Kurt Cobain statue unveiled in Aberdeen, Washington

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      Hard as it may be to believe for those of a generation where chicks wore army boots and Mark’s Work Wearhouse flannel was the height of fashion, it was 17 years ago that Kurt Cobain decided it was better to burn out than fade away. Tuesday (April 5) was the anniversary of the death of the late Nirvana frontman, who committed suicide in 1994 by sticking a shotgun in his mouth at his Seattle home.

      To mark the occasion, a statue—designed by Washington State artists Kim and Lora Malakoff—was unveiled in Cobain’s hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. Made of concrete, the sculpture is of the singer’s left-handed Fender Jag-Stang guitar, with a commemorative steel ribbon containing the following “On a Plain” lyrics: “One more special message to go and then I’m done and I can go home”. Those interested in making the pilgrimage to the town that, ironically enough, Cobain hated, will find the monument near the Young Street Bridge, where the future icon hung out as a child, and later immortalized in the song “Something in the Way”.

      In the meantime, have a brief moment of silence for the man that almost single-handedly revolutionized modern music. (If you don’t believe us, ask your mom, who, hopefully, isn’t still wearing army boots.) And then click on the video for “Heart Shaped Box”, from In Utero, which, despite what most fans will argue, remains the definitive Nirvana album. If you want all the reasons Cobain became a drug-addicted junkie, start with this final, 12-song will and testament, which is as harrowing today as the year it was released.

      Comments

      13 Comments

      Steve Newton

      Apr 6, 2011 at 1:02pm

      Nice axe. Hope nobody steals it.

      Cornelius Lambert

      Apr 6, 2011 at 1:47pm

      I am happy to see there is a statue to honor him.

      John Lucas

      Apr 6, 2011 at 2:41pm

      "Designed by Washington State artists Kim and Lora Malakoff", was it? The Jag-Stang was designed by Cobain himself, who based it on two earlier guitar models, so "designed by Leo Fender" is probably more accurate.

      The definitive Nirvana album is a tough call. <i>Bleach</i> was the band at its most raw and noisiest, <i>Nevermind</i> was its most commercial and showcased Cobain's ability to embed great pop hooks in grunge-punk numbers, and <i>In Utero</i> was powerful and cathartic, even if it was a bit like staring deep into someone else's open wound.

      Give me another 17 years and I'll give you an opinion.

      A.

      Apr 7, 2011 at 7:02am

      I was 7 at the time and I had taped all of my older brother's Nirvana CDs. I knew he had died, but it wasn't until years later that I realized the implications of that...such a sad loss.

      Duh

      Apr 7, 2011 at 2:43pm

      It's quite clear he means the artists designed the STATUE, dumb-ass ... you're a writer? Really?

      John Lucas

      Apr 7, 2011 at 6:13pm

      Hey, Duh: you truly live up to your self-imposed handle. Yes, I really am a writer, and yes, you really have no sense of humour.

      Dude

      Apr 10, 2011 at 11:03pm

      John Lucas is a writer, but never claimed to be a good writer

      Matt T

      May 26, 2011 at 3:34pm

      When the cool kids sold out and became Nirvana fans - after years of buying Poison and Bon Jovi records - , I was too busy diggin' NYC hardcore.

      Nirvana sucked then and they suck now.

      The only real impact they had on my life was to illustrate how shallow wannabes and hipsters really, really are.

      Jones

      Jul 14, 2011 at 9:57pm

      Awesome.

      Matt J. New York Hardcore died in 1984... you're selling out to nostalgia.