Chris Cornell Jr. Pays Tribute To Late Dad In Poignant Posthumous Music Video, ‘When Bad Does Good’
Chris Cornell’s son is making fans of the late singer do a double take. The 12-year-old son of the late Soundgarden singer portrays his late father in an emotional new music video for the song “When Bad Does Good.”
The Kevin Kerslake-directed video show 12-year-old Christopher Cornell bicycling through the streets of Seattle as a paperboy, just as his dad did when he was a young boy. The long-haired Cornell Jr. makes stops at Sub Pop Records, the Space Needle and other Seattle landmarks in homage to his father’s legacy.
In a statement to Rolling Stone, young Christopher Cornell explained why being part of the video meant so much to him.
“For me, this video represents my dad and all the art he created throughout his life and what his music meant then and what it means now, not just to me and my family but the city of Seattle and all of his fans.”
Chris Cornell died by suicide by hanging in a Detroit hotel bathroom in May 2017, leaving behind an archive of unfinished and unreleased music, including, “When Bad Does Good.” Cornell’s friend, actor Josh Brolin, reportedly later reminded Chris Cornell’s widow, Vicky, of the powerful song and she decided to share it with his fans through the Chris Cornell Estate, according to Yahoo Entertainment.
See Chris Cornell’s son Christopher portray his late father in the "When Bad Does Good" video https://t.co/fCzrYXJ9zI pic.twitter.com/gCO1nhUCvA
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) November 17, 2018
Longtime fans of Chris Cornell may recall that Christopher starred in a previous music video for his dad. In 2015, a 9-year-old Christopher appeared in the video for “Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart,” the lead song off his father’s solo album, Higher Truth. Sadly, Spin reports the video was pulled because it featured images of Cornell being prepared to be hanged, including a disturbing shot of a noose being fitted around his neck, as he played a prisoner in the old West.
Chris Cornell fans can also look forward to the Jan. 16, 2019 tribute concert at the Forum in Los Angeles. I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell will include performances by surviving members of Cornell’s past bands, Soundgarden, Audioslave, and Temple of the Dog, as well as the Foo Fighters, Metallica and Ryan Adams. The star-studded tribute show will benefit the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation and The Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation.
You can see Christopher Cornell in the “When Bad Does Good” video below.
“When Bad Does Good” is the title track on the newly released 64-track box set of the same name that explores Chris Cornell’s work in various rock bands and as a solo artist.
