The group also went on national tours to promote the album, which peaked at 155 on The Billboard 200 Chart. Their 1984 debut album, Say What You Will Everything Can Happen was originally released on LP and cassette by local record label Twin/Tone as a nine-song EP. For the fans who missed the bands early years or those who need a refresher Omnivore Recordings will release expanded and remastered versions of the bands first two albums, 1984sSay What You Will Everything Can Happenand 1986sMade To Be Broken(both originally released by Twin/Tone Records) onJuly 20. The band released their first album, Say What You Will, in 1984. Grave Dancers Union, a 1992 album by Soul Asylum, debuted at #11 on the Billboard 200 chart and was popular in many countries. For use outside the U.S., the video was edited to include photos and names of missing children from the area where the video would be shown. Later, as Pat Morley joined the group as the drummer, Pirner became the lead vocalist and also the rhythm guitarist. They had a daughter, Toni, in 2004 and a son, Christopher, the following year. As for the latter, Pirner doesnt remember specifically, but thinks it was adopted because the band was in the process of changing its name, or it used the moniker when it was doing covers, such as the version of Creedence Clearwater Revivals Bad Moon Rising, included as a bonus track. "We worked at lot at Paisley Park [Prince's record label] and I would run into him in the hallway and say hello. WhileSay What You Willdoes include plenty of Soul Asylums rip-roaring, two-guitar assault, even in the earliest days, the band showed signs of branching out. Its like mining. After touring the United States for a number of years they gathered a cult following of fans, but did not quite reach commercial visibility. It also topped charts in Canada. It was very do-it-yourself and brutal. Its sort of sad to say, but you could see the whole grunge rock band thing getting totally oversaturated and people were looking for something new, Pirner told Rolling Stone in 2001. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/dave-pirner-51077.php. Earlier on Wednesday, the singer had played a show with Soundgarden, who were midway through their tour. We lost good friends in the process. In 2020 he released the book Loud Fast Words: Soul Asylum Collected Lyrics and when the pandemic stopped the tour Soul Asylum was making for their new album, Pirner and the band's guitar player Ryan Smith played 100 original songs on weekly Facebook streams that were called The Quarantine Sessions. The bands second album, Made for TV, was released in 1986. For frontmanDavePirner, who is touring this summer with a reconstituted version of Soul Asylum,looking back at the bands early recordings brings mixed emotions. I had written different lyrics to it that were not so great. As of 2021, Winona Ryder had a net worth of approximately $16 million. Soundgarden's Chris Cornell on 'Superunknown,' Depression and Kurt Cobain. A memorial service for Mueller will be held Wednesday at the Lakewood Cemetery Chapel in Minneapolis. Contrasted with some of the popular underground and alternative styles at the time, audiences were struck by the band's onstage swagger, scruffy Midwestern appearance and extremely loud, frenetic sound, mixing tuneful but unrestrained punk, hardcore, 1970s rock, country and self-effacing kitsch. by Charlie Kerlinger | Sep 7, 2022 | Music Genres. Say What You Will, which peaked at number twenty-eight on the Billboard 200 and spawned the singles Runaway Train and I Believe in You, was their most successful album. Runaway Train, the rock song they wrote in 1993, received the Grammy for Best Rock Song. He was 55. The Boston frontman took his own life sometime in the early hours of the day. As reported by RunawayTrain25, the new version is "more than just a cover song it's a dynamic music video, designed not just for watching, but for bringing home real missing and trafficked kids near you. [10] Campbell had been credited as providing percussion on Grave Dancers Union (although he had actually done at least half of the drumming on that album). The albums lead single, Cant Go Back, failed to chart. We were living like animals, sleeping in crazy peopleshouses, living in a van. Billboard is a part of Penske Media Corporation. The Cranberries lead singer Dolores O'Riordan . I cant say that were motivated by anything but achievement, he told Rolling Stone in 1992. Some of it is loud, fast and aggressive, and some of it is really introspective and sounds like I was born in a barn., The creative hiatus came partly because the same wave that helped break Soul Asylum had receded. On September 9, 1941, Otis Redding, an American singer, was born in Detroit. He has at least one brother called Paul Pirner. However, Soul Asylum's lead singer, Dave Pirner, said the song was