December 29, 2017
Lacey Olveda
Thank you so much for everything. Chris you were such an amazing individual…so unique and full of life. You weren’t just an inspiration to millions of people…but you were a husband…and father to three beautiful children that all loved you very much. I never got the chance to see you in concert or meet you…I was just a baby when Audioslave was together… but it’s an honor to have lived in the same time period as you…to have listened to your hauntingly beautiful voice the fourteen years I’ve been on this earth. I drew this drawing for you…the day you passed. Once again I just wanna say Thank You. – Lacey
Dianne Topping
Chris,
There is a hole in my soul that will never be filled; such is the emptiness left by his passing. My heart is shattered into a million little pieces.
Chris Cornell was a blindingly brilliant talent whose life-light was extinguished far too soon; a humble and gentle man, beautiful inside and out, leaving a legacy that will live forever in our minds and in our hearts.
That one brief moment of walking on air because we got talking on Twitter; me, a nobody from Melbourne, Australia, alone in the office in the early hours of the morning; him suffering from insomnia, about how we both loved to smoke but had given it up but some days still craved that deep inhalation and the rush it brought and how he’d taken up guitar playing to keep his fingers busy; about the lyrics to Men At Work’s ‘Downunder’ and the meaning of the word ‘chunder’; of the 13 year drought we were suffering from at the time; how if it wasn’t for the fans he would still be cleaning fish in restaurants; of not recognising me because I’d changed my avatar so I changed it back; of offering free VIP passes to any of his shows if we came over; of going to the show at the Wiltern on 3 May 2009, going backstage and Pete Thorn saying ‘Oh, you’re the ones! He’s been talking about you guys’ because we’d flown from Melbourne to see him and the band perform and standing 3 feet away from Brad Pit, BRAD PITT, and not saying anything because I was too shy and didn’t want to intrude.
How lucky was I to see him perform in all his different guises; from Audioslave on 26th April 2003; to Soundgarden at the Gorge 30th July 2011; to his songbook tours; to Temple of the Dog twice in San Francisco on 10th and 11th November 2016; and finally meeting him in Melbourne on 3rd December 2015 and him saying that I looked familiar and that he remembered the Wiltern gig from 2009; the slight tinge of regret in his voice because he’d given his Triumph to Peter, not for the gift but for the ‘what if’s’; and the hug, a real tight hug and saying ‘Thank you’ and me saying ‘No, thank you’. He re-awaken my love of music all on his own because of who he was; to the people I’ve met and the things that I’ve done if it wasn’t for him. Thank you is not enough.
That one brief moment of walking on air; there is a hole in my soul that will never be filled, such is the emptiness left by his passing.
I hope he is at peace now and forever.
‘No-one sings like you anymore.’
Di,
Melbourne, Australia.
Douglas P. Lobo
Up to this day, it’s still hard to believe what happened and that I would no longer be able to be impressed by the remarkable presence of my favorite musician in the planet. While bringing this tribute into existence, besides the usual thoughts on the ordinariness of life and death, I had an unique afternoon, in which I would finally achieve some art-related answers that I have been chasing for years. I could say, by far, that it would be my most matured artwork until now. Sadly, this is also one of these things we regret in life, since I would not be able to personally deliver it to this hero of mine. From this I’ve learned to live now and not do things for tomorrow. Rest in peace, Chris.
Douglas
Begüm Sa?nak
I’m a 22 year-old girl from Istanbul, Turkey. It has been months without you, Chris. However, I still have too much pain because of this huge loss. It’s a wound that will never heal. It doesn’t feel real to me no matter how much time has passed.
I still remember that horrible day. I got the news from my close friends as soon as I woke up. I said ”Come on, that link is a virus. This can’t be true. Are you all kidding me, right? This better be a joke!” at first. I logged in all of my social media accounts to see what had happened. Unfortunately, those news were true… Later that day, I turned up the radio. All of the rock stations were paying tributes to him. They played his songs all day. I listened to those stations in shock and sadness. I also cried all day long. He was the only artist who made me cry because of his death. I lost my favorite artist, that situation hit me so hard.
