Chris Cornell: The American Songwriter Twitterview

Chris Cornell recently opened his Twitter account to your questions. Cornell is currently on tour promoting his upcoming acoustic solo album Songbook.

Read the full interview below, and check out more of our Twitterviews with Rich Robinson, Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell, John Oates and Frankie Ballard.

AmerSongwriter: What has been your proudest accomplishment-the 1 u look back & makes u smile..? – @ine000

ChrisCornell: My relationship with my wife Vicky. We’ve lived & thrived through the darkest periods & came out stronger & closer.

AmerSongwriter: Love the Blues feeling of Temple of the Dog. Have you thought of doing a solo album with a more Blues vibe? – @dnat1017

ChrisCornell: TOTD was a capsule in time. I’ve written many songs since that could have been on that record, but not in a concentrated way.

AmerSongwriter: How do you come up with alternate tunings in such songs as Like Suicide, Sweet Euphoria, Burden and others? – @Blockheadjohnny

ChrisCornell: The C where the high E would be in Like Suicide was only way to get note to ring openly. I was thinking of “Born on the Bayou”

AmerSongwriter: Do you listen to any new music that is out there? If so, do any new artists interest you? – @jakie25

ChrisCornell: Always listening to new music but rare to hear new artists who make entire albums that draw me in I feel it’s a dying art.

AmerSongwriter: Did you ever have any vocal training, or are you just that awesome naturally? – @Edgellbrothers

ChrisCornell: Had some training early 90s for voice preservation but most comes from on the job training + lessons from … Ron Anderson who’s brilliant (if u listen)

AmerSongwriter: How do u choose what songs to cover? Heard you cover Beatles 2 Rush 2 White Stripes. – @terrellk23

ChrisCornell: Mostly trial and error, and a combination of songs that make perfect sense and ones that require a complete reinvention.

AmerSongwriter: What is one major element in your life that influences your songwriting? – @HeatherB216

ChrisCornell: What I hear in my brain (brain radio) dictates the beginning of any attempt at a new Song.

AmerSongwriter: How did you learn to play guitar? Did you take guitar lessons or did you teach yourself? – @ DesertRose99l

ChrisCornell: I’m completely self-taught on guitar- limited me in some ways but very helpful in others. My only goal to playing was to write songs.

AmerSongwriter: What made you decide to break from LOUD ROCK to go quiet acoustic for this tour? – @ Amykelinda

ChrisCornell: Since I can remember, many of my songs were written on acoustic guitars so I am just peeling them back to original form.

AmerSongwriter: Of the songs you’ve written, which one are you most proud of and why? – @tm1376

ChrisCornell: No favorites. I think of them as children with strengths, weaknesses & secrets that reveal themselves over time.

AmerSongwriter: If you could make your life into a movie, who would play you? What kind of movie would it be? – @luvopieco

ChrisCornell: I think movies can replace reality and in the case of my story I wouldn’t trust many people with doing that.

AmerSongwriter: Of all the musicians out there right now, whom would you really like to collab w/ in the future? – @SpencerLarson1

ChrisCornell: Been really happy working with Ben Kim & Matt again. Would have to be someone that at 1st thought makes no sense.