Review of Curt Cobain bio, Heavier than Heaven


Review of Curt Cobain bio, Heavier than Heaven

I just finished reading Heavier than Heaven, by Cross, A biography of Curt Cobain. True to its title it was by all means heavy. I must start by stating that the Nirvana Unplugged CD is one of the most inspired recordings I have personally encountered. Here was this band, LOUD, lyrics barely audible over the guitar and the general thrashing of instruments. I wasn’t sure what to make of the Band and more specifically the man behind what was lauded as the Best Band of our generation. Then Unplugged was aired, released and I was in awe, a convert, a believer, for what I heard in the paired down songs was pure genius and I never looked back.Upon reading this biography, (I had also read Cross’s Bio of Jimi Hendrix and really enjoyed it) I was completely taken aback by Curt Cobain.

I know that the reader here might expect a newly formed respect for Cobain, deeper than the one I felt after Unplugged. Rather, I have to say with all honesty and with no disrespect to the dead that this was not the case at all.

From the description of Curt as a child through his struggle to develop the band I was astonished to learn what a completely inauthentic person he was. From his early exaggerations of his family plight, to his constant telling of stories that were bold faced lies, he came across as a sulking bore. He was as inconsistent as he was attention starved. He appeared to see himself as a tragic hero, yet his behavior was that of a manipulative self absorbed celebrity.

Those who have a rudimentary knowledge of the band and the infamous front man have probably heard about his resentment towards fame and his shirking of it. But what I learned from the biography was that in itself was a ploy. He needed, wanted and craved fame with a hunger that at times seemed to go against all he said and did. He courted the media, invited the scrutiny and then in the same breath denied the very thing he was doing.

The Curt Cobain I read about exaggerated every part of his early childhood, for what seemed to be yet another ploy to garner sympathy for his plight. The artists struggle so often witnessed through the self destruction of our most talented figures was a contrived, deliberate endeavor by Cobain. He wrote in his journals (the source of much of the biography) that he DECIDED to become a junkie. Perhaps at first it was a way to alleviate the obvious physical pain he had involving his Stomach and IBS. He self medicated then escaped into a drug fog that would stay with him for years. Did he admit his rabid use of “Heroine” ever?  No, instead  he rationalized it and when it took over his life  and the SHAME he claimed to feel was not quite enough to keep him from maintaining any length of clean time. and not sticking that needle into his scarred arm.

He was a passive aggressive partner, never having the courage to confront any relationship that was not working. He “fired” band members by not calling them, never being able to have the decency of a man, to say that things were not working.

He had the audacity to say that he would one day join the club of Jimi, Janice and Jim who died at 27 by various means. He must then have thought himself a peer to these musicians and wanted nothing more than to imitate the fall of the greatest musical minds, so that he would then be lumped with them, as society inevitably did. Please note, Jimi died of an ACCIDENTAL overdose and was NEVER a heroine junkie. The rest all suffered similar fates. They did not stick a shotgun in their mouths and pull the trigger, while simultaneously overdosng on an lethal amount of Heroin. The others he wished to emulate, I might add did not have a wife and new baby that loved them and that were left forever wondering why Daddy ate his shotgun. They never left a note to loved ones, and certanly never to their FANS.

The note. If he was so disgusted by his fame, why apologize to the fans, why make any excuses at all? Manipulation at its best and worst. Let’s not forget that he left Courtney Love to take the brunt of the anger and responsibility for his suicide. Did anyone know she never used a needle before she met Curt? Somehow though, she was Yoko and blamed for all his torture. HA I say!   That is the biggest lie ever because he was the one who almost destroyed her.

Alright then,  so it is probably clear that I have some strong feelings about the man I thought was a sensitive soul too good for this earth. He was never any of that. What he was, a user, a whiner, a self indulgent dictator, insecure, fake, and orchestrating of all the events around him. He was a pathological LIAR and he did this all to make himself look good. Did he care what people said about him? More than anything else, it was his reason for being. Was he too sensitive for the world and therefore needed to SHOOT HIMSELF IN THE HEAD because it was better for Frances to live without a father. PLEASE, what a joke. He was however the most selfish celebrity I have ever had the chance to read about in detail. HE WAS A PUSSY, A FRAUD and DID NOT DESERVE THE CULT STATUS, FOR HE WAS NEVER DESERVING OF IT.

It is rare that I have such an intense response to an individual whose art I had admired. Reading about Jimi, John Lennon and others I came away with a greater love and understanding of these icons. But in the case of Nirvanas front man I come away disenchanted, angry and with the feeling I was led on. And in fact I was because when Curt lived he did everything to make himself the tragic hero; he knew he would never be. Shame on him for such manipulation. Shame on him for being so excruciatingly selfish as to destroy so many lives around him with no regard for any one else’s needs. Shame on me for believing the HYPE.

Copyright ©2007 Veronica Romm

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88 thoughts on “Review of Curt Cobain bio, Heavier than Heaven”

  2. Wow Veronica, you’re an incredibly judgmental and callous person. For someone who claims to have studied mental health, you seem very ignorant on the subject. Sure, Kurt had faults, just like we all do. However, he went through some horrible shit in his early life: witnessing his mom being abused by her boyfriend, verbal and physical abuse from his father, homelessness, and yet, he went on to change the music industry. That makes him a truly inspiring figure in my eyes.

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  3. I was pretty angry when I first commented. I sort of regret that now, but Kurt means a lot to me. He is my favorite artist and someone with whom I identify a lot. Anyway, Charles Cross is a hack. As for Courtney Love, I honestly think she’s a sociopath. Since you’ve already read the highly inaccurate and biased Heavier Than Heaven, I think you should read Everett True’s “Nirvana: The Biography.” Everett was a friend of Nirvana long before they were famous, which is why I think his portrait of Kurt is a more authentic one. It also details some of Courtney’s manipulation, as several of Kurt’s friends describe how she systemically removed them from his life.

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  4. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you telling us about this man that captivates us. You finding me is what is best about the internet. You have made my day. I wrote this from a place of anger. Its not a review really its a reaction. I like the piece only bc I got so many long and thoughtful responses. I didn’t mind the anger at all as it is provacative. Some people went overboard as these things tend to do but I pay hate no attention. Thank you for not cursing me out.

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  5. I was interviewed for this book and I can tell you that Charles took my quotes and changed them to say something a little different, which kind of made me wonder how many other quotes were changed. I was personally friends with Kurt from 1997 until he died. Once they became famous I did not see him very much. What I was told was Courtney and the label literally kept Kurt to them selves and old friends including myself were held at a distance. I split 1.50 frozen pizza with him. I watched him cash a $18.00 royalty check. I saw them get shorted by promoters. Kurt did not care about fame he wanted to record music, play shows and have the music heard. That was success to him. Maybe when he was young he dreamed of being a rock star but most musicians do. I can tell you when I knew him he just wanted to have a roof and food for his work. Also I contributed to Montage of heck and there are inacurrices. What your saying does jive more with what was portrayed in Montage but it’s only somewhat accurate. It’s funny when I watch Montage and then soaked in bleach, soaked in bleach is more accurate. Which is scary. Kurt was an all around good guy and I miss him. I know that myths surround who he was. I’ll tell you he was not a fake, liar, and all the other things you said. After he OD’ in Rome I believe his brain went south and he was not the same person. At that point he did do things reported by close friends which was not in he usual self. I beilive this is because he od’d

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  6. I appreciate your feedback. Judging me and belittling me for an opinion about a book seems extreme. I am a professional who helps teens. I am amazing at what I do and you will not disrespect my work over this.

