The surviving members of Soundgarden said they learned of the death of frontman Chris Cornell from a Facebook post.
Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd left on buses after the band’s show in Detroit for the next stop on the band’s tour, Columbus, Ohio. Cornell stayed behind and was scheduled to fly to Columbus the following morning.
Instead, Cornell took his life in his hotel room. He was 52.
According to documents filed in response to a lawsuit by Cornell’s widow over royalties, Cameron saw a “RIP: Chris Cornell” post on his Facebook. “[He] called Thayil who was on the other bus, who then woke Shepherd, and they and their crew frantically searched news, social media and called friends and family, until they received the awful confirmation from their tour manager.
“Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd were utterly devastated to lose their beloved friend, brother, and comrade, and were in a state of shock. As they pulled their buses to the roadside, embraced each other, and struggled with what to do next, their tour manager advised them not to go back to Detroit as it would be swimming with police, press, and other media, and there was nothing positive that could be achieved.”
Cornell’s bandmates, crew and tour staff gathered in a conference room at their Columbus hotel, where they “hugged, wept and attempted to console each other for many hours.”
In the court filing, the surviving members of Soundgarden denied withholding royalties from Vicky Cornell and disputed her claim that she is the sole owner of a set of recordings her late husband made before his death.