AUDIOSLAVE Frontman: 'We're Just Four Sweaty Guys Making Music'

AUDIOSLAVE frontman Chris Cornell has told Ross Raihala of the Pioneer Press that the band were very confident during the making of their upcoming sophomore album, "Out of Exile".

"Really, we weren't too worried about anything this time around," Cornell said. "The first record did really well, we toured to enthusiastic audiences, and we were taken seriously as a band. Now, it's all payoff, payoff, payoff, without any of the mysteries."

The resounding commercial success of the band's debut album bonded the band, Cornell said.

"It's like a sociology experiment in a way. It's no longer three guys with one dynamic — and a fourth person. The whole dynamic is completely different. It's changed not only how they think of me, but how they think about each other.

"At the end of the day, we're just four sweaty guys in a dark, stinky room, making music. When you look at it that way, it makes it easy to understand how we work."

As such, AUDIOSLAVE recorded some two dozen tracks for its sophomore disc, "Out of Exile". It's set for release on May 24, but Cornell and company were still tinkering with the record's final lineup last week.

"We were supposed to figure that out last night, but we didn't," Cornell said with a laugh. "I feel like 10 of the 12 songs are obvious. It's that final two that are difficult to choose. There's really no clunkers or filler. Every one of these songs could do well on radio."

Cornell said the numbers that don't make the cut will form the base for the next AUDIOSLAVE album, which he'd like to release sooner than later.

"I've always wanted to do something closer to an album every year or year-and-a-half," he said. "In SOUNDGARDEN, it felt like the industry put too much importance into each new release — it had to be the second coming and some epic thing every time. It created tension and pressure on the band. And it takes too long.

"I liked the days when a band like the ROLLING STONES could put out a record that I didn't like, but it didn't matter. HUSKER DU could put out a record I didn't like, but I'd still buy the next one. When you're waiting two or three years for a follow-up, though, chances are you're not going to be so patient."