More Than Just A Great Voice...

...he has a pretty good command of the English language, too.

Two speaking engagements for Chris Cornell coming up.  The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame has confirmed that he'll be inducting Pacific North West band Heart on April 18 - and that those with PBO can see the occasion broadcast on May 18 at 9pm ET/PT.  Mike McCready, Jerry Cantrell, Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins are also involved on the night - more details at THIS SITE.  Given the usual chaotic nature of this event and the tendency musicians have to jam, who knows who'll end up playing what with whom.

Before that, though, Chris will be hosting his own Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Monday April 8 at 1pm PT - and he already took to Twitter to suggest we put our thinking caps on and work out what we  want to ask him.  Explore Reddit HERE.

Chris Cornell Out and About in LA - update

Chris has been pictured onstage with Soundgarden constantly over the last few weeks, but now the  tour is taking a break, photographers have been catching shots of him out and about near his home in Los Angeles. Here he is on video, courtesy of Comunidad Chris Cornell Chile, chatting to Bono and Elton John:

....and here he is with Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters frontman and director of Soundgarden's latest video at the 21st Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Viewing Party at West Hollywood's Pacific Design Center on Feb 24. More details about that event here.

Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for EJAF

Here he is enjoying some family time in Beverly Hills the other day with his wife Vicky, eldest daughter Lily and mother-in-law Toni:

Photo from Contact Music

And just because it's adorable, here's one from the band's final run of dates at The Wiltern in Los Angeles with the seasoned eleven-year-old fan he pulled out of the pit. (Chris: Want to watch the show from up here? Boy: Nope!)

Photo by Brian Michaels for Rock Cellar

  

 

King Animal Demos Released As Vinyl Collector's Edition

Soundgarden will be releasing a limited edition pink vinyl of the King Animal demos for Record Store Day this year on April 20.  The package will also include a free digital download. Track listing and artwork are as follows:

WORSE DREAMS

Music/Lyrics: Cornell © You Make Me Sick I Make Music
Recorded by Chris Cornell at TNC Studios in Los Angeles, CA

BLACK SATURDAY

Music/Lyrics: Cornell © You Make Me Sick I Make Music
Recorded by Chris Cornell at TNC Studios in Los Angeles, CA

BY CROOKED STEPS

Music: Cameron/Thayil/Shepherd Lyrics: Cornell © You Make Me Sick I Make Music and Walpurgis Night Music and In One Ear Out Your Mother and Noyes Inneroutter
Recorded at Deke River Studio in Seattle, WA by Josh Evans and at TNC Studios in Los Angeles, CA by Chris Cornell

HALFWAY THERE

Music/Lyrics: Cornell © You Make Me Sick I Make Music
Recorded by Chris Cornell at TNC Studios in Los Angeles, CA

BONES OF BIRDS

Music/Lyrics: Cornell © You Make Me Sick I Make Music
Recorded by Chris Cornell at TNC Studios in Los Angeles, CA

A THOUSAND DAYS BEFORE

Music: Thayil Lyrics: Cornell © You Make Me Sick I Make Music and In One Ear Out Your Mother
Recorded by Soundgarden at Deek River Studio and Chris Cornell at TNC Studios in Los Angeles, CA

More Dates For Soundgarden

Photo by Ross Halfin Photography

Soundgarden have announced more dates for the month of May. This leg of the tour covers the US south as well as more dates in the east, although sadly for fans in Europe, South America, Canada and elsewhere the band won't be spending Spring overseas. Click the dates for ticket links!

May 3: Atlantic City, NJ @ Borgata
May 4: Washington, DC @ DC101 Chili Cookoff – RFK Stadium
May 5: Charlotte, NC @ Carolina Rebellion – Rockingham Speedway
May 7: Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
May 8: Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
May 10: Louisville, KY @ Louisville Palace
May 11: Indianapolis, IN @ WRZX X103 Mayday Event – Klipsch Music Center
May 12: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE Outdoors
May 14: West Long Branch, NJ @ The MAC at Monmouth University
May 15: Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
May 17: Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Presents Oakdale
May 18: Camden, NJ @ MMR-B-Q – Susquehanna Bank Center
May 19: Columbus, OH @ Rock On The Range Festival – Columbus Crew Stadium
May 21: St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
May 22: Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
May 24: Houston, TX @ Bayou Music Center
May 25: Austin, TX @ Austin Music Hall
May 26: Dallas, TX @ Palladium Ballroom
May 28: Broomfield, CO @ 1st Bank Center

Soundgarden To Film Feb 17 LA Show

Soundgarden will film the final show of the current leg of their US tour. The show at Los Angeles's Wiltern Theater on Feb 17, will be filmed by 'Live At the Artist' Den'. Fans can enter a contest to win two tickets plus round-trip airfare from any US city to attend the show. Enter HERE

'By Crooked Steps' Video Officially Launched

Soundgarden's video for 'By Crooked Steps', directed by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, has had its official launch on VEVO.  As Spin said in their review of the video, "it both revels in and lovingly mocks the image of heavy rock as a fount of hedonistic rebelliousness."  A guest appeance by Deadmau5 underlines the joke.

Setlists & Photos from Inaugural Balls

Soundgarden appeared at the Inaugural Ball in Washington DC last night, playing "Been Away Too Long" from their new album King Animal, and vintage tracks "Outshined" and "Rusty Cage" from 1991's Badmotorfinger.

Chris Cornell also played an acoustic set comprising three very appropriate covers:  Nick Lowe's "Peace, Love and Understanding", John Fogerty's "Long As I Can See The Light" and John Lennon's "Imagine". A snippet of "Long as I Can See The Light" features in The Daily Telegraph's rundown of the inaugural balls.

Chris Cornell And Soundgarden To Perform At US Presidential Inaugural Events

Chris Cornell will be performing at the Commander-in-Chief’s Ball January 21 at the Washington Convention Center, where President Obama and Vice President Biden will honour men and women of the US armed forces and their families. Other participants in the event include Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, Brad Paisley and Marc Anthony.

Chris's band Soundgarden will also be performing at the Inaugural Ball, alongside a range of artists including Stevie Wonder, Usher, Smokey Robinson, Katy Perry and John Legend.

You can read more details at Chris's official site or on Facebook. 

Help Victims Of Sandy Hook School Tragedy

Those who were around in 2009 may remember the song Chris co-wrote with fan Rory de La Rosa, which was available for a limited time online - Chris also performed the song on his 'Songbook' tour. In response to requests from the public, the song is now available to stream  again here to raise money for the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy. See details from chriscornell.com below and please give generously!

I PROMISE IT'S NOT GOODBYE

Donate in memory of the children of Sandy Hook

A few years ago, Texan fan Rory de la Rosa lost his six-year-old daughter Ainslee to cancer.  Shortly afterwards, he himself was diagnosed with the same illness.  But Rory didn’t fall into despair. He wanted “to tell Chris Cornell how much his music impacted his life and of the bond it  helped create for him and his daughter," says Karen, a carer at Rory’s hospice. 

Chris was touched by the story and wrote back - eventually resulting in a unique creative collaboration.  Rory had written a poem about his  daughter.  Moved by the words, Chris suggested they turn the poem into a song. “It was a pleasure to put it to music and an honor,” he says.  Sadly, Rory passed away shortly afterwards, but the proceeds from downloads of the song he wrote with Chris were able to help his family through a terrible time. 

Since the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, people have been asking to hear the song again. In response, we have made the song available again.  You can now hear “I Promise It’s Not Goodbye”  at www.chriscornell.com  - in return, Chris hopes you will make a donation in memory of the children who lost their lives and do something to help those bereaved by this terrible tragedy.

Pictures From Soundgarden Video Shoot

A collection of behind-the-scenes photos from Soundgarden's Dave Grohl-directed video shoot for forthcoming single By Crooked Steps appeared online yesterday. See the full set on Soundgarden's Instagram page and Chris Cornell's Twitter feed.