The moment we first hear of the passing of a well-regarded, accomplished musician is strongly imprinted into our memories for years to come. As result of this, we are always able to recall the exact sentiments of the precise moment in which we first heard of the tragedy. Although many of us might not have been born yet, there is no death much more impressionable to our generation than the one of Nirvana’s front man Kurt Cobain. The day of April 5, 1994 will forever remind us of the loss of a great rock legend with still so much potential and who left us just way too soon.
As of now it has been over twenty years since the body of twenty-seven-year-old Kurt Cobain was found in his Seattle home by an electrician. However, it still remains to be a tragedy that many consider extremely difficult to wrap their heads around. Years following the autopsy that ruled his death as a suicide, documentaries and several conspiracy theories have claimed otherwise. Today, his death continues to remain a relevant discussion to those who strongly believe it was not a suicide. Even just this past year the Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015) was released as the first authorized documentary of the reclusive musician’s life. The documentary was accompanied by a soundtrack album that was met with mixed reception. Yet, there is a certain essence to it that make it a quite important artifact that has allowed new and current fans of his work to get a deeper understanding of his life.
At the time before the lead singer of Nirvana was found dead, he had just checked himself out from a drug rehab center in LA. It is speculated that Kurt Cobain and his wife Courtney Love were not in the best of terms in their marriage. Months prior to that Kurt Cobain had given one of his final performance with Nirvana. During the European leg of their tour in support of their highly successful album In Utero (1993), the tour was cut short thanks to Cobain’s addictive personality and constant overdosing in alcohol and drugs. After this incident it was said Kurt Cobain no longer wanted to tour or give performances which as a result caused him to rejected many high paying gigs like Lollapalooza. Many of his critics found this choice to be questionable because Nirvana was just at the height of their success.
The official version of this incident says the singer killed himself with a shotgun to his head while possible under the influence of heroin. In his Seattle home, the police and investigators found what they claim to be his suicide note and heroin kit. Even if its been years since his death, new evidence found in recent years has strongly contradicted the official story of how the tragedy occurred. However, one thing is certain that Kurt Cobain unintentionally left behind a legacy that will continue to develop for years to come. All the while, it is important to remember that the occurrence of his death will continue to be seen by many as the greatest mystery ever.
