Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd have issued a response to the lawsuit filed by Chris Cornell's widow, Vicky Cornell, last week.

The legal battles between the Cornell Estate and the surviving members of Soundgarden have been ongoing, and, in the latest lawsuit, Vicky Cornell is suing over an alleged buyout deal where the band offered $300,000 for Chris Cornell's share which only involved Soundgarden's recorded music, not other items such as branded merchandise and touring revenue.

The figure was deemed non-satisfactory as Vicky Cornell did not feel the number accurately reflected the worth of what was intended to be acquired. Thus, a lawsuit was filed to ensure proper accounting of the band's finances and worth.

In response to this (via Spin), Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd insisted the buyout offer was "grossly mischaracterized" and that "clarity" will come when the case is handled in court.

They further maintained that offers to buy out their own interests were "unsolicited and rejected outright" while reiterating that Soundgarden's social media account had been hijacked, prompting confusion among fans.

A previous lawsuit filed on behalf of the surviving Soundgarden members had indicated that Vicky Cornell had usurped control of the band's social media accounts without their permission, locking them out in the process while issuing new posts herself. The members later began operating under a new account, 'Nudedragons,' which is an anagram of Soundgarden.

In closing, Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd also affirmed their intentions on finishing what will be the "final" Soungarden album.

The buyout offer that was demanded by the Estate has been grossly mischaracterized and we are confident that clarity will come out in court. All offers to buy out our interests have been unsolicited and rejected outright. For more than a year, Soundgarden’s social media accounts have been hijacked; misleading and confusing our fans. Being a band from Washington State since 1984, we are proud of Soundgarden’s musical legacy, work and career. We look forward to completing the final Soundgarden album.

Chris Cornell died on May 18, 2017 of suicide at age 52. Late last year, a covers collection titled No One Sings Like You Anymore, was released as a surprise and another installment is said to be on the way as well.

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. Resource information is provided for free as well as a chat message service. To speak directly to a professional, call 1-800-273-8255. You are not alone and help is available. Every life is important.

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