Monday, May 22, 2017

Interviews: Matt Chrystal and Some of Our Friends Discuss the Death of Chris Cornell

By christopher simon - originally posted to Flickr as IMG_0126, CC BY 2.0, Link

I Had a Taste So Sour, I Had to Think of Something Sweet 

The New Jersey Music scene reflects on the life of Chris Cornell and reacts to the news of his death.

Intro & Interviews By Matt Chrystal

Way back in April of 1994, we didn’t have social media to give us updates on current events. My high school buddies and I did not have internet or even cell phones to spread the news. And so my friend, Kevin, had to ride his bicycle faster than anyone has ever made the trek from his house on the other side of town to the park where we were all playing basketball to make the announcement. Kurt Cobain was dead.

Death by suicide.

Fuck.

I remember asking the one guy that had a car there to put on the radio or at least put on the Unplugged cd that he had laying on his dashboard. We spent a few hours talking about how unbelievable it was and then went our separate ways for the evening.

That night, I sat glued to MTV waiting for Kurt Loder, Tabitha Soren, or John Norris to give another update, to read a quote from Cobain’s friends or fellow musicians, to hear a statement from Courtney Love, to view people holding candlelight vigils all over the country, and to hear the thoughts and sentiments of other people who were left not knowing what to do next.

I needed to hear anything and everything about his death so that I could believe that it was actually true and also to believe that I was not alone in feeling this way for a man I had never met.
I was sixteen years old. I felt sad, confused, and hurt.

May 18, 2017. I check my Facebook newsfeed on my iPhone as I wait for my morning shower to get to just the right temperature. The first thing that I see is that a friend has posted the video for Temple of the Dog's "Say Hello to Heaven." The next post was from a former co-worker posting Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun."

Fuck.

Someone died, right?

Still, even with that thought, I was not prepared for the third post:
"Chris Cornel is dead, suddenly and unexpectedly at age 52."

Fuck.

The day became a series of punches to the gut.

Chris Cornell is dead.

Death by suicide.

Suicidal ideation may have been a side effect of his prescription medication.

I am thirty-nine years old. I feel sad, confused and hurt.

I am not going to make apologies that I feel this way even though I never met the man.

I am not going to express embarrassment over how upsetting it is to hear that he has died.

And I know that I am not alone in feeling this way.

The music that Chris Cornell made on his own, and with Soundgarden and with Audioslave, touched, resonated, and made a lasting connection with countless people.

And just like when I was sixteen, I wanted to feel like I wasn't alone. I wanted to hear what some of those countless people thought. I wanted to learn how others connected with his music, and I needed to keep talking about it and hearing about it so that I knew it was real.

So I put on my "CoolDadMusic" shirt and reached out to several musician friends to ask them their feelings about Chris Cornell's music, their thoughts on his influence, and their reactions to the news of his death.

It would be easy to title this piece something related to the Soundgarden song, "Fell on Black Days." That song title would be a fitting sentiment for what happened to Chris Cornell, his family, his friends, and his fans because of the events of May 18th.

But there are more than just black days…

As I talked to more and more folks about this, sure, there is sadness, confusion, and hurt; but there's also optimism and there's compassion for others and hope that maybe someone else can be helped in the future.

And from the recollections and reflections you will read below, you will see that there's no shortage of fond memories, amazing moments, and a strong feeling of connection to Chris Cornell through his music.

With all that said, I can think of nothing more fitting to title this series of interviews than Cornell's own lyrics from the Soundgarden song entitled, "Like Suicide"…

"I had a taste so sour, I had to think of something sweet."

CoolMattyC:  Can you describe the impact and the influence that Chris Cornell and his music has had on you and / or on rocknroll and / or on the world?


