Kurt Cobain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kurt Cobain
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Kurt in 1991
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kurt Donald Cobain |
| Also known as | Kurdt Kobain |
| Born | February 20, 1967 Aberdeen, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | April 5, 1994 (aged 27) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Genres | Alternative rock, grunge |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, artist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1982–94 |
| Labels | Sub Pop, DGC/Geffen |
| Associated acts | Nirvana |
Kurt Donald Cobain (born February 20, 1967 – died around April 5, 1994) was an American musician. He was the main singer and guitarist for the grunge band Nirvana. The band also included bassist Krist Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl.
Kurt Cobain is remembered as one of the most famous and important rock musicians in the history of alternative music.
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Kurt Cobain's Early Life
Kurt Donald Cobain was born in Aberdeen, Washington, on February 20, 1967. His mother, Wendy Elizabeth, was a waitress, and his father, Donald Leland Cobain, was a car mechanic. His parents got married in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, in 1965. Kurt had family roots from many European countries. His younger sister, Kimberly, was born in 1970.
Kurt's family had a musical background. His uncle, Chuck Fradenburg, played in a band. His aunt, Mari Earle, played guitar and performed in bands. His great-uncle, Delbert, was an Irish singer who appeared in a 1930 film. Kurt was a happy and excited child. He was also kind and caring. He showed artistic talent early on, drawing his favorite characters from movies and cartoons. His grandmother, Iris Cobain, was an artist and encouraged him.
Kurt loved music from a young age. His aunt Mari said he started singing when he was two. By age four, he played piano, sang, and even wrote a song about a park trip. He listened to bands like Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). He would sing songs like "Motorcycle Song" by Arlo Guthrie and "Hey Jude" by the Beatles.
When Kurt was nine, his parents divorced. This change affected him deeply. His mother noticed he became more quiet and rebellious. After the divorce, Kurt lived with his father, his father's new partner, and her two children. Kurt liked his stepmother at first because she gave him attention. Later, his stepmother had a baby boy. Kurt felt less special and became upset with his stepmother.
During this time, Kurt acted disrespectfully towards adults. He also started bullying another boy at school. His father found it hard to manage Kurt's behavior. So, Kurt often stayed with other family members and friends.
Kurt was not interested in sports. However, his father made him join a junior high school wrestling team. He was good at wrestling but hated it. Later, his father put him on a Little League Baseball team. Kurt would purposely strike out to avoid playing.
Kurt often drew during classes. For an art project, he drew Michael Jackson. His teacher said it was not suitable for a school hallway. Then he drew a picture of President Ronald Reagan that was seen as "unflattering." In art and electronics classes, Kurt met Roger "Buzz" Osborne. Buzz was the singer and guitarist of the band Melvins. They became friends, and Buzz introduced Kurt to punk rock music.
During his second year of high school, Kurt moved back with his mother in Aberdeen. Two weeks before graduation, he dropped out of Aberdeen High School. He realized he did not have enough credits to graduate. His mother told him to find a job or leave. After one week, Kurt found his clothes packed in boxes. Feeling like he was kicked out, Kurt stayed with friends. Sometimes, he would sneak back into his mother's basement.
In late 1986, Kurt moved into an apartment. He paid his rent by working at the Polynesian Resort. This was a themed resort on the Pacific coast. During this time, he often traveled to Olympia, Washington, to attend rock concerts.
Kurt Cobain's Music Career
Kurt Cobain was very important in creating grunge music. Grunge musicians wanted to make music that was different from the commercial and shallow music they saw in the 1980s. Grunge was a reaction against big stadium rock and metal bands. These bands often cared more about how they looked than how their music sounded.
Kurt played guitar left-handed. This was even though he was taught to write with his right hand.
Nirvana: The Band
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Kurt Cobain started the band Nirvana with his friend Krist Novoselic in 1987. They often practiced upstairs in Krist's mom's hair salon.
Nirvana's first album, Bleach, came out in 1989. The band had five different drummers before they hired Dave Grohl from the band Scream in 1990.
After their hit album Nevermind was released in 1991, Nirvana became one of the most popular bands. Nirvana's most famous song is "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The media often called it an anthem for Generation X and for grunge music itself.
Kurt Cobain often felt frustrated with his fame. He thought people were misunderstanding him and the band's message.
Nirvana released one more album, In Utero. It was not as famous as Nevermind, but it was still very successful. Kurt Cobain said this album had the sound he had always wanted for the band. He decided he wanted a more calm and gentle sound for this album.
The band stopped playing together after Kurt Cobain died in 1994.
On February 20, 2014, Aberdeen, Washington, held its first Kurt Cobain Day. In 2017, the toy company Funko released new vinyl figures of Kurt Cobain as part of their Pop! Rocks collection.
Kurt Cobain's Artistry
Cobain believed that music should come first, and lyrics second. He focused mainly on creating good melodies. Even though Cobain said his lyrics were not that important, he worked hard on them. He often changed the words and their order during performances.
Musical Equipment
Kurt's first guitar was a used electric guitar from Sears. He got it for his 14th birthday. He took guitar lessons long enough to learn AC/DC's "Back in Black." Then he started playing with other kids in his town. When he formed Nirvana, Kurt used a Fender Champ amplifier. He also used a right-handed Univox Hi-Flier guitar that he flipped over to play left-handed.
Even after signing with Geffen Records and getting a lot of money, Kurt still preferred inexpensive equipment. He became a fan of Japanese-made Fender guitars before recording Nevermind. He liked them because they had slim necks and were easy to find for left-handed players. One of his favorites was a 1969 Competition Mustang.
Kurt Cobain's Personal Life
Kurt Cobain met Courtney Love in 1990. On February 24, 1992, Kurt and Courtney got married on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. This was a few days after Nirvana's "Pacific Rim" tour ended. Courtney wore a satin and lace dress that once belonged to Frances Farmer. Kurt wore green pajamas because he was "too lazy to put on a tux." Eight people attended the wedding, including Dave Grohl. Courtney was pregnant at the time. Their daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, was born on August 18, 1992.
In 2002, some of Kurt Cobain's private journal entries were published in a book called Journals.
Images for kids
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Cobain (right) performing with Nirvana at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards
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The Lake Placid Blue Fender Mustang played by Cobain during the filming of the video for "Smells Like Teen Spirit", shown at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle
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Cobain's former home, and the site of his death.
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A minibus in Nepal with a portrait of Kurt Cobain on rear window
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See also
In Spanish: Kurt Cobain para niños
