Soundgarden and Pearl Jam drummer discussed his late friend and bandmate Chris Cornell in the liner notes for his new career retrospective album.
“Chris held the keys to the doors of perception for me.
There are so many examples I could share, maybe someday I will, but one perfect example I will NEVER forget was hearing his demo for the song “Ugly Truth” when Soundgarden was writing songs for Louder Than Love. The rough recording encompassed a musical universe so vast and pure, I couldn’t believe my ears. I listened to it over and over, pinching myself wondering if I was in a dream or if I was finally in the band of my dreams. Luckily for me, it wasn’t a dream.
The best artists have a direct link to their subconscious, their inner universe. They can make sense of the beauty and darkness in life and present it to the world in a painting, a poem or a song that perfectly encapsulates how we all feel.
Chris was that type of artist.
His music transcended categories and classification, it was simply next level art. He was my Coltrane, my Kafka, my J.M.W. Turner. I am forever grateful for the time I had with Chris. Our time together was very short, but our music will live on forever.”
