Kurt Cobain example essay topic

Kurt Cobain- The Fallen Angel by A deel Salman Nirvana is a state of ultimate ecstasy. Kurt Cobain was an agent of this ecstasy. May it be the angst ridden 'Smells like teen spirit' or the defiant 'Come as you are'; all songs of Kurt have that sado-masochistic appeal towards finding the ultimate joy which clearly blares through his raw grunge vocals and edgy guitar riffs. The Post second world war generation, that is more aptly known as the Generation X. Generation X can technically be defined as the generation following the Baby Boomers who were the result of the second world war. X ers were born between 1965 and 1980. This was the generation that had gone through the freeze of the 70's, the punk invasion of the early 80's and who had no issues in sleeping together before they were married, did not believe in God, were bitter toward the rulers, and had no respect for their parents.

This generation turned out to be the masses that thronged Nirvana's concerts and filled his massive fan following. On April 5, 1994, the lead singer and songwriter of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, silently placed the end barrel of a shotgun into his mouth and pulled the trigger. And so ended the life of so much promise. But why did it have to come to this?

Perhaps the reasons will never be known, but there were a few things that haunted Cobain throughout his life that he just couldn't seem to get away from. Cobain's parents were separated when he was nine years old, and according to friends and family, the divorce that would shortly follow thereafter proved itself to be somewhat of a turning point in the way Cobain viewed himself and others. Up until then, Kurt was a happy child who was full of smiles and who also was ready and willing to forgive anyone who hurt him. But that all changed in 1976. For the rest of his life, Cobain would never forgive his father, and in time he had a hard time forgetting about his problems. In 1981, Cobain received his first guitar on his fourteenth birthday.

It was no secret that he liked music. He loved the Beatles and would sing a song whenever someone asked him to. He was already showing the signs of a talented youngster who held promise in music and writing. In 1986 Kurt decided to start a band with his good friend, Krist Novoselic. They went through several different names before finally settling down with Nirvana.

For a few years Kurt played at clubs, bars, and anywhere else that a gig was happening. In 1989, Nirvana had the opportunity to record an album. Kurt, Krist, and Jason Ever man recorded Bleach in three days for a said amount of $600. Sub Pop backed the band up, along with other bands who were hoping to hit it big. But Kurt never wanted that. He wanted Nirvana to remain an underground band.

Within two years Bleach had sold 35,000 copies, and by 1991, Nirvana was ready to record another one. They initially signed with Sub Pop Records, but when Sonic Youth signed with Geffen, Kurt went ahead and done the same. On September 24, 1991, Nevermind was released to music buyers all throughout the country. The band had hoped to sell 50,000 copies at the most, but something went wrong.

People who were, by that time, receptive to grunge music had found a band that were different from all the others that they had heard before. The song in question was, 'Smells Like Teen Spirit. ' MTV played the song continuously and placed it on heavy rotation, ensuring national exposure. Nirvana was a band that was destined to be in the spotlight, but Cobain hated the idea of being interviewed by the press. He also hated the tour schedules that were placed on him.

1992 was a year that would be remembered as the year that Nirvana really hit it big. But at the same time, Kurt's drug addiction was becoming worse. Cobain had been addicted on Heroin since 1990. He took it to relieve himself from his chronic stomach pains. It wasn't an excuse to take the drug: it was just his answer to the pain. Only insiders knew about this, but the press was nosy.

After Kurt overdosed, the press automatically assumed that Cobain was a junky, and labeled him as one. In March of 1992, Kurt married his girlfriend, Courtney Love, who later would add more problems to the band than anyone could ever imagine. In August of that same year, Frances Bean Cobain was born, but although the baby was perfectly healthy, the press printed an article in the tabloids accusing Courtney of taking Heroin during the pregnancy. The baby was thought to be born underweight and on the verge of death.

Although Cobain was facing problems left and right, Nirvana was still a band. In October 1992, Geffen released Incesticide, a collection of rarities and BBC sessions that were never known to have existed. The record did not sell as good as expected. But it did prove to one and all that grunge and punk rock was around longer than most people had assumed. On the cover was artwork that Kurt had painted himself. In early 1993, it was clear that Nirvana needed to release another album.

Fans wanted an album that was a carbon copy of Nevermind, but Kurt had a different idea about this. In April, the band went to work and recorded 15 tracks. Three songs were left out. In September of 1993, In Utero was released. The record sold almost as much as Nevermind, but even though Nirvana's music had become better and more sophisticated, Kurt wanted out of the music industry. In November, Nirvana performed at the MTV Unplugged in New York.

Fans noted that Cobain seemed to have come to terms with his depression, and it was reported that he was going to kick the Heroin habit for good. In January 1994, Nirvana set out on their pre-scheduled European tour. Despite Kurt's weariness, the band played consistently well at each show. In an interview with Kurt on March 1st, the Nirvana front man was quoted as saying that he was a lot happier than most people thought he was.

But a few days later, the world learned that this was not the case. On March 4, Kurt overdosed on powerful sedatives and champagne. He was rushed to the nearest hospital and lay in a coma for five days. Geffen denied that this was a suicide attempt. Kurt was released on March 9.

What happened in the next few weeks has been disputed by someone and confirmed by others. It is known though that Kurt flew back to Seattle to rest. He also allowed himself to enter a rehab clinic. But he stayed there for only a few days before leaving. On April 2, Kurt's mother filed a missing person's report with the Seattle Police Department and at the same time, Courtney Love hired a private investigator to try and find her husband. Kurt was missing, and the world feared the worst.

On the morning of April 8, 1994, electrician Gary Smith found what he thought was a mannequin laying on the floor. But upon closer examination, he learned that this was a person. He immediately called a local radio station and then called the police. A few hours later, the coroner positively identified the man as Kurt Cobain.

Suicide was listed as the cause of death. Apparently Kurt had finally put an end to all his pain and frustration. When he died, people the world over began to wonder how someone so young and talented could possibly want to destroy himself the way he did. The method that Kurt used was a shotgun. It was quick and painless, but the pain that suicide causes is very much real to those who survive. The only thing that we can do is appreciate his life and the music that he made.

While we will never be able to ask Kurt why he did what he did, we can draw our own conclusions based on what had happened to him throughout his 27 years here on Earth. The legacy that he left behind will always be remembered. Kurt Cobain is gone, but he will forever live on in the hearts and minds of all who make up Generation X.