Cobain, Kurt

born Feb. 20, 1967, Aberdeen, Wash., U.S.

died April 5, 1994, Seattle, Wash.

U.S. rock musician.

He formed the rock trio Nirvana in Aberdeen in 1986. The band, whose style derived from punk rock, combined the fury of that genre with anguished lyrics, a style that, together with their torn jeans and flannel shirts, became known as grunge rock. Their first album, Bleach (1989), was followed by Nevermind (1991), featuring the hit "Smells Like Teen Spirit"; it was the first punk-oriented album to achieve popularity with a mainstream audience. Cobain was elevated to prominence, but with the album In Utero (1993) he railed against his fame. Known for his self-destructive behaviour and heroin use, he shot and killed himself in his home.

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▪ 1995

      U.S. musician (b. Feb. 20, 1967, Aberdeen, Wash.—d. April 5, 1994, Seattle, Wash.), as the anointed angst-ridden poet of the so-called Generation X and lead guitarist and singer of the grunge rock band Nirvana, bespoke a deeply personal despair that struck a chord of fellowship among young adults struggling with their own frustrations. Cobain, a troubled youth, turned to music and then heroin as a source of consolation. He and bass player Chris Novoselic formed Nirvana in 1986, and after employing several different drummers, they recruited Dave Grohl in 1989 to complete the trio. The band, whose style derived from punk rock, combined the fury of that genre (they often smashed their equipment during performances) with a deafening sound of anguished lyrics, a signature that together with their torn jeans and flannel shirts ushered in what became known as grunge rock. In 1989 Nirvana (minus Grohl) released its first album, Bleach, and gained a counterculture following among college students. Their second album, Nevermind (1991), featured the strident lyrics of "Smells like Teen Spirit," which became something of an official anthem for their fans. Cobain's unexpected rise to stardom—the album went triple platinum—elevated him to a prominence he abhorred. In Nirvana's next blockbuster album, In Utero (1993), he railed against his fame, "I do not want what I have got." He and his wife, Courtney Love, also a heroin addict, temporarily lost custody of their daughter when Love admitted having taken the drug during her pregnancy. His wife was also lead singer of the neo-punk band Hole. In March 1994, while Nirvana was touring Europe, Cobain was rushed to a hospital after slipping into a drug-and-alcohol-induced coma. On April 8, some three days after Cobain took his life, his body, with a gunshot wound to the head, was discovered.

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