It has been two weeks since the godfather of grunge and Soundgarden founding member, Chris Cornell, was announced dead.
Authorities confirmed that Chris Cornell had committed suicide in the immediate aftermath of the awful news, and tributes to the rock star started to flood social media.
They almost exclusively shared supportive messages with his family and paid tribute to his talent, with one exception courtesy of former Foo Fighters lead guitarist, Franz Stahl (pictured second from left).
Stahl took to Facebook to condemn Chris’ tragic death, dubbing it ‘selfish’ in a now-deleted post which read:
Wow…I find it very sad as a father to see all these sad eulogies for your fallen kept rockstars where the real sadness is what so selfishly was left behind…his children. They are forever now without a father…a pillar of love…safety…strength…guidance.
You wanna off yourself cause your incapacitated or brain dead shitting yourself and a burden to everyone so be it. But just think of your kids and how fucked it all will be now.
Now I loved Soundgarden…but Audiosoave was fucking lamesville…but does all that really matter to his kids? They just wanted to see your face when you got home…to hear your voice..to feel your hugs…to barrow the fucking car to go to In and Out Burger. Thanks Dad…[sic]
The late, great Seattle-born songwriter and singer helped form Soundgarden in 1984 alongside guitarist Kim Thyail and bassist Hiro Yamamoto.
The band went on to become the first grunge band signed to a major label and paved the way for the grunge movement. Cornell’s creativity inspired a generation of bands, from Nirvana to Pearl Jam, by way of Alice in Chains.
Amid a life on the road, touring with his different music projects, Cornell had bravely battled with drug and alcohol addiction. He reached global renown in 2006 after recording You Know My Name for the soundtrack to Casino Royale, the 2006 James Bond film.
While he endeavoured to bring grunge into the mainstream throughout the late eighties and early nineties, and give a voice to reams of teenage fans through his sonically heavy music, Cornell struggled with substance abuse. The godfather of grunge eventually checked into rehab in 2003.
Stahl, whose misguided condemnation of the sad end to Cornell’s personal battles earned him death threats from Soundgarden fans, has since clarified his ignorant statement.
Stahl told Alternative Nation today:
I’ve been inundated with hate and harm and it cuts deep. Trying to climb out of it…
I’m no stranger to what some of us deal with in life..a fatherless upbringing..suicide in my family and my own depression..With that said…
Upon reading the news I was initially overwhelmed with sadness, then it became anger however unwarranted. In that moment I just blurted it out..said things and posted it.
Stahl added: “It was however insensitive and wrong on many levels and since deleted. People close to me know I’m not that person, and well..how can you walk that back.”
How, indeed.
It you are having suicidal thoughts, please don’t suffer in silence. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour hotline: 116-123.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.