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Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana
Nirvana came out of nowhere in 1991 to sell nearly nine million copies of the landmark album Nevermind, whose thunderous sound and indelible melodies embodied the confusion, frustration and passion of the emerging Generation X.
As one of the greatest music biographies of all time, Come As You Are is the up-close, intimate story of Nirvana, with exclusive in-depth interviews with band members Kurt Cobain, Chris Novoselic and Dave Grohl, as well as friends, relatives, former band members and associates. A final chapter details the last year of Kurt Cobain's life.
From their early days in rural Aberdeen, Washington, to their domination of the world music scene in the early 90's, Come As You Are tells the Nirvana story as no other book does, candidly and first-hand: the allegations of heroin use; the soul-crushing pressures of sudden success; the burden of their unasked-for role as spokesman for a generation; and the tragic spiral that culminated in Kurt Cobain's death in April 1994.
With close analyses of every song on each of the band's three major albums, a comprehensive discography and more than one hundred rare and never before-seen photographs, posters and original lyric sheets, Come As You Are is by far the most intimate look ever at one of rock's most influential and significant groups.
As one of the greatest music biographies of all time, Come As You Are is the up-close, intimate story of Nirvana, with exclusive in-depth interviews with band members Kurt Cobain, Chris Novoselic and Dave Grohl, as well as friends, relatives, former band members and associates. A final chapter details the last year of Kurt Cobain's life.
From their early days in rural Aberdeen, Washington, to their domination of the world music scene in the early 90's, Come As You Are tells the Nirvana story as no other book does, candidly and first-hand: the allegations of heroin use; the soul-crushing pressures of sudden success; the burden of their unasked-for role as spokesman for a generation; and the tragic spiral that culminated in Kurt Cobain's death in April 1994.
With close analyses of every song on each of the band's three major albums, a comprehensive discography and more than one hundred rare and never before-seen photographs, posters and original lyric sheets, Come As You Are is by far the most intimate look ever at one of rock's most influential and significant groups.
355 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
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About the author
Michael Azerrad
10 books194 followersMichael Azerrad has written for a number of magazines, including Rolling Stone, Revolver, and Spin. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
June 19, 2010
I'll confess - I was not the biggest Nirvana fan back in the day. I was more of a Pearl Jam/Green Day girl. I mean, I liked Nirvana, but it was "Ten" that I played on repeat, and it was "Kerplunk!" that I haunted CD stores in search of. Nirvana was good, but I wasn't into them the way some people were. I certainly did not cry when Kurt Cobain killed himself.
But it seems like most people, when they get to be about my age, start to be hit with some serious nostalgia for their earlier days. Whether it's panic over growing older or fondness for adolescence, I can't say. All I know is that I'm all about the 90s nostalgia right now, much like a lot of other people in their early 30s.
So with this in mind, I read this biography of Nirvana, and I ended up really enjoying it. I was so used to the whole cult of St. Kurt that was constructed after he killed himself that it was interesting to get a glimpse of what the actual guy was like, to see that he was kind of an arrogant dick (which is what I would expect from a rock star in his 20s who is also a drug addict) who was obsessed with subcultural purity, but to also see that he was really thoughtful and smart underneath the crust of dirty hair and junkie sweat. The author had his obvious biases in favor of Nirvana, which is understandable, as he ended up becoming friends with the band, and not everyone is capable of savaging their friends in print. But even so, he didn't really shy away from showing Cobain (and also Chris Novoselic, Courtney Love, Dave Grohl, and all of the other drummers) as complex, flawed, creative people.
The other interesting thing is the way the book gave context to a lot of what was going on around the Seattle music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Cultural moments don't just arise spontaneously; they are always accompanied by shifts in society and in politics and in economics. It seems as though most of the more vital forms of music had their roots in wider social struggles. The music doesn't even have to be overtly political for this to be true.
A worthwhile read for anyone who loves biographies, rock music or the 1990s.
But it seems like most people, when they get to be about my age, start to be hit with some serious nostalgia for their earlier days. Whether it's panic over growing older or fondness for adolescence, I can't say. All I know is that I'm all about the 90s nostalgia right now, much like a lot of other people in their early 30s.
So with this in mind, I read this biography of Nirvana, and I ended up really enjoying it. I was so used to the whole cult of St. Kurt that was constructed after he killed himself that it was interesting to get a glimpse of what the actual guy was like, to see that he was kind of an arrogant dick (which is what I would expect from a rock star in his 20s who is also a drug addict) who was obsessed with subcultural purity, but to also see that he was really thoughtful and smart underneath the crust of dirty hair and junkie sweat. The author had his obvious biases in favor of Nirvana, which is understandable, as he ended up becoming friends with the band, and not everyone is capable of savaging their friends in print. But even so, he didn't really shy away from showing Cobain (and also Chris Novoselic, Courtney Love, Dave Grohl, and all of the other drummers) as complex, flawed, creative people.
The other interesting thing is the way the book gave context to a lot of what was going on around the Seattle music scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Cultural moments don't just arise spontaneously; they are always accompanied by shifts in society and in politics and in economics. It seems as though most of the more vital forms of music had their roots in wider social struggles. The music doesn't even have to be overtly political for this to be true.
A worthwhile read for anyone who loves biographies, rock music or the 1990s.
October 12, 2016
My heart used to beat with the rhythm of this book. I have this paperback copy which no longer has the cover pages. It has deteriorated along with my teenage angst. However, I still remember being fourteen, dreaming about having a guitar, screaming the lyrics and my frustration with the world and reading this book.
