Fashion Influential #45: Kurt Cobain
FACT BOX TITLE Born:
February 20, 1967
Died:
April 5, 1994
Fan of:
The Vaselines, The Melvins, Daniel Johnston, The Meat Puppets, Pixies, The Raincoats
Drugs:
Heroin, Percodan
Beginnings.
Kurt Donald Cobain, like so many gifted musicians before him, was into music way early in life. According to Cobain’s aunt, "He was singing from the time he was two. He would sing Beatles songs like 'Hey Jude'. He had a lot of charisma from a very young age." He would, of course, go on to form one of the most influential bands of the 20th Century. His intense, sometimes confrontational passion for music left little time to think about things like “fashion,” so grunge not only became a style of music, but a way to dress. Cobain often mused about being gay. In one of his personal journals, Cobain wrote, "I am not gay, although I wish I were, just to piss off homophobes." He was arrested in 1985 for spray painting “HOMO SEX RULES” on a bank.
Career Highs.
Not only was “Smells Like Teen Spirit” the anthem for teen angst, but it sounded the death knell for hair metal bands everywhere. Cobain’s guttural, barely intelligible voice and lack of lyrics in the liner notes left the song’s interpretation somewhat open. Though the message was clear: Fuck it. Nevermind was a game-changer of an album and Nirvana was soon dubbed the “flagship band of Generation X.” Billboard proclaimed, "Nirvana is that rare band that has everything: critical acclaim, industry respect, pop radio appeal, and a rock-solid college/alternative base."
Punk is musical freedom. It's saying, doing and playing what you want. In Webster's terms, 'nirvana' means freedom from pain, suffering and the external world, and that's pretty close to my definition of Punk Rock.
– Kurt Cobain
RIP
Career Lows.Cobain married Courtney Love on February 24, 1992 and critics were soon making Yoko Ono analogies. Though there’s no specific evidence to support it, many believe Cobain wrote much of Live Through This, the debut album of Hole, Love’s band. Cobain claimed that he was “determined to get a habit” as a way to deal with his chronic stomach pain. His determination paid off and by the end of 1990, he was a full-blown addict. In 1993, Cobain overdosed but instead of going to the hospital, Love injected him with Narcan which revived him enough to perform.
Legacy.
It’s easy to admire uncompromising men. Cobain said, “I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not,” and lived his life accordingly, leaving an archive of music that will be studied for years to come. Despite the density of pessimists among the genre’s following, it’s hard to find anyone who would argue that Cobain is the most iconic musicians in the history of alternative music.
Cobain filming MTV Unplugged.
Get the Look.
Kurt Cobain would probably tell you to be yourself, not Nirvana, but if you want the grunge look, start at your nearest thrift store and keep an open mind. Salvation Army saw a run on cardigan sweaters after Cobain wore a baby puke yellowish-green one for their MTV Unplugged performance.
- John
Photo credits: lostateminor.com
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