It could have been a wonderful year for Soundgarden. The band had worked intensively in the studio and prepared the successor of the fine comeback album "King Animal". Instead, 2017 will be remembered as the blackest year in the history of the band from Seattle: the year in which singer Chris Cornell took his own life, hanged himself - unexpectedly, for the family as well as for the fellow musicians who had played a sold-out concert in Detroit with their frontman on the evening of the event. In the afternoon Cornell had tweeted cheerfully and sent a greeting to Motor City - "Finally back to Rock City!".
Even friends and colleagues like Jimmy Page, Nile Rodgers, Courtney Love or James Hetfield reacted stunned. In an open farewell letter, guitarist Tom Morello praised the outstanding talent of his former fellow musician at Audioslave und guten Freundes: "Thank you for your friendship and your humor and your intellect and your singular and unmatched talent," it says. I am devastated and deeply saddened that you are gone dear friend but your unbridled rock power, delicate haunting melodies and the memory of your smile are with us forever. Your beautiful voice and beautiful self will always be in my heart."
Jimmy Page also paid tribute to the 21-year younger colleague on his Facebook page: "RIP Chris Cornell - Incredibly Talented. Incredibly Young. Incredibly Missed."