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  8. Veronica,
    I am not going to waste time pointing out to you the obvious flaws and factual errors in Heavier Than Heaven since plenty of people have done it for you in the comments. What I am going to tell you is that you are a total disgrace to the field of psychology. If you really are a psychologist, you’re the most ignorant one I’ve ever come across. I am not saying Kurt was perfect or even a role model, but the fact that you could read a biography about a man who was ABUSED as a child both emotionally and physically by the very people who were supposed to love him and not feel even a bit of sympathy is appalling. You seem to be lacking in any insight that would qualify you to counsel people suffering the scars of childhood abuse. In case you’ve forgotten, Kurt’s childhood was riddled with emotional and, in his father’s case, physical abuse, that Heavier Than Heaven DOES document. In addition, Kurt was abandoned by his selfish mother in favor of her abusive boyfriend and then by his selfish father in favor of his new wife (who I don’t believe is really as nice as she’s made out to be). In your review, you have the AUDACITY to call Kurt “selfish” when in reality he was suffering from his parents’ abuse. One of the most common symptoms of child abuse is a sense of being worthless or damaged, which leads to deep depression. This is something usually taught in psychology courses, so maybe your university education was faulty. Then again, one wouldn’t even need to get a degree to know that in this day and age, because one could just google “effects of child abuse,” so there really is no excuse for your ignorance on this subject. You further expose your ignorance by calling Kurt’s suicide “selfish,” which reveals a complete lack of understanding of his state of mind. Kurt genuinely believed that Frances would be better off without him. This stems from the feelings of worthlessness that people get from being told they are worthless and treated like a burden by their parents (you know, like Kurt was). Honestly I don’t know how you got a master’s in psychology without learning this. Maybe you need to take a refresher course and also lose your judgmental attitude toward people who are suffering from a mental illness. Until then, peace, love, and empathy,
    Frances Farmer (another victim of a corrupt mental health care system)

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  9. I appreciate the time you took to respond. There is and has been a lot more information that has come to light. All the documentaries now make a lot of claims. My issue was with this biography however. I read a lot before this one so i chose to comment primarily from the books examination. One thing I have repeatedly come across is that Kurt was very conflicted in many aspects of his life. He seemed to hate fame and crave it equally. He was proprietary and he was very selfish. He was obsessed with suicide and he loved his smack. I plain didnt like the guy and i actually was alive to see his entire trajectory. He was many things an innovator, a risk taker, painfully needed approval from the same people he railed against. He was difficult and he was probably suffering from depression or some other mental illness. I never bought into the note being written by him, it was not typical of a suicide note at all (I’m a psychologist by profession.” He did however flee several rehabs and seemed very determined to die. A shotgun to the head is a really tough one to buy as well. He was conflicted, he was addicted and he felt like he belonged in the 27 club. He was a phony who treated his bandmates and others poorly. He also performed the best unplugged and one of my favorite albums from start to finish. Do I think he was murdered, i dont believe he was. He was too hell bent on dying. Ive learned to seperate the artist from the art as so many artists are complete idiots. Kurt left behind a daughter with Courtney. That was cruel. She has the burden of being the child of a legend, when to her he was just a guy who chose drugs over her. Thats my opinion. Thanks for reading.

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  10. Wow you seriously don’t know Courtney very well either about as well as you knew Kurt obviously. You said Kurt introduced Heroin to Courtney correct? Wrong, I don’t want to go in to detail as to why I say that or how I can prove it, it’s actually pretty easy for anyone to find information about Courtney and her heavy drug use prior to meeting Kurt. You also claim to believe he committed suicide and that’s the only way Kurt could have died, correct? S Wrong again, Kurt’s death is actually still an open case, manner of death is undetermined meaning whether it was a homicide, suicide or accident. I do want to try and offer up some facts about Courtney’s actions at the same time Kurt escaped treatment, flew home and “committed suicide” starting with Courtney hiring a P.I. to “look for Kurt” once she found out he left the treatment center. The P.I. she hired believed Courtney had a hand in Kurt’s death, He was taping all phone conversations between them two once he became suspicious of her, Kurt and Courtney’s lawyer believed Courtney had a hand in Kurt’s death, She came in to possession a note pad that had hand writing samples of certain phrases, certain letters Courtney had been practicing and it just so happens the words and letters and other things she had been practicing were phrases Kurt used and the way Kurt wrote certain letters when writing. Yeah I know all that sounds pretty confusing, I apologize for that but it’s really not hard to figure out, Did you not know the “suicide note” left was discovered to have been written in 2 different types of hand writing. In fact it was argued that the top half of the “suicide note” wasn’t even a suicide note it was in fact song lyrics which is pretty easy to believe since Kurt wrote lyrics down all the time, something all song writers do btw. Did you know Kurt was in the beginning phase of getting a divorce from Courtney something their lawyer disclosed to the P.I. Courtney hired to “find Kurt” it just so happened he was taping her when he met with her. Kurt was worth more to Courtney dead than alive and that’s obvious anyway yet crucial to the case. Did you know Courtney’s own Dad was afraid of her he felt she was capable of hurting Kurt or him. The P.I. Courtney hired did some research and found a couple people from Courtney’s past who agreed to meet with him separately obviously, He taped the conversations one guy who was a well known person in the underground music scene said Courtney approached him about killing Kurt for her, he said he laughed it off hoping she was joking anyway after him meeting with the P.I. the guy the P.I. met with suddenly was found dead on some railroad tracks apparently he was run over by a train, he wasn’t struck by a train he.was run over by one, coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidences sorry! Another person was found in their tub apparently drowned while taking a bath it just so happens that this person was scheduled to meet with guess who…..Correct the P.I. Courtney hired only this time the individual didn’t make it to the meeting. Oh and remember the lawyer Kurt and Courtney shared, the P.I. called her after already meeting with her previously and she was very cooperative well this time when he called she acted like she didn’t know who he was, told him to never contact her again. The lawyer a few months later went missing. There is so much more to question about the “suicide” the lead detective on the “suicide” was a friend of Courtney’s and so was the second Coroner who refused to do another autopsy and wouldn’t agree to change the manner of death so the Seattle homicide unit would have to investigate more. Go ahead and respond to my comment, argue with me, whatever you feel like doing, try not to attack me personally like so many of the comments here have done to other individuals I won’t respond to any insults, attacks on me personally or responses cussing me out. Veronica, not meant to insult you, upset you or have any other negative affect. I respect your blog as wrong as it may be lol…Seriously though Happy New Year and keep on blogging. Can I get your number? 😁

