Almanac of Story Tellers: Kurt Cobain

    Every day brings a new story.  And each day contributes to the art of story telling -- in prose and poetry, in music, on the stage, on the screen, and, of course, in books. 

Today is the story of April 5th

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    It is the 95th day of the year, leaving 270 days remaining in 2022.

   

    On this date in 1994, Kurt Cobain, who was called the voice of his dissaffected Generation X as the leader of the grunge band Nirvana, shot and killed himself in his adopted hometown of Seattle, Wash.

    Cobain is generally credited as being the founder of grunge music, which combines punk rock and heavy metal, with a distorted sound and lyrics that highlighted the angst and alientation of its adherents.

    He got his musical start in and around Seattle, forming the group Nirvana with bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl. Cobain was the singer, lead guitarist, and main songwriter. It became a popular groups in the clubs in the Pacific Northwest. In 1991, it released the album Nevermind, and the lead single, Smells Like Team Spirit, became an unexpected hit.

    The song Smells Like Team Spirit became an anthem, and Cobain was seen as the spokesman for his generation. Nirvana became one of the most popular and inspirational bands. Time magazine called Cobain "the John Lennon of the swinging Northwest."

    Nirvana developed almost a cult following, as its sometimes soft singing and pop-sounding lyrics clashed with the choas of its jarring music. In 1993, its third album, In Utero, was released to wild acclaim, topping the charts in the United States and the UK.

    But Cobain was uncomfortable with the fame. He had long struggled with addiction issues, and he had begun to use heroin regularly to control physical pain from stomach issues. One overdose he suffered was widely thought of as a suicide attempt.

    He was 27 when his shot humself.