Frankly, I do not give a damn if it has especially good writing, probably not. There is something about it. Soul. Maybe. And you can tell the guy who wrote it, actually cared about those people. Also you can see, that he refused to accept the obvious truth, that the main character was screwed up. There is something honest about it.
And what I also appreciate is, that it guides you through a whole pack of bands and styles somewhere in galaxy far away (well Seattle is pretty far).
Years afterwards, I have my guitar. Also no talent at all. I still feel inspired by the book and I will have it on my shelf until it inevitably crumbles into its own yellowy paper universe.
Frankly, I do not give a damn if it has especially good writing, probably not. There is something about it. Soul. Maybe. And you can tell the guy who wrote it, actually cared about those people. Also you can see, that he refused to accept the obvious truth, that the main character was screwed up. There is something honest about it.
And what I also appreciate is, that it guides you through a whole pack of bands and styles somewhere in galaxy far away (well Seattle is pretty far).
Years afterwards, I have my guitar. Also no talent at all. I still feel inspired by the book and I will have it on my shelf until it inevitably crumbles into its own yellowy paper universe.
August 8, 2018
“Not only was the music compelling and catchy, it captured the spirit of the age.”
This book is thorough; insightful and heartbreaking. I was too young to really appreciate or understand Nirvana in the early 90s. It didn’t help that my older brother blared them constantly and I got SO tired of hearing them all the damned time. I never became a fan.
Now, my brother is burning me a CD with his favorite Nirvana songs. How very 90s of him!
This book is thorough; insightful and heartbreaking. I was too young to really appreciate or understand Nirvana in the early 90s. It didn’t help that my older brother blared them constantly and I got SO tired of hearing them all the damned time. I never became a fan.
Now, my brother is burning me a CD with his favorite Nirvana songs. How very 90s of him!
July 4, 2025
▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
▹Format: 🎧Audiobook
▹TL;DR Review: Was informative and moving. I learned a lot as someone who is a fan, but hadn’t before read/watched much about their lives.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: A look into the legendary band and its members as told by a journalist-turned-friend of the band. Also includes a vignette into what it was like to be raised in the 80s and the music industry in the early 90s.
– Triggers: flippant use of the terms “retarded” and “faggot,” mentions of suicide, drug addiction, chronic stomach pain
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Pennyroyal Tea by Nirvana
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Dave Grohl’s autobiography The Storyteller
➼ 90s culture and music, specifically indie music (Daniel Johnston, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, The Melvins, Bikini Kill, and Hole)
➼ Putting on your flannel shirt and torn fishnet stockings and letting loose in someone’s Seattle grungy basement
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I was only 8 years old when Kurt Cobain left this world but that wasn’t too young to know how much of an impact he made and the hole he left behind. This was in part to my older brother trying to emulate Kurt’s likeness and blasting “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for months on end. 😊
Of course I’ve seen bits and pieces of documentaries and behind-the-scenes accounts over the decades since then to understand some of the details around Nirvana’s rise to fame and then sudden end. But this book gave so many great details and made these celebrities feel more “normal,” which is really what they wanted to be seen as in a lot of cases.
Something that I appreciate about this book is that it was written and released in 1993 but was later amended for a final chapter to include the impact of Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994. A lot of times biographical works are written years after and you lose some of the meat or time has rewritten someone’s perspective. This felt raw and true.
It was also emotional, not only did it dive into the broken homes that each member came from but also because the author was a friend of the band’s that had a fall-out with Kurt not long before Kurt committed suicide because the author didn't want to see Kurt that way. I’ve known a few people that have had similar fates to Kurt’s—though not as public or well known, obviously—and I know how heart-breaking it feels to want someone to be “better” than the drugs they are succumbing to, only to cut ties and then later watch the aftermath of what untreated mental illness and drug addiction can do. It’s just awful. It made me empathize with the author and those closest to Kurt in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to at 8 years old.
I recommend this book if you are a fan of Nirvana or 90s music and want a bit of nostalgia.
▹Format: 🎧Audiobook
▹TL;DR Review: Was informative and moving. I learned a lot as someone who is a fan, but hadn’t before read/watched much about their lives.
─────────────────────────
○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○
– About: A look into the legendary band and its members as told by a journalist-turned-friend of the band. Also includes a vignette into what it was like to be raised in the 80s and the music industry in the early 90s.
– Triggers: flippant use of the terms “retarded” and “faggot,” mentions of suicide, drug addiction, chronic stomach pain
─────────────────────────
↻ ◁ || ▷ ↺ 1:00 ──ㅇ────── 4:12
Now Playing: Pennyroyal Tea by Nirvana
╰┈➤ ❝I’m so tired, I can’t sleep; I’m a liar and a thief…I’m anemic royalty❞
─────────────────────────
★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★
➼ Dave Grohl’s autobiography The Storyteller
➼ 90s culture and music, specifically indie music (Daniel Johnston, Sonic Youth, The Pixies, The Melvins, Bikini Kill, and Hole)
➼ Putting on your flannel shirt and torn fishnet stockings and letting loose in someone’s Seattle grungy basement
─────────────────────────
🎯 My Thoughts:
I was only 8 years old when Kurt Cobain left this world but that wasn’t too young to know how much of an impact he made and the hole he left behind. This was in part to my older brother trying to emulate Kurt’s likeness and blasting “Smells Like Teen Spirit” for months on end. 😊
Of course I’ve seen bits and pieces of documentaries and behind-the-scenes accounts over the decades since then to understand some of the details around Nirvana’s rise to fame and then sudden end. But this book gave so many great details and made these celebrities feel more “normal,” which is really what they wanted to be seen as in a lot of cases.
