Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the American grunge band Nirvana, was found dead at

his home located at Lake Washington Boulevard in Seattle, Washington, United States
where he committed suicide on Aril !" #he Seattle $olice %eartment incident reort
states that Cobain was found with a shotgun across his bod&, had a visible head wound
and there was a suicide note discovered nearb&"
%esite the official ruling of suicide, several theories have arisen offering alternate
e'lanations for Cobain(s death" #om )rant, a rivate investigator hired b& Cobain(s
wife, Courtne& Love, to find Cobain after his dearture from rehab, ut forth his belief
that Cobain was murdered" )rant(s theor& has since been anal&*ed and +uestioned b&
television shows, films and books" Authors and filmmakers have also attemted to
e'lain what might have haened during Cobain(s final da&s, and what might have led
him to commit suicide"
Suicide
Advocates of the verdict ,death b& self-inflicted gunshot wound. cite Cobain(s ersistent
drug addiction, clinical deression, and handwritten suicide note as conclusive roof"
/embers of Cobain(s famil& have also noted atterns of deression and instabilit& in
Kurt before he achieved fame" Cobain himself mentioned that his stomach ains from an
undiagnosed stomach condition during Nirvana(s 0110 2uroean tour were so severe,
he became suicidal and stated that taking heroin was 3his choice3, stating 3#his is the
onl& thing that(s saving me from blowing m& head off right now"
Beverl&, a nurse, ointed out that there was a famil& histor& of suicide" Beverl& claimed
that biolar disorder and his struggles with drug addiction led him to commit suicide"
SU4C4%2 N5#2
#he fact is, 4 can(t fool &ou, an& one of &ou" 4t siml& isn(t fair to &ou or me" #he worst
crime 4 can think of would be to ri eole off b& faking it and retending as if 4(m having
0667 fun" Sometimes 4 feel as if 4 should have a time clock before 4 walk out on stage"
4(ve tried ever&thing within m& ower to areciate it ,and 4 do,)od, believe me 4 do, but
it(s not enough." 4 areciate the fact that 4 and we have affected and entertained a lot of
eole" 4t must be one of those narcissists who onl& areciate things when the&(re
gone" 4(m too sensitive" 4 need to be slightl& numb in order to regain the enthusiasms 4
once had as a child"
5n our last 8 tours, 4(ve had a much better areciation for all the eole 4(ve known
ersonall&, and as fans of our music, but 4 still can(t get over the frustration, the guilt and
emath& 4 have ever&one" #here(s good in all of us and 4 think 4 siml& love eole too
much, so much that it makes me feel too sad" #he sad little, sensitive, unareciative,
$isces, 9esus man" Wh& don(t &ou :ust en:o& it; 4 don(t know<
4 have a goddess of a wife who sweats ambition and emath& and a daughter who
reminds me too much of what i used to be, full of love and :o&, kissing ever& erson she
meets because ever&one is good and will do her no harm" And that terrifies me to the
oint to where 4 can barel& function" 4 can(t stand the thought of =rances becoming the
miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that 4(ve become"
4 have it good, ver& good, and 4(m grateful, but since the age of seven, 4(ve become
hateful towards all humans in general" 5nl& because it seems so eas& for eole to get
along that have emath&" 5nl& because 4 love and feel sorr& for eole too much 4
guess"
4t(s better to burn out than to fade awa&"
$eace, love, emath&"
Kurt Cobain
=rances and Courtne&, 4(ll be at &our alter"
$lease kee going Courtne&, for =rances"
=or her life, which will be so much haier without me"
Nirvana was an American rock band formed b& singer>guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist
Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 01?@" Nirvana went through a succession of
drummers, the longest-lasting being %ave )rohl, who :oined the band in 0116"
4n the late 01?6s Nirvana established itself as art of the Seattle grunge scene, releasing
its first album Bleach for the indeendent record label Sub $o in 01?1" After signing to
ma:or label %)C Aecords, Nirvana found une'ected success with 3Smells Like #een
Sirit3, the first single from the band(s second album Nevermind ,0110." Nirvana(s
sudden success widel& oulari*ed alternative rock" Nirvana(s third studio album, 4n
Utero ,0118., featured an abrasive, less-mainstream sound and challenged the grou(s
audience" #he album did not match the sales figures of Nevermind but was still a critical
and commercial success"
Nirvana(s brief run ended following the death of Kurt Cobain in 011B, but various
osthumous releases have been issued since, overseen b& Novoselic, )rohl, and
Cobain(s widow Courtne& Love" Since its debut, the band has sold over C! million
records in the United States alone, and over ?6 million records worldwide"
)enres Alternative rock, grunge
Dears active 01?@E011B
/embers Kurt Cobain
Krist Novoselic
%ave )rohl
#he discograh& of Nirvana, a former Washington-based alternative rock grou, consists
of three studio albums, twent&-one singles, three live albums, two e'tended la&s, four
comilation albums, and two bo' sets"
Nirvana was formed in 01?@ b& vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist
Novoselic, with the osition of drummer being filled b& various musicians" #he band
released its debut album, Bleach, in 01?1 on indeendent label Sub $o" After being
:oined b& final drummer %ave )rohl and signing to )effen Aecords subsidiar& %)C
Aecords, the band released its second studio album, Nevermind, which became one of
the best selling alternative albums of the 0116sF0GFCG and oulari*ed the Seattle grunge
movement and alternative music"F8G #he band(s third album, 4n Utero, was also a
commercial and critical success, though it did not match the sales recedent set b&
NevermindHas the members of the band e'ected"FBG Nirvana disbanded in 011B after
the death of CobainI since then several osthumous releases have been issued from the
band, which once resulted in a legal conflict between Cobain(s widow, Courtne& Love,
and the surviving members of the band over the release of the song 3Dou Know Dou(re
Aight3"F!G 4n /arch C66J, Love sold a significant share of the rights to Nirvana(s
ublishing catalog to Larr& /estel of $rimar& Wave /usic $ublishing"FJG Since its debut,
the band has sold over C! million records in the United States alone,F@G and over @!
