YouTube Sibling rivalry can be tough, but it looks as though there’s nothing but love within the Cornell family. Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell may be a superstar, but the rocker is happy to salute his brother Peter, who is also a singer/songwriter. During the Cornell brothers’ first ever appearance ever together onstage together in 2011, Chris introduced Peter stating, “He was that guy for me. He was the guy that was the coolest person on Earth. He was also the guy, cause I was little, that he would beat the s— out of anybody if they f—ed with me.” Chris also credited Peter with turning him onto some great music at a young age. Now, Peter has released a couple of new songs via SoundCloud players. ‘Madman’ is a foot-stomping, bluesy rocker and it’s clear from listening that Peter and his brother Chris share vocal similarities. ‘Insides,’ meanwhile, also has some of that bluesy delivery that ‘Madman’ has. Check out Peter Cornell’s song clips for both tracks [via GrungeReport.net ] below, as well as his 2011 live performance of ‘I’m Still Loving You.’ Listen to Peter Cornell’s ‘Madman’ Listen to Peter Cornell’s ‘Insides’ Watch Peter Cornell Perform ‘I’m Still Loving You’ in 2011 [button href=”http://loudwire.com/watch-chris-cornell-perform-president-obama-commander-in-chief-ball/” title=”Next: Watch Chris Cornell Perform at Commander-in-Chief’s Ball” align=”center”]
Michael Buckner, Getty Images Motley Crue ‘s Vince Neil was among many rock acts speaking out via their social networks late last week after the tragic school shooting in Connecticut , but the rocker got a little hot under the collar after a number of his followers debated his call for gun control. His initial tweet was a simply put, “Sad day today. Prayers to all the families. Gun control!!!” While Neil definitely meant to put the focus on the tragic events of the day, there were enough of his followers that latched onto the final comment about gun control that he felt the need to respond. In a series of tweets that followed, Neil admonished those who chose to address that part of his comment. His Tweets on the matter can be read below: Sad day today. Prayers to all the families. Gun Control!!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 Why is everyone so concerned with guns? What about the CHILDREN that were MURDERED today! Get your priorities straight!! Come on people!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 I did say gun control but I didn’t think 90% of you would care more about your gun than dead children!!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 14, 2012 FUCK YOU to EVERYONE who puts guns in front of kids!! Do not come to ANY shows! You are sick!! — Vince Neil (@TheVinceNeil) December 15, 2012 Neil knows firsthand about the loss of a child at a young age as his daughter Skylar Neil died of cancer at the age of 4 back in 1995. The Friday elementary school shooting resulted in the loss of life of 20 young children and six staff members, as well as the shooter’s mother at a nearby home. The 20-year-old shooter killed himself at the school. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/connecticut-school-shooting-rock-musicians-condolences/” title=”Next: Read Rocker Reactions to the Connecticut Shootings” align=”center”]
Carlos Muina / Hulton Archive Express Newspapers, Getty Images Danko Jones is one of the more outspoken musicians in rock and his viewpoint and willingness to speak out has made him the perfect guest columnist for the Huffington Post. This past week, the world lost music great Ravi Shankar who died at the age of 92 and Jones decided to dedicate this week’s column to remembering the sitar icon and Beatles collaborator and relating it to his own experiences with music growing up. Jones reveals that he came from an academic family and that he and his parents rarely saw eye-to-eye on his passion for music, but while they didn’t always agree, one moment of bonding came when they took him to see Shankar at a young age. He explains, “I’m very grateful to my parents whether they realize it or not. I’m grateful to them for instilling me with a set of morals that I use as a compass to this day. I’m grateful for their love and care and their best intentions for me at all times. And I am grateful for that night they took me out, to stay up way past my bedtime, to see Ravi Shankar play with Alla Rakha at the Minkler Auditorium which used to be part of the Seneca College Newham Campus in Willowdale, Ontario when I was eight-years-old.” The singer recalls, “I do remember that I was so not psyched to be in the audience before the show started. I saw a few long hairs and figured it must be a rock concert of some sort, but knew my parents HATED rock music, so it was confusing … My most vivid memory of watching this intimate performance, in basically a glorified college lecture hall, is watching Shankar play on the floor with his eyes closed — which I found mildly impressive — with his trusted tabla player, Alla Rakha, beating out rhythms by his side.” Jones continues, “No matter how many great bands and great shows I’ve witnessed over the years, there’s no show that carries the weight of this one. And even though I didn’t appreciate the moment while it was happening, I remembered that feeling 15 years later when it hit me like a thunderbolt. My mind was being expanded and my music tastes widening, and I had seen Ravi Shankar . I remember sitting in my room kicking myself for not taking it all in properly. Even when I found out Shankar had passed away late this past Tuesday, it took me a full 10 minutes to remember that I had indeed seen him perform all those many years ago, so surreal is the memory.” Jones says he never had a chance to see Shankar perform again, but his love for classical Indian music grew over time to the point where he took a World Music class at York University. He adds, “When my father made a trip home to New Delhi one year, I begged him to bring back as much Shankar music as he could fit in his luggage. I think the request surprised him but he gladly obliged. Coming from a household where academia was valued above all else and seeing the quiet sting of disappointment in my parent’s eyes when I chose a musical vocation, they can’t deny that by exposing me to Ravi Shankar at such an early age they were complicit in this rock ‘n’ roll thing I call a ‘job.’” To read more of Danko Jones’ columns, check out his Huffington Post archive here [button href=”http://loudwire.com/danko-jones-just-a-beautiful-day-exclusive-video-premiere/” title=”Next: Watch Danko Jones’ ‘Just a Beautiful Day’ Video” align=”center”]