Something that I appreciate about this book is that it was written and released in 1993 but was later amended for a final chapter to include the impact of Kurt Cobain’s death in 1994. A lot of times biographical works are written years after and you lose some of the meat or time has rewritten someone’s perspective. This felt raw and true.
It was also emotional, not only did it dive into the broken homes that each member came from but also because the author was a friend of the band’s that had a fall-out with Kurt not long before Kurt committed suicide because the author didn't want to see Kurt that way. I’ve known a few people that have had similar fates to Kurt’s—though not as public or well known, obviously—and I know how heart-breaking it feels to want someone to be “better” than the drugs they are succumbing to, only to cut ties and then later watch the aftermath of what untreated mental illness and drug addiction can do. It’s just awful. It made me empathize with the author and those closest to Kurt in a way that I wouldn’t have been able to at 8 years old.
I recommend this book if you are a fan of Nirvana or 90s music and want a bit of nostalgia.
March 23, 2017
This is a detailed history of NIRVANA written by someone who's obviously a part of the scene and knows the whole background of where the band came from and what they were trying to accomplish.
The problem, as other reviewers have pointed out, is that this author, Michael Azerrad, is very clearly on Kurt Cobain's team, rooting for him and covering for him no matter what the facts on the ground actually look like. This book was written before Cobain died and yet it's clear that every single member of his inner circle knew his story was only going to have one ending. Azerrad's great failure is that he never comes to terms with Kurt's sickness, and indeed takes all of his junkie rationalizations at face value. ("I only shoot up heroin when I'm tormented by mysterious stomach pain.")
Related to all this is the problem that Cobain's feuding with other rock stars is presented as heroic no matter what the circumstances. Azerrad goes way out of the way to make Axl Rose of Guns N Roses look bad, dismissing him as a crude racist and a bully, basically echoing Cobain's attacks. No explanation of why being a racist bully is worse than being a suicidal heroin addict. (Axl Rose comments: "I only dis black people when I'm tormented by mysterious stomach pain.")
One final thought: I just looked up Frances Bean Cobain on Wikipedia and read an interview she gave to Rolling Stone magazine about a year ago. She seems really smart and well-grounded and I wish her well. But I couldn't help notice that Wikipedia lists her net worth as $170 million dollars. One hundred and seventy MILLION dollars.
That's a lot more than Sam Cooke's daughters ever got from their dad. More than Chuck Berry and Little Richard and Bo Diddley's kids ever got. More than Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin's kids ever got. More than . . . well, you get the idea.
I guess Sam Cooke was wrong. A change is not going to come!
The problem, as other reviewers have pointed out, is that this author, Michael Azerrad, is very clearly on Kurt Cobain's team, rooting for him and covering for him no matter what the facts on the ground actually look like. This book was written before Cobain died and yet it's clear that every single member of his inner circle knew his story was only going to have one ending. Azerrad's great failure is that he never comes to terms with Kurt's sickness, and indeed takes all of his junkie rationalizations at face value. ("I only shoot up heroin when I'm tormented by mysterious stomach pain.")
Related to all this is the problem that Cobain's feuding with other rock stars is presented as heroic no matter what the circumstances. Azerrad goes way out of the way to make Axl Rose of Guns N Roses look bad, dismissing him as a crude racist and a bully, basically echoing Cobain's attacks. No explanation of why being a racist bully is worse than being a suicidal heroin addict. (Axl Rose comments: "I only dis black people when I'm tormented by mysterious stomach pain.")
One final thought: I just looked up Frances Bean Cobain on Wikipedia and read an interview she gave to Rolling Stone magazine about a year ago. She seems really smart and well-grounded and I wish her well. But I couldn't help notice that Wikipedia lists her net worth as $170 million dollars. One hundred and seventy MILLION dollars.
That's a lot more than Sam Cooke's daughters ever got from their dad. More than Chuck Berry and Little Richard and Bo Diddley's kids ever got. More than Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin's kids ever got. More than . . . well, you get the idea.
I guess Sam Cooke was wrong. A change is not going to come!
September 16, 2009
If your going to read a music bio of nirvana, this is it. it goes through the life's of all the band members, including the temporary ones. it has a very thorough way of explaining their lives without getting stuck on mundane and useless things. it reads quite easily and teaches some really interesting things that i had no idea about. it was written before Kurt Cobain killed himself, and it is based on hours upon hours of interviews and conversations the author had with nirvana while he was tagging along on tour with the band. it sifts through all the rumors and myths, it tells the true story from the mind of the band members. It is a really amazing story. inspiring to say the least. if your a fan of nirvana or a musician or an artist, this is a book you should read.
October 15, 2020
K got me doing some music biography reading, and I came across a cheap used copy of this one, so I finally got around to reading it just twenty short years after my Nirvana-listening peak. Probably required reading for fans. It's a very thorough biography of the band from its inception until just prior to the release of In Utero. My edition adds a necessary post-original publication bonus chapter to discuss Kurt Cobain's death. Michael Azerrad leveraged fantastic access to the band, so the story is told largely through direct quotes. Kurt emerges as a complicated, contradictory guy. He was tortured by fame, hated the spotlight but reveled in the artistic freedom it gave him. But it also boxed him into feeling like he had to please everyone. He felt like he had to be a moody difficult punk rocker to maintain his authenticity but was compelled to write accessible music. He's sympathetic for many reasons, but with a frustrating self-destructive streak.