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  12. I have put off reading this book for a long time. Please read the entire comment, I promise it’s good writing and not hate bashing. Before I start, Kurt Cobain is and always will be my favorite musician. One thing that always irritated me was when people said “I can’t hear what he is saying? what”s he talking about in his lyrics?” when it’s so obvious to me. His music was produced by some of the most funded music records in history, I doubt Sub Pop or DGC were going to let a musician release an incomprehensible album. but what I really came for is to express my opinion on Kurt’s “tragic hero” story. In the beginning of the movie “About a Son” Kurt says “I know that I have to talk about details of my life, I enjoy talking to you (interviewer), but I don’t think I’m going to be anymore open to any other interviewer in the future, cause they don’t deserve to know.” but in the opening line he says “, I never intended to have some kind of a mystery about us , its just that i didn’t have anything to say in the beginning and now that its gone on long enough and there’s actually a story in a way, and still… I think every night when you leave “God my life is so fucking boring.” compared to so many people I know, I don’t think we deserve to have a book written about us.”
    So here we see a man who is vulnerable and we are all connected to him and these are the words coming from his mouth. NOBODY ELSES. but I will not deny the feeling that sometimes he was selling something about himself. When I hear his stories, I imagine the tragedies of my childhood and how similar I felt to him. My parents divorced at the same age, but I actually never suffered from it until later when I realized how things ended between my parents. If it affected Kurt so deeply, he must have seen first hand what caused his parents to end it.
    When it comes to his manipulative ways, I will never trust a word that comes out of Courtney Loves mouth. Charles Cross can only write on what he has heard and seen, he is an unbiased writer, for a biased story. Charles Cross has never once said “Kurt is so menace or evil person, why would he write about him and get to know all of his family and friends if he was “such a terrible conniving person.” Lithium is prescribed for Bi-Polar disorder, which he named a song after. Hell, he could have even been put on anti-psychotics for delusional bipolar thoughts, we will never know. But there is a reason Dave hates Courtney. There is a reason we all hate Courtney. Although she and Kurt both equally liked to patronize the media, she has lied to the media like a fucking high school bitch. Claiming “Dave is in love with her,” and bashing Lana Del Rey for covering “Heart-Shaped Box,” get over yourself. Why don’t you bash the people who try to get Nirvana songs on American Idol? Even judge Simon said “this is Kurt Cobain’s fucking nightmare.”
    Kurt, like most of us, probably did want fame. He wanted his music to reach out to as many people as possible. But with that, comes false media and propaganda. Ask any heroin user trying to get off of it. Vice did an episode on Heroin addiction and this guy said “I just wish I didn’t wake up everyday and think “I want to blow my brains out.” as he then throw a rock into the ocean while he is standing by his mother. I think it is awful that he left “Frances.” but I don’t see her publicly bashing her dad in the media, she filed a restraining order against her mother for gods sake! And when kurt says “She’d be better off without me” not “better off without a father,” its because he knew eventually she would see his addiction, and he would be too ashamed to make any excuses. None of us will ever know why he loaded up a shotgun with birdshot and shot himself in the face (HE DID NOT BLOW HIS BRAINS OUT) He shot himself with the same stuff that Dick Cheney shot George Bush with. None of us were there holding his hand as he wrote his suicide note. So I quote NME magazine “Forget about the drugs and the shotgun, It was always about the music.”

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  13. Yeah, you’d probably write a similar article about Iohnny (sic!) Lennon
    Honestly.. stop writing.
    Do us all a favor pls.

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  14. This review and some of the comments on this thread are harsh. Not to mention unrealistic. Heros are for zeros, and children. The truth is Kurt Cobain was just a person. A human being who was just like the rest of us. We all tell lies. We all treat other people like shit every now and then. We all say things we wish we hadn’t. Why should Kurt have been any different? Many celebrities embellish their childhood experiences. Marilyn Monroe changed the details of her life on many documented occasions. Doesn’t make her a terrible person. Artists often do this. Doesn’t mean that the pain isn’t real just because the actual story might not be. I think people like Kurt and Marilyn have a void within. That is why they seek attention and drugs. It is used to cope or perhaps fill that emptiness. Unfortunately for these poor souls it wasn’t enough. Kurt Cobain even dabbled in Christianity for a while. I am guessing this was also just another attempt to fill that void. As for the club 27 non sense, that was not something Kurt even mentioned. It was a comment made by his mother, Wendy, in reference to his two uncles and great uncle. All three of them had committed suicide years earlier. She didn’t want Kurt to join their suicide club. Bottom line is I would not trust ANY book that is written about a dead celebrity. There is no such thing as “nonfiction” when it comes to such matters.

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  16. We will never know.. We’re all just dumb, or maybe just happy.. I know nothing of kurt, other than how he expressed himself through his music.. I had to take a look at this because I was thinking of readin the book, but I’m probably not going to anymore.. I would rather the man stayed mysterious and whatever it is he tried to be is fine with me.. We’re all strange and we all have our ways.. Apreciate it for what it is, often you will find disappointment in the storys of people you admire. Also I’m not vary educated but I believe my opinion to be as as good as any, that’s all it is. An opinion, Same as all of you

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  18. I think this book is a crock of shit. Most everything in this book contradicts itself and was only taken from things Courtney had given the author. Yes, they can say this book was written from Kurts journals, but how do we really know that it was really his journals and not just a made up piece of crap?
    Ill agree that there may be a lot of truth to some parts of this book but there are also very many inconsistecies and lies. Ive seen videos and read many articles about Kurts death and ive also read many reviews of this book and ive read the book itself. I do not think this book is as accurate as claimed to be. I also know Dave Grohl was not interviewed for this book. Neither was his mother. Other people that were “interviewed” werent really interviewed, but were quoted from previous interviews, and at times quoted wrong. Im not saying your review is good or bad. Youre entitled to your own opinion.

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  22. I just wanted to say that the first time I heard Nirvana, I felt my own pain. When I saw unplugged, I saw Kurt Cobain’s pain. I’m not bashing a whole generation of Baby Boomer Parents!!! Nevertheless, if you were raised by self absorbed, divorced parents that expect you to clean their house or start dinner when you’re 9 or 10 years old. Parents who could give a crap if you fail in school but went ballistic if you “annoyed” them. You tend to grow up learning that you “NEED” to put yourself first. You come across as perhaps arrogant & usually don’t give a s**t what people think. You learn how to manipulate young, if by chance your mom is bipolar & you learn how to read others emotions just to get out unscathed. Even if you weren’t dumped in the streets, you are unsupervised & a lot of bad crap can happen to you. I don’t dare to presume what Kurt Cobain’s mental anguish came from. I know if I wrote in an undated journal, (I never wrote my feelings down or felt them for that fact), I am sure I would have pictured my life ending young. Kurt may have been insincere about facts. I know that whom ever wrote the lyrics from Nevermind was in enormous amount of anguish. I wasn’t lonely in my 20’s, I was happily married with 4 kids and a large extended family and friends. Since I was born in the late 60’s, I was friends with people who had parents from “The Great Generation”. I never heard an album that tore through my heart. Tough, obnoxious, aloof maybe but Kurt Cobain was Empathetic and vulnerable. Damaged and Brilliant. Suicide is a selfish act. I am not getting into how he couldn’t shoot himself with the amount of junk in his system. The only people who are heroin junkies who shoot themselves aren’t the ones with access to more heroin. I caught a lot of s**t, for being so upset a “junkie” killed himself on my daughter’s birthday. I really miss him.

