Tom Morello Says Post Malone and Late Chris Cornell Shared Similar Writing Styles: 'Hit, Hooky, Beautiful, Terrifying'

Mar. 15, 2025

Tom Morello in Hollywood on Feb. 24, 2019, Post Malone in Austin on March 8, 2024, Chris Cornell in Hollywood on April 11, 2012.Photo:Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Travis P. Ball/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty; Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; Travis P. Ball/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty; Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Post MaloneandTom Morelloare cooking something up — and the multi-hyphenate has a lot in common with one of rock’s most iconic frontmen, according to theRage Against the Machineguitarist.In a recent appearance onThe Eddie Trunk Podcast,Morello revealed that Post Malone and hislate Audioslave bandmateChris Cornellhave a similar songwriting process. “When we would write songs with Chris, we sort of threw music at him — whether it was a simple chord progression like ‘I Am the Highway’ or a more complicated heavy riff — and he would just come up instantaneously with a bunch of great melodies. We’d put those down, and then he would write words to whatever,” Morello recalled.“And that’s exactly how Post Malone does it. Excellent melody — hit, hooky, beautiful, terrifying melody one after another. And that’s one thing they have in common.“Chris Cornell and Tom Morello performing with Audioslave in California in August 2003.Tim Mosenfelder/GettyThe singer, who released his debut country albumF-1 Trillionin August, and the acclaimed guitarist collaborated in an hours-long studio session “over five or six years ago” and recorded a song. But according to Morello, “I can’t get him to finish it… He’s a busy dude and he’s busy onsome stadium tourright now, but we have a really great song together.““We wrote a song together that, to my ears, sounds like what ‘Beat It’ was toMichael Jackson. It is a banger. It is an absolutely awesome rock song,” he said of his unreleased Post Malone track.While the Malone collab might take some time to see the light of day, Morello opened up about being one of the most prolific guitarists of a generation.Post Malone performing in San Francisco in August 2024.Steve Jennings/FilmMagic"I would defy you to find someone who’s not a session musician for the last 50 years who has played with a more diverse body of artists than myself,” Morello said, rattling off his collaborations withPaul McCartney, theWu-Tang Clan,Kris KristoffersonandMetallica.He also said Rage Against the Machine’s sparse discography pushed him to collaborate to satisfy the desire to play. “Rage was making records like one every four years and like, I’m really prolific,” he said. “Iloveto play. If there’s a studio door, I’ll walk through it. I started collaborating and learning so much from a real diversity of artists that I just kept going.”

Post MaloneandTom Morelloare cooking something up — and the multi-hyphenate has a lot in common with one of rock’s most iconic frontmen, according to theRage Against the Machineguitarist.

In a recent appearance onThe Eddie Trunk Podcast,Morello revealed that Post Malone and hislate Audioslave bandmateChris Cornellhave a similar songwriting process. “When we would write songs with Chris, we sort of threw music at him — whether it was a simple chord progression like ‘I Am the Highway’ or a more complicated heavy riff — and he would just come up instantaneously with a bunch of great melodies. We’d put those down, and then he would write words to whatever,” Morello recalled.“And that’s exactly how Post Malone does it. Excellent melody — hit, hooky, beautiful, terrifying melody one after another. And that’s one thing they have in common.”

Chris Cornell and Tom Morello performing with Audioslave in California in August 2003.Tim Mosenfelder/Getty

Tim Mosenfelder/Getty

The singer, who released his debut country albumF-1 Trillionin August, and the acclaimed guitarist collaborated in an hours-long studio session “over five or six years ago” and recorded a song. But according to Morello, “I can’t get him to finish it… He’s a busy dude and he’s busy onsome stadium tourright now, but we have a really great song together.”

“We wrote a song together that, to my ears, sounds like what ‘Beat It’ was toMichael Jackson. It is a banger. It is an absolutely awesome rock song,” he said of his unreleased Post Malone track.

While the Malone collab might take some time to see the light of day, Morello opened up about being one of the most prolific guitarists of a generation.

Post Malone performing in San Francisco in August 2024.Steve Jennings/FilmMagic

Steve Jennings/FilmMagic

“I would defy you to find someone who’s not a session musician for the last 50 years who has played with a more diverse body of artists than myself,” Morello said, rattling off his collaborations withPaul McCartney, theWu-Tang Clan,Kris KristoffersonandMetallica.

He also said Rage Against the Machine’s sparse discography pushed him to collaborate to satisfy the desire to play. “Rage was making records like one every four years and like, I’m really prolific,” he said. “Iloveto play. If there’s a studio door, I’ll walk through it. I started collaborating and learning so much from a real diversity of artists that I just kept going.”

source: people.com