Having watched the latest "Seven Ages of Rock" documentary I was wondering what other people make of them.
For me, I just don't get it. Sure, there's no doubt that Smells Like Teen Spirit is an absolutely cracking tune and Nevermind is a good album, but to me that's it. The only two differences between them and someone else on that scene at the time - like a Pearl Jam or a Soundgarden - are, a) THAT song, and b) the fact that he blew his brains out when his star was probably burning brightest.
Thoughts?
0
Comments
They did have some great songs on Nevermind and In Utero - but only about three on each album.
Cobain was a mildly-talented, drug-addled fuckwit.
Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, on the other hand, were consistently excellent - both released two albums that are arguably amongst the top fifty 'rock' albums ever made, had/have singers who are utterly compelling and wrote many songs that are destined to become classics.
Yet Nirvana get all the fame and misty-eyed recognition. Go figure
and rape me the song is the exact same riff as smells like teen spirit which is obviously the point of the song...
A well reasoned argument Mark. Seriously, why do you say that though? I'm genuisnely interested. Don't get me wrong, I generally like their stuff, but just don't really go for this whole martyrdom thing which seems to have elevate him/them to something higher than they maybe were.
As someone posted earlier, Pearl Jam's "Ten" is possible a more consistant album - although it doesn't have THAT song of course.
Their music was poo though, and I have an overwhelming desire to punch the living daylights out of anyone wearing a Nirvana hoodie in public.
Like it or not, Nevermind changed the musical landscape and punk sensibilities were brought out from the underground. It was an explosive album at the time, but its own success means that it just sounds normal nowadays.
Pearl Jam and Soundgarden are much more "metal" / "rock" and are hugely appreciated by people into those
Nirvana were elevated to an unprecedented status by Nevermind, the maintenance of which has no doubt been largely helped by his suicide.
Murder.
Cat amongst the pigeons.
Cat stuck back inside whilst pigeons fly away safely.
Teen spirit was a good song and it moved music along from dreary art school bands playing depressing music in long black coats but it was all a bit samey to my ears
Early death never did anyone rock career any harm as Davey said. Morrison and Curtis being two candidates for overrated cos they are dead awards.
and curtis, poor bloke, was just screwed in the head.......
My money would've been on him recording a version of "High Ho Silver Lining" with Cliff Richard by now if he hadn't croaked it already.
Sure Cobain/Nirvana's reputation is what it is mainly due to the fact that one bloke was totally screwed up and blew his head off (not the first and not the last time I'm sure) but I think Cobain was more talented etc than some on here give them credit for. Although like many musical genuiuses before him, his ideas were largely an amalgamation of the ideas of those around him and what went before him (Loud bit, quiet bit, another loud bit, quiet bit = Pixies, ripped by Nirvana as stated by Dave Grohl himself) Cobain defintely had something about him. He was a talent, his voice although limited was pretty unique and I'm sure that had he mastered his demons he'd be doing some good stuff today. The opening bars of Come as You Are still send shivers up my spine even now.
What was v.sad for me was Cobain's reaction to the sudden commercial explosion of the Seattle/grunge thing. To be at the sharp end of something like that should've been some kind of crowining glory but instead it was the beginning of the end, almost the final straw in sending Cobain over the edge - he was at that point where it didn't matter what he did, he wanted the opposite and everyone was better than him, a very troubled mind indeed.
FWIW I always preferred Pearl Jam and Eddie Vedder's voice is simply legendary.