not written with missing children in mind. When Pirner switched to singing and playing rhythm guitar, Pat Morley joined on drums. The band formed in 1984 after a period where Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto played together in a band called the Shemps, eventually inviting guitarist Kim Thayil to play with them. By then, Soul Asylum was hailed as one of the most successful rock groups of the time, winning Grammy Award for one its singles, Runaway Train. See the events in life of Dave Pirner in Chronological Order, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LlRpBxEICU, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dave_Pirner.jpg, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he6zIGMhjqU, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFl-XLzRm8I, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDf41prQCYo. 13. May these musicians rest in peace. Jesus Christ Pose, a charging Cornell-penned number, was banned on MTV, but Outshined and Rusty Cage the latter of which would be covered by Johnny Cash became MTV hits and part of the momentum that propelled Seattle to musics forefront at the time, along with releases by Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Long before Soul Asylum struck platinum in 1993 with the prom-rock ballad "Runaway Train," the band was growing up in public in the shadow of fellow Minneapolis bands the Replacements and Hsker D. Also in the same year, they signed with Twin Tone Records, releasing their first studio album, a nine-song EP entitled Say What You Will, on August 24, 1984. We hadnt quite been recognized after the first record, but byMade to be Brokenit was like, These guys arent fucking around. We had an amazing amount of blind ambition. When one thinks of the 1990s, many things come to mind: fashion, music, movies, and so on. Pirner at the time was the band's songwriter and he produced the album, Coup De Grace, by the Minneapolis metal band the Coup de Grace in 1990. Soul Asylum - Runaway train Cause: Missing Children Standout Lyric: "Can you help me remember how to smile? Young was given the boot, replaced by studio pro Sterling Campbell, who actually played on much ofGrave Dancers Union. Minneapolis, MN, United States. Growing Into You 11. The benefit raised over $50,000. In May 2004, bassist Mueller was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent treatment. The band was originally called Loud Fast Rules, with a lineup consisting of Dave Pirner, Dan Murphy, Karl Mueller, and Pat Morley. Daniel Sahad, the lead singer of Austin-based funk/soul band Nan died on the evening of Sunday, April 10 at the age of 29. Soundgarden put out their debut single, the trippy, ominous Hunted Down, and EP, Screaming Life, in 1987. It was after the band split from A&M and was picked up by Columbia A&R executive Benjie Gordonthat Soul Asylum experienced its greatest success with the 1992 albumGrave Dancers Union, featuring the Billboard Hot 100 top 5 hit Runaway Train.. The answer is yes, Dave Pirner is still alive and well. In 1995, they released their seventh studio album, Let Your Dim Light Shine', with most of the tracks written by Dave Pirner. Karl Mueller, 41, was a bass player with Soul Asylum, who died on Friday at his Minneapolis home of throat cancer. Im not sure if [rehab] was the best place for me, but it worked.. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the 2020 tour in support of "Hurry Up and Wait" with a final performance at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles on March 11, 2020. Winter was born John Dawson Winter III in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and was an American blues guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and producer. Pirner not only wrote all the tracks, but also performed as its lead vocalist. After a period of underground notoriety, the band achieved mainstream success with its 1992 breakthrough, Grave Dancers Union (Columbia). Yep, the one with the music video with all those missing people. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting that Karl Muller, bassist and founding member of the Minneapolis rock act Soul Asylum, died at home on Friday at the age of 55. The song became the band's first pop hit, changing the band's fortunes after five albums of little commercial success. The band faced their biggest tragedy in 2005, when bassist Karl Mueller died from throat cancer. Virgil Abloh, a French designer known for his Louis Vuitton fashion line, died as a result of cancer treatment at the age of 41. Initially he played the drum while his friend, Dan Murphy, served as the guitarist and Karl Mueller as the bassist. All rights reserved. David Pirner. They would later streamline this sound on 1989s more metallic Louder Than Love, a locomotive onslaught of chunky riffs, alpha-male fantasies and quirky humor. The band played at