April, 29th/2020.
For the unlikelihood of Matt, Kim, Ben, anyone related to Chris or associated with Soundgarden who read through to the end of this post, or anyone who's new here, the assertions along with previous posts come from personal observations, criticisms and inquiries.
I do not hold nor encourage antagonism towards anyone.
This will likely to be last post touching upon anything related to Chris Cornell's passing.
As with all tragedies, life goes on. The show must go on.
The music never dies.
To fans who've followed the stories from the night of Chris's abrupt death and recognized several oddities, you may understand where I'm coming from.
There's no intention here to open up old wounds or dwell deeply into the past. The shock, sadness, anger and confusion had run its course and from the loss of many artists, particularly Chris Cornell, my perspective on life and creativity shifted with great urgency.
Doing what you love while giving value to others, benefiting their lives abundantly.
That being said, this post may come across as insensitive towards Matt, Kim and Ben.
Despite earlier posts, I hold sympathy for the three of them and there's no doubt in my heart that they continue to grieve from the loss of Chris.
However, there're strong indications that Matt, Kim and Ben were not entirely ignorant of the circumstances of Chris's death.
From the reasons explored here, I remain neutral with the three of them.
Nonetheless a huge fan of Soundgarden for over 10 years.
I also fully support the band retrieving the rights back to their last recordings.
In the wake of Chris's death, the conflicting stories in addition to Matt's questionable claim
within the band's countersuit to the recent lawsuit filed against Matt, Kim and Ben,
(from Vicky) I couldn't fully "stand with soundgarden" as many fans have trended.
#Detroit finally back to Rock City!!!! @soundgarden
-Chris's last tweet May, 17th/2017.
#nomorebullshit: a sentiment several of us grow into, coming into a great epiphany, releasing all which does not serve us, no longer holding onto what ails us, taking a stand, walking away, raising our voices and leading a life that they're not in.
The Murderers of Blue Skies have nothing on us!
". . . nobody tells me what to do, nobody tells us what to do. Anyone can do whatever they want, I don't care what it is, including you can fucking burn crosses on your lawn I don't give a shit, you can burn your house down, who cares, I don't. Longs it doesn't catch someone else's house on fire." - Chris before Soundgarden's "My Wave" in Detroit, May, 17th/2017.
That was a man I saw taking a stand.
They're still several unanswered questions in the wake Chris's death, yet to be explicitly addressed from the surviving members of Soundgarden.
Regardless, there's respect here for the band's right to remain quiet.
But reiterated:
Chris Cornell did not end his own life on the night of May, 17th/2017.
Circumstantially, medically and forensically.
a two-part forensic and circumstantial breakdown. (Published Dec, 12th/18)
SOUNDGARDEN; BROTHER.
WHAT STILL NEEDS EXPLAINING:
- Chris's demeanour on stage.
- The scene of where he was found dead.
- The external and internal injuries post-mortem.
- The stories of Chris's alleged relapse and recent drug abuse.
- Chris's large missing patch of hair evident from the back of his head.
The missing patch of hair, far down from his hairline on the back of his head, was not a form
of male pattern baldness. Chris, to the best of my knowledge and in my strong opinion, did not display the typical thinning or complete loss of hair from the "crown" (top) of his head except for minor receding.
Soundgarden's 2nd to last show (The Starlight Theater in Kansas City, MO) particularly when they performed "Jesus Christ Pose" on May, 14th/2017 on the contrary, is evident of Chris's full head of hair.
With strong certainty, a complete "crown" loss of hair, from the natural condition of
male pattern baldness, did not occur with Chris 72 hours before the final show in Detroit.
Additionally:
- Butalbital (Apparently, Chris had no prescription for the sedative)
- The actual whereabouts of Matt, Kim and Ben after the end of Soundgarden's
final concert in Detroit.
Personally, the exact whereabouts of Matt Cameron, Kim Thayil and Ben Shepherd remains one of the most burning questions in the wake of Chris's death.
*Did all four of them leave to the MGM Hotel?
*Were they all on the same floor of MGM Hotel?
or
*Did Matt, Kim and Ben really leave for Columbus, Ohio with Chris staying behind in Detroit?
