Chris Cornell death was suicide by hanging, tests confirm, just an hour after Soundgarden singer performed poignant final song
AMERICAN rock star Chris Cornell, the lead singer of Audioslave and Soundgarden, died at the age of 52 after hanging himself, officials said.
The death of the Black Hole Sun singer was confirmed by a representative last night and cops immediately treated it as a suspected suicide.
"The cause of death has been determined as hanging by suicide. A full autopsy report has not yet been completed," the Medical Examiner's Office said in a statement after conducting an initial autopsy.
A police spokesman told two Detroit newspapers that the singer was found hanged — just an hour after finishing his final haunting song.
"There is no additional information at this time," the Wayne County office added.
Local media said that the singer returned to the MGM Grand hotel following the performance.
Channel 4 WDIV Detroit reported Cornell's wife Vicky called a family friend and asked him to check on her husband.
The friend then forced open the rocker's hotel room door and found him lifeless in the en suite bathroom.
According to the BBC the cops received a call shortly after midnight, local time.
A spokesman said: "He was found on the bathroom floor, our medical unit were called and he was pronounced dead on scene.
"A family friend went to go check on him and observed him on the bathroom floor.
"The body was transferred to the medical examiner's office and the cause of death will be determined."
TRIBUTES TO A GRUNGE GOD
TRIBUTES to Chris Cornell have flooded in following the announcement of his shock death this morning.
Fans, friends and fellow musicians all paid their respects to the Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman who became one of the leading lights of the grunge movement.
Hailing the Black Hole Sun singer as a "true rock God", hundreds took to social media to tell of their devastation.
Leading them was Led Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page, who said: "RIP Chris Cornell - Incredibly Talented - Incredibly Young - Incredibly Missed."
Elton John said he was "shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Chris Cornell", describing him as "a great singer, songwriter and the loveliest man".
Former Red Hot Chilli Pepper Dave Navarro wrote: "So so stunned to hear about Chris Cornell! Such a terrible and sad loss! Thinking of his family tonight! RIP".
And legendary music producer Nile Rogers said: "RIP Chris Cornell - My heartfelt condolences to Vicki and your family. You are my special brother".
Detroit police spokesman Michael Woody told Associated Press there were "basic things observed at the scene".
In an eerie twist it appears the final song Cornell performed heavily referenced death.
According to the set list, which was posted online by fans, the final song of the performance was the 1991 classic Slaves And Bulldozers.
But the live version contains a refrain from the death fixated gospel song In My Time Of Dying, which was famously covered by Led Zeppelin.
The lyrics contain the phrase: "In my time of dying, I want nobody to mourn. All I want for you to do is take my body home. Well, well, well, so I can die easy."
He also updated his Facebook page just hours earlier with a song Soundgarden released in 2012 called By Crooked Steps.
Along with the clip he posted the lyrics: "I'm the shape of the hole inside your heart."
Many will read into these final public acts which appear to be loaded with symbolism of death as police investigate.
Spokesman Brian Bumbery said: "His wife Vicky and family were shocked to learn of his sudden and unexpected passing.
"They would like to thank his fans for their continuous love and loyalty and ask that their privacy be respected at this time."
The statement added that the family would be working with a medical examiner to determine the cause and asked for privacy.
Fans who watched him with the re-formed Soundgarden last night have tweeted a mixture of praise and disbelief at learning of his death.
Shelly Bastian posted a picture of Cornell on stage with the message: "You rocked Detroit Rock City."
Gary Graham tweeted: "Friend posted photo of Soundgarden in Detroit just a few hours ago. Sad to see you go Chris."
Celebrities and other fans around the world have also expressed their grief and shock at the sudden death of the rock legend.
And in Chris's hometown of Seattle, the world famous Space Needle turned out its lights in mourning.
Dozens of photos were posted online showing the landmark in sombre darkness.
Dad-of-three Cornell had been due to play at US festival Rock the Range in Columbus, Ohio tonight.
He was born Christopher John Boyle in 1964 in the city that would come to be known as the home of grunge, Seattle, Washington.
The middle child of five siblings, two older brothers and two younger sisters, Cornell spent the ages of nine to 11 solidly listening to the Beatles.