I discovered Chris’ songs thanks to some video games. People keep saying that video games are useless. Those games helped me create a unique musical taste. When Chris came to Turkey first in 2007, I couldn’t enter his concert because of my age. He came to Istanbul for the second time in 2014, but the age restriction blocked me from seeing him again. I didn’t lose my hope, and waited for him to come again. When I became 21, I said that there’s nothing can stop me from seeing Chris since my age wouldn’t be a problem again. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it… In April, I prepared a presentation about Soundgarden for my microteaching class. I printed out some of Chris’ and the band’s photos as you can see in the picture. All members of Soundgarden are very talented people, but I wanted to introduce Chris to my friends more. Nobody in my class knew who he was. I just wanted to introduce an amazing person to them. I showed his photos to my friends and said ”This is Chris Cornell who is the lead vocalist of Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog, and Audioslave. He also has solo albums. I love him and respect him so much. I’m waiting for him to come here again. Please give him a chance, you won’t regret it. You’ll love him.”. I also recommended Euphoria Mourning for them. It’s my favorite album of his. That album also made me consider Chris as an imaginary friend of mine. Although he didn’t know me, he saved me from falling in love with the wrong guy. His lyrics in ”Can’t Change Me” prevented me from making that mistake.
Chris, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I can’t thank you enough for what you did in your whole career. You managed to make me stronger thanks to your lyrics. You changed so many people’s lives in a good way, I’m really sure about that. I’m trying to ease my pain by listening to your songs. As soon as I hear your voice or see your photos, I start to cry because you’re not here with us… However, listening to your songs is the only thing that make me feel comfortable. This is kind of a never ending cycle. I don’t know how to cope with this loss. My family and friends keep telling me that you are gone and I must get over this. Their words make me very angry, because you were so special to me even if you don’t know me personally. You said ”Future generations should know our music and who we are.”. Why did you leave all of us? I can’t stop thinking about your family and relatives. As your fan, I’m still so sad and grieving for your loss. I’m nothing more than just a fan, but your family and relatives were around you 24/7. I hope they can recover from that sadness. I will never forget you. I will also never let people forget you as soon as I’m alive. I love you so much. I hope you can find peace wherever you are right now.
-Begüm Sanak
Niall Parker
It was 1994; I was working in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – I’d left England a couple of years before in order to do something more with my life. I’d left behind a bunch of things, including a lot of music (I could only bring a handful of cassettes with me) and left behind the band I was in at the time. Working in Ethiopia in 93/94 though was an amazing experience – they’d just escaped from the chains of the Dergue regime, and it was an exciting time to be there.
I’d asked a friend in London to mail me a handful of albums that were “outstanding” (my criteria)- in return and after several weeks waiting I got “Siamese Dream” by the Pumpkins, a Jesus Lizard album… and a copy of “Superunknown”. Pretty random music in the context of Ethiopia- especially considering I was also listening to a lot of Ethiopian music and speaking Amharic and Italian- in both cases badly, but between the new CD’s and the languages I was trying to speak, my ears were opened to new sounds.
A few months prior to the arrival of these CD’s, I’d also met a beautiful redheaded Swiss girl who- unbeknownst to me at the time, was to become my wife and the mother of our two daughters.
Around the time the CD’s arrived, I’d been asked to help set up stands at an exhibition in Mekele, in Tigray- an arduous drive of 24 hours in 4WD’s, through very variable territory, some of which was still relatively unknown (to outsiders) as it had been off-limits during Ethiopia’s civil war. During the two-day drive up to Mekele, I had “Superunknown” on permanent rotation- I had immediately fallen in love with Chris’ voice, lyrical richness and the very different sound of the band. The landscape I was driving through seemed to suit the music- that particular road goes through a huge range of environments- rainforest, savannah, desert, arid mountains and long grassy plains- to say nothing of the welcoming towns and villages on the way.
My new girlfriend had managed to join me – so we had an amazing time, for a few days in Mekele. Soundtracked by Soundgarden, in one of the coolest cities in Africa.
21 years of adventures, marriage, travelling, children, poverty, riches and experiences followed. That amazing leonine voice followed us through all of them- and proved to be a profound influence on my own singing (not in Chris’ league by even the remotest stretch of my fevered imagination!).
