Kotzen All For Fronting Soundgarden On Comeback Tour

K. Wiggins | 03-06-2020

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If Soundgarden were to approach Richie Kotzen to front the band on a comeback tour, the singer says that it would be an offer that could not turn down.

The acclaimed music star, who has drawn comparisons to the late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, was asked by the Another FN Podcast about the idea of joining the band.

Kotzen was asked if the band approached him with the right number, would be join them for a comeback tour. He responded, "It doesn't have anything to do with numbers; it would not be a numbers game. I think that it would be an honor for anyone to have that opportunity.

"And again, it goes back to the sentence I said earlier: 'Never step into a great man's shoes.' But I think that that phone call, whether it was me or anyone else, would be a complete honor, and I think someone would have to be a bit of a fool to say 'no.'"

Richie was also asked about the comparisons to Cornell and what influence that the late singer may have had on him. He said, "Well, I think it is a compliment. He's one of the greatest rock singers of our generation, so it's definitely a compliment. And I think people draw comparisons, because that's what they do, they hear things that resonate that are familiar.

"Now, the comparison, I think, is coincidence. I think I'm a little too old and I've been doing it a little too long to say that his work was a direct influence on what I do. But I could say that we probably had similar influences. And I can say that I think he's a fantastic and amazing artist. And it's an honor to be compared to anyone that's great.

"My biggest influence as a singer is Terence Trent D'Arby. And that is where that sound comes from. So the sound that caused the rock people to mention Chris, I got that sound, and I will admit I lifted it from Terence Trent D'Arby.

"So the rock people, many of them, aren't gonna get that, 'cause they don't listen to that kind of music. So they say Chris. If they did their research, they'd know that I listened to Terence, I listened to Coverdale and Glenn Hughes and Ronnie Dio and Paul Rodgers.

"So, it's a coincidence, but it is a very nice compliment. And being compared to someone that is that great is always a good thing."