HEAVY MUSIC HISTORY: Kurt Cobain
“The lead-singer of American grunge rock band NIRVANA, Kurt Cobain, has been found dead in his Seattle home,” reported the BBC in early April, one of the outlets that delivered the news that shocked the world. Vocalist for arguably one of the most influential bands in music history, especially in rock and metal, was sadly no longer with us at the young age of 27. Within those 27 years of his life, Cobain spoke to a generation of dissatisfied and disillusioned people in the early 1990s and performed what was on his mind, even if it was dark and hard to hear. Now, 30 years later, Cobain is still fondly remembered by music fans worldwide for his work in music and his earnest nature throughout his time in the spotlight.
Cobain’s musical journey began at an early age, as family members described him singing since the age of 2, and learning piano at four years old. In his childhood, he particularly enjoyed Hey Jude by THE BEATLES, Hey Hey We’re The Monkees by THE MONKEES and especially ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA. In high school, he expanded his tastes into hardcore and punk after being introduced to the genres by classmate and future THE MELVINS founding member, Buzz Osbourne, as well as attending many shows within Seattle’s punk scene. At 14, his uncle offered to give him a bike or a used guitar for his birthday. Cobain chose the guitar, and began teaching himself songs like Louie Louie, Another One Bites The Dust, and Stairway To Heaven. After dropping out of high school, Cobain formed his first band, FECAL MATTER, formed with Osbourne and a few other members of THE MELVINS at the time. Their material was a mix of punk originals and covers of songs by JIMI HENDRIX, LED ZEPPELIN, and THE RAMONES. However, only a song called Spank Thru has survived from that band as it appeared on box set With The Lights Out (2004).
NIRVANA began life after Cobain met Kris Novoselic, another youth part of the Seattle punk scene and within THE MELVINS’ circle of friends. Due to there not being a lot of other kids in his high school who could play music, Cobain and Novoselic began to practice together and, after Cobain kept asking him, Novoselic agreed to form a band. Although the early touring days for the band were difficult as they struggled to support the band financially and draw in the crowds to their shows, the two persevered, along with different session drummers. Soon, the first drummer, Chad Channing, officially joined the band and they released their debut record, Bleach, in 1989 on Sub Pop Records. Whilst the album didn’t initially sell well on initial release, it was well received by the critics at the time, as well as impressing other bands like SONIC YOUTH. However, Cobain had issues with Channing’s drumming style and fired him, replacing him with Dave Grohl, and the band signed to DGC Records, continuing to work with Grohl and the major label on their second album, what would become Nevermind (1991).
No one expected Smells Like Teen Spirit to be the hit that it was, especially when everyone had planned Come As You Are to be the crossover single. However, college and rock radio put it on heavy rotation and shot the band to fame, as well as launching the grunge genre into the mainstream. Nevermind was also a massive success upon release, topping the album charts and earning 3 Grammy nominations. Cobain hated the notion of being in the mainstream, comparing himself to Francis Farmer, similarly feeling persecuted by the media. In an interview with Flipside, he said, “when you’re in the public eye, you have no choice but to be raped over and over again – they’ll take every ounce of blood out of you until you’re exhausted. … I’m looking forward to the future. It will only be another year and then everyone will forget about it.”. Even so, many listeners were taken by Cobain’s songwriting skills and related to the themes and subjects he wrote about in the album, for example, Lithium was about his time living with a born-again Christian household and his experience as a Christian in that time. More examples include Something In The Way, which he wrote about his period of homelessness in his youth, and Aneurysm, which referenced the time he met Tobi Vail and vomited due to the anxiety of his infatuation when first seeing her. Everything he wrote about came from the heart, and that’s what drew many people from all corners of the music world to NIRVANA.
Thousands of bands and artists since have since taken inspiration from NIRVANA, and Cobain’s unique style of music and writing. From inspiring more grunge bands that exploded throughout the 1990s and onwards, to still speaking to and for a generation of the disenfranchised throughout the years since his untimely passing. All their albums and collections, ranging from their debut to their performance of MTV Unplugged are still hailed and acclaimed to this day, and Cobain is still honoured with the title ‘The Voice of a Generation’, though it was a title he loathed during his lifetime. Often remembered as one of the most influential musicians within music, not just within rock and metal, it’s undeniable how much worth and talent was in the man with every note he played and every lyric sung. 30 years later, his music still stands the test of time as a soundtrack of real and authentic emotions expressed in a raw outlet. It’s timeless, it’s eternal, it’s Kurt Cobain. The music world will always remember his talent and his passion for music in return.
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