SILENCE AND AMBIGUITY.
Over a year after the night of Chris's death, neither Matt, Kim nor Ben had uttered
a single word to the public.
However, there are two particular stories published a year apart with different versions of their whereabouts.
The first story published states, "The group were whisked off together to the MGM Grand Hotel in a mini-bus." and "The guards, who were dressed in blue, accompanied the band to the hotel and they arrived within minutes." -The Daily Mail (May, 18th/2017)
Additionally within the same article, "His fellow band members have helped police by agreeing to be interviewed, but are 'reeling' at their friend's suicide."
To this day, it's never been documented that Matt, Kim nor Ben were ever interviewed by police or investigators.
Then a year later, and perplexing, was the second story: "Thayil and other Soundgarden members were already en route to Columbus for the band's next date when they got word that Cornell had died back in his Detroit hotel room."
-Detroit Free Press (Oct, 25th/2018)
Besides the two stories published in 2017 and 2018, there's been no explicit word directly from Matt, Kim nor Ben regarding Soundgarden's final show and the nature of Chris's death.
Neither published nor televised.
Again, with sympathy and acknowledgement, they lost their close friend and are not obligated to speak to the public.
Though what was odd was that only Vicky had been incessantly vocal on the matter, and
although there were many problems with her multiple stories, there was no confirmation
or denial of her claims from anyone else of significance.
Many fans, including myself of course, have refuted most of the information from Vicky.
Hell, most of us went after that stupid celebrity "autopsy" TV special "featuring Chris."
So where were Matt, Kim and Ben really?
What really happened to Chris that final night?
Upon further reading may seem harshly accusatory, pointing the finger at three people who lost their close friend and bandmate of 30 years.
The first intention here is to explore what's been publicized and what doesn't make sense.
While I continue to hold love, respect and support for them as artists and human beings,
I'm not off the fence with the three of them.
And as blunt as this may be, the bullshit hasn't solely stemmed from the widow.
A Personal Perspective: Why was Soundgarden on tour?
(Tension at the last show)
Why exactly was Soundgarden on tour without any new music to promote?
Were they not working on a new record? Was the band on tour by their choice?
It's never explained in the band's countersuit: The Band interrupted its April 2017 studio session in Seattle to begin a national tour starting on April 28, 2017.
With their last show in Detroit, the band appeared to be tension and little chemistry
between them. Particularly, Ben appeared stiff and seemingly anxious for the concert to end.
Before Soundgarden performed "Been Away To Long" (video below) Chris turns around from the mic and walks back, but stopped when he realized there was no guitar present and tuned for him to play. His body language translates: "oh okay, there's no guitar for me."
He turns around and proceeds back up to the microphone while staring intently at Kim
for seconds and then says, "Featuring Kim Thayil on guitar. . ."
As it appeared, Kim did not expect the introduction and turns away from the screaming audience with his arm up, Kim's body language seemingly signaled: "Oh God, don't do that, don't look at me. . ." Chris' with an annoyed tone in his voice then says:
". . .apparently I don't have a back up guitar in its tuning its like to much to ask for."
"Been Away To Long" doesn't feature Kim as in Soundgarden's "Beyond The Wheel."
After Chris turns away again from the audience, Ben approaches Kim towards
the end of the video. Ben glances over his shoulder at Chris for a second before
turning back to Kim, Ben's body language and by his facial expression
(personally seen at best) as his mouth moves seemingly translates to, but not literally:
"Yeah don't mind him, he's just an asshole."
MATT CAMERON'S CLAIM: "RIP: Chris Cornell" item via Facebook.
Soundgarden Motion (FULL)
.pdf
Download PDF • 591KB
Matt claims within the band's countersuit to Vicky's lawsuit that himself, Kim and Ben made a "late night trip" to Columbus, Ohio while "Chris stayed behind at a Detroit hotel."
Proceeding, Matt mentions "as was customary. . ." The detail, "as was customary" in my strong opinion, is to implant the notion that Chris traveled alone always from his three other bandmates.
*Note: This excerpt of Matt's claim from the band's countersuit was personally obtained
from a user who posted the image on Twitter.