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  24. Interesting account of this book and also notably intriguing how you got to such a conclusion on what is a rather bland and average book,
    I say this as an objective “fan” of music and a lifelong fan of Nirvana (not necessarily just Kurt). I have obviously read a lot through my life on the subject and this was one book on the subject I hadn’t got around to reading until recently, mainly because of it’s notorious disregard and inaccuracies which quickly became prominent as I read.
    Although Kurt was a fascinating character in both negatives and positives It’s also important to remember if it wasn’t for Krist, I don’t believe Kurt would have made it as a musician. I would say I agree on some of your character flaws, but find your interpretation rather slanted and if the core is based on a heavily edited, cut and pasted and heavily manipulated journals and what is a book heavily contributed to by a liar, there is still some work to be done.

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  25. You might want to correct his name: Kurt Cobain.
    I too have read the book and for me I was curious about the hint of what was going on inside of him.
    I really enjoyed your account of the book and how you related to it. I believe when we read a biography or memoir we all relate to some detail of the life lived. That is “our” curiosity because like Kurt said in a song I was listing today, “What’s Wrong With Me?”
    But my friend you have no right to judge because you did not know all the feelings this individual had. You did not know the true source of his suffering. You did not know the man, period.
    Most people, if not all people don’t know themselves. That is a fact and just Google self help books and you will see. Look at the rise of the use of anti-depressants in the last few years. Look at it friend.
    You entitled to you opinion, but don’t sell it to me.
    How can one know better or beauty or appreciation or love unless one has known profound sadness. That is what I know and yes my dear friend I have suffered too but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. Some how I never seem to get to that point, but I know a lot of people personally who have.
    Loved the conversation here and keep up the good work. It is rare that someone writes something and elicits a response from me which you have and thus engaged me.
    Merry Christmas,
    Michael

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  27. I think it would have been pretty funny with all and all this is an okay review but to have it as
    Kurdt Kobain

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  28. You “studied” psychology and worked in mental health ? I have met your kind many times. You surround yourself with people who through no fault of their own were cursed with a mental illness and are at the lowest point in their lives and it gives you that warm fuzzy feeling of superiority.It’s people like you who drive people away from treatment.Keep in mind that life has a cruel ironic way of brutally destroying life as you knew it.You’ll come off that throne.Trust me.

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  30. There are classes on mental health and books for free at the library. Just sayin. Maybe you should read ummmm all you can get your hands on. FYI its Kurt and in his other ego kurdt.

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  35. I was definitely talking about the Courtney pre Cobains Suicide.I am not taking her side by any means and agree with you about everything you said. Thanks for commenting. V

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  36. let me get this straight.you read the book and you are siding with Courtney? the only reason she wrote this book is to have people feel sorry for her.you couldn’t have admired his work too much or you you wouldn’t be so easily swayed.I know he isn’t God and shouldn’t be worshiped or anything like that,but he did have feelings and no one knows how he felt.Courtney is just mad because she can’t achieve her own fame separate from Kurt.She wasn’t the only one that killed him but she was a contributing factor and not only that she was a contributing factor to the death of rock music as a whole.nobody kills themselves just to be part of a club! She has to print that crap to Keep Francis brainwashed and keep her thinking that her dad was a pathetic looser.

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  38. fuck you stupid dickhead he was a better man than youll ever be what do you do read a fucking book and sit on your fat ass and make comments on people that have archived more than you will ever be able to for that dude i say fuck you

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  39. angels do not be scared of phyco
    Imagine an 19 ft bubble of carpet protection around all people in the past it must be clean fresh new wrapped in celephane plastic. All people working on a time machine get a free gadget box size of a level 8 shoe electronic gadget that sends an energy probe in the sky to years previose, its 1000% silent and not not visible. The original flow of events as they 1st happened acording to historys first cut like the people years previose remember it is all thats vibed out there is no time warp. We invented a new form of writing paper that if torn it seales back together completly whole again cant cant fling bodies up to the sky every 5 stepsImagine an 19 ft bubble of carpet protection around all people in the past it must be clean fresh new wrapped in celephane plastic. All people working on a time machine get a free gadget box size of a level 8 shoe electronic gadget that sends an energy probe in the sky to years previose, its 1000% silent and not not visible. The original flow of events as they 1st happened acording to historys first cut like the people years previose remember it is all thats vibed out there is no time warp. We invented a new form of writing paper that if torn it seales back together completly whole again!

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  43. HEY the reviewer,, i am disappoint on your review made on Kurt Cobain!!! Kurt was a famous member of 27 club!!! He had a respect to Jim Hendrix and so on the member of club 27. He was a good father and a good husband. He also wants his life to spend with Frances bean Cobain and quotes that holding Frances on my hand is best drug in the world. so he also want to live with his family and play the tune of nirvana.Despite of review of his entrance on 27 club you reviewer should again read the heavier than heaven…. Still it is not clarify that the Kurt has attempt suicide or not..

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  44. I’m sorry but you could have made your point without calling him names. Kurt did in fact say he was NOT suicidal, and I doubt his teenage rants would have had any part in his suicide(?). He had a daughter, who probably misses him. But Courtneys life was messed up long before Kurt came along, and she’s done nothing but exploit his memory in the last 18 years. So don’t take pity on her and merciless thrash Kurt. Obviously Kurt was far from a role model. Thats not what I’m saying, simply that he doesn’t deserve ALL of what you’re saying. Just a small portion

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  45. I am not hating. Its my own opinion on one book I read. I agree with most of your comments. His name spelling was just another way of say f u to people i get it. Relax. We both loved his music. I don’t need my rock stars to be role models. Again all of this is my opinion. I thank you for sharing yours and for reading mine.

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  46. Just because you read a book about his life doesn’t mean you automatically know what the person thinks, his views or his reaction to life. And of course, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but they should know about the whole story and not just one account of it. Getting a Persons name right should also be important (and for the record, he spelt it with a K and when he spelt it with a C, it was him messing around with newspapers that got his name wrong. He also spelt it as Kurdt which is because of the latter.). That book was written with a lot of pushing from Courtney Love who is a liar. I don’t know about the whole murder thing, but I do think they were in for a divorce.
    The lies and exaggerations you say he made could have been from that ‘drugged fog’ you also mention. Another thing I feel I should mention is that, Courtney Love did actually take heroin before Kurt came along. The whole reason they became a couple was because before, they did heroin together.
    You only mentioned one album btw, when in fact they had 3, not including b-sides, etc. how can you claim to know anything about an artist, when:
    1) You’ve only listened to one of their pieces
    2) You clearly haven’t done enough research on him, and
    3) you didn’t even spell his name right!
    Depression is a horrible thing. On the outside you look selfish, needy and thoughtless, while inside you’re breaking apart. Kurt not only suffered from manic depression but he was bipolar too. Even that and having paparazzi following you everywhere. Newspapers making up LIES about you. I’d say it’d be tough to say the least. And Kurt did try to go to rehab. He went something like 4 times. Heroin withdrawals are not to be downplayed. So depression, along with heroin withdrawals and press might have contributed to his death. So stop judging him on minimal facts. Hating is easy without knowing the truth.

