Sunday, April 05, 2009

Kurt Cobain, RIP

I can remember exactly where I was when I heard...just fueled up at Short Pump, driving down RT 360 going home for the weekend from college...I can't remember why...but I remember the new Petty cut was on, Learning to Fly, and I was like oh, Tom, ewwwww, when the dude on XL 102 broke in with with the news. He was dead. I pulled my car.....

awww fuck it, I can't do this. Other than it's a guy that died and hurt his loved ones, which is sad, I could give two shits about Kurt Cobain. Nirvana never meant anything to me - lazy, preaching to the choir songs on the shoulders of great bands before them. I consider them overrated and pointless. Yes, I know I'm in the extreme minority here, and I know they killed hair metal; but then I wasn't dumb enough to be listening to hair metal in the first place. I grew up in a town with about 8 people that barely had indoor plumbing, much less cable tv, but I was able to find great bands like the Ramones, REM, the Replacements etc. Yes, if you were rocking out to Warrant in 1991, I can see how your mind would be blown by Nirvana (unfortunate choice of words?)

Anyways. It's sad cause he was a human being. But his music never meant shit to me.

Meanwhile, when was the last time you heard a Monkees song you didn't like? Answer? Prolly never.

11 comments:

Kiko Jones said...

I dont get it: why bring up Cobain today if he never meant much to you?

Xmastime said...

hahaha! I meant to say "Kiko, go easy on me!!" ;)

because for 15 years ive been told he's the spokesman of my generation. which i never agreed with. and i wanted an excuse to post my new Monkees slice

Kiko Jones said...

Cobain--like John Lennon before him--never fancied himself a spokesperson for anyone but himself. It's not fair to saddle him with what a lazy media and blind followers have laid upon his feet all these years.

As a long-time bass player hesitating about formally switching over to guitar and fronting a new trio, I felt inspired by Cobain's powerful presence and songwriting within Nirvana despite his admittedly limited dexterity on guitar. "Hey, this guy is no virtuoso but he writes great songs and gets the job done. I think I can do this."

Aside from my personal connection with their music, there were plenty of us who were NOT listening to the hair farmers AND were blown away by Nevermind. And you know that very well, so c'mon.

Nirvana and their co-horts, in and out of Seattle, were not the spokespersons for our generation--nobody was up for the job--but they made the soundtrack. And after living in the shadow of the classic rockers, punks, and new wavers, eyc. we finally had our own music which I'm proud of and will always cherish. And Nirvana is an important part of it.

I love The Monkees--first band I ever became a fan of--but, sadly, there's more songs that make me cringe than those that make me swoon.

Tricia said...

^^see what happens when you bash hair metal? Tsk.

Kiko Jones said...

Yes, because I clearly sing the praises of the hair farmers in my comment. In every paragraph, as a matter of fact. That was the whole point, indeed. [/sarcasm switch off]

Xmastime said...

well. i guess as its my blog, i dont feel the need to defend what i choose to write about. i dont like republicans either, but 1 write about them a lot. in other words, if youre gonna complain, please come up with something a little more creative than "if you dont like it, change the channel."

Kiko Jones said...

OK, it's gotten a bit surreal on here: First, after clearly implying the opposite, I'm supposedly defending the hair bands. Then after a detailed post, I'm told to elaborate. What are you people smoking? X, is that back medication must still be hitting you hard, man.

I was curious as to why you felt like dumping on Cobain, not questioning your right to do so. Jeez.

Xmastime said...

who asked you to elaborate? my point is with your first comment; ie you cant question why i go out of my way to bash something when you dont agree, but have no problem when i go out of my way to bash something when you happen to agree. a bit disingenuous, especially in the blog universe we both inhabit.

as for disagreeing and saying so, even if its just "Xmas youre an idiot" i welcome always and anytime.

and Im Amish. no meds! :)

Kiko Jones said...

You asked to elaborate when you stated I should come up with something a little more creative than "if you dont like it, change the channel." I felt my post was clear and elaborate enough.

Once again, I was curious as to why you felt how you did. Disingenuous--and hypocritical--would've been me attacking you for expressing your opinion. Is all.

Xmastime said...

i didnt mean elaborate on your 2nd post; any argument on what i had said i have no problem with. everything ive written since was about your FIRST comment. which i took you to mean the old "why waste time writing on something you dont like", ie "if you dont like it change the channel." which might not be what you necessarily meant to say, but looks like it (to me.)

as for how i felt, i think i put it all in the post: they're an overrated, average band. the one thing i liked about them? Grohls drumming...which he left behind to front the foos.

Kiko Jones said...

Nah, that wasn't my angle. I guess there was just a bit of miscommunication here: you stated an opinion and I offered up my differing, personal reasons to the contrary. No big deal.

If you truly miss Grohl's drumming there's a Queens of the Stone Age album and tour you can check out, plus You Tube has numerous examples of his occasional forays behind the kit not only with his own band but quite a few others as well.

Taylor Hawkins, btw, does not suck. Not by a long shot.