However, the full PDF file of the band's countersuit (available to download above) is written in the 3rd person. Where the person (on Twitter) acquired the excerpt in the 1st person is unknown, or if the countersuit itself was rewritten in the 3rd person before its release to the public.
*Note: The exact claim from Matt. (3rd person)
Soundgarden Motion (partial)
.pdf
Download PDF • 241KB
The Band interrupted its April 2017 studio session in Seattle to begin a national tour starting on April 28, 2017. (Cameron Decl. ¶21.) On May 14, 2017, the Band played in Kansas City, Missouri. After the show Cornell flew home to New York City. On May 17, he flew to Detroit, Michigan to join other Band Members for a Soundgarden concert that night at the Fox Theatre. Following the concert—as was customary—Thayil, Cameron, and Shepherd (the “Surviving Band Members” or “Remaining Partners”) made the late night trip in the Band’s tour buses to their next concert destination in Columbus, Ohio, where the Band had a concert on May 19. Cornell stayed behind at a Detroit hotel with the plan to fly on to Columbus, as was his normal practice because Cornell was unable to sleep on buses. As their buses were headed to Columbus in the early morning of May 18, the Surviving Band Members learned that Cornell had been found dead in his hotel room in Detroit after midnight (tragically, Cameron first saw a “RIP: Chris Cornell” item on his Facebook page, called Thayil who was on the other bus, who then woke Shepherd, and they and their crew frantically searched news, social media and called friends and family, until they received the awful confirmation from their tour manager).7 Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd were utterly devastated to lose their beloved friend, brother, and comrade, and were in a state of shock. As they pulled their buses to the roadside, embraced each other, and struggled with what to do next, their tour manager advised them not to go back to Detroit as it would be swimming with police, press, and other media, and there was nothing positive that could be achieved. They also had a throng of highly-distraught crew and tour team members already in or headed to Columbus who needed support. So they organized a vigil in a conference room at their Columbus hotel, where they were accompanied by their crew, assistants and friends who hugged, wept and attempted to console each other for many hours.
There's no argument here whether or not Soundgarden or any other band travel separately at times while on tour.
Bands traveling separately on tour isn't uncommon and done so for many reasons.
Though in this case, the claim that ". . . Chris stayed behind at a Detroit hotel with the plan to fly to Columbus. . . " that night is suspect.
Additionally, why this particular piece information from Matt is relevant to the entirety of Vicky's lawsuit and the band's counterclaim.
Again, what's suspect, among other reasons to follow, is the initial story published by
The Daily Mail:
"The group were whisked off together to the MGM Grand Hotel in a mini-bus."
and
"The guards, who were dressed in blue, accompanied the band to the hotel and they arrived within minutes." . . . "His fellow band members have helped police by agreeing to be interviewed, but are 'reeling' at their friend's suicide."
-The Daily Mail (May, 18th/2017)
If what Matt claimed is true regarding Chris ". . . with the plan to fly on to Columbus."
the next day, where was Chris's plane ticket for Columbus, Ohio within the released photographs from Chris's hotel room on May, 17th/17?
The only plane ticket, which corroborates a known fact Chris flew to New York and spent time with his family for Mother's Day (May, 14th/17) after Soundgarden's 2nd to last performance
in Kansas City, was photographed from Chris's hotel room #1136 (MGM Grand Hotel) and made public after Chris's death.
Why didn't Chris's bandmates make a statement regarding their whereabouts known
in 2017?
If Matt's claim on the band's whereabouts were true, there wouldn't have been two stories
(The Daily Mail & Detroit Free Press) published a year apart with two different accounts.
The concert ended at 11:00pm, and Chris was supposedly in his hotel room by 11:30pm.
What exact time was that "late night trip" to Columbus?
This is an account posted in 2018 from a fan who claimed they ". . saw Matt and his bus, but not Chris, leave around midnight. . . "
Chris died before midnight according to the forensics and public record from Data.Detroit.Gov. (Scroll down to view "Phone Records. . .") Again, according to the fan, they claimed to have witnessed Matt around midnight.
