Post-British Invasion: The only musicians Chris Cornell listened to for two full years
Chris Cornell might be one of the most defining figures of the 1990s grunge movement, but his impact spans much further than that. His work smashed the parameters of conventional musical boundaries, and he ended up pervading cherished movie spaces and several film soundtracks, like the iconic 2006 James Bond movie Casino Royale.
Most people enjoy a deeply immersive and personal experience when listening to music, but for Cornell, it provided a necessary means of escape from an early age. While most of his peers enjoyed playing outside and coming home with unwanted but expected grazes on their knees, Cornell was usually found safe inside, sinking his teeth into the sounds escaping from his record player.
Although Cornell generally missed the height of Beatlemania that surged during the 1960s, much of the music he enjoyed growing up was largely influenced by that era. He became fascinated by various artists, like The Monkees, who provided the necessary foundation for his later artistic expression.
He was also, of course, influenced by Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and The Rolling Stones by virtue of being surrounded by such sounds as a child, but the beauty of his musical tastes was that it was ever-evolving—he might have enjoyed a certain band in one moment but had moved onto the next in the blink of an eye.
That said, there are two acts that he once admitted to having a hold over him for two years straight due to their artistry being nuanced and dynamic enough to hold his attention for a long period of time. Not only this, but they significantly influenced the trajectory of Soundgarden and the way the band transitioned their sound away from the more generic post-punk edge.
Discussing his personal influences in an interview with The Guardian, the frontman once said he only listened to Elvis Costello and The Beat from the ages of 17 to 19. “When Soundgarden formed we were post-punk – pretty quirky,” he explained.
Adding: “Then somehow we found this neo-Sabbath psychedelic rock that fitted well with who we were.”
In the beginning, Soundgarden was merely an alternative indie band, uprooted by the influential rock sounds of the previous era. However, as they developed into the ’90s, after they became the first grunge band to sign to a major label, they nurtured a sound that will forever be heavily connected to one of the biggest pioneers of the entire movement.
Although Cornell’s life took a significant turn for the worse in the latter years, he always felt close to Soundgarden’s legacy, and appreciated everything he built over the years. In his own words: “When you start your first band and it has an impact on the rest of the world you go through a lot with those guys and you become very protective of that legacy”.