the inauguration of President Bill Clinton early the next year. They are frequently featured in compilation albums and in television commercials. ), June 22 Power Plant Live Kansas City, MO Tied To The Tracks Tour, July 6Chastain Park Amphitheatre Atlanta, GA The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 7Daileys Place Jacksonville, FL The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 10Mizner Park Amphitheatre Baco Raton, FL The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 11Al Lang Stadium Tampa, FL The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 13Oak Mountain Amphitheatre Pelham, AL The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 14Mississippi Coast Coliseum Biloxi, MS The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 15Cynthia Woodlands Mitchel Pavilion Houston, TX The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 17The Pavilion @ Irving Music Factory Irving, TX The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 18HEB Center @ Cedar Park Cedar Park, TX The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 20Zoo Amphitheatre Oklahoma City, OK The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 21Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Maryland Heights, MO The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 24Huntington Bank Pavilion Chicago, IL The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 26Armory Minneapolis, MN The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 26Washington County Fair West Bend, WI The Rock & Roll Express Tour, July 31All American Rock House Findlay, OH Tied To The Tracks Tour, August 4Wings Stadium Kalamazoo, MI The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 7Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre Sterling Heights, MI The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 9Cowboy Coast Saloon Ocean City, MDTied To The Tracks Tour, August 10Bank of NH Pavilion Guilford, NH The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 11PNC Bank Arts Center Holmdel, NJ The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 14The Pennysaver Amphitheatre Brookhaven, NY The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 16PInz Kingston, MA Tied To The Tracks Tour, August 17Penns Peak Jim Thorpe, PA Tied To The Tracks Tourwith Fuel, August 18Club XL Harrisburg, PA Tied To The Tracks Tour, August 21Stage at the Bay Savannah, GA Tied To The Tracks Tourwith Fuel, August 22White Oak Amphitheatre Greensboro, NC The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 24Ascend Amphitheatre Nashville, TN The Rock & Roll Express Tour, August 25Heritage Park Amphitheatre Simpsonville, SC The Rock & Roll Express Tour, Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox, A daily briefing on what matters in the music industry. About a year after his death, Soul Asylum released The Silver Lining on Legacy Recordings, which was dedicated to Mueller. However, the cancer returned, and he died at his home on June 17, 2005. Hang Time was released in 1988, followed by And the Horse They Rode In On in 1990 (produced by X-pensive Winos drummer Steve Jordan). After the release of another EP 1988s Fopp, whose title track is improbably an Ohio Players cover and marked the arrival of drummer Matt Cameron Soundgarden came into their own on their first full-length, 1988s Ultramega OK. That record featured the brooding, dramatic Cornell standout Beyond the Wheel, which showed off his impressive vocal ability and the bands proclivity for coupling heavy-metal riffing with shuddering noise affectations, foreshadowing grunge. In November 2012, Winston Roye replaced Tommy Stinson on bass and Justin Sharbono replaced Dan Murphy on guitar. The group signed with A&M Records in 1988. Pirner had a small role in the film Reality Bites in 1994. Barbara Martin, a founding member of 1960s American pop group The Supremes, has died at the age of 76. [1] In 1986, Soul Asylum released three albums, Made to Be Broken, Time's Incinerator (on cassette only) and While You Were Out. Despite his success, Cornell felt ambivalent about the attention his hometown was getting, especially after Kurt Cobains suicide. Among them, Misery and Just Like Anyone, were written by him. Between Soundgarden and his other projects, Cornell reportedly sold nearly 15 million albums altogether in the U.S. We thought we finally made it. Dave Pirner, a widely regarded and influential alternative rock singer of the 1980s and 1990s, is one of the most respected and influential of those singers. Dave Pirner, lead singer, Soul Asylum: "Runaway Train" was a tune that was in my head for a couple years, at least. [11] The next release, Let Your Dim Light Shine, included the track "Misery", which reached the Top 20, but the album was not as successful as the band's previous one. Despite a huge tour planned with Local-H, including