Support NeoGAF

[TheBryanJZX90]

So my first memory of Soundgarden is so silly and dumb. In middle school, like 12 years old, I was just starting to become interested in popular new music myself after mostly tuning it out whenever a video came up on Beavis and Butthead. Anyway in computer class we're learning how to use like whatever the MS Paint equivalent was for old Macs from like 1990. I noticed one of the kids who had older brothers and wore band t-shirts was making some kind of picture with a purple background and a big black circle in the middle and he added text that said "BLACK HOLE SUN". I remember recognizing "ohh, that's a Soundgarden song. I guess the cool kids like Soundgarden." I didn't think I was a very cool kid at the time, so I stayed away. It wasn't until three or so years later in high school that I really got into Pearl Jam, and then worked backwards to all the other Seattle bands including Soundgarden. Obviously Soundgarden became a favorite, along with Temple of the Dog and his solo album. But looking back it was so silly and dumb to be intimidated by the band at first based on a computer drawing by a 12 year old.

 

[Extra Sauce]

I love the old song Soundgarden dusted off when they released that compilation album a few years back.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K913KVe3kH8

 

[superdeluxe]

Local station KEXP has been remembering Chris all day, this is at their public studios

People have been coming by the sound gardens sculpture which was the inspiration for their name

 

[Croatoan]

When you factor in that Vedder is standing there because Andrew Wood was the first casualty, it makes the thing a whole lot bleaker. I can't think of another scene with this high of a mortality rate.

At its core grunge music is generally about the real dirty parts of life. This is why the lyrics of this genre of music are fairly unique and why it did not last as long in the spotlight as other forms of rock.

Basically after the party hard and somewhat optimistic 80s hair metal, grunge came along and reminded us how fucked up the world actually is. It is no surprise that the song writers of this type have a high mortality rate.

Id like to say that chris did have plenty of upbeat and positive songs but his soundgarden stuff, that really catapulted his career, was hidden but dark.

The lyrics from modern rock are terrible when you compare them to the prose put to a tune by Chris, Eddie, and others. Just look at "The day I Tried to Live", "Burden in my Hand", "Jeremy Spoken", "Man in a Box", and just about everything else in the genre.

Lyrically, the only one left to match the greats, besides eddie, is, imo, Brandon Boyd, but he is in another genre and has seemingly moved away from his song writing roots.

It feels bad man. Grunge really needs a revival but i doubt it will ever happen.

Btw, i love Dave Grohl but i don't really think the Foo Fighters are grunge.

 

[Into the Light]

I don't know if it will make any sense, but this past weekend I was thinking about childhood and growing up, and where I used to remember a lot of specific moments, people and events, the past and my memories of it have almost all consolidated into the image of a sunset. There's a certain sadness that sunset brings as a kid, because it feels like everything is shortly to come to an end when you have to go home and leave your friends and whatever you're doing behind for the night.

With lots of the people I grew up admiring dying off these days, their memories and things I associated with them are turning from bright, vivid, happy memories to reminders of how much is lost with each day. It's harder and harder to find the joy in things when they're increasingly associated with loss. Getting older sucks.

I know this feeling so damn well, Sunday sunsets signaled the return to School the next day, and the weekend fun was over. We had lots of BBQ's on Sunday, and I always remember the sadness that came with sunset in the back yard of my dads house.

 

[Dalek]

It's been over 20 years and no one has ever made a song cooler than Spoonman.

Also, here is Chris on The Howard Stern show doing an acoustic performance of John Lennon's Imagine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzK7gOW71is

 

[superdeluxe]

Chris Cornell memorial going on right now at KEXP

https://www.facebook.com/kexp.fm/videos/10155406891623112/

 

[ghostmind]

Mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand he was an amazing artist.

On the other, he just left an 11 year old, a 12 year old, and a 17 year old without a father.

 

[indigo-cyclops]

This guy. This range...

https://youtu.be/gh20q3Dx8RI

 

[Van Bur3n]

Absolutely unexpected. One of my favorite vocalist in both of some of my favorite bands. There will never be anyone else with his voice.

RIP Chris Cornell

 

[Premium Quality]

RIP Chris.

 

[Diablos]

Mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand he was an amazing artist.

On the other, he just left an 11 year old, a 12 year old, and a 17 year old without a father.

Mental illness does this thing where it can force you to make irrational decisions

Listening to his songs at the moment. Really can't believe he's gone.

