The Man In Front of Generation X's Rebellion

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Adolescents and young adults have been disregarding the rules of the older generation and sparking up arguments since time could tell. One of the forerunners for this teen-angst filled defiance was none other than the king of outcasts, Kurt Cobain, lead singer and songwriter for Nirvana. Cobain was a trailblazer ready to defy the Baby Boomers and all that the tired generation saw to be important; Cobain pushed against many traditional structures but few more relevant than sexism and the mainstream music industry. Cobain rallied his army of misfits, labeled Generation X, to also stand against the sexists and the money-grubbing music bosses. Although Cobain didn’t do so by leading rallies or picket-marches, he found his rebellious essence through writing strange, contentious, and confusing music. With this in mind, it’s easy to say that Kurt Cobain was a model for Generation X; however, he is most notable as a rebel writer that expressed his resistance to sexism and to the music industry through his unconventional writing, mixed-music styles, and controversial songs.
Before diving into Cobain’s musical rebellion, it is important to be briefed on his background to understand his reason, his ability to relate to teens, as well as his essence, of resistance. Cobain grew up in the small down of Aberdeen, Washington where his parents raised him until their divorce when Cobain was only eight. After the divorce, Cobain was shuffled between family members and he soon started exhibiting signs of rebellion-such as his use of drugs- that he later expressed through his music (Spirit Interviews). In high school, Cobain was seen as an outcast because he couldn’t fit the masculine jock persona. Cobain even reflected on his inability to relate to...

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Nirvana. “Dumb.” In Utero. DGC, 1993. CD
Nirvana. “Polly.” Nevermind. DGC, 1990. CD.
Nirvana. "Rape Me.” In Utero. DGC, 1993. CD.
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