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Kurt Cobain
From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist
Kurt Cobain was the singer, guitarist and principal songwriter of Nirvana. He was born in 1967 in Aberdeen, a small port town in the American state of Washington. As a child he sang and drew a great deal. His parents' divorce, when he was nine, made him quiet and rebellious. Through Buzz Osborne of the Melvins he discovered punk and hardcore, and in the punk scene around Seattle he found his place. Later he named Pixies, The Vaselines and Meat Puppets as favourites.
Music and breakthrough
In 1987 Cobain started a band with the bassist Krist Novoselic that was called Nirvana from 1988. The debut album Bleach appeared in 1989 on the small label Sub Pop. With the drummer Dave Grohl, who joined in 1990, the band signed to the major label DGC. The second album, Nevermind (1991), was a smash with Smells Like Teen Spirit. Cobain also wrote Come as You Are, Lithium, In Bloom and, for the last studio album In Utero (1993), Heart-Shaped Box and All Apologies. His music combined the noise of punk with melodies that stuck in the mind, and his lyrics were restless and full of doubt.
Influence
Because of the sudden success Cobain came to be seen as the voice of Generation X, a role in which he did not feel at home. He struggled with depression, stomach pain, a heroin addiction and the pressure of fame. In April 1994, at the age of 27, he took his own life. With his songs he widened what mainstream rock could be about, and he is regarded as one of the most influential rock musicians. In 2014 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Nirvana.
Listening
Discography
Studio albums
In School of Rock
The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.
- Mixtape 4: When Rock Was Still PopNL Reader
- Mixtape 10: Women in Pop MusicNL Reader
- Magazine: Cut, Paste and ScandalNL Magazine
Mentioned in other articles
- Doolittle Album
Kurt Cobain said that Smells Like Teen Spirit was strongly influenced by that sound.