a South by Southwest appearance, the tour is now likely to be canceled or postponed until later in the year. Long before Soul Asylum struck platinum in 1993 with the prom-rock ballad "Runaway Train," the band was growing up in public in the shadow of fellow Minneapolis bands the Replacements and. Born In: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. He toured with the band until joining Matchbox Twenty in 1998. Their first offering on that label was Clam Dip & Other Delights (1989), the title and cover art being a parody of Whipped Cream & Other Delights, by A&M Records co-founder Herb Alpert. Soul Asylum biography and history on AllMusic including birthday, best songs, existing and new album information, and more. The singer got his start in Minneapolis as a teenager playing venues throughout the Midwest and eventually crossing paths with artists like Prince. Their 1993 hit "Runaway Train" won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Song. Cornell Dupree, a jazz and R&B guitarist, was well-known for his work with Soul Asylum, which recorded many of his songs. The band recorded three albums with Twin/Tone Records and two with A&M Records, with little commercial success. Karl and Danny went to England. Mueller died a year later. All Rights Reserved. Im lucky I got through it. In 2005, Mueller died from throat cancer. The band later changed its name to 'Soul Asylum' and began to tour the country. Soul Asylums distinctive songwriting style and powerful vocals have helped it become one of the most successful alternative rock bands of all time. She began dating Scott Mackinlay Hahn in 2011, and she dated Matt Damon from 1998 to 2000. A shining voice in music has left us in the midnight, Perry Farrell tweeted. Its hard not to be a little bitter about it, he said in a 1994 Rolling Stone interview. For the song by The Cult, see, Soul Asylum performing in Rochester, Minnesota, 2016, Mainstream popularity and success: 19881999, Say What You Will, ClarenceKarl Sold the Truck, After the Flood: Live from the Grand Forks Prom, June 28, 1997, "Soul Asylum Retain Their Gritty Sonic Charm On 'Hurry Up and Wait', The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music, "School of Journalism & Mass Communication: University of Minnesota", "Guitarist Dan Murphy Leaves Soul Asylum", "New Music Friday: The Top 7 Albums Out On April 17", "Soul Asylum cover Dead Kennedys, Joy Division, Stooges for new covers album", "Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner Once Embraced 'No Future,' Now He's Content To Hurry Up And Wait", "Soul Asylum: On What Not To Sweat In The Music Biz", "Soul Asylum Rediscover Their Punk Roots", "Top Ten Mediocre Post-Grunge / Alternative Bands", "10 things you'll learn about First Avenue in new Minnesota History Center show", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Soul_Asylum&oldid=1150563112, Justin Sharbono lead guitar, backing vocals, This page was last edited on 18 April 2023, at 21:07. A long list of performers including SOUL ASYLUM's Dave Pirner performed with Doug Pinnick of KING'S X, as well as the entire band LIVING COLOUR, BUDDERSIDE's Patrick Stone, Stevie D. from . All rights reserved. Lead singer of The Cranberries dead at 46. The albums lead single, Runaway Train, became a major hit, reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. [1] On January 20, 1993, the group performed at the first inauguration of United States President Bill Clinton. We want to hear it. In 2012, they were inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. In late 2005, ex-Replacements bassist (and former Guns N' Roses bassist) Tommy Stinson and former Prince drummer Michael Bland joined Soul Asylum. Pirner was moved to rhythm guitar, and Pat Morley took over on drums. "I've just been playing in this band, and all this crazy sh*t has happened around the band," Pirner, the sole remaining original member, says. After periods of drug and alcohol abuse throughout various points of his early career, Cornell managed to get sober in the late 2000s after a stint in rehab. Music-Themed Slot Machines: From Elvis to The Beatles, How To Throw An Amazing Music Event: The Ultimate Guide. We dont know where or when were going to put this out, said Pirner in 2001 of self-produced sessions in New Orleans and Minneapolis. Let's take a moment to find out whatever happened to Soul Asylum. The Ultimate Guide for Freelance Musicians: How to Self-Promote, How Music and Online Slots Combine For Maximum Fun. Asylum, the bands most recent album, was released in 2009, and it was a stripped-down, acoustic album that returned Soul Asylum to its roots. A Minneapolis benefit in his honor last October brought the long-estranged songwriting principles of Husker Du back together, and featured Twin Cities stalwarts such as Paul Westerberg, the Gear Daddies, Golden Smog and, with Muellers