Happy Birthday, Kurt Cobain · 3:38am Feb 21st, 2014
This man, my idol and hero (to a degree), would have turned 47 today.
Fuck it, I can't get through this without crying and I just don't know why...
I cried several times while watching the Live at Reading concert. I guess something's just wrong with me. But I digress. This post is about Kurt Cobain and Nirvana, not my mental health.
I simply can't put into words what Nirvana means to me personally. I first heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit when I was a child, and loved it, but didn't understand it or even know the name of the band. Fast forward ten years later, and while flipping through my dad's old CDs, I came across Nevermind. I had recently gotten back into rock music after moving on to the pop and alt rock in my mid-teens. I shrugged and gave the CD a listen, vaguely recalling having enjoyed the music as a child. First song comes on, and all the memories come flooding back; I remembered every song on the album and immediately fell back in love with Nirvana. Now I'm 20, still a lonely, confused child. But Nirvana opened up something within that I just can't explain in words. I'm sure other hardcore fans of the band will tell you the same. There's something about Kurt Cobain's music that just... touches the soul in a unique way if you let it in. And thus, Kurt Cobain became my hero:
In the words of Foo Fighters (founded by Dave Grohl, Nirvana's drummer), "there goes my hero, watch him as he goes."
That line always gets me.
I don't have much else to say. I wish I could write something worthy of honoring this man's legacy; a legacy that was thrust upon him and he kinda hated it. But he's inspired me, and now I've picked up the guitar (the only song I can play is "Pennyroyal Tea" from In Utero) and I've put a bit more effort in my vocals. I envy what this man was able to do. I know I'll never come close. I know I'll be just another kid who listened to Nirvana and then wanted to grow up and be just like them. But I do it anyways because music is my ecstasy, my "nirvana."
Rest in peace, Kurt Cobain. You are my hero.
- LB42
How did Regi not post this yet?
1858216 Damned if I know. He's probably already done posts like this one in the past, I'd imagine. Thanks for reading, though.
My 'teach you guitar' offer still stands, and will for as long as I am able to play and better than you at it.
1858245 I might take you up on it if I can get over my fear of Skype video calls with strangers. I'll elaborate in a PM so we don't clutter up the comments with a long back & forth thread again.