20 Years Since The Death Of Kurt Cobain

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Also, the biggest "death is a career move" since Lennon.

I think I see what you are getting at here, but the phrasing is just deplorable. As though Lennon orchestrated his own shooting or Cobain chose crippling depression.
 
A person can develop quite a tolerance to narcotics, so what might incapacitate you or me wouldn't have as much effect on a hard core addict.

Of course and that was what was theorized, that he had a serious tolerance, and likely he did. But there are certainly enough questions about his death where I can see someone questioning it being a suicide.
 
Lennon was already a legend before he died and was enjoying commercial success via Double Fantasy. Not much of a career booster, given the context. Neither was it remotely voluntary.
 
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Also, the biggest "death is a career move" since Lennon.

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Go back to the troll playground in the other part of the forum where you belong.

Lennon was already a legend before he died and was enjoying commercial success via Double Fantasy. Not much of a career booster, given the context. Neither was it remotely voluntary.

Thank you.
 
I think I see what you are getting at here, but the phrasing is just deplorable. As though Lennon orchestrated his own shooting or Cobain chose crippling depression.

It's a famous phrase...it applies.

And if you know what is meant , you know it's not at all about choosing depression or orchestrating a murder. It's about the mythical hype for Nirvana/Cobain and Lennon after their death.
 
Lennon was already a legend before he died and was enjoying commercial success via Double Fantasy. Not much of a career booster, given the context. Neither was it remotely voluntary.

Double Fantasy got a boost in sales/charts (given it came out three weeks before the shooting) and consequently negative reviews were withdrawn. Consider also the godlike status Lennon got in comparison to the other three Beatles since, or other 60's acts. It was a boost, absolutely. eta : this was a comeback album after a 5 year break, nothing more, nothing less. It only became more because of the events that followed the release. I would argue Lennon would not be seen as bigger than the other three (or, at the very least, not bigger than McCartney), if he'd still be around.

Double Fantasy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
It's a famous phrase...it applies.

It's about your perverse agenda to reduce any other band and/or musician to a stereotype based on a pathetic pun you got from the only band you actually seem to know something about. Educate yourself and stop being a wise-ass. You have no idea how stupid you look to people here.

And if you know what is meant , you know it's not at all about choosing depression or orchestrating a murder. It's about the mythical hype for Nirvana/Cobain and Lennon after their death.

"Choosing" depression? Go and troll in your own backyard.
 
And Houston and Jackson's deaths, while sudden, were directly or indirectly the result of unhealthy living, and people already thought they were in bad shape. Also not the same.

Cobain was someone who was young, in his prime, and near the peak of his popularity when he died. He had a young child at home. And he seemed to be on the cusp of a major change in direction musically.

Really trumps the other examples.

Not to pick on the dead but I don't see Cobain the mentally disturbed drug addict as any better or worse an example or anyone who necessarily "trumps" the death of Whitney Houston the mentally disturbed drug addict or Michael Jackson the mentally disturbed drug addict. Cobain died just as much a result of unhealthy living as did Jackson and Houston. Matter of fact, considering its said that both Houston and possibly Jackson were trying to turn a corner, actually trying to stay alive, some might consider their deaths more tragic than someone who takes their own life. I dont personally put tragedies on a scale like that, but definitely do consider Whitney's death very tragic, given the physical circumstances that have been reported.

The big difference for me is that Houston and Jackson's music far overshadow anything Cobain did. I can only tolerate some of it. Never got really into it at all.
 
Double Fantasy got a boost in sales/charts (given it came out three weeks before the shooting) and consequently negative reviews were withdrawn. Consider also the godlike status Lennon got in comparison to the other three Beatles since, or other 60's acts. It was a boost, absolutely. eta : this was a comeback album after a 5 year break, nothing more, nothing less. It only became more because of the events that followed the release. I would argue Lennon would not be seen as bigger than the other three (or, at the very least, not bigger than McCartney), if he'd still be around.

Double Fantasy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My argument wasn't that Double Fantasy's sales weren't to some degree benefited from by passing (although it was far too early to judge the fate of that album after three weeks of sales), merely that it wasn't exactly a huge career move when there wasn't much further up for him to go. His legacy was already sealed, unlike Kurt, who probably wouldn't be as respected today if he had run out of ideas. Two classic albums followed by years of garbage wouldn't be enough.

Plus, I'm uncomfortable with the idea that Lennon would have only damaged his discography after 1980. That's not a foregone conclusion. McCartney hit on some inspiration in the late 90s and has been riding it ever since. Lennon surely had more great material left in him.
 
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Matter of fact, considering its said that both Houston and possibly Jackson were trying to turn a corner, actually trying to stay alive, some might consider their deaths more tragic than someone who takes their own life.


In what way was MJ trying to turn a corner? Having a personal physician administer general anesthesia just so you can sleep is about as crazy as it gets.
 
Plus, I'm uncomfortable with the idea that Lennon would have only damaged his discography after 1980. That's not a foregone conclusion. McCartney hit on some inspiration in the late 90s and has been riding it ever since. Lennon surely had more great material left in him.

Yes. Same can be said for Dylan's post-80s work.
 
Gabe and Laz arguing about MJ

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Why would you try and stoke an argument needlessly? I'm not about to argue with Laz, I just don't buy that Cobains death is in any way more tragic than MJs or Houston's. They are all equally tragic, in that these talented human beings who were important to millions are no longer with us. :shrug:
 
Why would you try and stoke an argument needlessly? I'm not about to argue with Laz, I just don't buy that Cobains death is in any way more tragic than MJs or Houston's.