This indicates that Soundgarden, or at least just Matt supposedly witnessed by the fan,
still in Detroit.
It also indicates that before Matt, Kim and Ben allegedly boarded their tour bus on their way to Columbus, Ohio, Chris had already died.
Did the three of them pack all their gear and already en route to Columbus, Ohio that quickly? Right after the end of Soundgarden's final concert in Detroit at 11:00pm?
Precisely, (Scroll down the post linked and view (Phone Records; Detroit Police Department 911 calls to service) resuscitation attempts by Detroit EMS failed to revive Chris,
DOA: "Dead on Arrival."
The fan claimed they got the news of Chris's death at 4:30am the next day, May, 18th/2017 when the news of Chris's death was made public. While Matt claimed he, his two bandmates and their crew "got the news" from a single Facebook post while on the road:
"As our buses were headed to Columbus in the early morning of May, 18th , we learned that Chris had been found dead in his hotel room in Detroit after midnight." Specifically, I was scrolling through my Facebook page and saw a "RIP: Chris Cornell" item. . ."
The news of Chris's death wasn't made until later, not early in the morning of May, 18th/2017.
To reiterate, Chris died before midnight in addition the fan's claim to have witnessed Matt
and Soundgarden's tour bus ". . . leave around midnight. . . "
"As are buses were headed to Columbus. . ." strongly implies the band were allegedly on the road headed to Columbus when they "got the news."
How is that exactly?
In Google maps, it indicates it takes approximately a 3 hour & 10 minute to a 3 hour & 40 minute drive from Detroit to Columbus without stopping.
If the band allegedly left Detroit for Columbus at midnight,
as claimed by the fan " . . leave around midnight. . . " they would've arrived in Columbus, without stopping, at around 3:40am.
How would they have "gotten the news" of Chris's death as they supposedly
. . . headed to Columbus in the early morning of May, 18th, . . .
*The 3 hour travel time from Detroit to Columbus via bus (without stopping)
puts Matt's claim" . . . Chris was unable to sleep on buses." into question while Chris supposedly
" . . . with the plan to fly to Columbus." would entail 2 hours less of sleep time; approximately 58 minutes to arrive in Columbus via plane. (Google maps)
Some readers may argue that Chris, allegedly, chose to fly to reach Columbus quickly with the desire of a full day of rest before Soundgarden's performance later in the evening.
Though as it remains, as with several contradictions to Matt's claim, there's no explicit indication Chris indented to fly to Columbus. Likely also the case for Matt, Kim and Ben
to head for Columbus via bus after Chris's death.
LIKELY TIME OF DEATH PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED.
The timeline publicly reported indicated Chris was declared deceased at 1:30am.
Again, before the public was made aware.
*Detailed spread compiled by Steven Davis.
Also, the actual first and second calls to 911 were made precisely at 12:59:47 am and
01:52:09 am. The second call made 53 minutes later.
Question still remains. . .
How did the remaining members of Soundgarden, their tour manager and the rest of their crew while allegedly en route to Columbus, learn of Chris's death when Chris's death was not made public after 4:00am in the morning of May,18th/2017?
Initially, from an alleged Facebook post according to Matt.
Specifically refer to "Date & Time Completed" at the top left of Steven's compiled breakdown below.
Document completed by " Reporting Officer Alonzo Tolefree" at 4:20am on May, 18th/2017 and statement form completed by "Inv. Charles Weaver." at 4:35am on May, 18th/2017.
At 4:35am, the interview with Martin Kirsten ended.
Overall, the press likely received the news at the exact time of 4:30am or later.
Just as the fan in the post above claimed: "My mom text me at 4:30am when the news broke."
*Steven's compilations are from the official documented reports of Chris's death and the investigation made public.*
". . . Information Shared with the Public (full reports and images for personal review)
MATT CAMERON'S CLAIM: "RIP: Chris Cornell" item via Facebook: continued & paragraph 23: Distancing Language.
Distancing language is phrasing used by people to "distance" themselves from a statement,
either to avoid thinking about the subject or to distance themselves from its content. Distancing language is often a means of self-deception, but distancing language used orally may indicate that person is lying - Distancing Language.
