Some of the biggest names in the world of music and movies came out to celebrate the life of Chris Cornell, including members of Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, in addition to Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, and more.
Tom Morello, known for his work in seminal ’90s band Rage Against the Machine who went on to form Audioslave with Cornell, said, “Chris was as melodic as The Beatles, as rocking as Sabbath and as haunting as Edgar Allan Poe.”
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Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington performed Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” to the crowd full of family and friends.
In addition to Morella, actor Josh Brolin and Cornell’s Soundgarden bandmates Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron also delivered eulogies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in a service adorned with large portraits of the late singer.
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Before the public memorial service had even begun, a large crowd of fans began gathering outside of the cemetery in hopes of paying their respects.
While Cornell headed to his final resting place in the Garden of Legends area of the famous cemetery, Temple of the Dog’s “All Night Thing” was played. Cornell founded and was the lead singer of the band, in addition to Soundgarden, one of the bigger rock acts of the ’90s.
Fellow ’90s musicians Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield of Metallica, Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, Gavin Rossdale of Bush, and singer-songwriter Joe Walsh were in attendance.
The late singer’s grave marker read, “Voice of our generation and an artist for all time,” which fans, family, and friends adorned with flowers.
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Melody Andrade attended the service and brought along her 4-year-old son, both of them wearing shirts reading “Say Hello 2 Heaven,” the title of a Temple of the Dog song.
“I feel like this is just as big as the death of Elvis or John Lennon. That’s why I had to bring my son,” said Andrade. “There will never be another. He’s a modern day Freddie Mercury. I needed some closure on this.”
52-year-old Cornell was pronounced dead on May 18 after he was found unresponsive in a hotel room in Detroit, MI following a concert hours earlier. The official release from the coroner says the singer hanged himself, but results from the official toxicology report have yet to be released. Cornell’s family have disputed the findings, saying he may have taken too much of an anti-anxiety medication.
Cornell’s wife, Vicky, posted an open letter about the late musician, reading, “We had the time of our lives in the last decade and I’m sorry, my sweet love, that I did not see what happened to you that night. I’m sorry you were alone, and I know that was not you, my sweet Christopher. Your children know that too, so you can rest in peace.”
[H/T The Hollywood Reporter]
