On Friday, it marked one year since the tragic and untimely passing of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell. While many of Cornell’s close friends and associates paid tribute in their own way, grunge legends Alice In Chains decided to honour the late musician’s memory by covering two of the rocker’s famous songs during their live set on Friday evening.
As Ultimate Classic Rock reports, Alice In Chains headlined the first day of the Rock On The Range festival in the US state of Ohio on Friday night. While their set contained a bunch of verified hits, the group decided to get a little sentimental near the end, chucking in two covers of some Soundgarden classics.
Performing the group’s very first song, ‘Hunted Down’, from the 1987 Screaming Life EP, and ‘Boot Camp’, the very last song on 1996’s Down On The Upside and the last song released during their initial run, Alice In Chains effectively paid tribute to the entirety of Soundgarden’s career, showcasing the brilliant music that Chris Cornell and his fellow musicians made all those years ago.
While no one from the Alice In Chains camp made mention of the anniversary, their commemoration was highlighted by the inclusion of stage-lights which spelt out the letters “CC” and “SG” as they played. Check out footage of the performances below.
Alice In Chains’ tribute to Chris Cornell also coincided with a message from Cornell’s former Soundgarden bandmate Matt Cameron, who shared a moving tribute to the late rocker on Instagram recently.
“Can’t believe it’s already been one year since I lost my musical soulmate and special friend Chris Cornell,” the Soundgarden drummer wrote. “Chris always led by example-his work ethic, his sense of humor, his love of animals, his love of the Cascades, his love of family.”
“Bands are nearly impossible to get right, but Soundgarden felt incredibly fierce and so right for me on day one, mid February 1986,” he explained. “I auditioned for Soundgarden in Chris’ living room, sat behind his rusty Tama kit and counted in ‘Ocean Fronts’, my all time favorite SG tune. The tune had kind of a long intro, it sounded great and then all of a sudden Chris starts singing the verse.”
“I was instantly blown away by the impact of his voice and I felt myself settling into the band on my first try. It was all because of that mind blowing voice. When the song was over Chris turned to me with a big smile on his face and said ‘you played it perfectly, we have a gig at the Central in one week, want to do it?’ ‘Yes, I want to do it,’ I replied.”
“I will forever praise him for the decades of encouragement he gave me and for the fierce friendship we forged. I love you buddy.”
Alice In Chains also recently released their first song in five years, ‘The One You Know’. No word yet on when an album containing the new track is set to be released.
Check out Soundgarden’s ‘Boot Camp’:
Alice In Chains @ Rock On The Range, 18/05/18 Setlist
‘Check My Brain’
‘Again’
‘Them Bones’
‘Dam That River’
‘Down In A Hole’
‘Hollow’
‘We Die Young’
‘Nutshell’
‘No Excuses’
‘Man In The Box’
‘The One You Know’
‘Would?’
‘Rooster’
‘Hunted Down’ (Soundgarden cover)
‘Boot Camp’ (Soundgarden cover)