I can empathize with the challenge this presents for Azerrad. Kurt's inherent contradictions made him an extremely unreliable narrator. Like, he'd rail for pages about being falsely accused of drug use, then but oh yeah he was in and out of rehab constantly. He hated attention from the press, but also was so controlling about his image he'd do endless interviews to try to steer the narrative. We also shouldn't forget this was a young guy, like 23 or 24 when Nevermind exploded**. Suddenly the whole world is asking for insight into his genius and scrutinizing his life choices. At one point he says he does crazy stuff because he's a Pisces. I mean, literally no one is more bewildered at how Kurt Cobain became an icon than Kurt Cobain.
Unfortunately the book's poor editing doesn't help sift all the conflicting information into a cohesive whole. Perhaps it was rushed to publication to get it out in front of In Utero. It often felt like reading a first draft, complete with occasional duplicated sentences, notebook dumps of trivial non sequitur anecdotes that don't go anywhere, and pages of out-of-place quotes.
**When I realized this it reminded me that I've been thinking lately about what music I listen to that is actually written by people older than me. Which I'm not sure matters or what, but is most certainly increasingly rare for me as I approach 40. But when you're a teenager all these musicians seem like wizard geniuses.
I can empathize with the challenge this presents for Azerrad. Kurt's inherent contradictions made him an extremely unreliable narrator. Like, he'd rail for pages about being falsely accused of drug use, then but oh yeah he was in and out of rehab constantly. He hated attention from the press, but also was so controlling about his image he'd do endless interviews to try to steer the narrative. We also shouldn't forget this was a young guy, like 23 or 24 when Nevermind exploded**. Suddenly the whole world is asking for insight into his genius and scrutinizing his life choices. At one point he says he does crazy stuff because he's a Pisces. I mean, literally no one is more bewildered at how Kurt Cobain became an icon than Kurt Cobain.
Unfortunately the book's poor editing doesn't help sift all the conflicting information into a cohesive whole. Perhaps it was rushed to publication to get it out in front of In Utero. It often felt like reading a first draft, complete with occasional duplicated sentences, notebook dumps of trivial non sequitur anecdotes that don't go anywhere, and pages of out-of-place quotes.
**When I realized this it reminded me that I've been thinking lately about what music I listen to that is actually written by people older than me. Which I'm not sure matters or what, but is most certainly increasingly rare for me as I approach 40. But when you're a teenager all these musicians seem like wizard geniuses.
November 17, 2021
Wow! This book is fantastic! Big surprise, huh? Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a Nirvana fanatic. This book was written based on more than 25 hours of interviews with the band members, families, friends and a few people on the more corporate side of things. I really enjoyed hearing experiences told from all perspectives. And each member, including their cycle of early drummers has their time in the spotlight.
This book heavily benefits from being written while the band was still together. It negates the retrospective martyr syndrome a lot of pieces on this subject fall guilty to. It was written at the request of Kurt and Courntey, after the prolific Vanity Fair scandal. Even though Azerrad was close with the band he writes honestly, showing the highs and lows of everyone's experiences and personalities to give us a fairly unbiased account of the years.
At times the story is contradictory and even jumps timelines and one has to read between the lines, but that makes it kind of fun! It is all usually intertwined enough that everything pieces together.
This book was originally published six months before Kurt Cobain took his life, and the story ended with the recording of In Utero. Azerrad did add a "new final chapter" in 2001 which was done in a very respectful, reflective manner. You can tell he knew Kurt personally through the care he takes with that section and didn't just write it for sensationalism. (I'm looking at you, Charles R. Cross) However, I would have loved another chapter added between these two covering the release/reception of In Utero, the Heart-Shaped Box music video, Pat Smear, MTV Unplugged and everything else between .
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this portrait of the band. I already hyped four friends into reading it before I was finished! This is 'the' Nirvana biography I would recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the band.
This book heavily benefits from being written while the band was still together. It negates the retrospective martyr syndrome a lot of pieces on this subject fall guilty to. It was written at the request of Kurt and Courntey, after the prolific Vanity Fair scandal. Even though Azerrad was close with the band he writes honestly, showing the highs and lows of everyone's experiences and personalities to give us a fairly unbiased account of the years.
At times the story is contradictory and even jumps timelines and one has to read between the lines, but that makes it kind of fun! It is all usually intertwined enough that everything pieces together.
This book was originally published six months before Kurt Cobain took his life, and the story ended with the recording of In Utero. Azerrad did add a "new final chapter" in 2001 which was done in a very respectful, reflective manner. You can tell he knew Kurt personally through the care he takes with that section and didn't just write it for sensationalism. (I'm looking at you, Charles R. Cross) However, I would have loved another chapter added between these two covering the release/reception of In Utero, the Heart-Shaped Box music video, Pat Smear, MTV Unplugged and everything else between .
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this portrait of the band. I already hyped four friends into reading it before I was finished! This is 'the' Nirvana biography I would recommend to anyone wanting to know more about the band.
December 5, 2021
This books is evident that most journalists should not endeavor to write books. The topic of the books is obviously not what I take issue with because I am obsessed with Nirvana. The writing is rather poor, lacks focus, speculates too much and offers more personal insight on the band than I care for. I don’t trust or take interest in what one interprets song lyrics as in this type of setting. The book is a biography and should not include what the others thinks the lyrics are about by making anecdotal but weak connections between Kurt’s life and the words. The author occasionally quotes Kurt discussing his lyrics and they are contradictory to what the others speculates about. The book is also poorly constructed in that paragraphs don’t connect well or flow properly. I had to go back and reread the previous paragraph to see if I had missed something because I wondered why the author jumped from one topic to the next with no explanation or connecting sentence. That is high school taught writing protocol that this books lacks.