Additional details suspect of duplicities.
". . . We and our crew frantically searched news, social media and called friends and family, until we received the awful confirmation from our tour manager."
First of all, and what I believe to be general with others, is that my immediate reaction upon seeing a "RIP: Chris Cornell" item. . . " supposedly from one Facebook post would likely be to CALL Chris's cell phone, the MGM Grand hotel were he was staying the night, or possibly Chris's bodyguard Martin Kirsten. One of the three!
They were friends and bandmates for over 30 years, not strangers. Also, did anyone else on that tour bus try calling Chris first?
1. Why would you first spend time searching the internet to confirm if your friend of 30 years, also with whom you were just on stage with an hour ago, was dead?
Read again, Matt claims ". . . We and our crew frantically searched news, social media and called friends and family, until we received the awful confirmation from our tour manager."
2. To reiterate, why not call Chris himself, the hotel or Martin Kirsten? Why would the first priority have been to "frantically searched news, social media. . ." then oddly call
"friends and family" when Chris's death in actuality wasn't announced as a reality?
*UNBELIEVABLY* from a deeper understanding of Matt's story, Matt also claimed
he had ". . .called Kim who was on the other bus. . . " before, in addition to have called unspecified ". . .friends and family. . . " yet oddly, doesn't think to make a phone call to Chris after he allegedly saw a single Facebook post?
Also, what time did their tour manager allegedly confirm the news of Chris's death?
From what source did their tour manager allegedly confirm the news of Chris's death?
A confirmation and the knowledge of Chris's death was from the time of 4:30 am,
May, 18th/17.
Matt's single a "RIP: Chris Cornell" item. . ." Facebook post story, in strong likelihood, is a lie.
The seemingly reluctance from Matt in his story (paragraph 22) specifically not mentioning "The MGM" where Chris was staying the night, is one example of Distancing Language.
Stating, "at a Detroit Hotel" to imply he, and rest of the band and their crew, had no idea where Chris was staying for the night.
Again, when the story first broke of Chris's death, The Daily Mail reported on May, 18th/17, "The group were whisked off together to the MGM Grand Hotel in a mini-bus." and "The guards, who were dressed in blue, accompanied the band to the hotel and they arrived within minutes."
The Daily Mail story was up for the remainder of 2017.
Then late into the following year, specifically on October, 25th/18, "Thayil and other Soundgarden members were already en route to Columbus for the band's next date when they got word that Cornell had died back in his Detroit hotel room." - Detroit Free Press
So which one of these stories is the truth?
Which story makes more sense?
Personally, the initial story from the Daily Mail is more believable.
But sadly, sometimes bullshit thrives on time that has long passed.
AGAIN, #NOMOREBULLSHIT: Appeal to Emotion.
Language can be carefully used to add validity to a story or claim. If interested, read my earlier post regarding the medical professionals and their statements on Chris's death.
As blunt as this may come to some readers, Matt appears heavily to be appealing to emotion within paragraph 23. Appeals to emotion include appeals to fear, envy, hatred, pity, pride, and more. It's important to note that sometimes a logically coherent argument may inspire emotion or have an emotional aspect, but the problem and fallacy occurs when emotion is used instead of a logical argument, or to obscure the fact that no compelling rational reason exists for one's position. Everyone, bar sociopaths, is affected by emotion, and so appeals to emotion are a very common and effective argument tactic, but they're ultimately flawed, dishonest, and tend to make one's opponents justifiably emotional.
Words used by Matt to emphasize the devastation from Chris's death: utterly, state of shock, struggled, highly-distraught, beloved friend, embraced, hugged, wept, console
all seem, personally, to elicit sympathy from his story.
Matt does not express any inquiry, as with the rest of the band, the nature of Chris's death nor mention any matter on whatever Chris may have been going through prior to his death.
Understandably, the remaining members of Soundgarden are in high, probable favour for an outpouring of sympathy and support from fans. They are also, again, not obligated to speak explicitly to the public on the nature of Chris's death.
And as it seems, no question from other fans regarding the likely untruths in Matt's story.
