Kurt Donald Cobain (1967 – 1994)
Lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the American grunge band, Nirvana.
I need you around
To remind me what not to become.
Hello, we're major label corporate rock sell outs.
I remember watching Kurt come through and thinking, "God, this music is nuclear," This is really splitting the atom. They raised the temperature for everybody. Manufactured pop never looked so cold as when that heat was around. Nirvana made everything else look silly.
This song is dedicated to Frank Zappa, and River Phoenix, Fred Gwynne who played Herman Munster, Dixie Lee Ray, Thomas P, Tip O'Neil, and you, dumb ass, who just threw water on me.
People were trying to call me to do interviews on the anniversary of Kurt Cobain's death. They want me to say some poignant shit about some poor guy who blew his head off. It's just like, "Give me a fuckin' break, man"...Just say the guy made some good records, and let's get on with it.
And I want it so bad I'd shoot the sunshine into my veins.
I can't remember the good old days.
Yeah, I was run out of town. They chased me up to the castle of Aberdeen with torches. Just like the Frankenstein monster. And I got away in a hot air balloon. And I came here to Seattle.
I wouldn’t wear a tie-dyed tee-shirt unless it was dyed with the urine of Phil Collins and the blood of Jerry Garcia.
What are they tuning, a harp? I thought we were a big rich rock band. We should have a whole bunch of extra guitars.
Now I'ma pull a fuckin' Jeffrey Dahmer
Now he's suicidal, just like Nirvana.
Genius is a weird and inappropriate word, and hard work is underrated, but Kurt Cobain had a distinct and personal take on the world, and generally, when someone strikes a chord with his audience, that’s what people respond to...I have to admit that I wasn’t particularly a fan of Nirvana when I was asked to work on In Utero, but during the course of making the record I came to appreciate that they were genuine about their band and their music, that Kurt was capable of sophisticated thinking, and that they and their music were unique.
He lies in an empty room
With his hair burnt to the back
It sure sounds funny
When you say his name like that.
I need an easy friend
I do, with an ear to lend.
The thrill and embarrassment of becoming international pop stars was too much, so we opened our mouths and put our foot in sometimes.
Kurt really reminded me a lot of John [Lennon] in his writing, singing, and guitar playing. More attitude than technique, but he had incredibly strong rhythm and a great solo sense.
If I may, and if I might
Lay me down, weeping.
Rap music is the only vital form of music introduced since punk rock.
If you're really a mean person you're going to come back as a fly and eat poop.
I was in Pioneer Square - I went to see some band, I don't know if it was the the Melvins. Kurt was there - I think Kurt was by himself and I was by myself. I went over to tell him how much I loved Bleach. He was very quiet and subdued. He said, "Thanks - that means a lot coming from you. Consider yourself our biggest influence."