cancer temporarily in remission, Soul Asylum. I thought, This guy can walk into a room and get that reaction. And I suddenly felt kind of embarrassed and smaller, cause I felt like I call myself a singer, a songwriter, a musician and Ive sold millions of records and toured the world but I cant just walk in a room, pick up an instrument and entertain everyone and their jaws drop. Soul Asylum released The Silver Lining on July 11, 2006, their first album of new material since Candy from a Stranger, released eight years earlier. Dolores O'Riordan helped the band rocket to fame in the 1990s with hits like Zombie, Linger and Dreams. The former moniker was dropped after Pirner and company realized it was too one-dimensional to represent the bands evolving sound. In November and December 2006 they opened for Cheap Trick on that band's American tour. Soul Asylum, an alternative rock band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, was founded in 1981. Years later, Pirner still considers Soul Asylum a punk-rock band. On March 10, 2007, Soul Asylum joined Cyndi Lauper, Mint Condition, and Lifehouse in a concert to benefit Wain McFarlane, the leader of the reggae band Ipso Facto, to help pay for the expenses of a kidney transplant. They received rave reviews in Rolling Stone and People magazine and video airplay on MTV. In 1980, while attending West High School, Dave Pirner formed his first musical group, a punk band called the Shitz. In 1993, Grave Dancers Union was certified triple-platinum. Incredibly young. He also maintains a residence in Minneapolis. A Minneapolis-based alternative rock band formed in 1981 called Soul Asylum. He is an actor and composer, known for Reality Bites (1994), Twister (1996) and Chasing Amy (1997). Muller was diagnosed with cancer in May 2004 and died in June 2004. soul asylum net worth is $30 million. In an interview with Fox9, Pirner said the song is about realizing "your emotions can get away from you and take you away from what's in front of you." So, if youre a fan of Soul Asylum, rest assured that the lead singer is still alive and kicking. He talked us out of the embarrassing part of it and convinced us it was a historical document or something and there was not a real reason to hide it anymore., It was Jesperson who signed Soul Asylum to Twin/Tone in 1984. In 1992 they released Grave Dancers Union, which became their most popular album. Soul Asylum rolled on, but was unable to duplicate its massive commercial success. [9], Before their next studio album, drummer Grant Young was fired and was replaced by Sterling Campbell. In an interview withBillboard'sCraigRosen, DavePirner reveals that the group was originally a small-time hardcore band that was closer to Black Flag than prom dances. It built a lot of character or characters., When Pirner first listened back to the early records his initialreaction was absolute embarrassment, he says. The album was unsuccessful, and the band was dropped by Columbia Records. As Soul Asylum grew in popularity, Pirner was seen guesting on albums of differing genres, including artists like Paul Westerberg, Jason Karaban, Mike Watt, The Autumn Defense[3] and Victoria Williams. He was 52. Touring the world with friends one mile and pub at a time; best perks for running killer dbd. The band later changed its name to Soul Asylum and began to tour the country. Pirner still remembers the night it happened, when the band was opening for the Replacements at a gig in Wisconsin. The death shook the Soundgarden frontman, who wrote the songs Reach Down and Say Hello 2 Heaven as a visceral reaction to Woods death. Made to Be Brokenwas radically different and I honestly think thats because we played so much and practiced so much and it was evident. In Muellers paid obituary in the Star Tribune, Pirner, Murphy and former Soul Asylum road manager Bill Sullivan are listed as bandmates and brothers, even though the bassist was an only child. soul asylum lead singer death cause The songs in this album were all written by Pirner and one of the singles, Stand Up And Be Strong, was selected by ABC and ESPN for their college football coverage for 2006-2007 season. In the 1990s, there were three videos that reached one million views: The Dream Is Never Over, Its Only A Game, and There Is No Way Is It Out. A number of films by Pirner have been nominated for awards, including the Golden Globe and the Brit Awards. Incredibly missed, Elton John wrote, Shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Chris Cornell. Pirner was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin[4] and graduated from Minneapolis West High School in 1982. CIA Director, Noam Chomsky Named in Epstein's Private Calendar: Report I was trying to stay true to the aesthetic, but at the same time, I hadnt figured out how to sing yet or tune our guitars. The outtakes featured in the