CORNELL GROWS PAST SOUNDGARDEN.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer It's hard to imagine Chris Cornell, alt-rock pinup pin·up n. 1. a. A picture, especially of a sexually attractive person, that is displayed on a wall. b. A person considered a suitable model for such a picture. 2. and former frontman front·man n. 1. also front man A man who serves as a nominal leader but who lacks real authority. 2. Music A leading singer with a group. for Seattle grunge grunge - /gruhnj/ 1. That which is grungy, or that which makes it so. 2. [Cambridge] Code which is inaccessible due to changes in other parts of the program. The preferred term in North America is dead code. gods Soundgarden, soaking up the sanctified sanc·ti·fy tr.v. sanc·ti·fied, sanc·ti·fy·ing, sanc·ti·fies 1. To set apart for sacred use; consecrate. 2. To make holy; purify. 3. sounds of gospel. But that's just how he often spends his days. ``My wife listens to tons of the stuff, and maybe that rubbed off on me,'' Cornell explains. ``Obviously, I'm not gonna sound like Al Green, but I can embrace those influences naturally.'' Cornell has been married to Seattle indie music fixture Susan Silver since 1990. When Soundgarden disbanded two years ago after selling 10 million albums over a dozen years, Cornell began developing material that probably wouldn't have worked for the dark-themed hard-rock outfit. The result is his first solo effort, ``Euphoria Morning'' (A&M), which Cornell helped produce, arrange and mix. Cornell will perform songs from the just-released album Tuesday and Wednesday at the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. (Cornell will be returning to the area Dec. 3 for a Wiltern Theatre The Wiltern Theatre and adjacent 12-story Pellissier Building are an Art Deco landmark located on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. The entire complex is commonly referred to as simply the Wiltern. show.) ``The past two years have been about decompression decompression /de·com·pres·sion/ (de?kom-presh´un) removal of pressure, especially from deep-sea divers and caisson workers to prevent bends, and from persons ascending to great heights. ,'' Cornell, 35, said. ``I wasn't in any hurry to get back in the studio. I wasn't worried about where I stood in the public's mind. I just went after songs that inspired me.'' ``I've been off the road long enough that it started to interest me again, especially since this will be such a different experience. The songs and the approach are so different.'' Cornell and guitarist-pal Kim Thayil Kim Thayil (born September 4, 1960 in Seattle, Washington) is best known as the guitarist for Seattle-based grunge band Soundgarden, which he founded with Chris Cornell and Hiro Yamamoto in 1984. He was named 100th best guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine. launched Soundgarden (named for a wind sculpture in outer Seattle) as teens in 1984. The quartet toured nonstop, paving the way for the grunge explosion that came with Nirvana's ``Nevermind'' disc in 1992, hitting the jackpot themselves two years later with the chart-topping ``Superunknown'' and its dynamic single, ``Black Hole Sun.'' Despite the new work, Cornell had already demonstrated he could thrive creatively outside Soundgarden when he penned most of the songs on ``Temple of the Dog,'' the critically acclaimed 1991 effort that featured a collective of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden members. Looking back, Cornell understands why so many bands from the Pacific Northwest were branded with the g-word. And he recalls a period of camaraderie among the acts until Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994 put an end to an era. ``The thing is, these bands didn't sound like anything else that was going on in music at the time,'' Cornell said. ``In the early days, it was all about friends from humble beginnings Humble Beginnings was an American pop punk band from New Jersey. While never gaining large-scale success, many of the band's members went on to mainstream success with other outfits. being amazed a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. at what was happening to them. But once we all started touring the world, we weren't home anymore, and everything changed.'' During Soundgarden's peak, much was made of Cornell's brooding good looks and commanding stage presence. For the singer, it all became much ado about nothing Much Ado About Nothing is a comedy by William Shakespeare. First published in 1600, it was likely first performed in the winter of 1598-1599,[1] and it remains one of Shakespeare's most enduring plays on stage. . ``Initially, it was pretty annoying when the focus isn't on music, and you're a musician,'' he said. ``You begin to feel people are stupid, and they're missing the point entirely. If someone is presented as a sex symbol, and they don't have any talent, they get what they deserve. But how we presented ourselves was much more interesting than that. I couldn't understand why people were missing the point. ``But once you're on a magazine cover or on TV, there's no way you can avoid interest from people for stupid or frivolous reasons.'' The Facts Who: Chris Cornell. Where: Henry Fonda Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. When: 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets: $20. Information: (213) 480-3232. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO In addition to performing and songwriting, Chris Cornell helped produce, arrange and mix his ``Euphoria Morning'' solo disc. |
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