Come As You Are The Nirvana Story Essay, Research Paper

CoMe AS YoU ARe: The Story OF Nirvana

February 20, 1967 Kurt Donald Cobain was born in Aberdeen Wa., a small town outside of Seattle. Kurt was a very artistic child who loved to draw. Kurt’s parents bought him a Mickey mouse drum set when he was about five. “I kind of pushed drums on him because I wanted to be a drummer” said Kurt’s mom Wendy O’Connor. Kurt’s parents later got divorced when he was eight. Kurt took the divorce very hard, “It just destroyed hi life” says Wendy. Kurt was used in a war between his parents. He often would live with his aunt or some one else in his family. Kurt soon started listening to his fathers Led Zeppelin and Beatles records. On Kurt’s four tenth birth day his uncle bought him his first guitar. Kurt started hanging around with a guy named Buzz Osborne. Kurt roadied for Buzz’s band the Melvins. Osborne took Kurt to his first punk concert, Black Flag, and introduced him to Krist { at the time Chris} Novoselic. Krist Anthony Novoselic was born on May 16, 1965 in Compton Ca. Kurt was starting to get kicked out of his house, he didn’t have a job, He began sleeping at friends houses. On some nights he would sleep under a bridge on the Wishkah river. {He later wrote a song about it called “some thing in the way”.} Kurt wanted to start a band so he made a demo tape and gave it to Krist to listen to. It sat in Krist’s car for about a year before he finely listened to it. When he did he was amazed. In 1987 the original Nirvana line up is formed with Kurt on guitars {vocals}, Krist on bass, and Aaron Burckhard on drums. They played their first gig at a house party in Raymond, WA. Later Dale Crover of the Melvins replaces Burckhard on the drums to record a ten song demo With Seattle producer Jack Endino. A local record label hears them and offers them a record deal. They except but, Crover leaves. They Hire a drummer named Dave Foster but he leaves then they rehire Burckhard But it doesn’t work out with him again so he leaves. Then they replace him with Chad Channing.

On December 24, 1988 they began recording their debut album “Bleach”. Dale Crover is on drums on three tracks of the album. In June of 1989 “Bleach” is released. They hire a second guitarist who’s name goes on the credits of “Bleah” even though he didn’t have any thing to do with the recording. After a month on the road he quits to later go to Nirvana’s label mate Sound Garden. In 1990 Channing leaves And is temporarily replaced by Dale Crover. They then get Mudhoney’s Dan Peters on drums. What a surprise he doesn’t work out either. On September 25, 1990 Kurt and Krist meet the drummer of the Washington DC band Scream. David Eric Grohl born on January 14, 1969, soon became the new drummer of Nirvana. Shortly after Nirvana sign with D.G.C.. {David Geffen Company} Their next album Nevermind is recorded with producer Butch Vig of Garbage. The CD is released and the band embarks on a six weak tour in Europe, while there, the single “Smells Like Teen Spirit” is being put on heavy rotation on MTV. Album sales are way up, and Nirvana has no clue. They are now a main stream act, They perform on “Saturday night live”, “The Jonathan Ross Show.” On February 24,1992 Kurt Marries the lead singer of Hole Courtney Love In Hawaii. Two moths later she announces that she his pregnant with the couples child. That summer “Vanity Fair” magazine allege that Courtney his using heroin during her pregnancy. Kurt and Courtney immediately deny it. On August 18, 1992 Frances Bean Cobain is Born into the family of a musical genus.

That September Nirvana wins two video music awards. They are scheduled to perform but will not honor the net work’s request to play “Smells Like Teen Sprit”, instead they play “Lithuim.” Three months later Incesticide a Collection of rarities and B-sides is released. In February of 1993 they begin recording “I Hate Myself and Want to Die” with producer Steve Albini. There Was controversy over the name so they changed it to “In Utero.” Kurt and Courtney buy a house in Seattle, were Kurt soon locks himself in a room and threatens suicide. Courtney calls the cops who come and confiscate four guns.

Nirvana soon starts a three month tour of America with former germs guitarist Pat Smear on second guitar. On November 19, 1993 they tape a acoustic show for MTV. In January it is confirmed that Nirvana will head line Lollapalooza. Nirvana performs in Seattle on Jan. 7, 1994, It will be the bands last American show ever.

In Europe shortly after Kurt goes in a coma for twenty hours after over dosing on sleeping pills. The band pulls of Lollapalooza and Kurt goes to rehab. A few days later Kurt scales the back wall and is not heard from again. After six days his mother files a missing person report. On April 8, 1994 Kurt’s body is found dead from an apparent self inflected gun shot wound.