Uploaded June 2023 | Updated September 2026, just now
I was writing a song about dying, when I noticed that everyone who writes or sings about death, dies ... and usually tragically.
In particular, the lives, deaths and words of Andrew Wood, Chris Cornell and Chster Bennington need to be understood through the chain that links them.
Andrew Wood was the lead singer and lyricist for the alternative rock band Malfunkshun, a glam rock band with Wood described as "a hippie, glammed-out rock & roll god, equal parts Marc Bolan and Jim Morrison." During his time in Malfunkshun, Wood started relying heavily on drugs, entering rehab in 1985.
In 1989, Wood formed Seatle's first true grunge band: Mother Love Bone, with guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament (formerly of the band Green River). The band's obvious talent earned them a recording contract, and Wood wrote several songs that referenced Death.
Wood's struggles with drug addiction continued and he checked himself into rehab again in 1989, hoping to get clean for the release of Mother Love Bone's debut album. In 1990, he died in Seattle at the age of 24, following a heroin overdose.
In 1991, Mother Love Bone's Ament and Gossard teamed up with Andrew Wood's room-mate Chris Cornell to form Temple of the Dog and recorded "Say Hello 2 Heaven" as a tribute to Wood.
Chris Cornell started the band Soundgarden in 1991, while Ament and Gossard started the band Pearl Jam.
Considered one of the key figures of the 1990s grunge movement, Cornell joined the supergroup Audioslave when Soundgarden broke up.
Both Soundgarden and Audioslave were huge commercial successes, despite delving into lyrics that were often depressing. Audioslave received three Grammy nominations and Soundgarden won a grammy for their 1994 album Superunknown.
Cornell recorded "Like Suicide" both with Soundgarden and as a solo artiist.
Cornell struggled with depression and had multiple addictions which he was able to manage until Soundgarden disbanded and his first marriage failed. At that point, Cornell turned to OxyContin.
In 2015 Cornell shot a video for Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart. He plays a prisoner about to be hanged. Cornell insisted on doing his own stunts and the liquid chemical singeing a noose tied around his neck, left him with second degree burns on his shoulder. Three weeks after Chris Cornell's suicide by hanging, the music video was removed from YouTube.
Chester Bennington was an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of rock band Linkin Park. The band combined elements of rock music, hip hop and electronica, and rose international success with their debut studio album Hybrid Theory in 2000.
Linkin Park is among the best-selling bands of the 21st century and the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. They have won two Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards and three World Music Awards.
Chester struggled with depression and substance abuse. After overcoming his drug addiction he battled with alcoholism. Eventually the band hosted an intervention. Clear of drugs and alcohol, Chester remained depressed.
Chester was good friends with Chris Cornell (he was godfather to one of Chris' sons). He sang "Hallelujah" at Cornell's funeral. In his last television performance, Chester dedicated "One More Light" in Chris' honour (the song is about the loss of a friend). Two months after Cornell's death, at the age of 41, Chester committed suicide by hanging on Cornell's birthday.
Side Note: I quickly reworked the theme of my tune to be about returning home through space and time (totally not dying). I then dropped the lyrics and turned the melody into a guitar instrumental. That should be safe (youtu.be/1FuUKGrjEGY)!
I was writing a song about dying, when I noticed that everyone who writes or sings about death, dies ... and usually tragically.
In particular, the lives, deaths and words of Andrew Wood, Chris Cornell and Chster Bennington need to be understood through the chain that links them.
Andrew Wood was the lead singer and lyricist for the alternative rock band Malfunkshun, a glam rock band with Wood described as "a hippie, glammed-out rock & roll god, equal parts Marc Bolan and Jim Morrison." During his time in Malfunkshun, Wood started relying heavily on drugs, entering rehab in 1985.
In 1989, Wood formed Seatle's first true grunge band: Mother Love Bone, with guitarist Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament (formerly of the band Green River). The band's obvious talent earned them a recording contract, and Wood wrote several songs that referenced Death.
Wood's struggles with drug addiction continued and he checked himself into rehab again in 1989, hoping to get clean for the release of Mother Love Bone's debut album. In 1990, he died in Seattle at the age of 24, following a heroin overdose.
In 1991, Mother Love Bone's Ament and Gossard teamed up with Andrew Wood's room-mate Chris Cornell to form Temple of the Dog and recorded "Say Hello 2 Heaven" as a tribute to Wood.
Chris Cornell started the band Soundgarden in 1991, while Ament and Gossard started the band Pearl Jam.
Considered one of the key figures of the 1990s grunge movement, Cornell joined the supergroup Audioslave when Soundgarden broke up.
Both Soundgarden and Audioslave were huge commercial successes, despite delving into lyrics that were often depressing. Audioslave received three Grammy nominations and Soundgarden won a grammy for their 1994 album Superunknown.
Cornell recorded "Like Suicide" both with Soundgarden and as a solo artiist.
Cornell struggled with depression and had multiple addictions which he was able to manage until Soundgarden disbanded and his first marriage failed. At that point, Cornell turned to OxyContin.
In 2015 Cornell shot a video for Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart. He plays a prisoner about to be hanged. Cornell insisted on doing his own stunts and the liquid chemical singeing a noose tied around his neck, left him with second degree burns on his shoulder. Three weeks after Chris Cornell's suicide by hanging, the music video was removed from YouTube.
Chester Bennington was an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of rock band Linkin Park. The band combined elements of rock music, hip hop and electronica, and rose international success with their debut studio album Hybrid Theory in 2000.
Linkin Park is among the best-selling bands of the 21st century and the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. They have won two Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, two Billboard Music Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards and three World Music Awards.
Chester struggled with depression and substance abuse. After overcoming his drug addiction he battled with alcoholism. Eventually the band hosted an intervention. Clear of drugs and alcohol, Chester remained depressed.
Chester was good friends with Chris Cornell (he was godfather to one of Chris' sons). He sang "Hallelujah" at Cornell's funeral. In his last television performance, Chester dedicated "One More Light" in Chris' honour (the song is about the loss of a friend). Two months after Cornell's death, at the age of 41, Chester committed suicide by hanging on Cornell's birthday.
Side Note: I quickly reworked the theme of my tune to be about returning home through space and time (totally not dying). I then dropped the lyrics and turned the melody into a guitar instrumental. That should be safe (youtu.be/1FuUKGrjEGY)!
