The focus today on America's modern icons can be ridiculous. Our icons are no longer people who have done anything touchable. Florence Nightingale saved our country from future disease. Harriet Tubman helped to free slaves. Francis Scott Key wrote our beloved national anthem. Now, in the 21st century, we have Britney Spears, sexpot. We're proud to say that we are the home of the raunchy Christina Aguilera. And Kurt Cobain. We can't forget Kurt, can we? At the mere mention of any of these names, curiosity and conversation run rampant. Why is it that Americans can be so engrossed with a person who is all publicity and no substance? We don't know half of the traits of these people, yet they are the loves of our lives.
I recently read an essay in my Seeing and Writing book by a man named Toure entitled, "Kurt Is My Co-Pilot" (511-519). In it is an interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt says that he had always "listened to country music. Then one day changed it all " (511). A video for the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by the new alternative rock band Nirvana came on MTV and Earnhardt was captivated. He identified with the song so deeply that he "was pulled from the good ol' boy path and rebaptized by rock & roll" (511). The essay goes on about Earnhardt's racing career and seems to say that Kurt Cobain was such a genius that he forever changed not only music, but life as well. Both the author and Earnhardt seem to have a great regard for Cobain.
But how much do we really know about Cobain? Common opinion seems to be that he was a tortured soul who hated his fame and was anguished at all of the pain in the world. The first question in my mind is, "If he hated publicity, why did he strive for fame?" Maybe, just maybe, we...
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...se people to icon status, why are we giving that to those who happen to have a good publicist? We give that power to the talentless Britney, the brainless Jessica Simpson, the womanizing Mel Gibson, and the hate-filled Kurt Cobain. How does this make us look to other countries? How does this reflect on us? Have we become so image-fueled? Unfortunately, I think we have. Personally, my tastes in icons run to the more uncommon flavor of the people who died to stop the plane from crashing into the White House. Or Charles Darwin. Or Albert Einstein. These are the deserving icons. Not Kurt Cobain. We instantly recognize his name and why he is famous. But some of us have to think for a moment to remember exactly what Einstein did for humanity. It's shameful and ridiculous. And so I say to Toure, the author of "Kurt Is My Co-Pilot", I'd rather drive solo, thank you very much.
Kurt Cobain was the singer and guitarist for Nirvana. He was born in Hoquiam (population 9,000) and after six months of life moved to Aberdeen (pop. 16,500), an old lumber town at the eastern-most point of Grays Harbor. The town is about four miles wide and three miles long. On the northern and eastern sides of town are steep hills where the richer families live in Victorian-style houses. At the foot of the hills is the poorer part of Aberdeen where Kurt grew up. (Gilmore 44)
Many times, people have very different ideas about what makes an icon. Our icons may be singers, dancers, athletes, actors or politicians. We may not even know what the criteria would be for an icon, but we know one when we see it. One of the greatest American icons in history is the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival. To say that Woodstock isn’t an icon would be like saying that the music wasn’t a dynamic character in the movie “Star Wars” or “The Phantom of the Opera”. An Icon must encompass a distinct ideology, and nothing ushered in our generation’s journey to the end of the innocence like Woodstock.
He also said that I would rather be hated for who I am than be loved for who I am not.Meaning that he does not care what people think of him.The textual evidence is “Even though he was heroin drug addict he inspired a lot of people”. Our definition is shown in Kurt Cobain because of all the great things that he accomplished. Kurt Cobain is a hero because of him being an activist, and he lived his dream as becoming a rock star. He has made many good songs that have inspired people, and since he did all of this, this shows us that he tried to make the most of his life in the short years that he
Kurt Cobain, lead singer of the infamous band Nirvana was discovered outside of his Seattle home three days after his death by Garry Smith on April 8, 1994. While Cobain’s official death certificate reads suicide, many theories have cropped up over the years that claim to explain neglected attributes to the original case.
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.
Music can also help people, particularly those going through painful times (such as adolescence) to understand that they are not alone and that other people have the same feelings that they do. After grunge-rock superstar Kurt Cobain committed suicide in April 1994, one fan wrote to Rolling Stone magazine describing how the music of Cobain's band, Nirvana, made her feel. "I could be feeling like total shit," wrote Carrie Loy, "and hear a Nirvana song and end up feeling renewed afterward.
celebrity may be found in the words of one of America’s Founding Fathers, John Adams, who wrote, ‘‘The rewards . . . in this life are steem and admiration of others—the punishments are neglect and contempt. The desire of the esteem of others is as real a want of nature as hunger—and the neglect and contempt of the world as severe as a pain.” (Price, 463). The author suggests that fame is not at all w...