Joe Lanza

Joe Lanza (guitar/vocals for Rocky & the Chapter): The talent and artistry that Chris Cornell contained transcended far beyond most people's expectations of a musician. His concept of blending the whole spectrum of rock and roll into his own cohesive vision was done with such craft and mastery that it was completely seamless. From the heaviest of heavy, to angelic swoons, he covered it all with an effortless grace. The man exuded music of the finest caliber. He truly fits the definition of a rock god and has earned nothing short of legendary status.

Amy Dickman (co-founder of Little Dickman Records):  Soundgarden was one of those bands who were a constant staple in my youth, with each single being a time machine to a particular feeling and memory. I can remember where I was when I first saw the "Black Hole Sun" video and my little 6th grade friends at the time thinking I was a total weirdo for being so captivated by it. His voice narrated my youth and continued into my twenties with Audioslave and, for that, I will be forever grateful.

Angie Sugrim

Angie Sugrim (vocals/bass for Geez Louise): Growing up, the "Seattle Sound" and the culture it encompassed was one of the biggest influences on the person I am today. Like so many people who came of age in the early 90s, bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden provided the essential soundtrack to our teenage rites-of-passage. I would pore over every music magazine I could find, and the photos of the scene in the Pacific Northwest were nothing short of magical to a teen stuck in a bland suburb. The camaraderie between the bands leapt off the page. Soundgarden was at the center of that scene, playing dive bars to their friends in the mid 80s, the same organic start that so many bands had then which seems to be missing from music today.

Adam Schlett

Adam Schlett (rhythm guitar/vocals for Deaf Rhino): The odds are that the perfect storm of songwriting talent, singing talent, and social influence will never be embodied again like it was by Chris Cornell and the other tainted heroes of his time. All of his bands have contributed timeless work to the gauntlet of rock n roll that myself, along with my peers and generations to come will enjoy and be in perpetual awe of. Thank you for the beautiful music.

Colton Kayser

Colton Kayser (musician): Chris Cornell's music was definitely a part of the soundtrack to my childhood. I remember getting a hand-me-down Soundgarden tour t-shirt from my cousin when I was growing up. The first Audioslave record got heavy rotation in my middle school cd player. In college, I even had a class where we had to play "Blackhole Sun" as part of our final. His influence is so great in our cultural lexicon that you don't even realize it until he's gone.

Ron Santee

Ron Santee (vocals for The Battery Electric/Jolly Daggers): I was never a really huge grunge guy, but I always did love Soundgarden. Chris's voice is just one of those indescribable voices that cannot be mimicked or faked. When he belted, you felt it.

Jim Appio (founder of CoolDadMusic.com): I was not a Soundgarden or Audioslave superfan; but, for some reason, I can remember vividly hearing "Outshined" in a bar (7B, aka Vazacs) on the Lower East Side of Manhattan back in 1991 and thinking, "So this is Soundgarden. Cool." It's such a small moment, but I remember it so clearly. Then CoolMom and I lived in Seattle from 1994 to 1999, and Soundgarden were just part of the daily soundtrack. I always loved "Black Hole Sun" and "Fell on Black Days."

Rev. Snake (guitar/dobro for Garbage Goblins):  I first saw Soundgarden at Lollapalooza in 1992 and last saw them at the (PNC) Arts Center in 2014. They're one of my most consistently listened to bands ever. I love Kim Thayil's guitar playing, but it was always Chris's songs that really got to me. I would always see him solo acoustic whenever I could. His voice was like no other.

To me, Chris seemed to be doing awesome.  He seemed sober and happy... He definitely sounded like he could've been a depressed guy at times as he wrote and sang about suicide more than once. But it was those songs that made me not do it when I was a teenager, especially songs such as "Like Suicide" and "Let Me Drown."

CoolMattyC: What where your initial thoughts and/or reactions when you first heard the news that Chris Cornell was dead, suddenly and unexpectedly at age 52?


Amy Malkoff

Amy Malkoff (vocals/guitar for Lyons):  When I heard about the passing of Chris Cornell, my heart broke.

