thirtieth anniversary of Kurt Cobain's dying: “He will stay for decades” | EUROtoday

30 years in the past at the moment, Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain took his personal life. His music nonetheless lives on. Not only for folks over 40, but in addition for youthful folks. Why is that?

30 yellow roses and a card that claims “Happy Easter, Kurt” lie on a bench in Viretta Park in Seattle. There are pictures of Kurt Cobain sitting right here and smiling. The financial institution has change into an unofficial memorial web site; lower than 50 meters away is the home the place he died on April 5, 1994.

“My mother always listened to the music. Something grew in me,” says 20-year-old Nathan. He and his buddies traveled from Los Angeles to see the bench and study extra about Kurt Cobain. “I liked Nirvana from a very early age, especially the lyrics,” he says. “They did something to my brain that I think was really good. I've been hearing everything from them since then.”

Millions take heed to Nirvana songs

Over 31 million folks take heed to Nirvana songs on Spotify each month. The US singer Beyoncé has integrated Nirvana snippets into her concert events. A guitar performed by Kurt Cobain bought at public sale final yr for over $1.5 million.

Kurt Cobain's daughter, Francis Bean, nonetheless receives nearly $100,000 from the band's property – each month.

Major vogue homes proceed to promote Nirvana shirts. Ariana is sporting certainly one of them. She is 24 years outdated and comes from San Francisco. “I have friends who also struggle with drugs, with heroin,” she says. “I also lost someone because of it. That's why the darker sides of music, the pain, appeal to me.”

“The biggest band in the world”

Jakob McMurrey stands subsequent to a guitar smashed by Kurt Cobain. “He didn’t have many guitars back then, that was probably his only one,” he says. “He could barely pay rent and still tore them up during a show.”

McMurrey has been following the band's historical past since its inception. He has put collectively an exhibition for the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle: It's about why Nirvana's typically so laborious music impresses the lots throughout generations.

“This is the story of three guys who didn't have many opportunities – but through talent, luck and ambition, they became the biggest band in the world for a short time.”

McMurrey has collected over 1,200 Nirvana objects. Also a poster saying the band's first live performance on March 19, 1988. Kurt Cobain painted it himself. It exhibits the Virgin Mary – with out eyes. “Kurt stole the Maria figures from cemeteries and painted them again and again. A crazy version of his creative self.”

Why is Cobain nonetheless so necessary?

But why is Cobain nonetheless so necessary at the moment? “It will always appeal to young people who are disillusioned and who are looking for something outside the mainstream,” McMurrey is satisfied. “It also symbolizes something rebellious, it also stood for social justice and feminism. It will remain for decades to come.”

The blinds of Kurt Cobain's former residence at 171 Lake Washington Blvd. are lowered. It's very quiet right here, a stuffy residential space. Nothing right here matches Cobain's torn denims, the worn-out Chucks, the rebelliousness of Nirvana's music.

On the bench in Viretta Park subsequent to Cobain's home there may be hardly any room to take a seat due to all of the flowers. One of the pinned letters reads: “March 31, 2024. Dear Kurt. I hope you somehow realize how much your art has helped people like you. I'm 27 now, like you were back then. I didn't want any Turning 28. But I'm glad I stayed. You helped things change. Thanks, Kurt.”