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  47. When deciding to share your writing, it should probably be edited, don’t you think? Usually people won’t jump all over your case for misspelling words, but when writing with such passion (anger), you’re going to annoy people (me). Clean up this shit. It sucks.

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  49. Dear Veronica,
    I think your comments on Cobain’s character are pretty accurate, however as a young aspiring musician myself, I still deeply respect Cobain (despite the fact his technical ability as a guitarist was very average), as although he had severe character flaws, he also had many positive characteristics and whilst he was by all accounts a “false idol” he inspired (and still inspires) people through his music, as it identified and challenged much of what was wrong with American society in the early 1990’s, such as the homophobic and intolerant attitudes displayed by many, that were deemed acceptable by the majority back then. In this respect, wether it was his intention or not, his music helped serve as a catalyst that helped bring about the change, that since then has made western society freer and more tolerant (imagine the uproar if gays were allowed to openly serve in the US military in 1990?!), as it inspired generation x to find their voice and reject the outdated attitudes and beliefs held by their parents and grandparents that were holding society back. Looking at it this way, the positive affect Cobain has had on humanity more than outweighs his character flaws.

    It is interesting that because the majority of people, (including you and I), consider Cobain’s suicide a selfish act, we automatically assume he must have seen it the same way and therefore intentionally acted selfishly through killing himself and leaving behind a wife and baby daughter. However if what I have read about Cobain being gay is true, this may not have been the case at all, as he may have in fact seen it as a selfless act that would ensure his daughter and wife were well provided for (via the increased record sales and enduring popularity of Nirvana caused by his death) and spared his daughter and wife the shame and trauma of his “coming out,” leaving Courtney and openly being gay, which he would have seen as the alternative.I know many (including yourself) may disagree with my assertion that Kurt Cobain was gay, (and I stress the fact it just a theory and may be completely wrong), but there is much evidence that supports this idea, for example the fact that in an interview, Cobain claimed he was not attracted to any of the girls in his high school at all. As a heterosexual male who has just graduated from high school, I see this as impossible even if he was bisexual, unless he was either lying, or gay. Added to this fact, many of Love’s previous boyfriends turned out to be gay, which would explain why he was drawn to her, as she would have understood him, if he was in fact gay.

    If Cobain was a homosexual in denial, it could explain many of the mysteries surrounding him, such as why he was so driven to escape reality through using drugs, beginning at age 13 when he began smoking weed and whilst still a teenager, “graduated” to taking robitussin, prescription drugs and heroin. True, his parents traumatic divorce and the abuse he witnessed his mother suffer at the hands of her boyfriend could have been sufficient trauma to drive this self-destructive behaviour and bipolar may have played a role, but it does not explain why he committed suicide after his young daughter was born, as this should have acted as a strong prevention factor, unless on the contrary, rather than discouraging him from committing suicide, the birth of his daughter drove him to it. This is because if he were gay, he would have seen having a marriage and a daughter as preventing him from admitting his true sexuality, without inflicting huge pain on his wife and daughter, as well as on himself in the form of judgements from others, meaning he may have seen death as the preferable option. Cobain’s suicide also seems very similar to a separate case of a man who was a homosexual in denial with a wife and children, who, faced with the stark choice of continuing to live a lie, or coming out and creating trauma for himself and his family, chose death, as he viewed this as a selfless alternative as it gave his family a life insurance payout and spared him the trauma of admitting his true feelings. This evidence leads me to believe Cobain was in fact a homosexual in denial, which may have caused him to view his suicide as the best option for everyone, rather than the selfless act we see it as.

    But in all, I thouroughly enjoyed your thought-provoking review, keep up the good work!

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  51. Veronica,

    The reason I’m writing is because I googled ‘kurt cobain pussy’ and found your blog posting, and because you’re good looking. I don’t know if you were around when Nirvana was big, but your entry pretty much mirrors how I feel. I’m a 22 yr. old college student, who’s grown up in a mostly affluent town to a good home. Nirvana is probably my favorite band – Cobain is probably the best (pop-rock) songwriter I’m aware of. I have idolized the guy, for his tragic – hero image has been polished to perfection, and who can resist? I have depression, and I am being treated. I’m not depressed now, because I’m being treated. Also, I have taken many notes on how to write music like him – he has demonstrated an unmatched keenness for melodies and phrasing. It’s traits like these, along with his minimalist, disaffected, resentful of artificiality attitude – that have spurred pride for Cobain in his fans. The sad part is that I’m sure deep down, Kurt thought he was a good person. He probably was, but unfortunately – his actions dictated otherwise. Depression affects people differently, I am sure. But I am aware of my experience. The shame I felt for my flaws and weaknesses as a human was incredible. It was reason for death. Conversely, I felt noble and strong for berating myself and others for basic human flaws. I cannot begin to think of what I weak pussy I must have been, in the eyes of someone more well adjusted. I was anti-social, did not reciprocate the love of my family members, held grudges, but most of all, I developed a severe inferiority complex and feelings of disgust that manifested themselves as compassion for gays, the mentally disabled, minorities, the elderly, etc. But I did nothing to help anybody. I can only imagine that Cobain must have experienced some of these tendencies and complexes. He was thoughtful, emotional, and grief-stricken – to an extreme. It’s my opinion that everyone has hate, disgust , and prejudice toward others hardwired in their mind, but most learn to mask, repress, and eventually tame these feelings. I can’t speak for Kurt, but the reason I felt so compelled toward the plight of gays, women, or other stigmatized populations, is because I instinctively value them less. Or perhaps I should say, I am so ashamed to admit in our society, that I have feelings of homosexuality, femininity, etc. Of course, I was horrified that I had these simple-minded judgements, and felt compelled to take on their pain as punishment. Sometimes I think he must have felt this way, saying that he ‘loved everybody too damn much’, or his disgust for machismo and gay-bashing, prizing of women over men. In the end, I think the depressed person becomes so overwhelmed with horror at the monstrosity of their primitive character in combination with their own ‘stigmatic’ tendencies, they wallow in sorrow for their plight. Depressives are perfectionists, and because they cannot reconcile their seemingly monstrous character flaws, they seek validation and relief. Usually through very passive-aggressive, manipulative, self-indulgent behaviors. And sure enough, they become big ‘ol pussies, because their actions truly are those of a weak person.