 

[uncelestial]

I needed this laugh today. (Yes, the guy is being 100% sarcastic)

 

[Alphahawk]

RIP. I was never really into Soundgarden or Audioslave but his talent was unmistakable and his voice truly unique. It also seemed like he was a guy who had a lot more to give to the world.

 

[seventynine]

Fucking hell.

The man had a set of pipes on him like no one else.


Majestic version of Like a Stone.
https://youtu.be/BgQzvkFTC54


A haunting version of Fell on Black Days.
https://youtu.be/FIcB3htOLw4

 

[PillarEN]

Chris Cornell memorial going on right now at KEXP

https://www.facebook.com/kexp.fm/videos/10155406891623112/

This is nice. Love that there is a place for people to come together. Even if I'm nowhere close to that place. It's just the idea of it that's good enough.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Just came across this clip of Cornell on the Howard Stern show talking about Cobain's suicide.

"It was a drag and I wish it didn't happen. And I also think, like, if he would have just hung on for six months--who knows, six months later he could have been a completely different guy."

Very eerie under the current circumstances.

 

[robotzombie]

Chris covering "I Will Always Love You"

I wanted to bump this since the topic was moving really fast earlier and I think fans of CC should really hear this if they never have

 

[Clydefrog]

WHAT THE FUCK

 

[Tainted]

Mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand he was an amazing artist.

On the other, he just left an 11 year old, a 12 year old, and a 17 year old without a father.

Depression is a horrible disease and once it consumes you, as just mentioned...can cause one to make irrational decisions. Unless you have been there yourself (or been very close to someone who has); it can be very hard to understand from outsiders.

Chris may have been dealing with this for a very, very long time and it is just tragic that he was unable to find peace within himself or seek out the help he needed. We will never truly know or understand the reasons why he decided this was the course for him

I am still trying to wrap my head around Robin Williams taking his life...a person I would have least expected to be inflicted with this horrible disease. The fact we have lost another talented person to this is just horrible

 

[Darko]

I saw this thread earlier and thought it was a appreciation thread,

Rip

Superunknown is my bible

 

[strafer]

Is it the touring, the fame or something else that causes depression amongst musicians? I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

 

[hypernima]

Is it the touring, the fame or something else that causes depression amongst musicians? I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

Depression in general is just a harsh beast. You can be in a room full of your closest loved ones, yet feel like the loneliest person on earth.

 

[Autoignition]

Is it the touring, the fame or something else that causes depression amongst musicians? I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

Fame isn't the cause. For a lot of successful people, success is sought to fill an emptiness and a yearning that already existed, only to find that it doesn't help.

 

[Mahonay]

RIP. Another music legend from my childhood gone

 

[Vilix]

Part of my generation. He will be missed.

 

[Turin]

I feel so powerless when these people - that I never met but through their creations have been my friends and companions when I'm at my lowest, helping me fight my demons - succumb to demons of their own.

Argh.

Chris Cornell had an unsurpassed gift for not just relating to people's depression but also soothing their nerves and guiding them out of it. He knew that pit all too well it seems.

We'll keep on rowing, Chris.

o7

 

[Phased]

Is it the touring, the fame or something else that causes depression amongst musicians? I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

The schedule can't help, but way too often people who are this gifted musically seem to have demons they can't shake.

It's kinda just hitting me now even though I found out this morning. I was a fan of almost everything he did, even his Scream album that he did with Timbaland that people seemed to hate. I considered him one of the best vocalists alive and his music (and the entire grunge era in general) got me through my teenage years.

 

[BuckRobotron]

I had an exceptionally busy day today so only got this news in the afternoon. His was truly an exceptional voice. Really dug the grunge scene at the time, went to '92 Lollapalooza largely for Soundgarden and Pearl Jam (we left right after "Black" by Pearl Jam which was is an old favorite).

Friends and I are all shocked as we all thought he was doing fine though none of us have followed recently. Audioslave songs are always in the personal rotation.

 

[seventynine]

I was 14 when Cobain died, I'm 38 now. That was my music. Rest in Peace.

 

[stuminus3]

I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

That's not how depression works.

 

[Stuggernaut]

Is it the touring, the fame or something else that causes depression amongst musicians? I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

Unrelated really. You can seemingly have the best life going for you and it does not help. Speaking from experience, you just feel empty and without meaning. You do not know how or why...it`s just how you feel.

In many cases it just sucks the life right out of you or sends you spiraling until you can't find your way back.

It fucking sucks.

 

[excelsiorlef]

Is it the touring, the fame or something else that causes depression amongst musicians? I would have thought being loved by millions would make you feel awesome.

