Audioslave are in Los Angeles working on the follow-up to their 2002, self-titled debut. The hard rock supergroup -- former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell, and Rage Against the Machine vets, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk -- began writing new material after last summer's Lollapalooza tour, but the band is now buckling down in rehearsals and writing "a song a day," according to guitarist Tom Morello.

Morello says Audioslave have nineteen tracks in the works, but they will continue to compose new material. "The modus operandi is we write 'til the well runs dry and then go in and record," he says. "You never know . . . the twenty-sixth song might be [Audioslave's first single] 'Cochise.'"

Morello is already enthusiastic about the new output. "There's a breadth and a depth to the music that makes it inspiring to show up at rehearsal every day," he says. "There's ferocious, ripping, riff rock & roll and there's some stuff that sounds like Audioslave meets [U2's] Joshua Tree. It's pretty diverse and beautiful. Chris is singing great, Timmy and Brad sound awesome -- it's good times."

Morello won't commit to a release date, but he says to ensure quality, the band is in no great hurry. "What we're gonna do," he says, "is make sure that this is the greatest record that we could possibly make."

JOLIE LASH
(March 15, 2004)