What would have become of Nirvana?

[malcolmjamalawesome]

What do you all think would have become of Nirvana had Kurt Cobain not killed himself? Would they have stayed together? Stayed relevant? They were always one of my favorite bands and probably one of the most important in my formative music listening years, though I can't help but think they are somewhat OVER appreciated in the context of Kurt Cobain's death. Just curious what, if anything, other people thought baout this.

[PassiveTheory]

Paging Erik to thread.

[MassiveChemicalPunk]

Cobain would've eventually killed himself. just a guess.

[microlovebeat]

i used to be a pretty big nirvana fan.



looking back on them though, i honestly can't figure out what the huge deal was. they were good yeah, but groundbreaking???? look at all the other bands in the late 80s and early 90s that were doing so much more with different asthetics of music. sure kurt had a knack for writing some very catchy songs, but other than that.......well. just my two cents.


oh and i think kurt would have gone solo or something

[menikmati]

i used to be a pretty big nirvana fan.



looking back on them though, i honestly can't figure out what the huge deal was. they were good yeah, but groundbreaking???? look at all the other bands in the late 80s and early 90s that were doing so much more with different asthetics of music. sure kurt had a knack for writing some very catchy songs, but other than that.......well. just my two cents.


oh and i think kurt would have gone solo or something

my main reason for liking - loving them as much as I do...is because mainly 2 things:

1. There isn't one song in their entire catalog that I would skip over if it popped up the ipod, media player, radio, tv, cd player, bootleg, whatever...I love almost every one of their songs (though Lithium is kinda boring).

2. I appreciate and salute the integrity and honesty they (kurt and co) brought to their music. They wrote and played what they wanted, and influenced and changed a lot of things along the way. They all at the time just seemed so humble and quiet about themselves, and here they were writing the best music I've ever heard, I love that. I mean really, even some of their demos and outtakes are better than half of stuff being pumped out by these bands today. Just my opinion though.

anyway, to answer the question...

hypothetically, let's say Kurt was able to kick his addiction, did some proper rehab and such, and did go on tour in summer of 94 on Lollapalooza. While I know there was some bad times going on between members that winter of 94, assuming they made it through the summer, I think they would of squeezed off one more album. Taking a look at some of the tracks that could of found its way onto it (YKYR, Do Re Mi, maybe Old Age? remake of Opinion?)...I think it would of been a great album, yet a little dark kinda like Bleach.

But honestly, one album at the most is all they had left...I think Dave was just too talented to just sit back and take orders from Kurt. He was doing some great demos around this time, and obviously went to form the foo fighters...which I think would of happened whether Kurt lived or died. I kinda always view Kurt and Dave like John and Paul...a lot of talent to be shared, but just kinda too big for each other to keep coexisting.

I don't know, maybe Nirvana would of been one of the bands that never officially broke up, but just went on a long hiatus, while Dave did his own project, Krist broke into politics, and Kurt experimented with solo stuff and helping Courtney out on an album or two. I do think Kurt would of done something as a solo artist...even if it was just one experimental acoustic album or something, I really think he would of done something like that.

Nonetheless, if Kurt was still alive today....I don't think there would still be a Nirvana...only difference would be maybe one more album, a couple solo projects perhaps, and just maybe perhaps, an offer on the table from Goldenvoice...

[malcolmjamalawesome]

Well I think that somewhat defeats the purpose of my hypothetical, but, I still appreciate the input. I think they would have broken up.

[MassiveChemicalPunk]

Well I think that somewhat defeats the purpose of my hypothetical, but, I still appreciate the input. I think they would have broken up.

I mean, they might have released one or two more albums, but cobain at some point was going to pull the trigger. too much issues

[dorkfish]

Wings = Foo Fighters?

[TeamCoachellaHellYeah]

Wings = Foo Fighters?

Wow, that is a burn...but very true....

[rage patton]

Erik, do you think Kurt killed himself? Or do you not want to talk about it?

[jonnypark]

Maybe have broken up in 96 and gotten back together to headline coachella 2008?

Also: possible artist collaborations; Marilyn Manson? Trent Reznor?

