Remembering Kurt Cobain
Today in 1994, we lost Kurt Cobain, lead singer and main man of Nirvana. His influence is heard today in music that you love and know and for that he will never be forgotten.
I remember getting into Nirvana in 92 and sitting listening to the band's major label debut Nevermind and just sucking in the distorted sound and the return to basics approach. I enjoyed that more than the pomposity of late 80's Poison "metal" that was designed more to get girls than actually producing music. There is nothing wrong with creating music to get the chicks, but when you look like a chick, a 13 year old boy gets confused so easily.
I gravitated towards grunge as a rejection from that glam scene. It was more real, authentic, and accessible, than the glam scene. I was more of a ripped jeans, flannel guy than a spandex, ripped tiger shirt, and makeup.
I remember my mom coming into my room and saying one of the band's you like lost their singer today. For some reason I knew she was talking about Kurt Cobain and I spoke up and asked her if it was Kurt Cobain. She said "YES! That's him. Had you heard?" I hadn't. I guessed drugs, but was more sad to hear it was suicide.
Nothing bothers me more in this world than suicide. I hate thinking people are so depressed that suicide is the only way they think they can cope with things. A famous psychologist said "suicide is a permanant solution to a temporary problem." That is a dead on and sightful look at suicide. If you are contemplating suicide, please seek help, do not end up like Kurt. Despite what you think now, the world needs you....unless you are Miley Cyrus.
Kurt's death has always fascinated me because he was a hero that died in my lifetime at his own hands. It wasn't an accidental drug overdose, car accident, plane crash, no Kurt decided that day to leave this world. Kurt said in his suicide note that his passion for creating and playing music was gone and his faith in humanity was lost with it. Then he quoted Neil Young by saying "it is better to burn out than fade away." That isn't necessarily the case. He could have stopped Nirvana and while we would all be clamouring for a reunion, he didn't have to give it to us. Look at Guns N' Roses/Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd.
I respect and miss Kurt for his genuineness. Not for one second did I believe he wasn't Kurt Cobain on and off the camera. I can't say that for many of the rockstars I know and love. They are playing a persona onstage and on camera and are different behind closed doors.
A lot of people reject Nirvana because terrestial radio plays them incessently and that is no excuse to reject a great band. I decided to try and find some songs not played on the radio and give you a better taste of Nirvana that was.
Negative Creep is my personal favorite Nirvana song and can be found off Bleach. I love it for the heavy distorted guitar, the extreme power on the drums and harsh growling of Kurt Cobain. The lyrics are total throwaway and the song means nothing according to Kurt, but the intensity of it strikes me every time.
Scentless Apprentice is off In Utero and describes everything that came to be the real sound of grunge. The song Scentless Apprentice was written about Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, a historical horror novel about a perfumer's apprentice born with no body odor of his own but with a highly developed sense of smell, and who attempts to create the "ultimate perfume" by killing virgin women and taking their scent. How awesome is that? The brutal rawness of this song strikes you right away and epitomizes the grunge sound.
Lake of Fire was a cover version of the Meat Puppets song of the same title. In fact, during the filming of MTV's Unplugged, Nirvana covered the Meat Puppets three times (Plateau, Lake of Fire, and Oh Me.) The Meat Puppets joined them on stage during the performance. This version of Lake of Fire is better than the original. Kurt was also going through drug withdrawl during this performance, which you can't really tell unless you watch the whole performance from start to finish.
I remember getting into Nirvana in 92 and sitting listening to the band's major label debut Nevermind and just sucking in the distorted sound and the return to basics approach. I enjoyed that more than the pomposity of late 80's Poison "metal" that was designed more to get girls than actually producing music. There is nothing wrong with creating music to get the chicks, but when you look like a chick, a 13 year old boy gets confused so easily.
I gravitated towards grunge as a rejection from that glam scene. It was more real, authentic, and accessible, than the glam scene. I was more of a ripped jeans, flannel guy than a spandex, ripped tiger shirt, and makeup.
I remember my mom coming into my room and saying one of the band's you like lost their singer today. For some reason I knew she was talking about Kurt Cobain and I spoke up and asked her if it was Kurt Cobain. She said "YES! That's him. Had you heard?" I hadn't. I guessed drugs, but was more sad to hear it was suicide.
Nothing bothers me more in this world than suicide. I hate thinking people are so depressed that suicide is the only way they think they can cope with things. A famous psychologist said "suicide is a permanant solution to a temporary problem." That is a dead on and sightful look at suicide. If you are contemplating suicide, please seek help, do not end up like Kurt. Despite what you think now, the world needs you....unless you are Miley Cyrus.
Kurt's death has always fascinated me because he was a hero that died in my lifetime at his own hands. It wasn't an accidental drug overdose, car accident, plane crash, no Kurt decided that day to leave this world. Kurt said in his suicide note that his passion for creating and playing music was gone and his faith in humanity was lost with it. Then he quoted Neil Young by saying "it is better to burn out than fade away." That isn't necessarily the case. He could have stopped Nirvana and while we would all be clamouring for a reunion, he didn't have to give it to us. Look at Guns N' Roses/Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd.
I respect and miss Kurt for his genuineness. Not for one second did I believe he wasn't Kurt Cobain on and off the camera. I can't say that for many of the rockstars I know and love. They are playing a persona onstage and on camera and are different behind closed doors.
A lot of people reject Nirvana because terrestial radio plays them incessently and that is no excuse to reject a great band. I decided to try and find some songs not played on the radio and give you a better taste of Nirvana that was.
Negative Creep is my personal favorite Nirvana song and can be found off Bleach. I love it for the heavy distorted guitar, the extreme power on the drums and harsh growling of Kurt Cobain. The lyrics are total throwaway and the song means nothing according to Kurt, but the intensity of it strikes me every time.
Scentless Apprentice is off In Utero and describes everything that came to be the real sound of grunge. The song Scentless Apprentice was written about Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, a historical horror novel about a perfumer's apprentice born with no body odor of his own but with a highly developed sense of smell, and who attempts to create the "ultimate perfume" by killing virgin women and taking their scent. How awesome is that? The brutal rawness of this song strikes you right away and epitomizes the grunge sound.
Lake of Fire was a cover version of the Meat Puppets song of the same title. In fact, during the filming of MTV's Unplugged, Nirvana covered the Meat Puppets three times (Plateau, Lake of Fire, and Oh Me.) The Meat Puppets joined them on stage during the performance. This version of Lake of Fire is better than the original. Kurt was also going through drug withdrawl during this performance, which you can't really tell unless you watch the whole performance from start to finish.
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