| MEMOIR |
| Kurt Donald Cobain was the leader of Nirvana, the multiplatinum platinum grunge band that redefined the sound of the nineties. Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967 in Hoquaim, a small town near Aberdeen, Washington. He was the first child born to Donald Cobain, an auto mechanic, and wife Wendy O'Connor, a cocktail waitress. Three years later Donald and Wendy had there second child, Kim. When Kurt was only seven years old, the divorce of his parents and its aftermath transformed him from a happy and bright child into a total outcast. By his own account Cobain said that he never felt loved or secure again. After his parents divorce Cobain found himslef shuttled back and forth between various relatives and at one stage of his life he had to live under a bridge for survival. Cobain also stated that his parent's traumatic split fueled alot of the anguish in Nirvana's music. Soon, Cobain discovered rock music and in 1985, Cobain quit highschool and moved to Olympia, Washington. Cobain formed and reformed a series of bands before Nirvana came about in 1986. Nirvana was an uneasy allaince between Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic and eventually drummer Dave Grohl. By 1988 Nirvana was doing shows and had demo tapes going around. In 1989 Nirvana recorded BLEACH, their rough-edged album, for a local Seattle independent label Sub-Pop. In Britian Nirvana recieved a lot of recognition and in 1991 their contract was bought out by Geffen they signed to the mega-label, being the first non-mainstream band to do so. Two and a half yeasr after Nirvana's first C.D. BLEACH was released, they released NEVERMIND, a series of different, crunching, screaming songs that along with it's first single SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT would propel Nirvana into mainstream stardom. SMELLS LIKE TEEN SPIRIT became Nirvana's most highly acclaimed and instantly recognizable song. NEVERMIND went on to sell ten million copies and make a reported $550 million leaving Nirvana overnight millionaires. Cobain was shocked at the reception of his highly personal and passionate music repeatedly telling reporters that none of the guys ever, ever expected anything to that extent. It quickly became obvious that the sensitive 24 year old was not going to cope well with the rock'n roll lifestyle. "If there was a rock star 101 course, I'd really have liked to take it," Cobain once said. In the early 90's Cobain fell into heroin, using it as a shield agianst the demands of touring. Cobain continued to write his very personal acutely focused lyrics. Cobain was distressed to find out that what he wrote and how it was interpreted could quite often be miles apart. He was appalled when he found out that POLLY a heavily ironic anti-rape song had been used as a background music in a real gang-rape. He later appealed to fans on the INCESTICIDE liner notes: "If any of you don't like gays or women or blacks, please leave us alone." It was to no avail, Cobain found that as an overnight millionaire musician, control was something he had very little of. In February 1992 Cobain skipped off to Hawaii to marry the already pregnant Courtney Love. Later in the year Nirvana released INCESTICIDE and in August Cobain had sustained hospital treatment for heroin abuse. Shortly after Frances Bean Cobain was born. In early 1993 IN UTERO was released into the top spot on the music charts. It was widely acclaimed by the music press and it contains some of Cobain's most passionate work. IN UTERO was a lot more open than Nirvana's previous albums. Songs like ALL APOLOGIES and HEART SHAPED BOX detalied aspects of Cobain's sometimes shaky marriage. Other songs like SCENTLESS APPRENTICE detailed the agonies and struggles of Cobain's experiences. Nirvana embarked on a support tour and recorded and filmed an "unplugged" performance for MTV in November of 1993. Nirvana's choice to honor bands and people that had influenced them and Cobain's passionate and intense vocals silenced many of those who had labeled Cobain talentless. Rumors circulated that MTV UNPLUGGED would be Nirvana's last album and that the band ws splitting up. Kurt Cobain was a gun fanatic and always had several in his possesion or in various forms of confiscation. He often took promotion pictures mocking suicide. In the northern winter of 1993-94 Nirvana embarked on an extensive European tour. Twenty concerts into the tour Cobain developed throat problems and their schedule was suspended while he recovered. On March 4th Cobain was rushed to the hospital in a coma after an unsuccessful suicide attempt in which he washed down prescription painkillers with champagne. The suicide bid was officially called an accident and was not even made known to close friends. Several days later Cobain returned to Seattle. Courtney Love, and several friends and managers convinced Cobain, who was still in deep distress to enter a detox program in L.A. Onto the truth: Kurt Cobain left the drug rehab center in Marina Del Rey, Califorina on April 1, 1994 and was later reported missing. As you probably know, he was found dead just seven days later. On April 3, 1994 Tom Grant, a California state licensed private investigator was hired by Courtney Love (who was in L.A. at the time) to locate her husband after he left the drug rehab center. Courtney Love stayed in L.A while Mr. Grant flew to Seattle to search for Kurt Cobain with Dylan Carlson, Cobain's best friend. Grant and Carlson had been in the Cobain residence the night before Kurt's body was discovered the room above the garage. The police immediately concluded "suicide." Mr. Grant wasn't so sure. After several months of intensive investigation, including dozens of taped interviews with Cobain's closest friends and family members, Grant reached the conclusion that Courtney Love and Michael Dewitt (the male nanny who lived at the Cobain residnce), were invloved in a conspiracy that resulted in the murder of Kurt Cobain. It appears this was not the first attempt on Cobain's life by Courtney Love. It was however, the first to succeed. |
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