by Henrik Tuxen
Why write about a man, and a band which is so extensively covered already? Well, for me it's more than anything the passion of the music, which has followed me for now more than a quarter of a Century. Furthermore a band, a person, a myth, a story which has meant a great deal to me in my professional as well as my private life.
When I started working on the book PUNK ROCK IS FREEDOM, the direction slowly and gradually sort of found itself, much more than planned from the start. For me, the story of Kurt Cobain was not just about digging into his chronological life; well, that was certainly interesting in itself, but it was all the other aspects around the lifestyle, beliefs and subcultures. This not only fascinated me, but as I realised, has had a major impact on choices and direction in my own life, privately as well as professionally.
That's why this book is seen through the eyes of the concept of punk rock and is strongly based upon personal conversations and interviews I've done with icons spanning over five decades - either within or strongly related to - this genre or attitude, as well as reflection over what I've seen, thought, heard and experienced as a musician. I played in the rocking trio The Sharing Patrol with two guys from Seattle from 1984-97 (although we were based in Copenhagen) strongly based on punk rock ideals. We played a ton of punk venues and squatted houses throughout Europe. These aspects will be fully unfolded in the book. But right here I'd like to add a few words to my huge and seemingly endless appreciation of the music of Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.
I wasn't aware of Nirvana during the Bleach era. People had told me things were cooking, but when I heard and saw Smells like Teen Spirit on MTV I was literally blown away, and felt; wow, amazing, my style of music is coming back full scale, with a new, different and extremely powerful wrapping and output.
As so many others I know Nevermind inside out, but it's not just that record, it's the full catalogue. Basically Kurt Cobain comes across, you feel him, you feel them. Not at least when it hurts, when it’s ugly, brutal and painful, but also the sweet and deep melancholic emotions. The power of the trio-engine, the way of how Krist Novoselic would be able to follow Kurt Cobain blindfolded in some timeless galaxy and how Dave Grohl added a fuel and dynamic to the overall sound and music which literally blows you away.
Although short-lived and Kurt's miserable timing of hitting international fame and heroin addiction almost simultaneously, the Nirvana catalogue has so much to offer. 'Teen Spirit', the anthem, say no more. The honest, explosive aggression in songs as Milk It and Radio Friendly Unit Shifter. The melodic, compositional brilliance in songs as Lithium and Come As You Are. The adolescent honesty to songs as School and About a Girl. The emotional depth of All Apologies and Something in the Way. The one-unit-power-trio engine of On a Plain and Frances Farmer will Have Her Revenge On Seattle and the amazing interpretations of songs as The Man Who Sold the World, Molly's Lips and Where Did You Sleep Last Night.
Smells Like Teen Spirit started a new chapter in my life, which has taken all kinds of quite extensive directions, and the music of Nirvana has become some kind of an anchor.
Kurt died a couple of years before I started out as a journalist, I never met him, but I saw Nirvana's now legendary show at Roskilde Festival 1992, and the music has been with me ever since.
Go To Playlist
About A Girl (Bleach)
An absolute turning point in the songwriting of young Kurt Cobain. The early material was heavily based on aggressive and weird punk and metal riffs. Here Kurt blend these patterns with his inner Beatle; the soundtrack to his childhood. A fruitful combination, which more than anything would later define his legacy.
Come As You Are (Nevermind)
Originally the song the record company (Geffen) believed was the strongest and most commercial song from Nevermind. As the follow up single to 'Teen Spirit' it would be the band's second biggest overall song. An absolute key track. Based around a moving bass- and guitar line, with Kurt using an echo effect, coming from a chorus pedal. Kurt sings the melodic verse, which really is the chorus and hook line. An open and relaxed track, with some sense of underlying danger, which was an integrated part of Nirvana’s expressions.
Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Unplugged)
The album ends with a version of Kurt's childhood and adolescence favorite, Leadbelly's Where did you sleep last night? When Neil Young heard the performance, he described Kurt’s very last phrase of the sons as ‘Unearthly, like a werewolf, unbelievable’.