million records worldwide"F?G
Kurt %onald Cobain ,=ebruar& C6, 01J@ E Aril !, 011B. was an American musician and
artist, best known as the lead singer, guitarist and rimar& songwriter of the grunge band
Nirvana" Cobain formed Nirvana with Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington, in 01?!
and established it as art of the Seattle music scene, having its debut album Bleach
released on the indeendent record label Sub $o in 01?1"
After signing with ma:or label %)C Aecords, the band found breakthrough success with
3Smells Like #een Sirit3 from its second album Nevermind ,0110." =ollowing the
success of Nevermind, Nirvana was labeled 3the flagshi band3 of )eneration K, and
Cobain hailed as 3the sokesman of a generation3"F0G Cobain, however, was often
uncomfortable and frustrated, believing his message and artistic vision to have been
misinterreted b& the ublic, with his ersonal issues often sub:ect to media attention"
Le challenged Nirvana(s audience with its final studio album 4n Utero ,0118." 4t did not
match the sales figures of Nevermind but was still a critical and commercial success"
%uring the last &ears of his life, Cobain struggled with heroin addiction, illness and
deression" Le also had difficult& coing with his fame and ublic image, and the
rofessional and lifelong ersonal ressures surrounding himself and his wife, musician
Courtne& Love" 5n Aril ?, 011B, Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle, the
victim of what was officiall& ruled a suicide b& a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head"
#he circumstances of his death at age C@ have become a toic of ublic fascination and
debate" Since their debut, Nirvana, with Cobain as a songwriter, has sold over C! million
albums in the US, and over @! million worldwide"
2arl& life
Kurt %onald Cobain was born on =ebruar& C6, 01J@, at )ra&s Larbor Losital in
Aberdeen, Washington, , Wend& 2li*abeth his mother a was waitress and was born in
01B?, and an automotive mechanic, %onald Leland Cobain ,born 01BJ." Lis arents
were married on 9ul& 80, 01J! in Coeur d(Alene, 4daho" Cobain had one &ounger sister
named Kimberl&, born on Aril CB, 01@6"
Cobain(s famil& had a musical background" Lis maternal uncle Chuck =radenburg
starred in a band called #he Beachcombers, his Aunt /ari 2arle la&ed guitar and
erformed in bands throughout )ra&s Larbor Count&, and his great-uncle %elbert had a
career as an 4rish tenor, making an aearance in the 0186 film King of 9a**" Cobain
was described as being a ha& and e'citable, while sensitive and caring child" Lis
talent as an artist was evident from an earl& age" Lis bedroom was described as having
taken on the aearance of an art studio, #his enthusiasm was encouraged b& his
grandmother 4ris Cobain, who was a rofessional " Cobain began develoing an interest
in music earl& in his life" According to his Aunt /ari, he began singing at two &ears old"
At age four, Cobain started la&ing the iano and singing, writing a song about their tri
to a local ark" Le listened to artists like the Aamones and 2lectric Light 5rchestra and
would sing songs like Arlo )uthrie(s 3/otorc&cle Song,3 #he Beatles( 3Le& 9ude3, #err&
9acks"
When Cobain was seven &ears old, his arents divorced" Later in his life, he said the
divorce had a rofound effect on his life" Lis mother noted that his ersonalit& changed
dramaticall&I Cobain became defiant and withdrawn" 4n a 0118 interview, he elaboratedM
34 remember feeling ashamed, for some reason" 4 was ashamed of m& arents" 4 couldn(t
face some of m& friends at school an&more, because 4 deseratel& wanted to have the
classic, &ou know, t&ical famil& /other, father"
Lis father had romised not to remarr&I however, after meeting 9enn& Westeb&, he did,
to Kurt(s disma&" his father, Westeb&, and her two children /ind& and 9ames, moved into
a new household together" Cobain liked Westeb& at first, who gave him the maternal
attention he desired" 4n 9anuar& 01@1, Westeb& gave birth to a bo&, Chad Cobain" #his
new famil&, which Cobain insisted was not his real one, was in stark contrast to the
attention Cobain was used to receiving as an onl& bo&I he soon began to e'ress
resentment toward his stemother" Kurt(s mother began dating a man who was abusive"
Cobain witnessed the domestic violence inflicted uon her, with one incident resulting in
her being hositali*ed with a broken arm"
Kurt began to behave insolentl& toward adults" #hese behaviors eventuall& caused his
father and Westeb& to take him to a theraist, who concluded that Kurt would benefit in a
single famil& environment" Both sides of the famil& attemted to bring his arents back