The deaths are all equally tragic, the major difference career wise is Cobain was cut down by Courtney in the prime of both his life and career. Not that Houston or Wacko were elderly, but both lived longer and their career peaks were far behind each of them. As Danny Boy stated, from a strictly career tragedy perspective, Kurt's death would have been akin to Jackson dying somewhere between 1985-1990.
 
Not to pick on the dead but I don't see Cobain the mentally disturbed drug addict as any better or worse an example or anyone who necessarily "trumps" the death of Whitney Houston the mentally disturbed drug addict or Michael Jackson the mentally disturbed drug addict. Cobain died just as much a result of unhealthy living as did Jackson and Houston. Matter of fact, considering its said that both Houston and possibly Jackson were trying to turn a corner, actually trying to stay alive, some might consider their deaths more tragic than someone who takes their own life. I dont personally put tragedies on a scale like that, but definitely do consider Whitney's death very tragic, given the physical circumstances that have been reported.

The big difference for me is that Houston and Jackson's music far overshadow anything Cobain did. I can only tolerate some of it. Never got really into it at all.

Well by "trumps" I'm talking about the sensationalistic nature combined with the amount of potential work lost.

The deaths are all equally tragic, the major difference career wise is Cobain was cut down by Courtney in the prime of both his life and career. Not that Houston or Wacko were elderly, but both lived longer and their career peaks were far behind each of them. As Danny Boy stated, from a strictly career tragedy perspective, Kurt's death would have been akin to Jackson dying somewhere between 1985-1990.

This, minus the Courtney Love conspiracy theory.

And also this:

In what way was MJ trying to turn a corner? Having a personal physician administer general anesthesia just so you can sleep is about as crazy as it gets.

Weren't the drugs he was receiving from Dr. Murray illegal?

Yes, he was in the process of mounting a comeback tour. But after two accusations of child molestation (which he was acquitted of but still tainted his reputation) and general eccentric living that was commonly talked about/made fun of in the media, it's hard to say he was on any legitimate upswing.

Would people have turned out in droves to see him perform? Sure. But he hadn't released an album since 2001, and that one received middling reviews and only went 2x platinum compared to HIStory and Dangerous, which both went 7x platinum. A pretty big tumble. It's safe to say that as a recording artist he was pretty much done.
 
The deaths are all equally tragic, the major difference career wise is Cobain was cut down by Courtney in the prime of both his life and career. Not that Houston or Wacko were elderly, but both lived longer and their career peaks were far behind each of them. As Danny Boy stated, from a strictly career tragedy perspective, Kurt's death would have been akin to Jackson dying somewhere between 1985-1990.


Exactly.

I'm trying to think of what would be a current day equivalent to Kurt Cobain's sudden death 20 years ago. I suppose maybe Kanye West, maybe Alex Turner or Lady Gaga? What would have the most identical impact and resonance? I really don't know.

Where was I when it all happened? I was 8, probably in class when the news broke and had no idea who he was. But even though I didn't generally know much about music at that age, Smells Like Teen Spirit was an inescapable song. It was everywhere and was very recognisable even to non music fans back in the early 90s.
 
I'm trying to think of what would be a current day equivalent to Kurt Cobain's sudden death 20 years ago.

I think if Lancemc were to suddenly die, it would be equally sad and shocking and Zoo Station would really never be the same.
 
Alex Turner isn't anywhere near that well known.

Gaga probably.

Kanye at this point has really accomplished far more than Cobain. Not even including his earlier, important work as a producer for others, his recording career has lasted for 10 years already. And the evolution from The College Dropout to Yeezus is pretty staggering.

Cobain was just on the cusp of a big change: you can hear it in the Unplugged arrangements, and he was quoted as saying that R.E.M.'s Automatic For The People was a direction he wanted to go in. I'm sure that Nirvana's next album would have been a major left turn. But without it, he was really cut down before he had a change to fully spread his wings.
 
Double Fantasy got a boost in sales/charts (given it came out three weeks before the shooting) and consequently negative reviews were withdrawn. Consider also the godlike status Lennon got in comparison to the other three Beatles since, or other 60's acts. It was a boost, absolutely. eta : this was a comeback album after a 5 year break, nothing more, nothing less. It only became more because of the events that followed the release. I would argue Lennon would not be seen as bigger than the other three (or, at the very least, not bigger than McCartney), if he'd still be around.

Double Fantasy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'll assume age and geography probably limit your full understanding of the Beatles' and Lennon's impact on culture, so I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But be sure Lennon's "godlike status" in comparison to the other 3 you refer to was well in place long before his death. Lennon was always the most revered of the Beatles and had he lived and never released anything else, or released multiple albums of Yoko imitating injured animals, he would always be the most revered. (to even in passing suggest Ringo would be bigger is so laughable it destroys any credibility your opinion on the subject might warrant.)

Lennon's death was second to only one other musician's in terms of cultural impact. Hendrix, Joplin, Morrison, Cobain, Tupac, Biggie, Jackson, Houston, Hutchence, Mercury, Holly and every other musician who died tragically young didn't measure up to Lennon in terms of their impact, there is only one who did and exceeded him and that's Elvis Presley.
 
Backing up to the talk of depression - I believe not only did depression run in his family, but he had (if I recall correctly) two somewhat-close-in-relation relatives who also killed themselves.

Which is not something to ignore when trying to figure out all the whys of it.
 
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