Twenty Years since Kurt Cobain's suicide

[PlainSimpleJoel]

Anyone else today feel sad remembering Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who killed himself 20 years. I remember hearing it back in 1994. Shock was best thing to describe it.

Anyways, today been listening to a bit of Nirvana, as I remember one of the most important bands of the 90s.

 

[Yoda]

I was young enough for it to not have a huge effect on me back then, and I'm jaded enough for it to not have an effect on me now.

 

[PlainSimpleJoel]

I was in senior years of high school when Nevermind came out. Sometimes I wonder what Nirvana would have been like, if Kurt didn't die.

 

[Kronos]

I was in senior years of high school when Nevermind came out. Sometimes I wonder what Nirvana would have been like, if Kurt didn't die.

Call me negative but I think they were just about done already.

 

[Beagleman]

I was in senior years of high school when Nevermind came out. Sometimes I wonder what Nirvana would have been like, if Kurt didn't die.

Call me negative but I think they were just about done already.

I agree, I fear they would just have faded away a few years later. I mean Grunge as a whole was more or less played out at that point... :/

 

[the G-man]

Best case scenario: They would have ended up like Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumpkins, still being successful and respected but no longer particularly relevant to anyone under 40. And probably less edgy and more soft-rock oriented.

Worst case scenario: Guns n' Roses style clusterfuck of competing egos and breakups, with Kurt trying to keep the name going while Grohl spins off into the Foo Fighters anyway.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

You still can hear the influence of their sound today. Probably better to mark the 20th anniversary of Nevermind or something rather than his death.

 

[Forbin]

I was old enough to think he sucked, and not care that he was stupid and died.

 

[Brolan]

I'm old enough that rockstars stupidly killing themselves is not news. It's sort of like the passing of the seasons.

 

[bbailey861]

I was old enough to think he sucked, and not care that he was stupid and died.

Yes

I'm old enough that rockstars stupidly killing themselves is not news. It's sort of like the passing of the seasons.

and yes.

 

[Melakon]

I was old enough to think he sucked, and not care that he was stupid and died.

Yes

I'm old enough that rockstars stupidly killing themselves is not news. It's sort of like the passing of the seasons.

and yes.

And yes. I started listening to rock & roll in 1962. Too many dead music artists since then, and for some genres it seems a requirement for success.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Cobain was almost exactly my age, so I was already out of college when Nirvana hit it big and I had never listened to them. After his suicide, I bought their albums and got somewhat into them.

I think it's true what Kurt Loder said at the time, that Cobain was the John Lennon of his generation. Nevermind is a spiritual cousin to John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

 

[J.T.B.]

I have a very hard time classifying Nirvana, in comparison to US undgerground/independent bands of the '80s, as equal in novelty or innovation to the Beatles. A very good band to be sure, who were in the right place and time to become huge. It was something I never could have predicted: That the band I saw open for Dinosaur Jr. in a converted church for a few hundred people would become, within a year or so, the biggest thing in the world. They were OK, and very loud, but neither I nor my friends though they were anything special.

Cobain's death was a sad thing but, as I remember it, not super shocking news. There were quite a few deaths in that scene. Hard to believe it was 20 years ago, though, as I find my self saying quite regularly.

 

[Mojochi]

Some people aren't meant to be 40, especially in the entertainment biz, doubly so when you've already peaked. No one can make pissed off music forever. Even fucking Henry Rollins had to lay off eventually, & he's fucking Henry Rollins. If anyone stood a chance, it was him. All we had to look forward to was disappointing musical directions, band breakups & personal life drama, custody battles, rehab, etc...

We missed nothing. All of these thoughts were clearly running through Cobain's head prior to the bullet. That doesn't make his death any less tragic though. If that was his woes, then pack up your money & disappear. You don't have to kill yourself, unless you're an egomaniac

 

[gturner]

And some people in entertainment aren't meant to be 25. *cough* Bieber *cough*

I really shouldn't say that, though, since he did save my life.

Last year I was in a very bad car wreck and was in a coma for two weeks, completely unresponsive and on the edge of death. Then one morning the nurse came in and turned on the radio, which was playing a Justin Bieber song. So I got up and turned it off.

Thanks Justin.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

I have a very hard time classifying Nirvana, in comparison to US undgerground/independent bands of the '80s, as equal in novelty or innovation to the Beatles.

I certainly wouldn't say that either. In fact, the Beatles will probably never be equalled in those areas because they were brilliant at an irrepeatable moment in music history. But I think Cobain's persona, creativity, and attitude were a combination as close to Lennon as it got for that time.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

Hey, Nirvana killed hair metal, that has to be worth something.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Hey, Nirvana killed hair metal, that has to be worth something.

 

[the G-man]

Hey, Nirvana killed hair metal, that has to be worth something.

 

[scotpens]

I was young enough for it to not have a huge effect on me back then, and I'm jaded enough for it to not have an effect on me now.

I was old enough for his death not to have a huge effect on me, though I knew he was an influential musician.

Interesting that John Lennon was mentioned upthread. Lennon's death, to me, was like a punch in the gut.