together, but to no avail" 5n 9une C?, 01@1, Cobain(s mother granted full custod& of Kurt
to his father"
while living with his famil& cobain started to attend a Christian church service and
regularl& attended devotees Cobain later renounced Christianit&, engaging in what would
be described as 3anti-)od3 rants" #he song 3Lithium3 is about his e'erience" Aeligion
would remain an imortant art in Cobain(s ersonal life and beliefs, as he often used
Christian imager& in his work and maintained a constant interest in 9ainism and Buddhist
hilosoh&" #he band name Nirvana was taken from the Buddhist concet, which Cobain
described as 3freedom from ain, suffering and the e'ternal world,3 which aralleled with
the unk rock ethic and ideolog&" Cobain would regard himself as both a Buddhist and a
9ain during different oints of his life, educating himself about the hilosohies through
various sources, including through watching late night television documentaries on both
sub:ects"
Later, his father enlisted him in a little league baseball team, where Cobain would
intentionall& strike out to avoid la&ing on the team"
Cobain befriended a homose'ual student at school, and suffered bull&ing from
heterose'ual students who concluded that Cobain was ga&" 4n an interview he said that
he liked having the identit& of being ga& because he did not like eole and when the&
thought he was ga& the& left him alone" Kurt stated, 34 started being reall& roud of the
fact that 4 was ga& even though 4 wasn(t3" Lis friend tried to kiss him and Kurt backed
awa& and told his friend he was not ga& but would still be friends with him"
Cobain en:o&ed creating works of art" Le would often draw during school classes,
including ob:ects associated with human anatom&"
the first concert he attended was the melvins cobainI he wrote rolificall& in his 9ournals
of the e'erience" As a teenager living in /ontesano, Cobain eventuall& found escae
through the thriving $acific Northwest unk scene, going to unk rock shows in Seattle"
Cobain soon began fre+uenting the ractice sace of fellow /ontesano musicians the
/elvins"
%uring his second &ear in high school, Cobain began living with his mother in Aberdeen"
#wo weeks rior to graduation, he droed out of Aberdeen Ligh School uon reali*ing
he did not have enough credits to graduate" Lis mother gave him a choiceM find
emlo&ment or leave" After one week, Cobain found his clothes and other belongings
acked awa& in bo'es" =eeling banished from his own mother(s home, Cobain sta&ed
with friends, occasionall& sneaking back into his mother(s basement" Cobain also
claimed during eriods of homelessness to have lived under a bridge over the Wishkah
Aiver, an e'erience that insired the Nevermind track 3Something in the Wa&3"
4n late 01?J Cobain moved into an aartment, a&ing his rent b& working at a $ol&nesian
coastal resort" %uring this eriod, he was traveling fre+uentl& to 5l&mia, Washington to
go to rock concerts" %uring his visits to 5l&mia, Cobain formed a relationshi with #rac&
/arander" #he coule had a close relationshi, but one that was often strained with
financial difficulties and Cobain(s absence when touring" /arander suorted the coule
b& working at the cafeteria of the SeattleE#acoma 4nternational Airort, often stealing
food" Cobain sent most of his time sleeing into the late evening, watching television
and concentrating on art ro:ects"
Soon after /arander searated from him, Cobain began dating #obi Nail, an influential
%4D unk *inester of the riot grrrl band Bikini Kill" After meeting Nail, Cobain vomited as
he was so comletel& overwhelmed with an'iet& regarding his infatuation with her" #his
event would insire the l&ricM 3Love &ou so much it makes me sick,3 which would aear
in the song 3Aneur&sm3" While Cobain would regard Nail as his female counterart, his
relationshi with her waned" Cobain desired the maternal comfort of a traditional
relationshi, which Nail regarded as se'ist within a countercultural unk rock communit&"
#hose who dated Nail would be described b& her friend Alice Wheeler as 3fashion
accessories"3 Kurt and #obi sent most of their time together as a coule discussing
olitical and hilosohical issues" Cobain(s relationshi with Nail would insire the l&rical
content of man& of the songs on Nevermind" 5nce, while discussing anarchism and
unk rock with friend Kathleen Lanna, Lanna sra&-ainted 3Kurt Smells Like #een
Sirit3 on Kurt(s aartment wall" #een Sirit was the name of a deodorant Nail woreI
Lanna :oked that Cobain smelled like it" Cobain, unaware of this, initiall& interreted the
slogan as having a revolutionar& meaning" #he slogan insired the title to the song
3Smells Like #een Sirit3"