Tom Morello was one of the first people in the music world to pay tribute to his friend and former bandmate Chris Cornell when the singer died in May this year.
Morello said he was “devastated and deeply saddened” upon hearing of his friend’s death – and the Prophets Of Rage guitarist has now issued a fresh tribute based around Cornell’s track Sunshower.
Opening with a quote from the song, Morello says: “All you’ll be, you are today. It’s alright when you’re caught in pain and you feel the rain come down. It’s alright when you find your way, they you see it disappear. It’s alright. Though your garden’s gray I know all your graces someday will flower, in a sweet sunshower.”
He then adds: “Chris, I love you, brother. I love your unparalleled artistry. I love your smile. I love your ridiculously beautiful hair. I love your willingness to help others. I love your love of family.”
Morello then urges fans to consider making two pledges in the singer’s memory. The first is to “offer unconditional forever support to his family, especially his three beautiful children.”
He then adds: “Lily, Christopher, Toni, if you ever need to talk, need a hug, would like to hear stories about your dad, would like to tell stories about your dad, need a guitar lesson or if you need to be reminded how very much your father loved you with all his heart, every one of us here today is there for you. Through Chris we are your extended family and lifelong resource of love and support.”
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For the second pledge, Morello says: “I’d like to ask everyone here to make a pledge to each other. Look to your right, look to your left. If you ever find yourself in a moment of sadness and doubt, if you fall off the wagon, if you are depressed, if you’re in trouble, if you feel like you might slip off the tightrope of life, in that moment you can call the person sitting next to you right now, you can call me. For Chris’s sake let’s make a commitment to look after one another.”
Morello goes on to say that it was Soundgarden’s 1991 album Badmotorfinger which was a major inspiration in the formation of Rage Against The Machine and calls the time he, Brad Wilk and Tim Commerford were in Audioslave together with Cornell one of the “highlights of my life.”
Morello adds: “The body is weak. The psyche is fragile. Things decay and are gone in time. Gardens turn gray. But, Chris, I know two things that are fucking invincible and will endure forever, your beautiful voice and our love for you.”
The full tribute, which was posted on Cornell’s Facebook page, can be found below.
Cornell was found dead in his Detroit hotel room last month, with the coroner’s office ruling his death as “suicide by hanging.”
