The sudden and unexpected loss of Chris Cornell weighs heavily on my mind today. While I was always a fan (please see my worn CD of Superunknown and Temple of the Dog, permanently scratched on “Hunger Strike”) – it wasn’t until I met Music Man that my world was ripped open by the soul-exposing four-octave vocal prowess of one skinny ass man with gorgeous long locks. Lesser known albums and songs became our mainstream music night accompaniment, while “Like a Stone” was repeatedly sung at local karaoke bars we barely frequented. You could say that he was the soundtrack of our budding romance…the “mixtape” CD of “Cornell Volume 1” remains overplayed and scratched up in my car to this day. Sigh. It feels heavy today.
But why? I didn’t know the man. It just feels like a tragic loss. A lyrical and vocal legacy echoes today in the ears of the heartbroken. The misunderstood grunge kids who looked to his music as a way to describe their angst. A voice for the generation that needed an outlet to breathe their frustration out into the world. Another musical genius gone too soon, for reasons we’ll never know. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
I read this on someone’s Instagram today, and it made sense to me, so thought I’d share:
For people who don’t understand why others mourn the death of artists, you need to understand that these people have been a shoulder to cry on. Our rock. They’ve been family, friends, leaders, teachers and role models. Many have taught us what we need to know and what to do when times get rough. They’ve helped us move on. They’ve pushed us out of bed. They’ve helped us live when nobody else had the time to. Artists have inspired us in endless ways and have been with us through stages in our lives. We’ve made memories with them. So when they die, a part of us dies.
Just to remind you that life is fleeting. You only get one life and you don’t know for how long. Take the leap now. And you never know what anyone else is battling, so stop assuming you do. Be kind. To everyone.
The person who appears to have everything you’ve ever wanted turns out to have nothing at all.
Nothing Compare 2 U. RIP Chris Cornell.
