Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk has offered a first look at the surviving members’ reunion that will take place on Wednesday at the ‘I Am The Highway’ Chris Cornell tribute show, showing off his drum set featuring the Audioslave fire logo. He wrote, “The OGs.” While the band haven’t announced any guest singers, Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell and Faith No More singer Mike Patton will be in attendance. The Pretty Reckless singer Taylor Momsen is also rumored to attend, and she would make sense as a guest singer as she has covered Audioslave. System of a Down singer Serj Tankian could also be a fit if he attends, as he sang “Like a Stone” with the band’s surviving members in 2017.
Former Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello was recently interviewed on the Dark Matter podcast by former Red Hot Chili Peppers and current Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. Alternative Nation transcribed their comments. Morello last saw Cornell alive at Audioslave’s one off reunion performance in January 2017.
Morello told Navarro, “I might have told you this after Chris, be ever vigilant, and if you ever need to call somebody, call me.”
Navarro responded, “I will.”
Morello said, “This is the last serious thing, but the last time I saw Chris, he was shining. He was great, he was as great as I had ever seen him. He was completely fulfilled and happy, in career and family, so you never know. It’s always there somewhere, so if it ever surfaces, give me a call.”
Navarro asked, “So there was no indication?”
Morello responded, “I saw him in January, he passed in May. The intervening months I don’t know.”
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In the liner notes to the Chris Cornell career retrospective album, Tom Morello details what he envisioned a new Audioslave album with Chris Cornell would have sounded like as the followup to Revelations.
“On the Out of Exile record we continued the journey. ‘Be Yourself’ was the spiritual heir to ‘Like a Stone.’ Chris’ lyrics of yearning and self-acceptance resonating deeply. We then took the show on the road and ‘Doesn’t Remind Me’ blew the roof off every arena, every night…all the way to Cuba!
Audioslave was the first band from the United States to EVER play in Cuba. We single handedly demolished the rock n’ roll blockade against Cuba and what a thrill it was to pour every ounce of our Soul Power into the performance in front of 70,000 people in Havana. We toured the world and continued to evolve and grow as musicians and as a band.
In making the Revelations record, produced by Brendan O’Brien, we found yet another gear and delved into charted musical territory. The song ‘Revelations’ hits hard but has nuances of R&B and soul. ‘Shape Of Things To Come’ is a MONSTER and likely a shape of things to come had we continued as a band. But our time was up and we went our separate ways.”