April 8th 2014 wasn’t the best day- my beautiful redhead and I were told that day that her breast cancer had spread, and her prognosis wasn’t good. We had two daughters to bring up and various other problems to solve as well- finances not least. In the time that followed, I ended up working in Brighton (England) during the week and coming home to the south-west to see her and the girls (we needed the money)- on the long, 200-mile commutes up to and back from Brighton I had long periods where Soundgarden, or Audioslave, or Chris’ solo albums rotated round- those gnomic lyrics making a second connection and some kind of sense amid the emotional turmoil.
My redhead passed away on the 13th January 2016- unexpectedly; in every sense too soon. I had a fevered, crazy drive from Brighton to try to reach her in time. Whatever we might say to ourselves, none of us are truly great drivers- but trying to press through traffic, avoid police, not break the law (too much) and keep safe resulted in a very surreal driving experience, and that was probably the fastest, safest and best driving of my life- the kind that Providence only allows you to do once, and once only. Although I wasn’t paying any attention to much beyond the zen-state of driving-with-a-mission, it turned out the soundtrack to that drive was “Higher Truth”.
The year that followed wasn’t easy- a lot of heroes left us that year as well, to say nothing of major changes around the world. Carrying our daughters, working, combining both with the help of friends- all these things presented some major challenges, some of which I am still working on now. But- I had that ever present catalogue to listen to; be inspired by; soothed by and just- sometimes- to live inside.
One lasting effect of all that inspiration through the years was that music started pouring out of me- grieving for my wife, introspection, celebration of life and of friends- all sorts of subjects, ideas and feelings combining in this great flow of music. I’m no big deal as a singer- I can get by- but I know with certainty that, without the decades of inspiration, I wouldn’t be even a tenth of the way to where I am now. The outpouring of music started back in February this year, and it’s been flowing since.
That day in May came, and left its mark. I never met Chris; never got to see him, or Soundgarden, or Audioslave live (there’s a regret). I’m just one of the many he inspired; comforted, reached out to, related- or just plain entertained. I feel lucky, in that everything I have experienced has left me with a great deal of perspective (or so it seems- I’m mostly still an idiot)- despite everything, I have led a greatly privileged life and one it seems to me greatly, hugely enriched by the backdrop of that great, creative, leonine Voice.
Chris’ family, his friends, bandmates and those who knew him- I don’t know what to say that’s in any way comforting- I know myself that words are small things in the face of this- little drops of meaning that melt away as they land. I don’t know what, if any, consolation can be gained from the fact that his voice was heard in some of the remotest, wildest places on this planet, and still touched two souls, and helped carry them forward.
In remembrance and gratitude. Chris- thank you.
Niall
December 8, 2017
Sue
Dear Chris,
In November 2013, I took my then-18 year old daughter Ingrid to see you at the Lincoln Theater here in Washington, DC. She had been a major grunge fan since the 9th grade, and she even wrote her high school senior thesis on the grunge movement, concentrating specifically on you and Soundgarden. Her favorite song of yours was and still is “Seasons”.
We had 10th row center-right seats in this very small, intimate theater. When you began the opening chords to “Seasons”, Ingrid forgot her own debilitating, anxiety-driven shyness, jumped up from her seat, and called out in the hushed theater, “Oh my God, I love this song… I wrote my senior thesis on you.”
You looked at her, nodded, smiled, and proceeded to sing the entire song directly to my daughter. She was more moved than I could ever possibly express in mere words. What you did for her that night changed her life. In just that one 5-minute span, she found herself. She is now in graduate school, studying clinical neuropsychology to become a mental health counselor for people who are suffering from anxiety disorders.
So from this mom, I would like to thank you for being the kind of man who took the time to connect with a kid in your audience and change her life.
With love,
Sue
Jenn Alarza
I started this digital portrait of Chris Cornell a few days after his passing, as a way to try to cope with what happened, it was finished in May 21st 2017. His wonderful music helped me in the process and I felt his presence a lot, still do.
