Favorite Chris Cornell memory?

mcgruff10 · May 2017

dimitrispearljam said:

pj2 was /unreal

That it was!

seratia123 · May 2017

I always dreamed of a Soundgarden reunion and was so excited when it finally happened. When they announced their European tour in 2012 I was willing to fly anywhere to see them but none of my friends was interested. I had never been to a concert alsone before but this time I bought a ticket and flew to Berlin. It was great, Soundgarden, front row in the pouring rain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qote9B0GJdw

A year later I went to Berlin again and was lucky enough to get one of the signed tour posters they always added to the stack. Now my precious forever.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021252/uploads/editor/pw/0p2xa11eopzb.jpg

But even though the Soundgarden concerts were great, nothing was better than his solo performances. I was lucky enough to see him three times last year. These were so intimate moments, just a normal guy (though with an exceptional voice) with his guitar playing songs and telling stories in between. He was so sympathetic and funny. Maybe that's why I can't understand why this happened and feel like a close friend has died and not someone I never met in person. I will miss him so much.

I really like the accoustic version of Scream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzH2hC1E8k8

tbergs · May 2017

OrPjfan said:

I have been enjoying reading all the memories the last couple days. This whole thing is tougher to deal with then I anticipated but I thought I would share mine.

It was in 2013 when through some crazy circumstances my friend and I got a chance at a private meet and greet with him before one of his solo shows. He was raising money for the C&V Cornell foundation and he did a M&G for 2. At first my friend and I weren't quite sure on spending the amount of money required but we thought what the hell, it's for charity and we get to hang with him before the show. Needless to say it was worth every penny, and now even more so. I had never met a super famous person (other then meeting MC Hammer at a church function but he was far passed his prime so I won't count that #pleasehammerdonthurtem )so I had my concerns about meeting a hero of mine like...oh no, what if he's a dick or cold to us and it ruins everything I have built him up to be? After passing our background checks and a 2 month wait Until the show... the day arrived. We Met with security and he took us up to his dressing room and we walked in. Holy shit!! There He was in all his rock star glory just hangin out by himself with his guitar, the set list and a cooler full of Gatorade. We introduced ourselves, shook hands then plopped down on the chairs across from him to chat for about 15 minutes. He did not dissapoint... he was so damn rock star cool!! He was so down to earth, warm, friendly, funny and just sincere with every word he spoke. We got a nice photo and he signed a badmotorfinger vinyl for us then away we went to enjoy the show. I will never forget that short moment in time I got with him and knowing he was the real deal and not just to fellow musicians and celebrities.. he was that cool to everybody.

What a great story and experience for you! Thanks for sharing.

rustneversleeps · May 2017

he pulled the dude next to me outa the pit in 2013 and let him play fell on black days. i dont know if its a "favorite" memory, but its one of many great ones. i happened to look back at the stub from that show this weekend, it was on 5/18.

can remember leaving the Tower in '99 blown the fuck away by his solo show. still to this day one of the best shows ive ever seen.

CarryTheZero · May 2017

My favorite show memory was of seeing him on the Higher Truth tour in Atlanta at the Woodruff Arts Center. My home town and I had never seen a concert in that venue. The acoustics were amazing. For 25+ songs, that singular voice of his filled the room. After every song, I thought, man, I'm seeing something special here. To hear him talk about all of the songs and sound so happy performing, it was amazing. The temple songs, River of Deceit, and his new stuff just sounded so good. What a beautiful voice. Many prayers to his family, friends, and band mates.

Maverick785 · May 2017

Skip to the 28:14 mark

https://youtu.be/Be0clN1jTog?t=28m14s

Wma31394 · May 2017

Soundgarden 1995ish at the Aragon Brawlroom. To this day the loudest show ive ever been to. Rock.

Zod · May 2017

I saw Audioslave play a set on the last Lollapalooza tour (at the White River Amphitheatre south of Seattle). There was this guy in a wheelchair that wanted to crowdsurf, so the crowd picked him up, and there's this guy crowdsurfing in his wheelchair. It was an amazing sight. Chris Cornell was astonished by it when he saw it, and invited the guy up on the stage. He got to sit on the side (still on the stage, not behind the equipment or curtains) and watch the remainder of the set right from the stage. It was awesome.