I also have an issue with the edition of the final chapter. The way the author begins talking about Kurt’s suicide makes it personal to his experience with Kurt, which I find inappropriate and does not provide any relevant details to the suicide, like date, location, vehicle of death. So anyone who is reading this that for some reason did not know about his suicide is left to Wikipedia it after they finish the book. Adding passages from Kurt’s suicide letter and Courtney’s remarks while reading it felt gross and negligent to his image. I understand wanting to share for sake of transparency, but it added to the whole chapter feeling cheap and unfocused on Kurt. A better chapter would’ve also addressed the lasting effects of Nirvana after Kurt’s death. The whole chapter was a bust.
I also have an issue with the edition of the final chapter. The way the author begins talking about Kurt’s suicide makes it personal to his experience with Kurt, which I find inappropriate and does not provide any relevant details to the suicide, like date, location, vehicle of death. So anyone who is reading this that for some reason did not know about his suicide is left to Wikipedia it after they finish the book. Adding passages from Kurt’s suicide letter and Courtney’s remarks while reading it felt gross and negligent to his image. I understand wanting to share for sake of transparency, but it added to the whole chapter feeling cheap and unfocused on Kurt. A better chapter would’ve also addressed the lasting effects of Nirvana after Kurt’s death. The whole chapter was a bust.
April 7, 2024
A good read about the influential band of the 1990’s. The book was history of the up and eventual collapse of Nirvana due to the pain and eventual death of Kurt Cobain. The one thing that didn’t make the story great was that it felt impersonal as the writer was from Rolling Stone magazine and not a member of Nirvana.
August 5, 2019
4.5 stars. Wonderfully read by Kurt Loder.
May 8, 2016
One of the most influential bands to ever hit mother earth is Nirvana. These three weird guys managed to come out of nowhere and dominate the music scene. This scene which became selective, commercial and anti-artistic at the time. Their album became number one even beating Michael Jackson proving that grunge, alternative and punk aren't just lousy tries to revive Rock which has been dead. Proving that Rock isn't about makeup and long hair and acting macho. Proving that rock is a way of expressing one's self, a way to communicate and "come together", a way to fight what's bothering us socially, politically and personally. They proved that people don't want the stupid pop songs that lack any meaning. They showed that the youth want music that can relate to, lyrics that they can sing along with and express their frustration with some situations.
I started listening to Nirvana in high school and it was an instant blow of the mind. The grunge-pop music had so much power, the poetic lyrics that take you to different places and make you feel related and concerned with what these guys are saying, and of course the heavenly made angel voice of Kurt that tickles the core of your sole. Ever since it's been a long and amazing love story. I listened to their songs all the time and my most played playlist consisted only of Nirvana. But in the last year I started to lose interest, was it just a fling?. But I started losing interest not only in the band but also in music in general, which is weird because I thought that music was my passion in life. I started to listen to random songs instead of specific artist "because there were no good bands but some few good songs".
This is where this book comes in – whof! Finally! I thought I'll never get to reviewing the book. I'm not going to say that it brought my passion for music to life, or it changed my view of the world or anything. But it did remind me why I liked this band so much in the first place, and it made me re-listen to all these songs and have these memories again.
This book was recommended to me by goodreads –thanks good reads! – and it was the right book to read about the band because it was written while Kurt was alive and with his approval. The writer seems to have gotten along very well with Kurt and all the band members and relatives and even Courtney!. So yeah he can't make any thing up since they read what he wrote before publishing it.
It portrayed the personality of each band member pretty well. Gave amazing insights on the life of the group. Had a lot of funny situations and of course occasional tears.
In the end of the book – not the final chapter because the final chapter was added after publishing the book – Kurt ends it with plans of the future and where he'll be in ten years which is just sad. The final chapter was a bit of a shock; I read this book knowing that it was published while Kurt was alive so I didn't see it coming and it really made me sad. I found the letter from his step uncle really heart breaking and the final fade away of the book was really poetic.
"Come as you are" was a song that Kurt wrote to someone encouraging the person to not change him/herself for him. It embraced the acceptance of other people no matter what. And I found it a really good choice for the book title because it showed the band members not as Gods or Devils it showed them as humans with their lovely flows. Great book about a really great band that I'll be stuck in their heart shaped box forever.
I started listening to Nirvana in high school and it was an instant blow of the mind. The grunge-pop music had so much power, the poetic lyrics that take you to different places and make you feel related and concerned with what these guys are saying, and of course the heavenly made angel voice of Kurt that tickles the core of your sole. Ever since it's been a long and amazing love story. I listened to their songs all the time and my most played playlist consisted only of Nirvana. But in the last year I started to lose interest, was it just a fling?. But I started losing interest not only in the band but also in music in general, which is weird because I thought that music was my passion in life. I started to listen to random songs instead of specific artist "because there were no good bands but some few good songs".
This is where this book comes in – whof! Finally! I thought I'll never get to reviewing the book. I'm not going to say that it brought my passion for music to life, or it changed my view of the world or anything. But it did remind me why I liked this band so much in the first place, and it made me re-listen to all these songs and have these memories again.
This book was recommended to me by goodreads –thanks good reads! – and it was the right book to read about the band because it was written while Kurt was alive and with his approval. The writer seems to have gotten along very well with Kurt and all the band members and relatives and even Courtney!. So yeah he can't make any thing up since they read what he wrote before publishing it.