Go To Playlist
Been a Son (Incesticide)
On of Kurt's many 'close to home' songs. Meaning the point of departure is the autobiographical family album. Here about how his father Don wishing that Kurt's younger sister Kim, should have 'Been a Son'. An early track capturing a melodic ore, dubbed harmony vocals, with a moderately driving straight beat, and hook line that sticks.
On A Plain (Nevermind)
A personal favorite, especially due to the balance of the unique power-trio dynamics in the playing, the tiny almost unheard gaps between chords, and the unproblematic and natural delivery. Novoselic’s small little ‘curl' on the bass coming out the chorus and back into the verse, makes the song a power station. Ends with Kurt’s humming background vocal left alone, which creates a great and surprising effect.
Aneurysm (Live at Reading)
Actually recorded during the Nevermind session, land the b-side of 'Teen Spirit' single, and later released on Incesticide. A live favorite, often a show opener, as on Roskilde Festival 1992. Here from Reading 1992 (played one key up compared to the studio version). Captures a twisted, abrupt chaos, but still conceptualised in a catchy, blurry sing-along chorus. Contains the line 'Love you so much it makes me sick', which is directly related to Kurt's relationship (or fling) with Toby Vail, which is the focus point for many of the songs on Nevermind.
Molly's Lips (Incesticide)
One of Kurt and Nirvana's covers of the contemporary alternative folk/rock/punk band, The Vaselines. A band that Kurt would praise throughout his life, and a band that, despite musical qualities, is known and remembered for precisely that; Kurt's interpretations of their songs. Molly's Lips is great, simple, and almost sweet and catchy. Reveals Kurt's appreciation of the melodic content and quality within alternative music.
School (Live at Reading)
The overall most played song in the Nirvana live sets. A great version of the early song from Bleach, which truly captures the rage and anger in Kurt's singing and Nirvana's playing, which would later evolve into modern evergreens.
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nevermind)
An anthem for a Generation, no further comments.
Go To Playlist
Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle (In Utero)
The song with the crazy title centers around the misanthropic hookline ‘I miss the comfort in being sad’. It switches between quiet, loud, but within the words, not the music. Kurt is sneering and bending his vocal in an accusing, sneery approach, but efficiently without screaming, The true story behind the title is the rebellious actress Frances Farmer from the 30s and 40s, who were sent to mental asylum, being raped, abused and even lobotomized, simply for not fitting in. She was not mentally ill, but paid the highest price for speaking up her mind. A story which Kurt would frequently refer to in interviews.
Love Buzz (Bleach)
Nirvana's very first single for Sub Pop, the cover version of the Shocking Blue song. Nirvana transforms the original strongly in sound and expression, where a hypnotic, repetitive bass vibe, really makes the song, with Kurt's vocal on top. Heres the simplicity works, at a time when Kurt's songs at the time where going in all kinds of directions.
In Bloom (Nevermind)
The first song that was written and would make the setlist, in the line of smash hits, that was soon to unfold on Nevermind. Novoselic is quoted for saying ‘It sounded like something from Bad Brains which Kurt turned into a pop song’. The song is widely known for partly being about Kurt’s probably best friend Dylan Carlson, referring to the latters obsessions with guns. This is off course retrospectively thought-provoking, due to Carlson helping Cobain achieving the weapon he fired, as the last act in his life. Musically it's based on a slow, heavy recognisable intro, going into the verse, with the guitar partly dropping out, Kurt’s lazy words, going into the heavy and melodic chorus, with Kurt singing in full range, but without screaming.
Negative Creep (Bleach)
Very early song from the, at the time of writing, totally unknown singer. Captures the frustration of Kurt's adolescence, his accusations and rage against his surroundings, as well as his negative and degrading self estimate. Not exactly cheerful, but a fine state of the art representation for Kurt and Nirvana in the mid/late 80s, when they were hardly a band.
