Last week, we introduced you to our new series of music and book pairings. For the ultimate experience, why not read about your favourite artists while surrounding yourself in their music…
This week’s feature is the iconic Kurt Cobain. Every diehard fan needs to check out Heavier Than Heaven – the definitive biography by rock music journalist Charles R. Cross (it’s a Backbeat Recommended Read). I learned so much about his early formative years and the rest of his sad/crazy/messed up/contradictory whirlwind of a life from this book.
To accompany the book, we recommend spinning Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. This deluxe double LP features 31 tracks and is the soundtrack from the documentary of the same name.
Alternately, any Nirvana records would make a great obvious backdrop, but to shake things up, you could check out a few of Kurt’s own personal favourites such as the Butthole Surfers, Sonic Youth, David Bowie, Mazzy Star or the Pixies.
Fun Fact: Despite partaking in his fair share of risky behaviours, Cobain could not be accused of being an unsafe driver. On Nirvana’s first tour in bassist Krist Novoselic’s van, everyone was put in a driving rotation except Cobain because everyone thought he drove too slowly. In fact, then-girlfriend Tracy Marander recalls him driving “like a little old lady”.