It portrayed the personality of each band member pretty well. Gave amazing insights on the life of the group. Had a lot of funny situations and of course occasional tears.
In the end of the book – not the final chapter because the final chapter was added after publishing the book – Kurt ends it with plans of the future and where he'll be in ten years which is just sad. The final chapter was a bit of a shock; I read this book knowing that it was published while Kurt was alive so I didn't see it coming and it really made me sad. I found the letter from his step uncle really heart breaking and the final fade away of the book was really poetic.
"Come as you are" was a song that Kurt wrote to someone encouraging the person to not change him/herself for him. It embraced the acceptance of other people no matter what. And I found it a really good choice for the book title because it showed the band members not as Gods or Devils it showed them as humans with their lovely flows. Great book about a really great band that I'll be stuck in their heart shaped box forever.
January 25, 2022
I started this biography months ago and couldn't seem to read more than a few pages at one time. Coming off of my high from Dave Grohl's "The Storyteller" I figured, no time like the present. This one fell short for me in so many ways. It felt choppy, reminiscent of a book report from my 7th grade English class. Get as many facts on the page as possibly with no real effort to make them a flowing, coherent piece. I was a teenager in the 90's and Nirvana will always be a defining part of my youth with Kurt Cobain's death still hurting after all these years. Come As You Are was not the magic portal back to the early 1990's that I had hoped for.
October 25, 2025
die einzige biographie, die von der band approved wurde. man merkt wie nah der autor vor allem kurt gestanden ist und wie tief sein verständnis für seinen komplexen charakter war.
ich finde es sehr erschütternd, mit wie vielen falschaussagen und entblößungen der presse kurts familie umgehen musste und vorallem auch mit welchen vorwürfen courtney ihr gesamtes leben lang zu kämpfen hatte und noch immer hat, nur weil sie sich getraut hat eine meinung zu haben und laut und auch des öfteren mal provokant zu sein und sich nicht den gesellschaftlichen vorstellungen, wie eine frau zu sein hat, zu beugen.
ich fand die analysen der lyrics auch wahnsinnig spannend und habe das gefühl jetzt einen besseren zugang zur musik zu haben.
10/10 would recommend auch wenn ihr (noch) keine nirvana-fans seid 💙
ich finde es sehr erschütternd, mit wie vielen falschaussagen und entblößungen der presse kurts familie umgehen musste und vorallem auch mit welchen vorwürfen courtney ihr gesamtes leben lang zu kämpfen hatte und noch immer hat, nur weil sie sich getraut hat eine meinung zu haben und laut und auch des öfteren mal provokant zu sein und sich nicht den gesellschaftlichen vorstellungen, wie eine frau zu sein hat, zu beugen.
ich fand die analysen der lyrics auch wahnsinnig spannend und habe das gefühl jetzt einen besseren zugang zur musik zu haben.
10/10 would recommend auch wenn ihr (noch) keine nirvana-fans seid 💙
Read
January 31, 2023I had a college radio show between 1988-1991 and I remember when Nirvana’s first single came in. I played it a lot and I bought Bleach on white vinyl when it came out. I was a fan and was fortunate to see them play at small venues early in their career.
I have no idea how to rate this book so I’m not going to. After almost 30 years Kurt Cobain’s death still just makes me so fucking sad.
I have no idea how to rate this book so I’m not going to. After almost 30 years Kurt Cobain’s death still just makes me so fucking sad.
May 15, 2019
What a fascinating look into Nirvana and its band members.
February 8, 2024
Only book on Nirvana you need to read , written while he was alive at the height of Nirvanas success-91-93- with the whole bands input so none of the lore of the last 30 years to taint it. Very good insight on Chris and Dave too and gives better context to how and why Nevermind was so huge. Highly recommend.
September 30, 2024
Honestly, I paused on reading this book because I knew when I finished, Kurt would be gone again. Azerrad’s final image/memory of Kurt in the “Final Chapter” broke my heart. What a complicated, human figure he was.
February 9, 2021
This is a great inside look at the people, places and times that created Nirvana. Azerrad extensively interviewed Cobain for this book and the result is a surprisingly intimate portrait of one of the most enigmatic figures of pop culture. It follows the band from the small town of Aberdeen through the explosive success of Nevermind, Cobain's heroin addiction, and then short-lived comeback.
If you want the personal backstory of the band members, it's here. If you want details about the recording and production of each of their albums, it's here. If you want stories about the band going on tour around the world, it's here. If you want detailed analyses of each of their songs, it's also here,
But the best aspect of this book is none of the above. My favorite lines can be found a few pages in:
"The twentysomethings wanted a music of their own... They had the certain knowledge that they were the first American generation to have little hope of doing better than their parents, the generation that would suffer for the fiscal excesses of the Reagan eighties, that spent their entire sexual prime in the shadow of AIDS, that spent their childhoods having nightmares about nuclear war... Cobain's reaction to the bad times was as direct as can be, and a hell of a lot more honest. He screamed."
As a current twentysomething, this passage somehow hits a chord.
Here is the book's greatest success; it doesn't just explain the details of what Nirvana was, it also tells you what Nirvana MEANT. It was written before Cobain's death, making it's conclusions uninfluenced by the final tragedy. It ends with an optimistic quote from Cobain where he explains all of the music projects that he'd like to someday do. What could have been.
