Soundgarden and Chris Cornell’s widow reach temporary agreement over band’s social media accounts
The remaining members of Soundgarden and Chris Cornell’s widow Vicky have come to a temporary agreement which will see the band’s social media transferred over to them.
Back in March, the band’s remaining members – Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd – and their business manager accused Cornell of locking them out of their various social media accounts, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram. Additionally, she was accused of changing the passwords to the band’s website. The matter was filed in a Washington D.C. court.
In a statement, shared with Pitchfork, Cornell said the new agreement will see her hand over the accounts to the band.
“Through our joint social media efforts and our temporary agreement, my family, along with the surviving members of Soundgarden, hope to celebrate Chris and his music out of mutual respect and love.”
View this post on Instagram
In an Instagram post, the band have encouraged fans to share “comments, praise and criticism” on their website, but have asked for no commentary on the family of past and present band members or any “inane conspiracy theories” surrounding Cornell’s death.
View this post on Instagram
The latest dispute between the band’s surviving members and Cornell follows a series of legal battles between the two parties. In 2019, Cornell filed a lawsuit against the remaining members of the band and their manager over the rights to several unreleased Soundgarden songs, claiming the tracks entitled her to “hundreds of thousands of dollars” in royalties. Earlier this year, a judge found no evidence that the band were withholding royalties from Cornell.
In a separate case, Cornell is suing the band after they tried to buy out the stake she inherited following Chris’ death for less than £217,000 ($300,000), calling the proposal “ludicrously low”. Her share includes a portion of the band’s masters, publishing royalties and other revenue.
Last month, Chris Cornell’s family reached a confidential settlement with the singer’s doctor, whom they sued for negligence and wilful misconduct in 2018.