In Memorium: Exploring the Grunge Roots of Chris Cornell Before Soundgarden

In the wake of Soundgarden’s recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, many fans have been thinking of the band’s late frontman, Chris Cornell. He was one of the most beloved musicians to come out of the genre.

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Soundgarden was originally formed in 1984 by Cornell, Kim Thayil, and Hiro Yamamoto. Naturally, before that, Cornell had an interest in music. And before he became the famed frontman of Soundgarden, his roots in grunge and rock music went deep. Let’s honor Cornell and take a look at his musical past, shall we?

The Grunge Roots of Pre-Soundgarden Chris Cornell

Way back in elementary school, Cornell’s first performance in front of a crowd occurred at a Catholic school, where he sang the mid-century anti-war song “One Tin Soldier” to a crowd. It was quite a prediction of the rebellion that was to come. Cornell, as well as his sister, were later removed from the school for “being too inquisitive” and asking too many questions about religion.

Cornell would later say that his biggest music influences as a child included The Beatles and Little Richard. In fact, he said that from the age of 9 to 11, he almost exclusively listened to the Fab Four. That pushed him closer and closer to rock music, where he found solace, as he dealt with extreme anxiety around his peers.

Cornell struggled with depression and substance abuse before he was even a teenager. He would later credit his mother with saving him by purchasing him a snare drum. As he grew up, he took on a number of jobs as a busboy, a dishwasher, and a fishmonger. But he still had hope that being a rock musician was in his future, and he continued to learn how to play the drums and guitar.

All of this led to Chris Cornell’s grunge roots in the cover band The Shemps, his very first band. While part of the outfit, he would meet Yamamoto. After Yamamoto quit the band, Thayil was brought in. Eventually, The Shemps broke up, but those three rock stars decided to continue jamming together. By 1984, Soundgarden had formed.

Today, Soundgarden is considered one of the most influential grunge bands of all time. Cornell, specifically, is still heralded as one of the greatest vocalists to come out of the genre. Their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is long overdue.

Photo by Rick Diamond/Getty Images

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