If you want the personal backstory of the band members, it's here. If you want details about the recording and production of each of their albums, it's here. If you want stories about the band going on tour around the world, it's here. If you want detailed analyses of each of their songs, it's also here,
But the best aspect of this book is none of the above. My favorite lines can be found a few pages in:
"The twentysomethings wanted a music of their own... They had the certain knowledge that they were the first American generation to have little hope of doing better than their parents, the generation that would suffer for the fiscal excesses of the Reagan eighties, that spent their entire sexual prime in the shadow of AIDS, that spent their childhoods having nightmares about nuclear war... Cobain's reaction to the bad times was as direct as can be, and a hell of a lot more honest. He screamed."
As a current twentysomething, this passage somehow hits a chord.
Here is the book's greatest success; it doesn't just explain the details of what Nirvana was, it also tells you what Nirvana MEANT. It was written before Cobain's death, making it's conclusions uninfluenced by the final tragedy. It ends with an optimistic quote from Cobain where he explains all of the music projects that he'd like to someday do. What could have been.
November 15, 2025
Do NOT listen to the audiobook narrated by Kurt Loder. That man has the most boring voice I've ever heard and he talks like he's doing the news. I need to read this because I'll probably change my review.
September 18, 2012
The book's a little sloppy, but it's about a grunge band, so...
An interesting albeit sad read for anyone who lived through the swirl Nirvana caused as they destroyed the mainstream music market and then self-destructed, all within two years. Lots of direct interview material with everyone in the band helps you get a real picture of who they were apart from the hype (sometimes to their detriment, as in the case of Chris Novoselic, who comes across as little more than an obnoxious drunk). Towards the end of the book it gets downright eerie, because the book came out about six months before Cobain's suicide, and the last chapter is about the band's speculations as to what they're going to do next.
The book is even more interesting at this point, because of the way things have played out since Fall 1993 when the book was published. For example, since it was written by a friend of Kurt Cobain, way too much time is spent trying to convince the reader that Courtney Love is not a maniac that nobody likes. Today, her own daughter refers to her only as "my birth mother" and doesn't speak to her.
Kurt talks candidly about how the band will soon breakup because he's bored with it, yet he has no rational sense of where he'd like to go next. He's contradictory throughout the book when quoted, and it's clear what a mess he was. Even when he talks openly about his heroin binge, he claims it was only something he did to manage stomach pain. Worst of all, he clearly bought into the notion that he was a genuine rock god, with a responsibility to make disciples and lead them. There are appalling moments of ego that are only tempered by the sad knowledge that he would destroy himself soon after the book came out.
The only winner in the book is Dave Grohl-nobody seems to have a bad thing to say about him, though Kurt is often condescending towards him. Dave mentions that he'd like to play guitar and sing in another band if Nirvana breaks up. He says he's been recording some tracks at home. Pretty ominous lines to read in 2012, when I have a Foo Fighters Greatest Hits album sitting in my car. Dave seems to be the only one who could just enjoy playing music for a living without getting caught up in the darkness that engulfed Nirvana, and all the over-thinking that consumed Kurt Cobain. I've seen Foo Fighters twice, once on the first stop of their first tour in 1995, and again in 2005 on an arena tour with Weezer. Both times Dave blew the roof off the place with a big smile on his face.
For kids who lived through grunge and are now adults, maybe Nirvana's ultimate legacy is the contrast between Kurt and Dave. Creative energy can turn inward and destroy you, or it can be directed outward as joy.
An interesting albeit sad read for anyone who lived through the swirl Nirvana caused as they destroyed the mainstream music market and then self-destructed, all within two years. Lots of direct interview material with everyone in the band helps you get a real picture of who they were apart from the hype (sometimes to their detriment, as in the case of Chris Novoselic, who comes across as little more than an obnoxious drunk). Towards the end of the book it gets downright eerie, because the book came out about six months before Cobain's suicide, and the last chapter is about the band's speculations as to what they're going to do next.
The book is even more interesting at this point, because of the way things have played out since Fall 1993 when the book was published. For example, since it was written by a friend of Kurt Cobain, way too much time is spent trying to convince the reader that Courtney Love is not a maniac that nobody likes. Today, her own daughter refers to her only as "my birth mother" and doesn't speak to her.
Kurt talks candidly about how the band will soon breakup because he's bored with it, yet he has no rational sense of where he'd like to go next. He's contradictory throughout the book when quoted, and it's clear what a mess he was. Even when he talks openly about his heroin binge, he claims it was only something he did to manage stomach pain. Worst of all, he clearly bought into the notion that he was a genuine rock god, with a responsibility to make disciples and lead them. There are appalling moments of ego that are only tempered by the sad knowledge that he would destroy himself soon after the book came out.
The only winner in the book is Dave Grohl-nobody seems to have a bad thing to say about him, though Kurt is often condescending towards him. Dave mentions that he'd like to play guitar and sing in another band if Nirvana breaks up. He says he's been recording some tracks at home. Pretty ominous lines to read in 2012, when I have a Foo Fighters Greatest Hits album sitting in my car. Dave seems to be the only one who could just enjoy playing music for a living without getting caught up in the darkness that engulfed Nirvana, and all the over-thinking that consumed Kurt Cobain. I've seen Foo Fighters twice, once on the first stop of their first tour in 1995, and again in 2005 on an arena tour with Weezer. Both times Dave blew the roof off the place with a big smile on his face.
For kids who lived through grunge and are now adults, maybe Nirvana's ultimate legacy is the contrast between Kurt and Dave. Creative energy can turn inward and destroy you, or it can be directed outward as joy.
April 12, 2016
Well researched. Very informative. Nothing wrong with it.
