Louder Than Love || Chris Cornell

When You Feel The Fire, And Taste The Flame

Prague Czechoslovakia, Strahov Stadium
May 20, 1992

"Fuck... there's a fuckload of people out there already," Chris says nervously standing backstage with me. He takes another peek out from behind the black curtain of GNR's stage and then turns back to talk to his guitar tech, Steve. It was weird... I was pretty nervous for him. In all the tours with all the concerts they have performed, this was a little intimidating to say the least. I've never see a crowd this big before.

All goes quiet as the opening recording from 'Searching With My Good Eye Closed' rings around the stadium. Chris turns to me, his beautiful curls flowing in the wind, his wrist cuffs, his plain black T-Shirt with his black shorts and Doc Martens make him look so beautiful to me that I just want him all for myself.

Kim, Matt and Ben all run out to take their places as Chris places his lips on mine. He lingers for a moment and I don't want to let him go.
"To the stars baby," He says when he pulls away from my lips and touches his forehead to mine.
"To the stars," I tell him and he leaves me there backstage to watch him grab a mic and head to the front of the stage.

With the sun blasting from above and the atmosphere radiating from outside, the pocket of Soundgarden fans group together at the front as Chris runs out to greet them with his powerful voice.

Right from the beginning, Chris has GNR fans captivated, though some still look skeptical, it takes no time at all before Chris wins them over.

"Painted blue across my eyes and tie the linen on
And I'm on my waaayyy... on my waaaay..."

As I stand off stage and watch just like so many times before, I fall in love with him all over again. He is magnificent with the way he can become this force of nature that only few people can posses, and I love every single second of it.

"... Looking for the paradigm
So I can pass it off
Is it on my siiiiide , on my siiide

Is to the skyyy? is to the skyyyy? is to the skyyyyyy... now?
Searching for the ground with my good eyeeee.... closed..."

I was so hypnotized by Chris, I didn't even notice that anyone was around me.
" Fuck... he just buries me... ,"
I turn and see Axl standing beside me while Slash passes him and heads down under the stage.

Axl glances over at me and flashes me a shy grin. I grin back at him and turn my attention back to Chris.
"Don't sell yourself short... you have an amazing voice too," I say without taking my eyes off Chris.
"Not like him though...," Axl says and watches for a few moments, then glances back at me.

I turn and look at Axl with his green eyes locking on mine. He gives me a shy smile and then turns to head down under the stage where Slash disappeared. I stand there for a few moments and turn my attention back to the love of my life, loosing myself in the sound of his voice.

As the song ends, Chris now shirtless heads over to Steve and slings his Silver burst Gibson Les Paul over his shoulder, then heads quickly over to me and places a quick kiss on my lips, never missing a beat. He flashes me his captivating smile and with his guitar strapped around his body as if it hadn't left him since birth, he heads back out to the front of the stage his dark curls moving with the slight wind.

With one look, Chris stares wickedly out into the crowd and the opening chords of 'Hands All Over' spiral out from the stage and the audience looses their minds. Chris shuffles his head and then the song explodes to life as a thousand or so fans in the front, that are obviously die hard Guns N Roses fans, watch a band who feel like a molotov cocktail of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles.