Rock musician Natasha Shneider dies of cancer

Josh Homme (L) and Natasha Shneider (R) of Queens of the Stone Age perform during the band's set at the annual KROQ Weenie Roast 2005 concert at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, May 21, 2005. Singer/songwriter Shneider, who collaborated with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell and rock band Queens of the Stone Age, died Tuesday of cancer.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Singer/songwriter Natasha Shneider, who collaborated with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell and rock band Queens of the Stone Age, died Tuesday of cancer.

The age of the Moscow native was unknown.

Shneider, her husband Alain Johannes and Jack Irons formed the rock band Eleven in 1990 following the latter's departure from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It released five albums, the best known of which was a 1993 self-titled affair for Disney's Hollywood Records.

"Reach Out," the single from the set, became Eleven's only track to dent the Billboard charts, reaching No. 40 on the airplay-based Mainstream Rock tally.

As the band's recorded output became more sporadic, Shneider and Johannes lent their songwriting and production talents to other projects, such as Cornell's 1999 solo debut "Euphoria Morning." Of late, the pair had recorded and toured in Queens Of The Stone Age.

A PayPal fund (www.natashashneider.org/) has been set up to defray costs associated with Shneider's medical care.

Reuters/Billboard