I have come to Chris’s voice over the years when I’ve feeling lost, sometimes this music was too good for me even, like it was too much for a normal human like me to listen. Since he passed away his magnificent music has been on repeat in my house constantly, he was not only a fantastic musician able to touch the souls of thousands of people, he was such a wonderful human being. As a portrait artist I tried to portray him in the past, but I felt that his facial expression was so difficult because there were very powerful things hidden there, it overwhelmed me and I didn’t feel able to capture it well.
I never saw him in life, but I feel his presence a lot since May and at one point in June, when I was very worried about what happened, I felt he’s in a good place now after a bird came to my patio and stayed there for a few days, his mother came to feed him every hour. This little sparrow bird reminded me of Chris, because I was constantly thinking about his passing perhaps, but I believe in signs from the Universe, and about two weeks after, Vicky, his wife, posted a picture of a dove that reminded her of his husband. Is it a coincidence? I don’t know. May he rest in peace, he is still helping a lot of people with his wonderful legacy, and you will live forever in our hearts, Chris. Thank you for everything.
Jen
Tamara
We love you Vicky, please stay strong, I pray for you and the kids.
I started listening to Chris back in Soviet Union (I’m from Tbilisi, Georgia) I moved to the US in 1992 and call myself an ultimate grunge baby. Soundgarden and CC was for me to go music at happy times and dark times. Up to this day CC’s music is healer for me. I will be forever grateful for Chris. He had an angelic voice with brilliant mind.
I was watching him sing Promise and told my husband, CC aged like a fine wine 🙂
Thank you for sharing him with us. Your family became our family and we love you dearly and worry about you deeply.
Chris went home and eventually we will all see him again. Legends never die!
Sincerely,
Tamara
Lupus Thunder
Although I was privileged enough to find myself in the music industry as guitarist for the Bloodhound Gang and I met and shared the stage with many of the bands that influenced me, I never got to share the stage with Soundgarden.
But Chris did have an impact on me that sticks with me to this day.
It was during a headlining show in Philadelphia at the Troc during the Badmotorfinger tour, probably one of the last shows they played of that size. The show was insane and the band was ear splittingly loud. It was perfect end to end. At the very end of the show, Chris pushed his way into the crowd at the front of the stage, literally squeezing himself into a space that moments before didn’t exist. Everyone of course wanted to be right there and the pressure of that many people trying to get just a little closer was crushing.
Chris wound up standing right next to me. I was geeking out like any fan would and the music had descended into a hail of noise. Through that beautiful noise, Chris turned around and asked me for a cigarette. It was such a normal gesture that made this massive rockstar incredibly human. I of course gave him one (it was bent and beat up and everything that close to stage was damp with sweat). He took a few drags and stood their watching and truly appreciating his own band. You could see it on his face…he was loving watching it from the outside looking in. He asked me how the show was and I gushed about how awesome it was. To this day, I can still see the intro to Jesus Christ Pose in my head when I close my eyes. Eventually he thanked me and put his hand on my shoulder and used me and several others to work his way up and out of the crowd and back onto the stage to finish the show.
In that brief moment of interaction with Chris, I learned how the rockstars I idolized were really just people who loved music like I did. They wanted to go to shows and see bands and listen to their favorites just like I did.
And years later, when I was touring, I tried to live up to that. I always tried to give fans the time of day and hang out with them whenever I could. Chris had given me those few moments, where him and I were just two dudes at a show talking about the band in front of us, and I will never forget the way that made me feel.
No words can ever express the feelings I’ve experienced when thinking of you, his family. I hope the millions of fans out there will serve as a constant reminder of all the good your husband, your father, your friend, brought to the world. I’ve had Soundgarden on heavy rotation for awhile now and each record stands the test of time. That voice coming through my speakers is someone I idolized, but also someone who was just like me.
Thank you all for allowing me a moment to share this tiny fragment of memory I have. It’s something I have thought about so many times over my life and it’s a memory of Chris that means more to me than you can imagine.
Lupus Thunder
Roberto
I and Chris. Trieste, Italy, 16 April 2016. I with my favorite Mother Love Bone T-Shirt and Chris with his guitar.
For one day Trieste (my town) was like Seattle.
With Love, Roberto