The problem is I ended up not liking the guys, haha. At least my 17yr old self didn’t, not by reading this book. Being older now, I realize they were just kids. I didn’t much understand or like kids when I was one myself. Cobain in particular struck me as kind of a dick. Now he just seems like he was trying hard to maybe be cooler than he was. Lets face it, kids tend to be full of themselves, impressed with their own not great ideas and ideals, and I couldn’t square with myself why I was supposed to care.
Always loved Nirvana music. yet I had same experience after seeing Don’t Look Back, the Bob Dylan movie. You shouldn’t meet your heroes. And that’s what this book does. It’s an introduction. Maybe I’d like all of this better now. To be honest, while I like the band as much now as I ever did, I suppose I’ve long ago moved away from the impulse that I have to get close and meet the artists who give me so much. (I met other heroes of mine in real life and it was never not a big disappointment).
This book might be an OK intro for those who care. But I saw an HBO documentary about Cobain that kinda did what this book set out to do only that docu did it better.
The problem is I ended up not liking the guys, haha. At least my 17yr old self didn’t, not by reading this book. Being older now, I realize they were just kids. I didn’t much understand or like kids when I was one myself. Cobain in particular struck me as kind of a dick. Now he just seems like he was trying hard to maybe be cooler than he was. Lets face it, kids tend to be full of themselves, impressed with their own not great ideas and ideals, and I couldn’t square with myself why I was supposed to care.
Always loved Nirvana music. yet I had same experience after seeing Don’t Look Back, the Bob Dylan movie. You shouldn’t meet your heroes. And that’s what this book does. It’s an introduction. Maybe I’d like all of this better now. To be honest, while I like the band as much now as I ever did, I suppose I’ve long ago moved away from the impulse that I have to get close and meet the artists who give me so much. (I met other heroes of mine in real life and it was never not a big disappointment).
This book might be an OK intro for those who care. But I saw an HBO documentary about Cobain that kinda did what this book set out to do only that docu did it better.
February 23, 2016
I don't have much time right now, so I'm just going to jot down a few thoughts in list form.
-This is the 'official biography', and I wasn't sure if it really was going to be better than the dozens of other Nirvana/Kurt Cobain biographies, but it really was a good one. It was interesting. It also mentioned a few more books that some songs were based off of, which is good, because Kurt Cobain hasn't steered me wrong yet with that sort of thing.
-The way that it was written was conversational enough to keep me interested, but not too figurative - compared to the Charles R. Cross biography, it was almost textbook-speak, but if you've read the Charles R. Cross biography, you know that's not anything bad.
-It didn't focus solely on Cobain! True, he was the main part because, obviously, but there was a lot of stuff about Novoselic and Grohl and even Chad Channing, which was pretty rad. Overall it was a nice reading experience.
-This is the 'official biography', and I wasn't sure if it really was going to be better than the dozens of other Nirvana/Kurt Cobain biographies, but it really was a good one. It was interesting. It also mentioned a few more books that some songs were based off of, which is good, because Kurt Cobain hasn't steered me wrong yet with that sort of thing.
-The way that it was written was conversational enough to keep me interested, but not too figurative - compared to the Charles R. Cross biography, it was almost textbook-speak, but if you've read the Charles R. Cross biography, you know that's not anything bad.
-It didn't focus solely on Cobain! True, he was the main part because, obviously, but there was a lot of stuff about Novoselic and Grohl and even Chad Channing, which was pretty rad. Overall it was a nice reading experience.
October 28, 2007
I picked this up in anticipation of the new Kurt Cobain documentary that's coming to Nashville soon. This of course is a familiar story but I did learn a few things, especially about album productions and technical aspects of the music, which I thought was really interesting. This book also sheds some new light on Kurt's relationships with Dave, Chris and Courtney and through Kurt's own words reveals a lot more detail about his character.
Even though I knew the ending I really didn't want to finish this--the new final chapter is heartbreaking all over again.
Even though I knew the ending I really didn't want to finish this--the new final chapter is heartbreaking all over again.
November 17, 2021
Like many people my age I remember where I was when I found out Kurt Cobain had died. As a young adult it was shocking and disconcerting.
The music lives on though and although my 25+ year later self is a very different person, it is still music I can enjoy.
This book was an interesting look into the band at the height of their fame. It was a bit strange to hear Kurt being spoken of in present tense, but overtime I got used to it. One of the most interesting parts is perhaps is that he really wasn't a very nice person.!
Great read for old fans.
The music lives on though and although my 25+ year later self is a very different person, it is still music I can enjoy.
This book was an interesting look into the band at the height of their fame. It was a bit strange to hear Kurt being spoken of in present tense, but overtime I got used to it. One of the most interesting parts is perhaps is that he really wasn't a very nice person.!
Great read for old fans.
January 12, 2022
La primera vez que escuché a Nirvana tenía 12 años y me voló la cabeza
Recuerdo el enorme póster de la banda ocupando toda la pared del lado de mi cama, el Nevermind sonando a toda pastilla en mi habitación, la camiseta de Nirvana comprada en Tipo, el Unplugged en el walkman camino al colegio y la obsesión por Kurt Cobain
Leer este libro del periodista musical Michael Azerrad ha sido un viaje maravilloso
Recuerdo el enorme póster de la banda ocupando toda la pared del lado de mi cama, el Nevermind sonando a toda pastilla en mi habitación, la camiseta de Nirvana comprada en Tipo, el Unplugged en el walkman camino al colegio y la obsesión por Kurt Cobain
Leer este libro del periodista musical Michael Azerrad ha sido un viaje maravilloso
July 16, 2008
Corn on the cops! Corn on the cops!
July 7, 2022
The more I read the less interested I got and now I kinda like Nirvana a little less.
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