FlamingCheeto
Hall of Fame
RIP 27 years ago Dead at 27
for Kurt
- Thread starter FlamingCheeto
- Start date
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Great man and musician. Smart funny.
Mike Bulgakov
G.O.A.T.
KURT COBAIN AND ERICA EHM: THE STORY BEHIND THE INTERVIEW
In April 1993, I was sent to Seattle to interview Kurt Cobain for MuchMusic, nine months before he died. I had no idea my interview with Kurt Cobain would go viral on YouTube twenty years later. Over 5 million views and counting.
To set the scene, Nirvana’s album In Utero had just been released and I was one of many journalists invited to interview the band in their hometown. Each of us was asked to set up our cameras in a nondescript hotel room, and assigned a short window of time with each band member. As soon as one interview would wrap, they’d be escorted to the next. It’s an impersonal grind. For alt rockers like Nirvana, it must have been a mind-numbing process.
Kurt and the record company dude arrived at our drab hotel room fifteen minutes late. I introduced myself and my camera person and asked, “Would you like to do the interview in bed or on the balcony?”
He looked up at me shocked and uncomfortable. He shrugged his shoulders and replied nervously, “The balcony I guess.”
“Perfect” I said with a smile. He relaxed and we connected.
The balcony was ideal. The light was just right and Seattle was spread out behind us.
On April 5, 1994 news broke that Kurt Cobain had died. Dead at 27. I was shocked. He seemed at peace when we met. I’m just happy the world has a chance to see the sweeter side of Kurt Cobain he usually kept well hidden.
https://www.ericaehm.com/erica-ehm-insights/2019/2/5/kurt-cobain-erica-ehm
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
That interview is good.
NoMansLandPlayer
Rookie
Can only assume that Kurt would’ve eventually broken away from Nirvana and did his own thing. I would like to believe that his best music was still ahead of him. Had a broad musical background, Would have liked to of seen or heard what he could’ve come up with
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
spaceman_spiff
Hall of Fame
I think he would’ve faded into mediocrity like most of the other 90’s rockers. Very few had more than two good albums.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Who did manage to avoid mediocrity in your opinion?..
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Think Kurt liked these guys a bit.
spaceman_spiff
Hall of Fame
The ones who died young, to put it bluntly. The ones who survived put out two or maybe three good albums and that was it. The only exceptions I can think of off the top of my head are the Flaming Lips and Foo Fighters.
Last edited:
This idea that Cobain killed himself because he was shy and unable to handle fame has been debunked recently. Anecdotes from people around him at the time suggest he was very career-oriented, always trying to get a good record deal etc. Prior to his death he was supposedly in talks to pursue solo career.
Lleytonstation
Talk Tennis Guru
Never realized he might have been murdered. Kind of convinced after reading about it.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
What about the War on Drugs, Killing Joke and The Church for example? They are in many aspects just as good and innovative if not more so, than when they started..
spaceman_spiff
Hall of Fame
That’s starting to get a bit too obscure. Even the Flaming Lips are a bit obscure for this type of conversation.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Obscure?.. You lost me there a bit..
These bands are good examples, good musicians and have improved over time. Thats not obscure,, its improvement.
Nirvana were 'obscure' to many , but they were great just the same.
FlamingCheeto
Hall of Fame
he murdered himself with a shotgun
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Nick Broomfield did a documentary that is worth seeing on the murder /suicide... Have you had a chance to see it?
spaceman_spiff
Hall of Fame
By obscure I mean not well known. Nirvana was anything but obscure; it was probably the most famous band of the 90’s.
My comment about fading into mediocrity applies to other famous bands of the decade, like Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Green Day, and so on. Of those famous bands, Foo Fighters is the only one that I can think of to release more than three albums that I think a large number of people would consider good. If you consider the Flaming Lips to be famous, then I’d include them as well.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Lleytonstation
Talk Tennis Guru
I was sold that Love had him killed. That's what I think really happened.
chrischris
G.O.A.T.
Luckily theres another Kurt that has his roots in reality and the music well it rocks..
