45 is the new 27

I was surprised to hear that Kurt Cobain would have been 45 years old yesterday. I don’t really know why I’m surprised as he was 27 when he committed suicide in 1994 so simple maths would bring you to this stage, I just think that I remember being at a certain age when the event happened and how it helped shape my teenage years so if he is 45 then that would make me…*deleted * years old…eek!

There is no doubt that Kurt Cobain was a major talent and a trendsetter/maverick who either conscious or subconsciously changed music from the hair metal, LA rock of the late 80s early 90s and overnight turned glitter and spandex into converse and lumber jack shirts. Suddenly people were name dropping Daniel Johnston instead of WASP and ‘punk rock’ seemed to be the genre to belong to as metal was looking silly, the late 80’s indie pop seemed too lightweight and the less said about 2 Unlimited ‘No Limit’ the better for everyone.

Nirvana brought heart and authenticity back to rock and roll; it was finally reclaimed by the musicians from the managers and shareholders of big business and everyone’s personal ambition seemed to be getting a record out on SUBPOP rather than having a guitar shaped swimming pool and stretched limo. Once again it was about integrity and the art itself. It succeeded where punk had failed and become corrupted and lost under slogans and 6th form politics.

From a personal point of view the effect of Kurt and Nirvana was immense, they actually changed my career path overnight, I was positive that art and animation was the area I wanted to be involved in, music was something you listened to for fun in the background the block out the silences. After listening to ‘Nevermind’ for the 1st time (of many, many, many listens)it was obvious that making a talking dog skateboard or something was never going to match up to Dave Grohl’s drumming on ‘Breed’ for excitement so for all intense purposes the game was up. The 1990’s was definitely a two fold genre as far as music was concerned and Nirvana/Grunge was the start, this was the flag in the ground that put an end to cowboy boots on rock stars and lipstick/fake eyelashes on bassists and hallelujah just for that.

The 'not including Smells Like Teen Spirit list'

01) Serve The Servants (just for the guitar solo alone, THIS is what Dylan was looking for when he wanted 'that thin wild mercury sound')#

02) Dive (one from the B-sides/odds and sods album 'Incesticide')

3) Lithium (The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, Oasis at Knebworth, Radiohead at Glastonbury 97', Nirvana at Reading Festival 1992)

4) Breed (air drums, air guitar, if you split the word mosh pit in half it would leak this song)

5) All Apologies (From the 'In Utero' album which although was more raw in sound also featured some of Kurt's most beautiful tracks, this one especially)