Audioslave

Following the departure of Zack de la Rocha from Rage Against the Machine in October 2000, uncertainty surrounded the group's prospects. Speculation intensified within months that Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell would step in as his replacement, and those rumors proved accurate when Cornell entered the studio alongside Tim Commerford, Brad Wilk, and Tom Morello in May 2001. Over the ensuing twelve months the quartet developed material together, forging a creative connection that led them by spring 2002 to abandon the Rage Against the Machine moniker and commit to an Ozzfest appearance. Cornell exited the project before the summer tour commenced, stating that its trajectory diverged from his expectations, yet he returned by early fall. After briefly considering the name Civilian, the musicians adopted Audioslave. Their debut single, “Cochise”—titled after the American Indian chief who died free and unconquered—reached radio in September 2002, with the self-titled Epic album following in November. Powered by “Cochise” and the moody rocker “Like a Stone,” the record achieved multi-platinum status, and the band promoted it through live dates that encompassed Lollapalooza in 2003.

Cornell, Morello, Wilk, and Commerford reconvened in May 2005 for Out of Exile, which entered Billboard at number one. That same month they performed a landmark concert in Havana, Cuba—the first outdoor appearance by an American rock band in the country—later documenting the event on the Live in Cuba DVD released that fall. The album sustained the group’s platinum trajectory as “Be Yourself” and “Doesn’t Remind Me” both ascended to the summit of the charts. They moved swiftly into their third effort, Revelations, issued in early September 2006. Most of its songs had already been refined onstage during the prior year, allowing the band to complete recording in just five weeks. Shortly after Rage Against the Machine members announced their 2007 Coachella reunion, Cornell departed Audioslave over personal and musical differences. While touring with Soundgarden in May 2017, he was discovered deceased in his Detroit hotel room after a performance at the Fox Theater; he had taken his own life at age 52.