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  52. Also there’s glaring omissions …his obsession and occult activity with William S. Burroughs, the many gay rumors, his own admittance of “feeling gay” or being bisexual and only marriage stopped him from acting on that side of himself. Much, much left unexplored in the book but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I view it as part of a larger picture …doesn’t show us everything, and what is shown is from a skewed angle, but no doubt part of the whole. On a side note, the fingerprints missing from the shotgun argument is ridiculous. The coroner said he priedit from Kurt’s hand. In the only picture of kurt after his suicide, you see his right hand clenched. Wasn’t he ambidextrous? He used his left hand to pull the trigger. Having personally witnessed a suicide done in the same manner, immediately after shooting one’s self your muscles contract…hence prying the gun from his hand, and the clenched right hand. Also, it is very common for friends and the outside observer to view the deceased through rose colored glasses….they didn’t seem suicidal because of the guilt felt for not having tried to stop it, and from personal experience yet again, it is common to blame anyone-anyone but the deceased. I have no doubt he committed suicide.

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  53. I find it interesting that throughout the entire book Courtney is referred to by her first or last name, as is Krist. Dave Grohl however, is referred to very infrequently and by Grohl only. Very easy to empathize with someone who has a first name, right? I really enjoyed the book but its obvious it was told from a slanted angle.

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  55. Unfortunatelly I have read the book. Apparently a lot of the information provided to the writer was supplied by courtney herself. Krist and dave admit to never being interview by Charles cross and most of it was made up. Which is what I believe, kurts music speaks for itself, the sound of nirvana describes kurts personality. Which is why people were so connected to him and his music. I do not believe that kurt manipulated
    anyone, I do not think he was a narccistic, he loved music, had a hard growing up, which shows in his music n the whole bullshit about joining club 27, everybody says dumb stuff
    like that, kurt had a baby that was the most important event in his life he was a dad no 27 club is more important than you child. Kurt cobain was a hardcore heroin addict which was his downfall, as eccentric as he was, addiction to a heavy drug and a personality that he had which was a fatal demise.

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  56. the whole world picks of courtney , sure she had her rough patch and yes , she was on drugs most of her adult life but I didn’t see Dave or kurt’s mother there supporting him when he needed it the most . having a turbulent childhood with his mom’s boyfriend calling him a “faggot” and his father completely excluding him all together messed up the relationship between him and his parents. Dave grohl did not join nirvana until nevermind came out. so you all think that his parents that did not give a shit and a bandmate who was there for an awfully short amount of time know more about kurt than his wife? who was there threw the whole rockstar experience ? sure they may have been intoxicated some of the time but when it came down to it im sure they layed down in bed like any other couple and talked about what is bothering the both of them. bottom line courtney was the right person to ask about this book , her being the one who cared most aswell as the mother of kurts’ child . period .

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  57. Veronica (and all),
    Kurt Cobain was an amazing artist. None of you lived his life and there for you don’t know what was going through his head. Bipolar is a serious disorder. I should know I have it and my dad does also. Getting on the medication is hard and his use of heroine is understandable ( I am not sayig it is right). Someone before me said look before you leap, well, that goes for everyone. I have no idea what Courtney’s life was like at the time of him living. I think that you should all not judge Kurt or Courtney. Ok and also who really cares if Veronica spelled his name wrong? Does that really affect our every day lives? And also Veronica said that he did not care enough to quit heroine. Well guess what? It is VERY hard to quit. Someone does not just say, Oh, I think I’ll quit using this shit today.” They have to go through a long hard process. And sometimes the temptation is just too much. I don’t know if he really comitted suacide or not. But if he did that is also uderstandable. I honestly thought hard about doing the same because I honestly thought my family would be so much better without me. And because the pain was just to much for me to handle. It is like a Black hole in side you that never goes away. It is impossable for someone who does not have this dissorder to understand it. Just as it is hard for me and other people with this desease to understand what it is like to be truly happy.
    Thank you for reading and also I am a horrable speller so do not judge.

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  58. I was reading thought tis and I otce that you spelt his name wrong his name is spell Kurt Cobain

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  62. I’m coming a bit late to the party here, but I have to say, I think Kurt would be completely delighted with your article Veronica 🙂

    I think he was a very lonely person, and I think his profound / negativity nihilism was a way to cope with that.. Women will never understand because it is an inherently male thing. I think he was telling the truth when he said he had issues with his dad and his parents divorce, being an outsider etc.. the rest is just chaff, yes, but everyone who really “gets” Nirvana understands the profound sense of the conflation of political cynicism and personal ennui that actually meant “grunge”.. so why be surprised at his “negativity”.. the guy was a fucking punk!

    So what are you looking for in this book? A fucking hack biographer to obviate all the subjective experience that he, a great poet and songwriter, spent his life trying to express? To make you feel better that, like all the other fangirls, you weren’t the woman who could save him/change him.. look a bit deeper into the music and the man..

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  63. I am not a fan of Cross’ book – or as some people put it including Everett true who was a friend of Nirvana and Courtney (at one time) – as the ” Courtney Love sanctioned version of events”. Many of the supposed facts are from unnamed sources and as we know with Sanford’s book many of theses supposed sources told complete fiction (acknowledged by those close to Nirvana). Having been a fan of Nirvana since Bleach, I am astounded at how Cobain’s life story keeps changing. Courtney was certainly not left to’ bear the brunt’, in fact she has profited very nicely out of Kurt and it is a known fact she tells (and sells) lies about their time together and his life. She resents the fact she could never emerge from his shadow. You look at how people write about her and they always mention her as Cobain’s widow to this day. If only Cross had not relied so much on Courtney’s word and un-named sources. This book has little credibility. It is a shame Veronica you read this book – you should read ‘Come As You Are’ instead. Don’t get me wrong I don’t think Cobain is a ‘God’ or whatever and he certainly isn’t perfect (who is) but it is amazing how each Biography suddenly changes Kurt’s life story. I would gather many people just like to make a buck and get their name down in history – whether fact or fiction.

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  64. If you dig deep enough, U will find something in common for every musician that had a HUGE following. Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix,Janis Joplin,Jim Morrison,Tupac Shakur,Christopher Wallace(Notorious Big).

    People in our goverment STATED that they were troublesome to social stability in one way or another, the goverment all had files on them, they all died under suspicious circumstances. This is not a conspiracy “theory”, these are simple truthful facts that anyone can find if they spend a little time researching.

    Since this thread is about Kurt, I will simply write the facts pertaining to his case which are suspicious. Keep in mind all the things he “alledgedly” wrote, could have and probaly where altered for various devious reasons. Its very easy to fake something for someone whos not around to dispute it. Here are the facts*.

