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Audioslave was an American rock supergroup that formed in Los Angeles, California in 2001. It consisted of ex-Soundgarden frontman and rhythm guitarist Chris Cornell and the former instrumentalists of Rage Against the Machine; Tom Morello (guitar), Tim Commerford (bass and backing vocals) and Brad Wilk (drums). Critics initially described Audioslave as an amalgamation of Rage Against the Machine and Soundgarden, but by the band's second album, Out of Exile, noted that it had established a separate identity.
After Audioslave released three highly successful albums, received three Grammy nominations, sold more than eight million records worldwide, and became the first American rock band to perform an open-air concert in Cuba, Chris Cornell issued a statement that he was permanently leaving the band "due to irresolvable personality conflicts as well as musical differences". The announcement came less than a month after Morello, Commerford and Wilk announced that they would be reuniting with their former vocalist Zack de la Rocha to reform Rage Against the Machine. As the three were busy with reunion performances and Morello and Cornell both released solo albums in 2007, Audioslave was officially disbanded.
