" and "Like Suicide" are my 2 favourite Soundgarden songs.
I am kicking myself today. Soundgarden just came by KC (where I live) 4 days ago and i didnt go see them. I thought, "well there will probably be other opportunities." I can't believe it. Always considered him one of the best and most powerful voices in rock. Slaves and Bulldozers just sounds painful to sing. Some Audioslave songs still hold up too. Now Eddie Vedder has to hold up the grunge mantle with Mark Arm of Mudhoney and Mark Lanegan of Screaming Trees. Most of the other frontmen are gone.
I've had Superunknown in my Top 50 of all time for as long as I've been keeping track. I personally think it's the best grunge album ever made, better than Nevermind, In Utero, Ten, Vs, and Dirt. Soundgarden took the genre past power chords and growled vocals. They mixed their early metal influences with odd time signatures to create a completely unique sound. That, mixed with Cornell's beautifully versatile voice singing extremely dark and cryptic lyrics makes for one of the best albums of all time.
Chris will be missed, that's for sure.
This is easily the most I've ever been affected by a "celebrity" death. When someone's music is so important to you, especially through your formative years, it truly feels like you know them. In certain ways you have a more intimate relationship with your favorite musicians than some people you actually know. It's really sad that he's gone, he was a generational talent, with possibly the greatest voice in rock history.
I had Cornell songs playing all day today, like so many others I'm sure. It's been so powerful listening to him sing songs like Say Hello 2 Heaven, Fell On Black Days, etc. It's sad but somehow also uplifting. Funny how music can make you feel so many things at once. Screaming along with him today has been cathartic.
As I said in an earlier post,
"My idol! My favorite singer! In fact if it were not for him, all my life at this moment would be different
It's almost like losing a friend."
I still can not believe that I've never seen my favorite singer live
Been listening through his stuff almost non-stop since yesterday. Badmotorfinger and Carry On are better than I remember.
pearljammer13 wrote:
This is easily the most I've ever been affected by a "celebrity" death. When someone's music is so important to you, especially through your formative years, it truly feels like you know them. In certain ways you have a more intimate relationship with your favorite musicians than some people you actually know. It's really sad that he's gone, he was a generational talent, with possibly the greatest voice in rock history.
Yup.
Space-Dementia wrote:
I've had Superunknown in my Top 50 of all time for as long as I've been keeping track. I personally think it's the best grunge album ever made, better than Nevermind, In Utero, Ten, Vs, and Dirt. Soundgarden took the genre past power chords and growled vocals. They mixed their early metal influences with odd time signatures to create a completely unique sound. That, mixed with Cornell's beautifully versatile voice singing extremely dark and cryptic lyrics makes for one of the best albums of all time.
Chris will be missed, that's for sure.
Superunknown is the best grunge album, no question about it. Been in my overall Top 25 for as long as I remember, for all the reasons mentioned here by SD.
As for memories, the only time I saw Cornell live was on Soundgarden's reunion tour in 2011. Never saw him live with Audioslave or as a solo artist. I would have liked to. But once is better than never. I'm sorry to those who never had the pleasure of seeing him live. He was a great performer.
My Top 10 Cornell Albums, along with favorite track from each:
1. Superunknown, Superunknown
2. Down on the Upside, Pretty Noose
3. Badmotorfinger, Jesus Christ Pose
4. King Animal, Taree
5. Carry On, No Such Thing
6. Audioslave, Show Me How to Live
7. Euphoria Morning, Can't Change Me
8. Temple of the Dog, Hunger Strike
9. Out of Exile, Be Yourself
10. Louder than Love, Hands All Over
I was never the biggest Soundgarden fan (I probably listen to them the least of all big 4 grunge bands) but I had a period when I was only listening to stuff from top vocalists. Cornell is definitely some I would put in top 10, possibly top 5 greatest voice ever. He had such power and meat on those high notes. Even later on when his voice lost some of its power, that was compensated with a slight improvmenet of is overall voice timbre which became more soulful and emotional.
I was never the biggest Soundgarden fan (I probably listen to them the least of all big 4 grunge bands) but I had a period when I was only listening to stuff from top vocalists. Cornell is definitely some I would put in top 10, possibly top 5 greatest voice ever. He had such power and meat on those high notes. Even later on when his voice lost some of its power, that was compensated with a slight improvmenet of is overall voice timbre which became more soulful and emotional.
One of the most jaw-dropping vocal performances ever.
The first time I listened to Beyond The Wheel I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was one of the few songs that affected me like the self-titled Black Sabbath song did. Such a terrifyingly heavy, pulverizing track but capped off with a vocal Ozzy couldn't reach in 6 lifetimes. Blown away, even to this day.
The thing is though, I discovered Beyond The Wheel (666) a while after first getting into Soundgarden. It's not like 666 was the first thing I ever heard by them and that's where my genuine, child like "HOLY JUMPIN FUCKIN SHIT BALLS" reaction came from. I guess because it sounded like a different band than what I knew Soundgarden to be at that point, but it was the same band aside from the bass player. Beyond the Wheel is a solid track lifted to new heights by, as you said perfectly, "One of the most jaw-dropping vocal performances ever." And it seemed like it all came naturally for him, a young, gifted, baby-faced, often expressionless yet visibly sly, tongue in cheek musical genius. An effortless powerhouse.
I got into the band shortly after they got back together and promised us a new record, which turned out to be King Animal, a record I will fight tooth and nail for.... Love it.... Anyway, the first thing I heard from them was Superunknown which I found in my dad's CD collection. "Dad, is this good?" "It's good, not my favorite, but you'll like it." He was right and it lead me to dig into their catalog the likes of which I hadn't done with a band in awhile as well as a new age of personal musical discovery for me as Soundgarden helped opened my listening habits up to much more alternative, metal, progressive, underground, etc... I might not have much interest in artists like Tool, Incubus, or even fuckin Death Grips without being influenced by Cornell and company.
Chris will always have a special place in my life and musical collection. His lyrics have helped to get me through tough times, and it's honestly just now that I'm taking many of them for more than face value because so many are sharing his work. Chris is perhaps the perfect example of someone whose music is merely an embodiment of themselves. The dark, the light, the comical, the serious, the love, the hate, the mind body and god damn soul. I will miss him like a family member. _________________ Attention all planets of the solar federation: We have assumed control.
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