Chris Cornell’s widow Vicky Cornell has accused the surviving members of Soundgarden of a “continuing pattern of unconscionable misconduct.”
Cornell, who represents her husband’s estate, has filed a lawsuit against band members Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd and is seeking a judicial valuation of the late singer’s interest in Soundgarden.
According to documents filed in a Seattle court, the three musicians offered to buy her late husband’s interests in Soundgarden for $278,000 (all figures U.S.) – which she dismissed as “villainously low” and “disingenuous.”
Cornell countered with two offers to buy out their interests – $4 million and $7 million for each band member.
A rep for Soundgarden told Spin: “This dispute has never been about money for the band. This is their life’s work and their legacy.” But, Cornell’s lawyer said in a statement: “The band’s contention that this dispute is somehow not about the money for them is absurd and hypocritical. Of course this is about money and their greed … They know that they will make even more off of future exploitation of the music that Chris wrote and the legacy that he created (which has lined their pockets for years).”
Since Chris Cornell’s 2017 suicide, his widow and bandmates have waged legal battles over royalties and unreleased recordings.
In 2019, the singer’s ex-wife Susan Silver went after Vicky Cornell for support for their daughter Lillian and a percentage of royalties.