Sonic Youth Gossip - View Single Post - My renewed appreciation of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana

ann ashtray · 01.02.2011, 03:19 AM

One of the things I always enjoyed about Nirvana is how much information is out there. There's plenty to critique, making it easy for the individual to form his/her own opinion on the band as well as it's front man. Unlike Zeppelin or Jimi, the mythological aspects are fairly easy to sort out. Kurt had problems, he was a junky, he could be an asshole (even to fans and bandmates), he had attempted suicide on more than one occasion, he was also sweet and funny and intelligent...sure. He was OBVIOUSLY human to anyone that took/takes the time to pay attention. Thus, there was (and will be for some time) those that identify with the guy.

They were the first band I ever identified with on a personal level. The music was simple, yet still thought provoking. None of that "rock god" bullshit. Next-to-no stories of groupies/backstage blow jobs/parties at the Playboy mansion. They just always seemed like a group of guys I could easily hang out with and not feel too far out of place. Shit, I likely could have felt comfortable even jamming with them. They were the band that made me want to pick up a guitar, not only because I identified and wanted to create something similar, but also because I felt like I could. The music of my parents and whatever other shit I heard on the radio prior to discovering Nirvana (5th grade) made me feel anything but.

Of course, I've gotten older. I don't look up to Kurt anymore being that I'm 27 years old. Thinking about him and the stories I grew up reading still interest me, but at times it just feels nostalgic. I've reached a point to where I identify with music (+ art in general) in a completely different way than I did as a kid. Lyrics and interviews and personal lives mean very little. I don't mind listening to more complex shit and embracing it for what it is and even attempting to take notes from it. In other words, I think I learned everything I could/can from that band...it's ok for me to move on + explore other forms of music a 14 year old Sway would have made fun of (+ fuck yeah, I used to hate Zeppelin).

There's been a pattern over the last several years. I'll listen to Nirvana for about a week or two, reread a couple books, then forget about 'em and move onto something else paying little to no attention to them for the remainder of the year.

Nice post.

01.02.2011, 03:19 AM	#13
ann ashtray expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Macon, GA Posts: 2,299	One of the things I always enjoyed about Nirvana is how much information is out there. There's plenty to critique, making it easy for the individual to form his/her own opinion on the band as well as it's front man. Unlike Zeppelin or Jimi, the mythological aspects are fairly easy to sort out. Kurt had problems, he was a junky, he could be an asshole (even to fans and bandmates), he had attempted suicide on more than one occasion, he was also sweet and funny and intelligent...sure. He was OBVIOUSLY human to anyone that took/takes the time to pay attention. Thus, there was (and will be for some time) those that identify with the guy. They were the first band I ever identified with on a personal level. The music was simple, yet still thought provoking. None of that "rock god" bullshit. Next-to-no stories of groupies/backstage blow jobs/parties at the Playboy mansion. They just always seemed like a group of guys I could easily hang out with and not feel too far out of place. Shit, I likely could have felt comfortable even jamming with them. They were the band that made me want to pick up a guitar, not only because I identified and wanted to create something similar, but also because I felt like I could. The music of my parents and whatever other shit I heard on the radio prior to discovering Nirvana (5th grade) made me feel anything but. Of course, I've gotten older. I don't look up to Kurt anymore being that I'm 27 years old. Thinking about him and the stories I grew up reading still interest me, but at times it just feels nostalgic. I've reached a point to where I identify with music (+ art in general) in a completely different way than I did as a kid. Lyrics and interviews and personal lives mean very little. I don't mind listening to more complex shit and embracing it for what it is and even attempting to take notes from it. In other words, I think I learned everything I could/can from that band...it's ok for me to move on + explore other forms of music a 14 year old Sway would have made fun of (+ fuck yeah, I used to hate Zeppelin). There's been a pattern over the last several years. I'll listen to Nirvana for about a week or two, reread a couple books, then forget about 'em and move onto something else paying little to no attention to them for the remainder of the year. Nice post. __________________ Team Thurston!
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