The 1960's were turbulent years in America, and Jim Morrison created an image of himself that stretched the boundaries of popular culture and entertainment. He was the first musician to truly live the creed of the moment, " sex drugs and rock and roll." Morrison's complicated lyrics, wild behavior, and personal charisma attracted many fans that worshipped him as a rock and roll icon. Morrision left them with a lot of great music and some very bad memories. Like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, he destroyed himself in the process of becoming a star.
Recent speculations have fans, reporters, and investigators questioning the death of musician Kurt Cobain that was a reported suicide case. Cobain’s body was found with shotgun wound to his head on April 8th by an electrician at the couples Washington lake house. The same day Cobain’s body was found, news was released that the singer had committed suicide. With lack of investigation Cobain’s body was cremated 6 days after his body was found. The Seattle P.D. withheld the shotgun for 30 days before it was processed for fingerprints; the shotgun was then given back to Courtney Love to be discarded. The Seattle P.D. also condoned the greenhouse that Kurt Cobain’s body was found be torn down. With that, questions arise on whether or not the death was a suicide or a homicide in the matter. Did Courtney Love the beloved musician’s wife plan and set up the death of her
though they had lost a close friend. They felt that Kurt was an artist who could read their
The biggest influential song on Nirvana’s Nevermind album was the first song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” It reached number 6 on the Top 40 Charts. This song was groundbreaking for Nirvana and the alternative music scene as a whole. After the release of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” white, middle-class youth of the United States finally had a style of music to call their own and express their “teenage anthems” (Stuessy, Joe). This was the first song to emerge from alternative rock and to be known in the mainstream of rock and roll, expressing their generation’s expectations, “...here we are now, entertain us”(Stuessy, Joe). “Smells like Teen Spirit” was Curt Cobain’s “attempt to write the ultimate pop song”(Nevermind, Nirvana). He used the soft-loud dynamics of his favorite band, the Pixies. The insidious hooks also showed his admiration for the Beatle’s John Lennon(Nevermind, Nirvana). The style used in this song is simple, plain, loud, and straight-forward. Musically, there is nothing very “innovative” or difficult. However, the reason it is important to rock history is because it brought America’s attention to the once before underground style of grunge. “A driving drum beat, powered by Novelsek’s rhythmic bass, and a memorable guitar riff and solo, mix perfectly with Kurt Cobain’s depressing yet humorous lyrics” (Kastner, Patrick). While it has certainly been overplayed in the past years, it is still an essential part of Rock history.
Kurt Cobain soon realized that in the media he was considered as the “spokesman of a generation” and the band was often referred to the “flagship band of...
In the world of pop culture, people look up to a myriad of interesting, talented, and inspiring peoples who influence the world. Singers, actors, athletes, celebrities, they all are relevant contributors to pop culture. People look up to them, discuss them, and read articles about them. The media showers these peoples with questions, compliments, and criticism. No other story is as inspiring as the story of a shy girl, born under the name of Diana Spencer, who became a symbol of generosity, wisdom, peace, and love for the world. Princess Diana, who married into the Royal Family, was one of the most influential and popular people in this world.
But with Kurt most people did think the grunge part might be because he never showered or cared much about his appearance. However he was by all definition “true to oneself” and he was great at It. Let's get back to his appearance, his appearance was that of someone who almost either didn’t care or that of a homeless person. He did spend many nights on friends couches. High fashion was not a concern for
Many people have heard or were even fans of the famous band Nirvana. Even if the name isn't entirely familiar, songs from them are popularly known because of the band's great success. On April 5, 1994, the world lost a legendary rock singer, Kurt Cobain. Being the front man of the successful band Nirvana, he created a new era of rock called grunge. Along with the predictable troubles of fame came difficulties in Kurt's life, struggling with his drug addiction, spasmodic behavior, and medical problems that were never examined nor treated. One might agree and say yes, it is obvious Kurt committed suicide but many others beg to differ. His death greatly affected Nirvana fans and some began to speculate that his death, in fact, was not a suicide. Even though Kurt Cobain's life was difficult with the fame and his bipolar disorder, his death isn't believed to be suicidal because, he and his wife, Courtney Love, were on bad terms; he was leaving behind a two-year-old daughter, and Nirvana was at the height of its success.