Joe Stalker (grunge enthusiast/party animal): When I hear about another one of these guys dying, it reminds me of that t-shirt with the dinosaur on it that says, "All my friends are dead." This is who I grew up listening to and still listen to. I get upset thinking about it.

Amy Dickman: His passing comes as a complete shock because I always thought he would be around, being the wildly successful musician that he was. He seemed to have it all. RIP Chris Cornell.

Colton Kayser: A beautiful voice gone far too soon.

Angie Sugrim: He was born for the purpose he lived out, and no comfort can ever bring back this glaring omission from the last generation of blue collar dudes who just wanted to play music because it was the best and only way to use their lives. God bless you and your family. Although you may not have always felt it, you were fiercely loved. Chris Cornell is already deeply missed.

Jim Appio (founder or CoolDadMusic.com): Just shock. We were very close in age, which still feels so young to me; and he was in good health as far as I knew. When I saw the "unexpectedly," I held my breath for what was coming next.

Ron Santee: I feel for his family and friends. It is a shame.

CoolMattyC: Would you mind sharing what you felt after you learned that that the official cause of Chris Cornell’s death was ruled as a suicide?

Amy Malkoff: There's a Demon and its name is Depression. It can possess anyone, and it hides itself very well. It hurts physically and mentally. I've struggled with depression / PTSD my whole life and have never openly discussed it before. Many people would never expect this. When you're in it and consumed, suicide doesn't feel like a selfish thing at the time. If anything, it feels like the world is being selfish for keeping you here. That's the demon. Creative people are usually very sensitive to this and the energies around them, whether it be people or environmental. Thankfully music, art, expression provides a release that comes from the soul. It's a hard thing for someone to comprehend or understand, or to even talk about. The best thing we can do as humans is just give unconditional love and understanding to those around us. Everyone is fighting a battle within themselves, and some of us lose, but everyone wants love.

Angie Sugrim: I don't know why suicide happens. It's a cosmic joke with no good punchline, no explanation, no reason, and perhaps worst of all, there is no way to fix it. Why beautiful souls with so much to give have to get whisked away in the few seconds they are alone is sickening at best. It's a perpetually asked question with no answer.

The RockNRoll HiFives

The RocknRoll Hi-Fives (family band): We talked about it a lot and it’s just really, really sad. The news was just very shocking.

Rev Snake: I've been thinking about what he did a lot. He had and was doing things that I thought everyone would want and would make anyone happy: a few dope bands, a rad solo career, a wife, and kids. So I can't believe he wanted to do it. I have to believe that the meds made him do it.

Joe Lanza: As we learned from Cornell's passing, even rock-god-legends have their own personal battles to fight. He was loved by his family, friends and every single one of his peers, but those inner struggles still existed. Somewhere along all the articles written about his passing, I read the statement that "it's okay to not feel okay." That statement is incredibly important, especially to those who know someone feeling this inward turmoil. If there's one thing every single human has in common, it's that we all face an inner battle to some degree. Some more than others. We should be taking this experience as an opportunity to check in with each other and offer an empathic understanding to those around us.

Conor Meara

Conor Meara (musician, Roy Orbitron): There are resources available for people struggling with addiction and I encourage them to seek help. I know this may be a mental health case, but I recently read that Ativan was involved. And drugs, prescribed or not, are being used by people for treating their symptoms of mental illness. My cousin OD'd on heroin when he was young, and my uncle started an organization called City of Angels that does really great, selfless work for people seeking help. If anyone needs it please go to: http://www.cityofangelsnj.org

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.

You Are Not Alone. Suicide is Preventable.

Full Disclosure: The writer, Matt Chrystal, is trained in ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) and a certified safeTALK trainer (Suicide Alertness For Everyone) so, if you would like information about becoming more alert and better able to recognize invitations to talk from people who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts or if you are someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts, he can be reached anytime by email at mattchrystal@gmail.com or by phone / text at 973-489-2969, or you can  go to https://www.livingworks.net/ or https://afsp.org/ for more info.

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