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Kurt Cobain

Historical Figure

Kurt Cobain

1967–1994

American rock musician (1967–1994)

Postwar

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Biography

Kurt Donald Cobain was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establishment persona, he widened the thematic conventions of mainstream rock music. He was heralded as a spokesman of Generation X, and is widely recognized as one of the most influential rock musicians.

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In Their Own Words (5)

Timeline

The story of Kurt Cobain, told in moments.

1988 Life

Forms Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen. They play house parties and dive bars. Their first album, Bleach, costs $606.17 to record. Sub Pop releases it to modest sales.

1991 Event

Nevermind comes out on September 24. 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' is the first single. MTV puts it in heavy rotation. By January, the album has knocked Michael Jackson off the top of the Billboard chart. Cobain is 24. He hates being famous.

1992 Life

Marries Courtney Love in February on Waikiki Beach. Their daughter Frances Bean is born in August. He's using heroin. He tells Rolling Stone he has chronic stomach pain that nothing else treats. The pain and the addiction feed each other.

1994 Death

Found dead in the greenhouse above his garage in Seattle. A shotgun and a note. He's 27. Nirvana had played their last concert three weeks earlier in Munich. The note quotes Neil Young: 'It's better to burn out than to fade away.' Young later says he was angry about being quoted.

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