Chris Cornell spoke to MTV.com earlier this afternoon about his decision to leave AUDIOSLAVE after releasing three albums with the group. According to Cornell, he had been thinking about quitting since the band finished recording its last effort, "Revelations".

"It was clear to all of us we needed some time apart, and what that produces is anybody's guess," he told MTV.com. "In my case, it produced a very prolific writing period, and getting back into writing songs on my own, liking what that means — which is sort of a freedom and time to just experiment with music to a degree I kind of like more — and making records that have everything I like about music in them. AUDIOSLAVE was a very fresh collaboration because it was very much like a young band, where you all write together in a room. But my experience, in terms of songwriting and record-creating, is not like a 19-year-old guy in a rock band. For me to be satisfied, I think I need to be able to be on my own, in the long run."

When asked about SOUNDGARDEN possibly reuniting, Cornell said it was doubtful. "I haven't received any phone calls from anyone in SOUNDGARDEN about a reunion since we broke up, nor have I called anyone," he said. "We were happy with how it ended. There was no unfinished business. SOUNDGARDEN wasn't a band where we broke up and everyone was like, 'I'm never f---ing talking to you again.' It wasn't like that. We've all talked to each other many times since then. It's something we don't feel we need to do."

Read more at MTV.com.