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charliepritchard1996 's review for:
Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
by Charles R. Cross
‘I’m going to be a superstar musician, kill myself and go out in a fake of glory... like Jimi Hendrix’ - Kurt Cobain.
These prophetic words in many ways explain the intrigue surrounding Kurt Cobain and his tragic demise at the age of 27. The Aberdeen-rocker fronted Nirvana through three incredible studio albums as the group captured a generation in the early 1990s.
Cross offers a tirelessly researched account which depicts a compelling portrait of Cobain. The timelines which Cross constructs are brought to life through rich anecdote and a detailed understanding of Cobain’s tumult. His battle with heroin becomes the dominant theme of the biography as Nirvana become enormously successful.
At a young age, Cobain would be apathetic to drinking and smoking, such was his dedication to musical success. This was widely noted by many friends and family during his late teens and early twenties, yet his fate would take a monumental twist for the worst during his marriage to Courtney Love.
On this, I found how Cross tried his hardest to debunk the narrative that Love was not at all toxic hard to read and hugely biased. Indeed, Cobain used heroin before he met Love, but the female rock-star made their relationship with drugs significantly worse. Her media appearances since have been, by-and-large, insufferable, sycophantic and narcissistic. Poor Frances Cobain.
Nevertheless, Cross’s biography is broadly satisfying and is a commendable study into Cobain and Nirvana. Although I would not go as far to say that it is the ‘final word’ on Cobain, Cross approaches the musician’s career with incredible vigour and brings to life a man who, to this day, holds a profound aura within popular culture.
These prophetic words in many ways explain the intrigue surrounding Kurt Cobain and his tragic demise at the age of 27. The Aberdeen-rocker fronted Nirvana through three incredible studio albums as the group captured a generation in the early 1990s.
Cross offers a tirelessly researched account which depicts a compelling portrait of Cobain. The timelines which Cross constructs are brought to life through rich anecdote and a detailed understanding of Cobain’s tumult. His battle with heroin becomes the dominant theme of the biography as Nirvana become enormously successful.
At a young age, Cobain would be apathetic to drinking and smoking, such was his dedication to musical success. This was widely noted by many friends and family during his late teens and early twenties, yet his fate would take a monumental twist for the worst during his marriage to Courtney Love.
On this, I found how Cross tried his hardest to debunk the narrative that Love was not at all toxic hard to read and hugely biased. Indeed, Cobain used heroin before he met Love, but the female rock-star made their relationship with drugs significantly worse. Her media appearances since have been, by-and-large, insufferable, sycophantic and narcissistic. Poor Frances Cobain.
Nevertheless, Cross’s biography is broadly satisfying and is a commendable study into Cobain and Nirvana. Although I would not go as far to say that it is the ‘final word’ on Cobain, Cross approaches the musician’s career with incredible vigour and brings to life a man who, to this day, holds a profound aura within popular culture.