Yesterday would have been Kurt Cobain’s 45th birthday had he lived.
Growing up when I did… I was 11 when Nevermind became the biggest thing ever. I wasn’t really too into it. I was still jamming out whatever my parents listened to, mostly CFUN soft rock on AM radio… or when my folks got me a clock radio (which still have to this day) to wake up for junior high (they had junior highs, grades 8-10 during the age of sail) I listened at first to classic rock on Rock 101. I was more into Boston or Def Leppard.
When I went to junior high (I think in 1992-ish… how old are you in grade 8?) Grunge and hip-hop were the two biggest things. All the cool guys were either Coquitlam versions of Tupac or Kurt Cobain. Actually, my homeboy Dave King had glorious reddish Cobain hair if I remember correctly.
Nirvana was pretty much everywhere. Talent shows had girls doing choreographed dance routines to like Paula Abdul and shaggy haired burnouts covering “Territorial Pissings” to an auditorium of 14-year-olds. Oh the times.
Kurt Cobain was dead by the time I started buying Nirvana records. I for sure had Nevermind and then Unplugged, then little later I bought Bleach. I didn’t actually get my own copy of In Utero until I was an adult and going threw a Nirvana phase and needed the record to complete the collection.
When I was in my late teens and early 20s my favourite record was (still is I guess) Bleach. Its a good record. Loud, gnarly. The guys are young. Dave Grohl isn’t even in the band yet and Nirvana put the record out on Seattle’s Sub Pop label. When I performed in a band, we covered “School” during our practices and sometimes in concert. I still love that song.
Talking about Kurt’s birthday yesterday on the radio, a Zoner called up to talk about seeing Nirvana at a show in 1991 at The Forge. An AC/DC tribute band was opener. Hilarious.
The concert was March 9th, 1991… a few months before they’d hop into the studio to record Nevermind. The Zoner said there were about 67 people at the show in the basement of the Strathcona Hotel (where Club 9one9 is now). The picture at the top of blog post is the only one I could find online form that show. It features predominately Krist Novoselic… performing barefoot. You’ll see Kurt off to the side… and some long-haired bro. Good for that guy!
I found the setlist online and made a mixtape of the songs in the order played back in 1991. If you’re feeling nostalgic for some Nirvana and want to hear a set heavy on Bleach era music with a few from Incesticide and even Nevermind, then tuck into this. Set ends with would would be the mega hit “Lithium” and a cover of “Molly’s Lips.” Rad.
Mixcloud: Mixtape >> Happy Birthday Kurt
Go with yourself.