He's also the only band/musician from the big Seattle bands to play Victoria (after they all broke out and got famous). They all played here in the bar days, but never came back. He did 3 solo shows here and we're a pretty small market on the Southern part of a big Island. I always thought it was cool he kept coming to play here. Surely there were other cities where he could of played bigger theatre's and made more money, but for some reason he hit us up on every round of his acoustic tours

Next to PJ he's the artist I've seen the most (well except for a local punk band). Soundgarden (Lolla '92 Vancouver, lolla '96 Gorge, Vancouver '96, Gorge '11, and Vancouver '13), Chris Cornell Solo Electric (Euphoria Mourning tour in Vancouver, A casino show in Edmonton around 2007ish), Chris Cornell Acoustic (Edmonton 2011ish, Victoria x 2, and one in Vancouver), Audioslave a Lolla '03 at white river amphitheatre, and temple of the dog this past November in Seattle.

I've been going to his shows pretty consistently through my adult life. Been a staple the whole time. Definitely something I'm going to miss, and saddened of these shows becoming distant memories :( It's probably why this one hurts alot. Most other artists that have passed. I've listened their music a bit and maybe seen 1 or 2 live shows. Nothing like the sheer volume of time I've spent listening to Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog, and his Solo albums.

JT167846 · May 2017

Fourth time I saw him. I'd seen Audioslave and Chris solo but I got so excited that Soundgarden were reforming that I got tickets to both the Paris and Berlin gigs. Was with two very good friends, one I grew up in NZ with and the other an English mate I lived with in France. When the intro to Searching came on and the boys walked on stage I was jumping up and down and screaming like a delirious madman.

florence151 · May 2017

Saw him in New Brunswick NJ doing Euphoria Morning.
Saw him in Northampton MA at the Calvin Theater. Check out THAT setlist sometime!
He asked the audience what they wanted to hear and played every request.
Special time. So happy to have been there.

LT150045 · May 2017

Never had the chance to see them in the 90's due to having a daughter in 94' not long after high school. So work life took a hold of me during my 20's and supporting my family. Fast forward to 2016, kids are mostly grown and I live in PA now and news breaks about the TOTD tour. I freak the f*ck out and tell the wife we are going. So years back I was a paid member of this great forum but I had let it lapse and couldn't get tickets through the PJ fan club but I found a pair and the wife and I saw the TOTD show in NYC at MSG and it was EPIC! I compare that show to PJ in 95' in New Orleans and STP at the Voodoo Fest in 2000 in the Big Easy. So the TOTD show gets my blood going and I just want to see more of my man CC. The Seattle sound kicked off my senior year of high school and like most, it has been with me through my adult life. So, here we get 2017 started and Soundgarden puts their dates out there for their tour. I immediately tell the wife we have to make one of the shows. So I end up buying 3 tickets. The wife couldn't get off work, which we were so bummed about, but she said take your two kids. I have 2 kids still living with me from a previous marriage. So I talk to my son who was home from college and my 12 yo daughter about the show. They both say yes dad let's take a road trip. So off we go. We arrive in Detroit for the show at the Fox Theatre. A bucket list item for me since I was 18 in 1992. We had great seats and the Fox is all I had heard about. We get to rock out to SG on May 17 in Detroit. To me it was one of the best shows I have seen. Not only because it was SG but I got to share it with my son and daughter, even though my daughter wasn't nearly as pumped as her 43 yo dad was. LOL! So it is one of the most bittersweet moments in my life now because I wake up in the hotel at 6 am on the Thursday morning to find my phone to check the time and I see the notification that Chris Cornell passed away after his Detroit show. So glad I have the memories with my kids and my wife. Thankful CC shared so much passion and creativity with words. RIP CC.....

emjot · May 2017

My most favourite, must be this:
skip to 1:50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ss45dlK7Cg

Soundgarden show, Manchester, Friday 13th 2013. Randomly recorded video, I just wanted to have something at all.
During the song THIS happened and I have to say, yes, the camera was on but I was only holding it, praying that Chris will actually be on it, because I wasn't looking at the camera at all, I was looking at him... And then he stopped in front of us for a while and the next thing I know I'm holding his hand... And then I also accidentally (I mean it, by accident, I was pushed!

) touched his belly, it was hard as steel...

I also have a very nice memory of his eyes and smile, though it didn't end the way I wanted, I will always remember him looking at me and smiling. After soundcheck in Birmingham I had my vinyl signed by Ben and Matt, Kim appeared and Chris somehow got it to the car without anybody noticing him. But I did

So there was Chris (and Matt and Ben) in the car, the security guy just beside it and me in front of the security guy. I asked Chris if he would sign my vinyl, he said yes, though the security guy wouldn't let me to come closer, I said to him few times, asked to turn back and look at Chris because he's actually saying yes, he wants to do it. But the security guy wouldn't listen, asked me to leave and he was actually quite agressive so I didn't have a choice. Though I will always, always remember Chris's eyes and smile from that day.

All the 3 solo shows I've seen.