Breed (Nevermind)
A super fast and heavy outburst of a song. A key example of the almost intuitive connection between Cobain and Novoselic, with the latter knowing exactly where Kurt’s going all the time. A super heavy bass sound (later taken to its fullest extent in the ultra slow tempo of Heart Shaped Box) with the Nirvana-trademark of bending the endnote of phrase, and with a dead efficient chorus, and an amazing leap back to the verse.
Something In The Way (Unplugged)
Lyrically reflecting on Kurt’s partly homelessness as an older kid and a young adult. Although, as according to Charles Cross and Novoselic, Kurt never slept underneath the bridge, this track expresses loneliness and solitude in a way which manifests through time and age. A melancholic classic which ends the ground-breaking Nevermind. Here in an emotional version from the Unplugged session late in Kurt Cobain's life.
Lithium (Nevermind)
In my book, one of the absolute best-written songs from the hands of Kurt Cobain, which can be played in all styles, whatsoever from barbershop, by a symphonic orchestra to punk rock. Based around Novoselic’s firm and straight walking bass-line, followed by an elegant twist, making the chorus extremely powerful. Kurt is in his ace in both music and lyrics, which is definitely poetry thrown together, creating its own picture.
Scentless Apprentice (In Utero)
This is like a scream from a wounded, hunted animal. Kurt’s in pain, whether he’s going through a cold turkey, reliving his nightmares or whatever. It’s efficient, and when he repeatedly screams ‘go away’, you believe him. This is as far as I know the only time that Kurt would write a song directly based on a book he’d read. More precisely Perfume, by Patrick Suskind, where the main character is abandoned as a child and raised by a nurse.
Go To Playlist
Milk It (From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah)
An absolute personal favorite. As a force of urgency, extremely efficiently switching between the almost delirium-like, hallucinative effect, with the squeaky, deliberately chopped up unfocused verse, massively going into the slow, extremely heavy chorus, with the twisted combination of variating the use of the words ‘Doll Steak, Test Meat’. Kurt sounds sick, as if he’s on one hand close to his final breath, and in other parts screaming his guts out with a surreal power. The choppy, fragmented and extremely heavy feel, is like a cure. Like a physical and mental cleansing, but not a pretty one. Pure excellence. I love the In Utero original, but here in live version from Seattle Center Arena, January 7th 1994 (wrongly says January 5th on the album), less than three months before Kurt's death. Documents he was quite a live on stage all through his life and body were pretty much in ruins otherwise.
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter (In Utero)
Another great, frenzy, fast and heavy track. The choppy bassline makes the counterpoint to Grohl's beat and Kurt’s noisy soundscape on the guitar. Excellent punk rock, summed up in the expressive hook line ‘What is wrong with me’. As on Milk it efficiently almost exposing, some secret dark chambers of human nature. As; ‘enter if you dare, but at your own risk’. As with Milk it, in this particular type of style and outlet, in their own league.
The Man Who Sold the World (Unplugged)
An outstanding, melancholic version of David Bowie's The Man who sold the World. In his journals Kurt ranked Bowie’s album of the same title in all time Top 50. Bowie himself expressed that he was ‘blown away’, by the fact that Kurt covered his song, and believed it was ‘heartfelt’. Bowie expressed that he really wanted to meet and talk, and maybe cooperate with Kurt (which didn’t happen). He added that kids would later come up to him saying, ‘how cool you’re covering a Nirvana song’, when he played his own original at shows.
You Know You're Right (Nirvana)
The very last Kurt Cobain composition recorded by Nirvana in the constellation of Cobain, Novoselic and Grohl, at Robert Lang Studios in Seattle January 1994. An effective friency rocker, with Kurt's voice sneering unison with his guitar playing. An impressive final stroke, proving that Kurt may had lost track of his life, but not his songwriting at the time of his death. Post hummed released on Nirvana in 2002.
All Apologies (Unplugged)
The melancholic, thoughtful confession of a man, with not much time left. This is the end song of In Utero as is even better on Unplugged in New York. Although the song originally dates quite a while back, it’s the type of song Kurt and Nirvana were also able to unfold late in the career. You can’t help wondering if Kurt would have had several more of that caliber up his sleeve, if his life has turned out otherwise.