April 5, 2007
Nirvana: The Biography—Buy or Burn?
Sadly, we didn’t live in Seattle when grunge was born and raucously reigned. British rock journalist Everett True, author of Nirvana: The Biography—on sale now, just in time for the anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death—did. And it sure is tempting to live vicariously through the 600+ pages of his book.
For those fascinated with this era of Seattle music, Nirvana looks like an educational, entertaining read. We could probably even tolerate True’s repeated, misguided Pearl Jam-bashing. But given the curious timing of his book’s release, and his reported surpersize arrogance—he once claimed, among other things, to have coined the very word "grunge"—we’re not sure we want to bite.
Should we boost this guy’s royalties for using Cobain as the #1 selling point for his work? Should we support someone who badmouths the legendary Rocket? Someone who writes, idiotically, "Kurt Cobain left one of the best-looking corpses around"? We refused to buy or read Journals. Despite our curiosity, we might have to do the same with Nirvana: the Biography.
We know what Kurt would do. What about you?
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Skip it. Read Heavier Than Heaven -- Charles R. Cross's Cobain biography.
Yeah, i read that article in the seattle times yesterday, and Everett True just seems like a total douchebag. my guess is that if you asked people "from the scene" about him, they'd agree. that said, i'm not a pearl jam fan, either, so i might giggle at those parts a bit. nothing personal people.
I read something about this somewhere--the Stranger, maybe? And he's like "oh, what I write may not have actually happened, but it's my memory of what happened," or whatever the fuck. Made me think the book will be some awful self-aggrandizing bullshit that bears no more resemblance to reality than my 1983 Mariners first place prediction. Just another dude trying to reflect some of Cobain's genius onto himself?
My vote: Oh well, whatever, nevermind.
The Stranger reviewed it, yeah. (Sidenote: True wrote for them while he was here during Nirvana's heyday.) Apparently he was drunk the whole time, which might explain his maybe-it-never-happened-but-aren't-I-cool? approach.
we know what kurt would do? Thats so stupid. Kurt might not want you to read it but he also shot himself in the head with a shotgun.