And this. Brings memories every time I look at it

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5021252/uploads/editor/mk/dhb1n4ygp4k4.jpg

Suziemay · May 2017

I have many, but will talk about this one (or three). The Sandy Benefit at the Bowery Ballroom in NYC (~500 capacity) on 11/12/2014 will remain one of my all-time favourite shows. It was billed as a solo Chris Cornell show that was thrown together very quickly. Soundgarden was going to be in town for Letterman, so Chris decided to do a solo benefit show. Everyone donated their time, so all proceeds went to Hurricane Sandy victims. I think the show didn't start for at least 2 hours after the official start time so people were getting antsy, but then we saw them bringing in Kim and Ben and Matt's gear and the room started to buzz with anticipation. The guys would eventually come on stage to play a short set (6 songs, I believe) which was a nice treat, but the real treat was Chris was in a really good mood and sounded great too.

Chris decided to rag on Prince for some reason throughout the show. It started after the Soundgarden set, Chris said that they were like Prince, playing a small club after the show (they played Letterman earlier that evening). The Prince comparison just kept going on throughout the night. At one point when he was tuning his guitar before Sweet Euphoria, he goes: “I fucking rocked these strings right out of tune. That’s how I do it. Prince doesn’t do that. He’s too little. I shouldn’t say that, he probably plays with the heaviest fucking strings made. And he’s a way better guitar player than I ever have been, or will ever be”. The crowd starts booing and Chris says, “No, I don’t measure myself against him, he plays like the tuba and shit. Once you get into that world you’re just like, wow, you’re awesome.” Then he gets this crazy big smile on his face like he just thought of the funniest thing and goes, “Can you imagine him playing the tuba though, that’d be kinda cute”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bORj8AXJYgo

The other thing I remember that was hilarious was when he was covering Thunder Road, some chick kept yelling out "Black Rain! Sing Black Rain now!". He finally had it like a minute into the song and he weaves in "Shut the fuck up you cow" without missing a beat. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen/heard at a concert. Don't worry, the lady was OK. After the song ended, she said something like, "Sorry Chris, I just really want to hear Black Rain!".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJbS_3on7LA

And his cover of Lady Stardust is one of the best things I've ever heard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIZc7u4KqAA

He had become my favourite person to watch live. Going to feel empty for a really long time. Miss you, CC.

Shyner · May 2017

Lolla michigan 92

RS65573 · May 2017

Great fucking story Suziemay Thank you for sharing.

Bulldog88 · May 2017

emjot said:

My most favourite, must be this:
skip to 1:50

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ss45dlK7Cg

Soundgarden show, Manchester, Friday 13th 2013. Randomly recorded video, I just wanted to have something at all.
During the song THIS happened and I have to say, yes, the camera was on but I was only holding it, praying that Chris will actually be on it, because I wasn't looking at the camera at all, I was looking at him... And then he stopped in front of us for a while and the next thing I know I'm holding his hand... And then I also accidentally (I mean it, by accident, I was pushed! ) touched his belly, it was hard as steel...

I also have a very nice memory of his eyes and smile, though it didn't end the way I wanted, I will always remember him looking at me and smiling. After soundcheck in Birmingham I had my vinyl signed by Ben and Matt, Kim appeared and Chris somehow got it to the car without anybody noticing him. But I did So there was Chris (and Matt and Ben) in the car, the security guy just beside it and me in front of the security guy. I asked Chris if he would sign my vinyl, he said yes, though the security guy wouldn't let me to come closer, I said to him few times, asked to turn back and look at Chris because he's actually saying yes, he wants to do it. But the security guy wouldn't listen, asked me to leave and he was actually quite agressive so I didn't have a choice. Though I will always, always remember Chris's eyes and smile from that day.

All the 3 solo shows I've seen.

And this. Brings memories every time I look at it

Some great moments in that video - thanks for sharing

Bulldog88 · May 2017

Suziemay said:

The other thing I remember that was hilarious was when he was covering Thunder Road, some chick kept yelling out "Black Rain! Sing Black Rain now!". He finally had it like a minute into the song and he weaves in "Shut the fuck up you cow" without missing a beat. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen/heard at a concert. Don't worry, the lady was OK. After the song ended, she said something like, "Sorry Chris, I just really want to hear Black Rain!".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJbS_3on7LA

Loved this - that video made me laugh- thank you

mcgruff10 · May 2017

Great story Suziemay. Thank you everyone for sharing.

cutz · May 2017

When he came out during PJ 20 for a little TOTD set. And this song :

https://youtu.be/Yqq_9sBq48k

JP33 · May 2017

Chris Cornell on Fallon show........Redemtion song

Favorite Chris Cornell memory?

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