R.I.P. Chris Cornell

Screencap of Chris Cornell seen in the music video of "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden

I was a fan since "Jesus Christ Pose" was released, but it wasn't until I first watched the video for "Black Hole Sun" that I considered Soundgarden one of my favorite bands. One of the four horsemen of the grunge music scene out of Seattle, Washington, Chris Cornell along with Kurt Cobain, Layne Staley, and Eddie Vedder introduced the world to a flannel-wearing music revolution that would fade out after Cobain's suicide.

Unlike Staley and Cobain, Cornell evolved from the grunge music scene. Going solo, Cornell released alternative rock hits on his own, proving that he could be a star on his own without the A-list talent that made up the rest of Soundgarden. He'd won a Grammy for "Can't Change Me", but it was his solo release, "Sunshower", that made it onto the Great Expectations soundtrack that I played over and over again. For a movie that did fairly well but not great, it was accompanied by an excellent soundtrack led by Chris Cornell and included other hit artists such as Poe, Tori Amos, Scott Weiland, Iggy Pop, Verve Pipe, and Duncan Sheik. It also included the hit "Life in Mono" by Mono, yet "Sunshower" was my favorite song on that CD.

A fan of Rage Against the Machine and saddened by their breakup, I was both nervous and excited when it was announced that Chris Cornell had joined up with them to replace Zach de la Rocha and form super group, Audioslave.

Audioslave released three albums right at the time I began working in radio. I remember getting my hands on a copy of "I am the Highway" and playing it before I ever heard another radio station play it. Though there were five singles from Audioslave's self-titled album release, it was a non-hit, "Shadow of the Sun" that I would play over and over again. I always felt like this was a hit song that missed being a hit. I did feel a sense of satisfaction when the song would make it to the soundtrack of Collateral which starred Tom Cruise and Jaime Foxx. The song was used in a pivotal scene and I couldn't think of a better moment to use in that movie.

I was glad that after two more Audioslave albums, Cornell eventually found his way back with Soundgarden. No, they wouldn't cobble up hits as famous as "Black Hole Sun" or "Blow Up the Outside World", but it was still nice to hear new music.

Cobain would always remain young in our memories as he passed away at 27. Staley also remains young for about the same reason, though a little older than Cobain when he passed. Cornell was the one that aged, yet didn't appear to physically grown old. Maybe he was part-vampire, but whatever the reason, he looked almost the same as the day he appeared in the music video for "Black Hole Sun".

Cornell may have died last night at the age of 52, but he will always remain the same rock icon that I enjoyed listening while he jammed out to Temple of the Dog, Audioslave, Soundgarden, and in his solo work.