    Courtney Loves’ odd behavior leading up to Kurt’s death
    Kurt Cobain was talking about leaving Courtney Love prior to his death, writing her out of his will, and said he would attempt to get full custody of their child. Kurt was worth much more to Courtney dead than he was alive.
    The police ignored the fact that Kurt had earlier stated he was not suicidal, and that all other people who knew him personally said he was not suicidal (including friends, his band mates, and the psychiatrist who treated him after the incident in Rome)
    The P.I., Grant, who was hired by Love, immediately contacted police to tell them something wasn’t right with the suicide explanation.
    Kurt Cobain’s blood had had 1.52 mg/L of heroin. This is 3 times the lethal dosage, even for heavy users. Even with an extremely high tolerance, this would kill near instantly. In fact this is substantially higher then the maximum lethal dose, at which it is impossible to survive, not matter how high of a tolerance you have.
    Even if the heroin did not outright kill him, he would either be comatose, or at the very least unconscious. If by some miracle has was still awake and conscious, he would be in no state to pick up a shotgun and take his own life.
    Study was done on 3586 suicides including 760 violent suicides, in which not a single case was found which involved both a gun and a narcotics overdose of any kind. This would be a completely unique case.
    In one of the suicide studies used of the 128 lethal heroin overdoses, only 3 had greater or equal blood levels of heroin that was found in Kurt.
    There are 2000 – 1 odds of a missing person committing suicide.
    85% of spouse murders take place in the home.
    Kurt’s credit card was being used after his death by unknown persons, until his body was found.
    The shotgun had no fingerprints whatsoever, including Kurt’s. Somehow a dead man wiped his gun clean.
    The suicide note, after analysis, was shown to have been written by two people. If the two parts are read separately, the majority, in Kurt’s handwriting could easily be interpreted as a note to Kurt’s fans regarding him leaving the music industry. (It was well known by people that knew him that he was thinking about this, he has even talked to his band mates about this) The last for lines however, which really made this note a suicide note, are written in someone else’s handwriting.
    His heroin kit was neatly back in its case, even though the effects of his massive does would be felt instantly.
    When the odds of each of the following are multiplied; overdose at Kurt’s levels, overdose among a missing person, violent suicide of a drug addict, a gun and an overdose in the same suicide, the resulting odds are 0, as this event has no precedence, even in the military which has a high suicide rate, and even in heroin cases, not once has a suicide by heroin coincided with a fatal gunshot wound.
    Dead men don’t pull triggers.

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  65. Veronica lets go on a date sometime soon. You look way too fine to be on here arguing with people over the net. Send me an email:-) Im 28 years old and a working professional also;-)

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  66. @Raheem: Thank you for commenting and taking the time to write. I have come to a conclusion that this is not really a review of the book as much as a reaction to the man and I wrote it as soon as I finished reading it. I am a psychologist, and personally have suffered from depression and ADHD. Thankfully for me I did not turn to heroine or suicide as a way to deal with the troubling state of my mental health.

    I stand behind what I wrote today, because it is simply put, my opinion. I am not the last word on anything. So I cannot help you in your confusion about how I could call him a liar and other choice words. That is my right, as it is yours to feel your emotions. I do not feel like I was hard on him and out of respect for the dead, I could have been more forgiving. But his manipulation to the last detail, i.e. dying at 27 like the greats, Janis, Hendrix, Morrison was too much for me. He was a selfish little boy who never grew up, treated people like crap and lied to all. That is why I wrote what I wrote. Thanks for reading. Veronica

    ps Cross also wrote a bio on Hendrix, I highly recommend it.

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  67. I understand that I am simply reiterating many of the previous commentaries, but I just have to ask. I cannot figure out how you can end your review of this book with referring to Kurt Cobain as a pussy and undeserving of his fame, nor of disbelief of you believing the hype. I’ll agree with you that I was disgusted by his tendency to lie compulsively, comparing this attribute to friends I know who do the same thing. However, I saw this as his way to unleash anger towards his parents (as it seemed the majority of his most paramount lies were focused around his childhood and feelings toward his parents after the divorce) due to the everlasting effect their break-up and ensuing fights had upon him. I am a firm believer that Kurt suffered from severe clinical depression, and being stuck inside your head for so many years, with seemingly no one to reach out to in the way he undoubtedly needed can have unspeakable effects. I just finished the book, about 15 minutes ago, and man it struck a deep chord in me. I was horrified by many things, particularly how he treated Krist, his best friend and confidant for so long, but I end up coming back to the same conclusion that he was a man who wanted something so fiercely, and when he got it, he just didn’t know what to do with it and how to handle it. But his rise to fame in such a short period, the separation he, Novoselic, and Grohl adamantly tried to keep from becoming just another corporate sell-out, his scarring childhood, and underneath it all being such an unbelievable musical genius, I just cannot understand how you can deem him such a low-life. I see how his disregard and ultimate abandonment of his family and friends, excessive lying, abuse of drugs, and much more may lead many people to conclusions such as yours, but the power that the human mind can have upon a human being, especially after it being enveloped in so many drugs at a young age, emotionally interrupted, and in my opinion suffering from severe depression, should not be overlooked.

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  68. @ Aaron, glad to have you back. I agree that its great to have people to debate with and also that can make you think. This only helps me see how emotionally involved I got with my review. I have reread it on many occasions and it does make me wonder a bit why I was so angry. I came to the conclusion that I like you and a lot of others wanted him to be something he wasn’t and was pissed to learn some of the “truth” Always a pleasure to spar with you. Come back again.

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  70. Whew! Sorry It took me so ,ong to reply! Anyway I’m afraid your wrong on a couple things. Manly though who you said was interviewed, first off dave grohl was NEVER interviewed for the book. second neither was KC’s mom (the parent whom he lived with the most), Now that I have completely read his journals I can say this, most of the things you mentioned WERE NOT in his journals. Anyway at this point I don’t want to get into a big agrument, so I will just say this: kurt cobain is somebody very complicated, and I don’t think we’ll ever know what his real thoughts and motivations were, while he may have had many demons and while I may not like some of the things he did I will still continue to admire his music if not the man himself. By the way I understand you have a degree in psychology, but that doesn’t mean you know what its like to have BD, I guess because I have the disorder also I will let him slide on some things because I myself have thought/done them too. Anyway its quite fun to read you opinions despite the fact that we heavily disagree.

    Love,
    your disagreeing reader (friend?) aaron.

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  71. @ Katie. Very well said and I agree completely for like I said I think Unplugged was masterful and one of the best live performances I have ever seen. Both shocking in its pared down acoustics it showed the genius that I had not recognized before. Thank you for taking the time to comment. Veronica

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  72. Also, I believe his birth name is Kurt Cobain, but I do remember seeing it spelled with both a C and a K.