Paragraph 23: " I was utterly devastated to lose my beloved friend, brother and comrade, and was in a state of shock. As we pulled our buses to the roadside, embraced each other, and struggled with what to do next, our tour manager advised us not to go back to Detroit as it would be swimming with police, press and other media, and there was nothing positive that could be achieved. We also had a throng of highly-distraught crew and tour team members already in or headed to Columbus who needed support. So we organized a vigil in a conference room at our Columbus hotel, where we were accompanied by our crew, assistance and friends who hugged, wept and attempted to console each other for many hours."
1. ". . . As we pulled our buses to the roadside, . . . " This is another detail that strongly suggests there was no possible way for them to have learned of Chris's death, allegedly en route to Columbus, Ohio.
The news of Chris's death wasn't made public until 4:30am May, 18th/17.
If the band and their crew allegedly left Detroit for Columbus, Ohio at midnight, they would've arrived in Columbus at around 3:40am May, 18th/17 without stopping.
Additionally, the fan (referenced above) supposedly witnessed Matt and the band's tour bus
in Detroit leave around midnight.
Chris's death took place before midnight in Detroit on May, 17th/17.
With certainty, Matt, Kim, Ben and likely their crew members, already knew of Chris's death long before the public was made aware. Also, a strong possibility of the surviving band members and their crew en route to Columbus, Ohio was a claim made to create an alibi.
An alibi created a year later within the Detroit Free Press, published Oct, 25th/2018.
Why wait nearly two years later after Chris's death for the "Columbus trip" story to be known?
2. ". . . our tour manager advised us not to go back to Detroit as it would be swimming with police, press and other media, and there was nothing positive that could be achieved."
Matt's claim of their tour manager advising the band not to go back to Detroit,
in my strong opinion, is to reinforce the notion of their absolute absence away from Chris's death.
A question that arouse after the emergence of the Detroit Free Press (2018)
was why the band and their crew didn't turn around and head back to Detroit?
Supposedly after "learning" of Chris's death while allegedly on the road to Columbus, Ohio.
Nearly three years later, and still not a single shred of evidence of what Matt claimed regarding Detroit ". . .swimming with police, press and other media, . . ."
To this day, there's been no eyewitness accounts, images or videos posted of Chris Cornell greeting fans and signing autographs. No press, police, ambulance, media nor any form of commotion that took place at the MGM Grand Hotel where Chris had died that night.
And who can forget the mysterious CCTV footage of Martin Kirsten, Chris's bodyguard, heroically kicking down two doors of Chris's hotel room the public has yet to see?
3. "We also had a throng of highly-distraught crew and tour team members already in or headed to Columbus who needed support. So we organized a vigil in a conference room at our Columbus hotel, where we were accompanied by our crew, assistance and friends who hugged, wept and attempted to console each other for many hours."
Personally, there's no doubt expressed here that the band were in shock and devastated from the loss of Chris.
There's no question here whether or not the band's grief was legitimate. That is, their grief
upon the truthful discovery and the likelihood of their knowledge, before the news broke out to the rest of the world, of Chris's death that night.
Additionally, the band's knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Chris before his death.
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED?
Had Vicky not filed a lawsuit against the surviving members of Soundgarden, would we eventually know the details of their whereabouts at the time of Chris's death?
Would they share what was really going on with Chris on that final night?
Would they clear up all the speculations? Did Chris really succumb to suicide
despite the contrary?
Did Chris really "fall off the wagon", or did he continue to maintain his sobriety of 12 years and onward substance free?
Some fans here may find the personal commentary on Matt's story to be
mean-spirited.
I would argue, in actuality, that it is callous to seemingly take advantage of sincere sympathy and support. Knowing very well the majority of people giving that love and support, through their admiration, will likely never express doubt.
Matt in full view of the back of Chris's head.
-The Fox Theatre; Detroit, Michigan. May,17th/17. Image taken by Paul Lorkowski.
*At the 3:00 minute mark of Robin Robert's (ABC News Good Morning America) interview with Vicky is where the screen capture of Paul's shot was taken from.*
It appears that only Matt is frequent on social media from screenshots of his posts,
via Instagram, shared on multiple platforms.
