faves & raves of chris cornell

by lisa jey davis, associated press, november 2007

Favorite new song of the past year?

Oh wow. The favorite things for me are really hard. Like a single song?

Or favorite band… ?

I was just listening to the newest Kings of Leon record, you know, when it first came out… it’s only been out for a while… and I loved it. Like where I actually sat still and listened to it all night. I really loved it. It was pretty amazing. I thought you were going to ask, because a lot of people ask what my own favorite songs are. I have different favorites. They change all the time. Every one of them has been my favorite sometimes, and every one I’ve ended up hating at one time or another. Favorite new band I really like Arcade Fire a lot. They seem sort of lyrically one of the more inspiring bands out there, and musically too. Especially now.

Most recent concert you enjoyed from the audience?

Let’s see. It’s been a long time. I can’t remember. Hmmm. The last show I remember watching, and it wasn’t somebody new, it was Peter Frampton. I sort of stepped off and watched. He was fantastic.

Do you read, and if so the last great book you read?

I just read Heart of Darkness [novel by Joseph Conrad - webmaster] which I’ve read before but I just read it again. I found it in this hotel room (laughs) in Australia. I think it was from World War II, and it actually had Ernest Hemingway’s original obituary, someone had cut it out and put it in there.

One thing you’ve done this year that you are proud of, personally or professionally?

You know, I don’t know. I don’t think about being proud of myself in any way. I guess in a sense I’m happy that I’m actually going to all of these different places, touring and being able to play in these places that I haven’t played in a while. You know, just consistently, bring something every single night that is real quality in terms of the music. I feel that I want to do that, when people are paying to see us, coming to hear the songs, I want to give them more than they expected. And I think giving the fans a live band experience is such a huge thing. Nowadays there are a lot of artists performing to pro-tools (laughs)… They’re not even necessarily playing anything, and they’re playing over their own record, and that kind of thing.

Also I think there is a certain amount of pride I take in the fact that my wife and I and my in-laws who help as well work hard to make this happen. Because there’s no way I can tour and travel all around the world and have children. The fact that we make that work – that’s something. And we have to live and lead a very dynamic life. We can’t plan two weeks ahead, we have trouble planning six months ahead. We have to be willing to always change plans, so we can make things work. And I’ve been able to continue to do what I love to do, and still be able to be around them a lot. I’ve had older musicians say “hey, I missed it,” talking about their kids, and I don’t want to do that. So the way we’re doing it, it’s working. I don’t want to miss it, so that’s something that I’m pretty proud of.

available as an online feature here

Chris Cornell Fan Page © Clare O'Brien 2007