bonus tracks were even worse, but Pirner was convinced to release the material by Peter Jesperson, the one-time co-founder of Twin/Tone Recordswho originally signed the band, and co-producer of the reissues, along with Ominvore co-founder Cheryl Pawelski. In the early 1980s, Mueller formed Loud Fast Rules with singer/guitarist Dave Pirner and drummer Dan Murphy, a band that became Soul Asylum three years later. In 1992, they released the triple-platinum album Grave Dancers Union, featuring "Runaway Train". The group released Candy from a Stranger the following year. He was a complex and gentle soul. That, of course, is "Runaway Train," the smash hit alt-rock power ballad that was nominated for two Grammys. The next year, they recorded three songs for the pivotal Deep Six compilation, which placed them alongside fellow grunge architects Melvins and Green River (the latter of which contained future Pearl Jam and Mudhoney members). 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Pirner also contributed to the soundtrack of Kevin Smith's 1997 film Chasing Amy with an instrumental song called "Tube Of Wonderful". Make it somehow all seem worthwhile." Tidbit: Released in 1993, this video featured the names and photos of 36 missing children, 26 of which were located. 99% 12. Audioslave, Temple of the Dog singer dies by suicide in Detroit hotel room. Soul Asylum returned to the stage on June 26, 2021 performing in New Lenox, Illinois as the opening act for the Bodeans. Chris Cornell, the dynamic vocalist and guitarist whose . Cornell killed himself by hanging, according to the Wayne County Medical Examiner (via Associated Press). However, Soul Asylum was not widely known until the release of their seventh album, "Grave Dancers Union," in 1992. His foray into the world of punk rock came in a band called the Shitz in which he sang and played guitar. After things calmed down, the band marched on and even though they haven't been able to climb that sweet, sweet hit song mountain since their 1990s heydays, life has been pretty eventful for Soul Asylum. Mueller had been battling cancer since May of 2004. Boston, MA, United States. The bands fourth album, And the Horse They Rode In On, was released in 1990. Danny kind of nursed him on the bass and he became a bass player., By the time the band got around to making its second album, Mould was back in the producers chair and original drummer Pat Morley had been replaced by Grant Young, but that wasnt the only change. [14] Soul Asylum contributed music to three Kevin Smith films, Clerks, Clerks II, and 1997's Chasing Amy (in which Pirner provided the score). Soul Asylum will pay tribute to Muller at the Crocodile Cafe in Minneapolis on Saturday, October 19, beginning at 8 p.m. The band have been described musically as alternative rock,[21][22][23][24] grunge, country rock, punk rock,[25] pop rock,[26] post-grunge,[27] and indie rock. He is survived by his wife, Mary Beth, and his mother, Mary. Pirners entry into music was in third grade, playing trumpet in a school band. The Karl that Murphy refers to and the one who spurred on thepre-holiday depression was the band's bassist Karl Mueller, who'dbeen playing in bands with Murphy since a pre-Soul Asylum . Perhaps the most fruitful and certainly one of the most resilient musical partnerships in Twin Cities music history, Soul Asylum 's Dan Murphy and Dave Pirner will no longer be working together . The Star Tribune reports that Mueller, Pirner and Murphy recorded a new Soul Asylum album earlier this year and had been negotiating with a major label for its release. It is highly recommended that you listen to them if you enjoy alternative rock or simply want to add something new to your music collection. Without a Trace 10. Their powerful albums, hit singles, and extensive touring helped Soul Asylum become one of the most influential and respected alternative rock bands of the 1980s and 1990s. Many fans of the band were wondering: is the lead singer of Soul Asylum still alive? On March 19th, 1990, Wood, Cornells former roommate, died of a heroin overdose. In 2002 Pirner released his first solo album entitled Faces & Names on Ultimatum Music. Despite Soul Asylums enormous commercial success, there was insufficient replication. Chris Cornell, lead singer for Soundgarden, has died at age 52. About half the songs on the album were recorded with the late bassist, such as "Lately", "Slowly Rising" and "Standing Water". We were absolutely thrilled, he recalls. They established themselves as one of the leading voices of the new wave of alternative rock with their first album, Say What You Will Runaway Train and The Middle are two songs from the bands future labelmate, Rick Rubin. The song's title, and the content of the video, conjures images of missing children, but Pirner said the song was inspired by his struggles with depression.