I've personally never followed nor engaged with him.
LIVE TO CREATE, LIVE TO RISE.
"ROAD LESS TRAVELLED"
"ORPHANS"
"AT OPHIANS DOOR"
"CANCER"
"STONE AGE MIND"
"AHEAD OF THE DOG"
"MERMAS"
The songs of what was to be Soundgarden's latest, and what I believe not to have been their final record, will be heard. I believe the lawsuit will end in the band's favour.
Though personally, the remaining songs likely won't be heard for a while.
For fellow musicians, singers, song-writers, authors, the self-employed, all starving artists and all human beings who seek to live a glorious life, myself included, (I tell myself this all the time!) strive for authenticity.
It's not always peachy though, especially when there's a sense of zero control over our own lives. It's a struggle, a battle but worth it in the end.
The famous sometimes have a lot at stake. I do empathize a bit with some celebrities.
A peep of their unpopular personal stances, a tiny rip in their contract, can end it all.
Opportunities, finances and reputations all instantly thrown to the fire. I also believe, sometimes, their physical lives set aflame too.
There's also a choice to abide by the terms, remain idle, speechless and even lie were
it's necessary. Ensuring protection and safety for themselves and for those they love.
Justified or not, that's another story.
CHRIS CORNELL & THE HIGHER TRUTH.
“If I think about the evolution of my life as it appears in songs for example, Higher Truth is a great example of a record I wouldn’t have been able to write, and part of that is in essence because there was a period of time there where I didn’t expect to be here,”
“And now not only do I expect to be here, and I’m not going anywhere, but I’ve had the last 12 years of my life being free of substances to kind of figure out who the substance-free guy is, because he’s a different guy. Just by brain chemistry, it can’t be avoided. I’m not the same, I don’t think the same, I don’t react the same. And my outlook isn’t necessarily the same. My creative endeavors aren’t necessarily the same. And one of the great things about that is it enabled me to kind of keep going artistically and find new places and shine the light into new corners where I hadn’t really gone before. And that feels really good.” - Chris Cornell, 2015.
As spectacular a lyricist and musician Chris Cornell was along with his raw, raspy, bluesly, piercing loud, high, deep and sensual 4 octave vocal range, and let's all agree here, a gorgeous man, I don't hold him up as a martyr or saint. What attracts me to his artistry, along with other artists I admire and respect, is the darkness they've conquered. Their uniqueness, honesty and their human experiences they share, finding myself resonating with some aspects of their lives.
From the warm night of Sunday, July 24th 2016, I knew I was going to see him again
in Calgary, on stage at the Jack Singer with his follow-up to Higher Truth;
a beautifully crafted record.
Jack Singer Concert Hall: Sunday, July 24th/16.
The first and last photo I took of him.
Soundgarden would've probably landed in Calgary a year later, live for the first time
with their new record.
I launched Nuageux Avec Pluie Occasionnelle (Cloudy with Occasional Rain) of blog posts, some likened to essays, with an emotional eagerness voice continual skepticisms of the reported, and heavily pushed, narrative from Chris's fulminant death.
As from my deeper personal post Fight Depression, I wholeheartedly believe
Chris had full intentions to live despite all of his hardships. His intelligence, a strong hold on his continuous sobriety, his poetry and his music represented life.
He would live the rest of his life continuing to make music.
As a solo acoustic guy and with Soundgarden.
All that was placed upon Chris Cornell in the wake of his death continues to be heavily contradicted.
The irony continues to stand out.
The silence despite Chris's powerful voice and in the band's name itself:
SOUNDGARDEN.
"There's no time to keep it low
I've been deaf now I want noise
You stay down
But I won't be quiet
I'll hammer on until you fight. . . "
LOUD LOVE.
Make a promise if you can, You know, You'll only break it, Make a promise if you dare, Go on right ahead, And let's see where it gets you,
But I'll take the truth, The higher truth, The higher truth, I want the truth, The higher truth, HIGHER TRUTH. Chris Cornell.
Chris, with all of my heart,
Rest in Beautiful Power!
Say Hello 2 Heaven.
Your song for Andy and rightfully for you too.