A loner in his teenage years he dropped out of school due to depression before joining cover band The Shemps with two future founding members of the band with which he would fist make his name, Soundgarden.
The grunge band formed in 1984 with Cornell as frontman backed up by Hiro Yamamoto and Kim Thayill and eventually joined by Matt Cameron on drums.
Ben Shepherd would eventually replace Yamamoto on bass guitar in 1990 when the group would rocket to stardom.
With his powerful, nearly four-octave vocal range, Soundgarden, would emerged as one of the biggest bands out of Seattle's emerging music scene, joining the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains.
Their third studio album, "Badmotorfinger" in 1991 spawned enormously popular singles "Jesus Christ Pose," ''Rusty Cage" and "Outshined" that received regular play on alternative rock radio stations.
Three years later, Soundgarden broke through on mainstream radio with the album "Superunknown," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Record in 1995.
It included hit singles "Spoonman," ''Fell on Black Days," ''Black Hole Sun," ''My Wave" and "The Day I Tried to Live."
The band eventually split in 1997 as Thayill and Cornell clashed over the musical direction of the group and they eventually disbanded in April of that year.
A LIFETIME OF ADDICTION
CHRIS Cornell spoke candidly about his battle with a addiction.
The grunge icon was plagued by narcotics and alcohol issues his entire life and once described himself as a "pioneer" of prescription drug taking.
It once resulted in a two-month stay in rehab before his first studio album with Audioslave was released in 2002.
In a revealing talk with Rolling Stone he admitted becoming a "daily drug user" at the age of just 13.
But his addictions were largely defeated by the time he settled down with second wife Vicky Karayiannis in 2005, with whom he has two children. He has one daughter with first wife Susan Silver.
Two years after his second marriage he told how he finally kicked his habits for good.
Speaking to Rock N Roll Experience in 2007, Cornell said: "It was a long period of coming to the realisation that [being sober] is better.
"Going through rehab, honestly, did help... it got me away from just the daily drudgery of depression and either trying to not drink or do drugs or doing them.
"They give you such a simple message that any idiot can get and it's just over and over.
"But the bottom line is really, and this is the part that is scary for everyone, the individual kinda has to want it.
"Not kinda, you have to want it and to not do that crap anymore or you will never stop and it will just kill you."
In 1998 he would embark on a solo career that would eventually see him sing the theme tune for the first Daniel Craig James Bond film, Casino Royale.
Cornell would compose and perform the song "You Know My Name" which was only the second song not to have the same title as the movie and the first theme performed by an American man.
In tandem with his successful solo career, which would see him release five studio albums, he also formed the supergroup Audioslave.
That would see the unification of two of the biggest rock bands of the nineties, Cornell's Soundgarden and Rage Against The Machine.
After Rage's frontman Zach de la Rocha left the band they were searching for a new singer and found Cornell in 2001 who would shelve his second album plans to form the band.
Their self titled debut album would spawn such hits as Cochise, Like A Stone and Show Me How To Live and would go triple platinum in the USA.
The band would remain together until 2007 when Cornell left due to "irresolvable personality conflicts and musical differences".
Soundgarden would eventually reform and tour together again in 2010 and reportedly had plans for a seventh album.
Audioslave reunited for the first time in January this year at the Prophets of Rage Anti-Inaugural Ball, protesting Donald Trump's presidency.
In his personal life he would first marry Soundgarden and Alice In Chains manager Susan Silver in 1990.
The couple would have one daughter, Lillian James Cornell, together in June 2000.
Cornell and Silver would eventually divorce in 2004 and later that year he would marry publicist Vicky Karayiannis, an American living in France.
That same year the newlyweds would have a daughter, Toni and later in 2005 a son called Christopher Nicholas.
The relationship would also see Cornell convert to Greek Orthodox Christianity under his new wife's influence.
He added: "You have top want it, and not do that c*** anymore or you will never stop and it will just kill you."
Cornell said of his descent that "it was a long slow slide and then a long slow recovery," adding, "for me it was mostly alcohol from my late teens until my late thirties."
In addition to his music, Cornell also became involved in philanthropy and started the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation to support children facing challenges, including homelessness, poverty, abuse and neglect.