Just this past Wednesday, we received the most unexpected news that Chris Cornell, lead singer of the grunge band Soundgarden, has died. He was only 52 years of age and had finished a show in Detroit. His body was discovered in his hotel room’s bathroom being hanged. The cause of death was officially ruled a suicide.
Soundgarden, one of the pioneering rock bands of the Seattle grunge movement in the late 1980’s and early 90’s, produced hits such as ‘Black Hole Sun’ and ‘Outshined.’ They broke up in 1997 and reformed in 2010.
Cornell was also known for his work with Temple of the Dog and Audioslave, two side projects he helped create. Temple of the Dog was known for songs such as ‘Hunger Strike’ and the appropriately titled, ‘Say Hello 2 Heaven.’ Audioslave received three Grammy nominations and had hits such as ‘Like a Stone.’
Needless to say, this is yet another major grunge star and celebrity to die so unexpectedly. Andrew Wood, frontman of the now-defunct group Mother Love Bone, died of a heroin overdose the day before their debut album was to be released in 1990.
Kurt Cobain, lead singer and guitarist of Nirvana, died in 1994 of a shotgun wound to the head. Whether he actually committed suicide or was set up to be murdered by his wife Courtney Love remains to be concluded.
Layne Staley, lead singer of Alice in Chains, died due to a drug overdose in 2002, almost exactly eight years to the day that Cobain died.
Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots died in 2015 because of a drug overdose.
All that remains of the famous frontmen of grunge is Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. Sure others like Screaming Trees’ Mark Langston, Mudhoney’s Mark Arm, and Tad’s Tad Doyle are still alive but they were not as nationally recognized as the above-mentioned artists.
This is yet another terrible tragedy to fall upon the grunge movement and the general fear is that Eddie Vedder could possibly be next if he is not careful. There have already been calls on Twitter to protect him at all costs: wrapping him in bubble wrap is one popular suggestion, putting him in solitary confinement, etc.
Thank you for the music, Chris Cornell. Along with many of your peers, you staged a musical and cultural revolution that is still being felt to this very day. You were gone way too soon but we will never forget you any time soon. As you once sang, say hello to heaven for all of us.
