Saturday, March 22, 2008

KURT COBAIN, ABOUT A SON

KURT COBAIN, ABOUT A SON... A SON YOU NEVER KNEW
14 years ago, April 5th, a great mind, borderline genius musician, literally blew up. This is my generation; we all knew what we were doing when OJ had every LAPD going for a joy ride and perhaps a lesser group remembers where we were when Kurt was reportedly dead from a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. I was lucky enough to write for a local music publication and during a break from my "day job" I was able to join Jeff and Matt as we listened to the DJs reporting and trying not to choke on their tears. This is an audio film. Ever been to Aberdeen? You will. There were over 25 hours or interviews with Kurt, his words, his thoughts previously unreleased, by Michael Azzerrad who wrote the book, Come As You Are, about the band (Nirvana). We all joked about Kurt and Courtney being the next Sid and Nancy, and Kurt confesses when he met her he immediately thought of Nancy. Kurt makes some observations and insight about the band, the music, the media. All the while, the screen is busy with flashes of places Kurt lived, worked or hung out. It's a beautiful start to a Cobain coffee table book. Hearing his voice "beyond the grave" was both erie and comforting. He was honest and for once, sounded real. It's like all this time he kept himself hidden from the media and this film broke down any and all walls. He was a very smart man, soft spoken and funny, even if he didn't make the best of choices (heroin and Courtney), like many artists, he was misunderstood. Although even if it's too little too late, it was touching to hear his side of things. This film was touching but it served as too much of a reminder that it was post-mortem.
PICK: A must for any Cobain fans, melancholy and insightful. Bean has his eyes.