While relations appeared to be getting better between the surviving members of Soundgarden and late frontman Chris Cornell's widow, Vicky, it now seems that truce was short-lived. The remaining members of the band were attempting to negotiate a buy-out of Chris's stake in the band, and Vicky feels the band gave her a lowball offer, so now she is suing them and asking the courts to properly value the band.
TMZ reports Vicky claims in the lawsuit that the three remaining members offered her a $300,000 buyout for Chris' share of the band. To illustrate how low the offer was, Vicky said it was less than her share of just the 2018 royalties of Soundgarden masters.
Vicky Cornell is alleging the band got an offer of $16 million to sell their masters to an outside investor and want to push her out before making the sale. She feels that she is entitled to an amount closer to what would be Chris' $4 million cut of such a sale.
A rep for the remaining members of Soundgarden commented to TMZ saying: "As requested by the Estate of Chris Cornell and as required by the laws of the State of Washington, the surviving members of Soundgarden submitted to the Cornell Estate four months ago a buy-out offer of the Estate’s interests in Soundgarden calculated by respected music industry valuation expert Gary Cohen.
"Since then, the band members have continued to try to settle all disputes with the Cornell Estate and in their several attempts to settle, the band members have elected to offer multiple times more than the amount calculated by Cohen.
"This dispute has never been about money for the band. This is their life's work and their legacy."
Soundgarden and Vicky have been in many legal battles. In December 2019, Vicky sued the band over unpaid royalties and the rights to Chris' final recordings, seven tracks in total. Vicky argues that these tracks, which are Chris' final recordings were "solely authored by Chris; contain Chris' own vocal tracks; and were bequeathed to Chris' Estate" for the benefit of Chris' wife and kids.
The remaining members of Soundgarden filed a conterlawsuit against Chris Cornell’s widow Vicky Cornell in May, in part alleging there were missing funds from a charity concert. Soundgarden claimed they had an "oral agreement" with Cornell to perform for free at a 2019 show to raise money for The Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation, though the band claims Cornell used the money for personal expenditures.
Soundgarden eventually dropped their counterlawsuit, saying they believe their claims against Vicky are "well-founded," but are dismissing them for "reasons communicated" to Cornell's lawyers. Soundgarden and Cornell are still fighting in court over who owns the band's recordings.