[menikmati]

to be honest...I can't say he did kill himself, but I can't say he didn't either....because I really don't know what to believe. I think the actual evidence/facts of the "suicide" case can support both a suicide and/or a murder theory...some of the evidence leans stronger to one side than the other. So i'm not gonna preach to people that he was murdered, as I understand that people, after examining the facts of the case, may think he committed suicide...but I just hope people are able to realize that there is evidence and suggestions strong enough to support a murder theory, and that it can't be ruled out.

[bballarl]

I think Kurt would have made a synth pop album if his bitch of a wife didn't kill him.

[menikmati]

I think if Kurt was gonna collaborate with anyone, it would of been with Michael Stipe (they were planning on this) and maybe a few of his own "idols" from the Olympia music scene.

[Somewhat Damaged]

I agree with Erik. They would not exist today, Kurt would have maintained his critical success (although he would have undoubtedly put out something that was panned -- even Bob Dylan had his low points) and Dave would be more commercially successful but The Colour and the Shape wouldn't have been as good (or at least not have contained "My Hero"). And yes, Nirvana would be the reunion that everybody on the board would be begging for every year, even more than the Smiths, Talking Heads, or My Bloody Valentine.

[menikmati]

This thread reminded me I need to pre-order About A Son on DVD!

[malcolmjamalawesome]

I'm with you, menikmati, I enjoy listening to every single Nirvana song there ever was, even some of the unlistenable shit on Incesticide. I never saw them live and I'll always be super bummed out by that.

[Sushov23]

I loved Nirvana, but they would have become irrelevant.

[menikmati]

Incesticide is very listenable

Dive, Sliver, Been A Son, Mollys Lips, Polly, Mexican Seafood, Downer, Aero Zeppelin, Hairspray Queen, Big Long Now, Aneurysm...

[superfiction]

Incesticide is very listenable

Dive, Sliver, Been A Son, Mollys Lips, Polly, Mexican Seafood, Downer, Aero Zeppelin, Hairspray Queen, Big Long Now, Aneurysm...

i agree with this statement.

it woulda been cool to see him and buzz from the melvins do something.

but i could see him doing a lot of weird solo stuff too

[It'sTheWhiskeyTalking]

Has it been decided who will play him in Heavier than Heaven? I haven't heard anything concrete...

[bmack86]

I think they would have put out something along the lines of early Touch and Go stuff, noisy, grinding and harsh. People wouldn't have liked it, and I would have dug it very much.

[microlovebeat]

courtney wants ryan gosling to play kurt in the heavier than heaven movie.



i've honestly never understood why people STILL consider to this day that he might not have killed himself, but was murdered.


the man was a junkie with many, many, deeply rooted emotional problems and had tried to kill himself just a few months prior to when he died. if you read his published journals, you get a good idea of how much he actually fantasized about suicide,death, aborted fetuses, you name it. kurt always struck me as the guy who was soo close to bringing a gun to his school and offing everyone in sight. HE KILLED HIMSELF. let it rest.


and i suppose i agree with the one more album thing. Do Re Mi, i think, would have been their best song.

[amyzzz]

courtney wants ryan gosling to play kurt in the heavier than heaven movie.

I'd see that. After Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling is one of my favorite actors out there. I still need to see Lars and the Real Doll, or whatever that's called.

(sorry, off-topic)

[microlovebeat]

I'd see that. After Half Nelson, Ryan Gosling is one of my favorite actors out there. I still need to see Lars and the Real Doll, or whatever that's called.

(sorry, off-topic)

agreed. half nelson is great, plus it turned me on to broken social scene.

[microlovebeat]

i tend to believe a lot of people make up their minds based on what book they read first.....

[SFChrissy]

I'm grateful I got to see them play twice and believe he didn't intentionally kill himself that he just wanted to escape but think either way he probably would have ended up dead...

[microlovebeat]

I'm grateful I got to see them play twice and believe he didn't intentionally kill himself that he just wanted to escape but think either way he probably would have ended up dead...

putting the end of a shotgun in your mouth sounds pretty intentional to me....

[SFChrissy]

putting the end of a shotgun in your mouth sounds pretty intentional to me....

My bad on the memory lapse...I was thinking heroin and that was layne.

[microlovebeat]

My bad on the memory lapse...I was thinking heroin and that was layne.

actually we're both right because he did shoot up right before he shot himself