Depression is an actual chemical/biological issue... life circumstances can ameliorate or worsen it but in the end it is no different than any disease

 

[Hale-XF11]

I had an exceptionally busy day today so only got this news in the afternoon. His was truly an exceptional voice. Really dug the grunge scene at the time, went to '92 Lollapalooza largely for Soundgarden and Pearl Jam (we left right after "Black" by Pearl Jam which was is an old favorite).

Friends and I are all shocked as we all thought he was doing fine though none of us have followed recently. Audioslave songs are always in the personal rotation.

I love hearing that other gaf folk got to see them live during the '90s when they were one of the biggest bands on the planet.

Got to see Soundgarden in 1995 in Milwaukee when they toured for their Superunknown album. Such a great live band. Chris's voice sounded so powerful. That was the only time I ever saw them in concert. I'm forever grateful for that experience.

 

[dreamlongdead]

This circumstances of this death are just unbelievably sad.

RIP, Chris. You basically defined much of the 1990s music scene.

 

[Extra Sauce]

Mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand he was an amazing artist.

On the other, he just left an 11 year old, a 12 year old, and a 17 year old without a father.

You have a poor understanding of mental illness.

 

[oni_saru]

RIP Chris

 

[ghostmind]

You have a poor understanding of mental illness.

Or maybe I just feel bad for his kids, but thanks for the judgement.

 

[Frag Waffles]

It's slowly dawning on me. What a goddamn legend; he has impacted my life positively, that's for sure. I'm going to celebrate his life rather than mourn it. I've heard all his songs/albums except for the last soundgarden album. I don't know what I was waiting for, but I think I will listen to that tonight.

It's a god damn amazing album. My favorites are bones of birds, black saturday and rowing.

 

[ColdPizza]

A haunting version of Fell on Black Days.
https://youtu.be/FIcB3htOLw4

Jesus. He was flawless.

 

[uncelestial]

A haunting version of Fell on Black Days.
https://youtu.be/FIcB3htOLw4

There it is. There are the tears. If that doesn't make it hit you hard, I don't know what will.

 

[Grym]

Don't know if it had been posted in here yet. But here is "Slaves and Bulldozers" with a little bit of Zepplins "In My Time of Dying" in there...i believe the final encore from the final show last night

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Hg7qw31xeXk

 

[seventynine]

Jesus. He was flawless.

There it is. There are the tears. If that doesn't make it hit you hard, I don't know what will.

Watched it many times over already.

His fucking voice is something else.

 

[Tainted]

A haunting version of Fell on Black Days.
https://youtu.be/FIcB3htOLw4

Just amazing

 

[Vyer]

As much as I love Fell on Black Days and Black Hole Sun, I'd have to say Day I Tried to Live is still my fave.

sigh

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

damn... ...the 90s for me were basically playing Final Fantasy and Dungeons & Dragons, riding BMX, and listening to Pearl Jam and Soundgarden

was pretty fond of Audioslave, too; loved every time a Michael Mann movie used him.

 

[Hydrus]

I don't know if it will make any sense, but this past weekend I was thinking about childhood and growing up, and where I used to remember a lot of specific moments, people and events, the past and my memories of it have almost all consolidated into the image of a sunset. There's a certain sadness that sunset brings as a kid, because it feels like everything is shortly to come to an end when you have to go home and leave your friends and whatever you're doing behind for the night.

With lots of the people I grew up admiring dying off these days, their memories and things I associated with them are turning from bright, vivid, happy memories to reminders of how much is lost with each day. It's harder and harder to find the joy in things when they're increasingly associated with loss. Getting older sucks.

Great post. Know exactly what you mean.

 

[Fersis]

One of the great voices of Rock and Roll, rest in peace.

 

[Kwixotik]

I don't know if it will make any sense, but this past weekend I was thinking about childhood and growing up, and where I used to remember a lot of specific moments, people and events, the past and my memories of it have almost all consolidated into the image of a sunset. There's a certain sadness that sunset brings as a kid, because it feels like everything is shortly to come to an end when you have to go home and leave your friends and whatever you're doing behind for the night.

With lots of the people I grew up admiring dying off these days, their memories and things I associated with them are turning from bright, vivid, happy memories to reminders of how much is lost with each day. It's harder and harder to find the joy in things when they're increasingly associated with loss. Getting older sucks.

I know that feeling too well.

 

[Mumei]

Sad to hear this. I confess, while I have been tangentially aware of him and the fact that he's got a tremendous voice, I hadn't taken the time before to explore him. This four part video series is a great introduction to the voice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gA5MYU85Ow