Words to Live By: Chris Cornell
Today, we celebrate the birthday of the legend, Chris Cornell. Christopher John Cornell was an American singer-songwriter, and musician, most famously known as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the rock bands ‘Soundgarden’ and ‘Audioslave’. Cornell has made a truly significant mark on the music industry, perhaps his greatest imprint being launching the 1990s grunge movement.
The rockstar always had a passion for music, in fact at a very young age he took piano and guitar lessons as a child. But perhaps what truly pushed him to make that big leap into the industry was a gift from his mother: a snare drum. He often credits his mother for “saving his life” by presenting him this instrument as it helped him find his path to becoming a rock musician.
With his impressive catalogue of music and years upon years of experience, it’s no surprise that Chris Cornell has attained an enormous amount of wisdom and learning over time. His experiences have given birth to some of the finest words: some inspirational, some witty and all thought-provoking.
So, go on, take a deep dive into the words of this legend.
Photo Credits: Chris Cornell Official Instagram
1. “I’m not a lyric writer to make statements. What I enjoy doing is making paintings with lyrics, creating colorful images. I think that’s more what entertainment and music should be.’“
2. “To me, music shouldn’t be ego-driven. When you go out on stage and play songs, it is. But when you’re sitting in a room, writing songs, it’s a completely different process.”
3. “If I’m going to go out to be a solo artist, it’s because I want to do something different without having to wait on someone else’s schedule or hobbies or be limited by other people’s prejudices.”
4. “Once you sit in front of people and start playing songs, it’s all on you. No matter what happens, it’s entirely your responsibility the entire time. I like that intensity.”
5. “When you become a parent, you leave a lot of things behind and refocus, maybe on how simple life really is and what few things there really are to worry about.”
6. “They’re a great audience, kids. They actually respond. They don’t have the references that adults have, so everything is immediate. It’s always interesting to see what they react to in whatever I’m working on at the moment.”
7. “The first time I ever went to Hawaii, I was listening to island music, thinking, ‘I could’ve been born here, and I’m pretty sure I would never play that.'”
8. “I always looked at rock & roll as the voice of regular people, of an economic group not in charge.”
9. “In spite of my lack of education, I didn’t lack direction.”
10. “At the end of the day it is the fans who make you who you are.”
By: Nina Karun