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  73. Veronica,
    I really enjoyed reading about your thoughts on Heavier than Heaven. I’ve listened to Nirvana for quite some time, but only have recently started to do research on Curt Cobain. I think many people have different views of him, and I honestly think that all are somewhat correct. Many people view him as “A PUSSY” and “A FRAUD” while others believe he deserves the same recognition as Jimi Hendrix and other rock Gods. I have so much respect for Curt Cobain and his work, and it seems that he went through so much. He was such an intellectual man and proved that to us through his music and through his interviews. But I also think that he could not handle the world, or rather the world could not handle him. I think it all comes down to him being very confused. He contradicted himself not only in the lyrics of his songs, but in his journals. As you said in your review, he wanted fame, but then turned right around and blamed fame for his troubles. I don’t think that very many people could understand him, and maybe he couldn’t understand himself. In the end, I think that people should not argue whether he was one of the greatest beings on earth or one of the biggest pussies, but enjoy what he left us with; his music. It’s obvious that the one thing he did put effort into was his music, and it turned out amazing.
    RIP Curt.
    Katie

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  74. @ Damien. Thank you for coming back. No need to apologize in fact if anything we seem to have a lot in common on terms of our passion and convictions. Again who am I to judge anyone, so I try not to. At times I guess I am compelled to put my two cents in, but I am always looking for another perspective, I welcome that. Also writing and posting should be done with a thick skin, and i welcome all sorts of comments especially ones that are genuine and thought provoking. So hopefully you will come by and read some more. It takes a cool individual to both stand up for their beliefs yet be able to hear others, and I think you did that initially just in a provocational way. Rambling, sorry, Veronica

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  75. Let me apologize… Im sorry if I came of as attacking you. Im not attacking you or your writing. Im only defending someone I have great respect for. I don’t normally feel sorry for celebrities but I truly feel sorry for 2 famous people, Kurt Cobain and Tupac Shakur. I just hate what society does to people through the media and especially after they have passed on. I was only trying to point out that the media created the bad things you saw in kurt (and there were a lot of bad things) and hopefully restore u as a believer once again! I love his talents and music and no matter what personal problems he had… they will not change my views on my liking for his music. I dont want to be seen as ignorant, only opinionated and having conviction because in this day in age theres not much to believe in. Sorry if I came off as offensive… that wasn’t my intention. – Damien

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  76. @ Damien: Thanks for your intense and passionate comment/response to my review. I am not trying to be professional, actually i am writing for myself. No my reaction wasn’t professional it was personal so a book review it isn’t that I know. I also never stated that I am clean of sin, but I got clean. Thoughts are private, writing in a journal leaves a record. So does a suicide note. You want to get a rise out of me? Sorry, not happening. Your opinion is welcome here, but respect wouldn’t be such a bad idea because then you can be taken seriously. Attacking me, my writing not the way to go. Just displaying ignorance and is that how you want to be seen? Thanks for the time, Veronica

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  77. Seriously, is calling him (Kurt Cobain) a pussy and a fraud really professional?
    I understand if you have harsh reviews about the book or even about his life, but choose your words a little better. Im sorry if you were a little upset about the book, but please have a little dignity.

    First off, It wasn’t his fault that he was seen as a god in the music world. He had no control of his rising star and most importantly no control over his physical and mental anguish! Apparently you haven’t suffered from clinical depression because if you had you wouldnt be so insensitive to it. Its people like us who read his PRIVATE thoughts (His journals) who are at fault in giving him the “CULT STATUS” he has been labled with. It is us who CREATE the HYPE. It’s funny how you respected his music and talents until you learned what he was like in his PRIvATE life. Its irresponsible as human beings to publish his private life and thoughts only to pass judgement on someone who isnt alive to defend himself.

    People have problems and ALL people have flaws. Just think if every aspect of your life was disected to its very genesis in front of the ENTIRE world… what imperfections and fradulent lies would we all see about you? “He who is clear of sin cast the first stone.” Oh and he didn’t spell his name with a “c” sometimes. He spelled it Kurt Cobain and Kurdt Kobain.

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  78. @Aaron: You came back. I am glad. You basically proved both our points in your comments. I never claim to know “what really happened” nor did I go into reading the biography with anything but curiousity. As I say at least twice in the review the Unplugged is inspired and that is not disputable. I certainly don’t believe everything I read and if you check out this blog further you will see that. I wrote about my personal reaction to reading the book. It was a first for me to feel so strongly, I had to write a very risky review. It is a touchy subject for sure. In terms of Bipolar, you say he didn’t know what he was doing, but in fact he had planned it out, by running away from rehab and setting up the scenario rather lucidly. The note is the giveaway. People suffering from mental illness rarely explain their suicide attempts, nor leave notes. It was him having the last word. Again though it is just how I see it. There is no argument to have because it boils down to you feeling one way and me another. That is the best part of life, being able to make a choice one way or the other.

    Thanks for coming back. Veronica

    http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,171188,00.html check out this review, which asserts that the book is complied from 400 interviews and Cobains private journals.

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  79. I didn’t “berate love” I was simply stating that, that is HER CLAIM, and that it smells like a pile of BS, I dislike her she is milking nirvana for all its worth, however I DON’T think she killed him. I’m not a family member (though maybe somebody should contact them to get the REAL STORY). Admitily I don’t like the fact that he would compare himself to the 3 j’s but that wont stop me from liking his music. How do we know that these aren’t “all bold faced lies?”, maybe I was wrong on some of the interviews but maybe those people were taken out of context? Listen I’m sorry for being so defensive but I find most of this hard to believe it contradicts dave and krist even if they were interviewed. Have you ever been to viretta park?

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  80. I would like to say this: if you knew about bipoar disorder (which I HAVE) you would know that people don’t think rationally about suicide they’re thought’s are “this world will better without me” they think that their loved ones will have a better life , in his head Heroine WAS the right thing to do. I’ve read some of “kurt cobain journals” and I don’t remember this stuff. If kurt came out and said “hey I’m bipolar” he would probably have been written off, maybe he came up with these stories to compensate for NOT having a rough childhood, no disrespect to them but, face it people who have grown up poor and/or lived in the ghetto, or had an abusive childhood, or were homeless AND then become famous usually get A LOT of AIRTIME, maybe thats how he felt he wasn’t good enough so he needed to compensate.

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  81. @ Aaron I appreciate your passion for this subject. I too feel passionately about things and obviously about the biography I read. As you tell me to look before I leap, in the same paragraph you berate Love and accuse me of believing everything I read. Well, this particular biography is taken from K/Curt’s own journal entries. Believe it or not I tend to do research beyond reading one book and therefore have a bit more of a clue than you give me credit for. As for Bipolar disorder, I have in fact researched it as I have a masters degree in psychology and have worked with the mentally ill population hands on for years. Also Dave and other members of the band did indeed speak with the author.

    The most important issue here is that you feel one way, I feel another. I wrote about it, you disagree and that is fine. My suggestion to you is if you really want someone, (me) to hear you, then try an approach that is less offensive, putting me immediately on the defensive which I admit I did given that you left 3 comments on the subject. Unless you are a close family member of Cobain (note he was not close to his family at all) your opinion is as valid as mine. Thanks for reading. Veronica

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  84. I would like you to consider this, the main contributer to this book (courtney love) is a pathological liar, for god sakes the woman claims she was performing fellatio on ted nugent when she was 12 years old! Krist, Dave, Tobi, Kathleen, Beverly, Mm/Dad , Chad, Dale, Jason, Dan , Aaron, and Dave f. HAD NO PART in the writing of this book whatsoever, you shouldnt believe everything you read especially when the last part is fictional.

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