Kurt Cobain: The last rock star?
When Kurt Cobain committed suicide on April 5, 1994, the crack of that gunshot tore through a generation. Charles R. Cross, who wrote the definitive Cobain biography, Heavier Than Heaven, in 2001, reflects on the lasting impact of the doomed rock star in his new Here We Are Now (It Books), out Tuesday. He spoke with USA TODAY about the book's insights.
Nirvana's influence extended beyond rock into hip-hop. "Jay Z's Holy Grail borrows lyrics from Smells Like Teen Spirit. So Kurt was nominated for best rap song (at the Grammy Awards) in 2014."
His look changed fashion. Cobain's ripped jeans and plaid shirts would make their way to runways, selling for hundreds of dollars; a flannel shirt that showed up in Givenchy's 2013 fall collection carried a $545 price tag. But Kurt was poor until the last few years of his life and bought his clothes at thrift shops and garage sales. "If you Google 'grunge' on the Nordstrom website, you'll find (dozens of) clothing items," says Cross. "That they're high-end items is ironic because he dressed like that out of economy and laziness."
Kurt Cobain reshaped Seattle's cultural image. When asked about being a leader of the grunge movement in interviews, Cobain either bristled or refused to answer. But Nirvana will forever be associated with grunge, along with Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. "Grunge is now part of Seattle's cultural identity," says Cross.
After Cobain died, the music industry offered support to artists with addictions. "In the '70s, you simply got the artist enough drugs and try to control them," says Cross. "Now labels and managers are more proactive, finding private AA meetings while the artist is on tour, making drug-free zones backstage or bringing sober coaches on the road."
It wasn't fame, Courtney Love or drugs that drove him to suicide. Suicide, addiction and depression ran in both sides of his family. "He made suicide attempts long before Courtney even came into the picture," Cross says. "There were also the reckless drug overdoses, of which there were many; they show a reckless disregard for living. Maybe Kurt never had a chance."
Suicides in Seattle declined the year after his death. "For better or for worse, Cobain is the most famous person to commit suicide. While there were some copycat suicides, the number of suicides the year after his death actually went down," says Cross. "His suicide was so horrible and public, it took away the romance of suicide."
He chose to become a heroin addict. Kurt suffered from chronic stomach pain his whole life. "In his diary, he said he made a decision to become a heroin addict, partly because it was effective in cutting off his physical pain," Cross says.
Kurt was the last rock star. "He was the last star to have touched an entire mainstream generation. The songs were his voice. Cobain's charisma, genius and music were all really about him. We haven't seen one that spanned everything, so he's the last in 20 years," says Cross. "I hope there will be another, though."