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Cobain Unseen
An unparalleled look inside the brilliant mind of one of America's most revered rock legends, Cobain Unseen collects previously unseen artifacts and photographs from the estate's archives to form a fascinating portrait of the creativity, madness, and genius of Kurt Cobain.
Personal items and photographs take readers deeper inside Cobain's life than they've ever been before, and interactive features, such as Kurt's handwritten sticker-sheet of Nirvana name tags, facsimiles of unseen journal pages, and gatefolds of his graffiti-embellished guitars make this an essential keepsake. An audio CD showcasing spoken-word material by Cobain, some of it never before released, will be included. Accompanying the previously unpublished images and memorabilia is a compelling biographical narrative by New York Times -bestselling author Charles R. Cross.
Personal items and photographs take readers deeper inside Cobain's life than they've ever been before, and interactive features, such as Kurt's handwritten sticker-sheet of Nirvana name tags, facsimiles of unseen journal pages, and gatefolds of his graffiti-embellished guitars make this an essential keepsake. An audio CD showcasing spoken-word material by Cobain, some of it never before released, will be included. Accompanying the previously unpublished images and memorabilia is a compelling biographical narrative by New York Times -bestselling author Charles R. Cross.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
34 people are currently reading
3006 people want to read
About the author
Charles R. Cross
39 books218 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
See also:
Charles R. Cross
This is Charles R. Cross, a rock music journalist and author based in Seattle. He is the founder of Backstreets magazine, a periodical for fans of Bruce Springsteen, editor of "Springsteen: the Man and His Music," a compilation of Backstreets articles, and is also author of a biography of Kurt Cobain, titled Heavier Than Heaven. His most recent release is entitled Room Full Of Mirrors - A Biography Of Jimi Hendrix.
In 2004, while conducting research for the Hendrix book, Cross rediscovered the gravesite of Jimi Hendrix's mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, in an abandoned section of Greenwood Memorial Park, where Jimi Hendrix himself is buried in an elaborate granite memorial. The gravesite of Lucille Hendrix was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, became buried in decades of mud from the area's notorious heavy rains. Cross delivered a moving eulogy for Lucille when a proper headstone was dedicated at the site.
Courtney Love, the widow of Kurt Cobain, has acquired the rights to Heavier Than Heaven, which is now being made into a film by Universal Pictures. This is the first film to be made from Cross' work.
See also:
Charles R. Cross
This is Charles R. Cross, a rock music journalist and author based in Seattle. He is the founder of Backstreets magazine, a periodical for fans of Bruce Springsteen, editor of "Springsteen: the Man and His Music," a compilation of Backstreets articles, and is also author of a biography of Kurt Cobain, titled Heavier Than Heaven. His most recent release is entitled Room Full Of Mirrors - A Biography Of Jimi Hendrix.
In 2004, while conducting research for the Hendrix book, Cross rediscovered the gravesite of Jimi Hendrix's mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, in an abandoned section of Greenwood Memorial Park, where Jimi Hendrix himself is buried in an elaborate granite memorial. The gravesite of Lucille Hendrix was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, became buried in decades of mud from the area's notorious heavy rains. Cross delivered a moving eulogy for Lucille when a proper headstone was dedicated at the site.
Courtney Love, the widow of Kurt Cobain, has acquired the rights to Heavier Than Heaven, which is now being made into a film by Universal Pictures. This is the first film to be made from Cross' work.
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October 27, 2017
I literally love and adore everything about this book. The single, solitary thing I disliked about it was that it ended.
When my brother was moving out of the house we grew up in, he intended to donate this book. He ended up donating it to me, and in return, he received a look of exasperated disbelief. I could not understand - and still can’t - why he would want to get rid of this. It’s been sitting on my bookshelf for many years, and it fits quite well with my empty liquor bottle bookend "decor". (I swear I don’t have a drinking problem.)
I finally decided I had to read it immediately and so I did. I deeply regret not having read it sooner, and I cannot wait to read it again (and again and again and again).
Kurt Cobain was/is a deeply intriguing human being, which is clearly evident in his artwork. His song writing, his instrumental abilities, his paintings, drawings, the alterations to his various collectible figurines, so on and so forth. His artistic talent was/is uncanny, almost unfathomable. He unfortunately met an early demise and so many hearts - including my own - are still hurting for him. Kurt expressed that he was “too sensitive”, extremely empathetic, and felt very deeply. He also struggled with severe depression for most of his life. In those ways, I relate to him A LOT, and I think, for me, that makes reading about his life that much more meaningful.
Aside from the subject matter, this book has so much to offer. It’s extremely well written, extensively researched, and the author took such care with seemingly minute details that ended up feeling really important to me in terms of attempting to understand not only Kurt, but the progression of Nirvana - all of their success and their gradual departure as a band.
My initial plan to tackle this book was to read it chapter by chapter, like any other book. This book is not like any other book, so that plan swiftly went out the window. It’s an interactive book, with so many pictures and footnotes to rifle through that reading it chapter by chapter just didn’t work out for me. Instead, I read the excerpts in each chapter first, and then went back and scoured the pictures and footnotes, which proved a much better way to read this. Aside from pictures of him, there are other things included, such as Nirvana stickers similar to the ones Kurt made when he was self promoting Nirvana, flyers for Nirvana shows, actual loose leaf letters, notes and journal entries that you can remove from the page and hold in your hands. There are so many pictures of things he collected, art he created, and objects he modified, as well as lists for album and lyric ideas. All of these things combined really help the reader immerse themselves in at least a small portion of his mind - the way he interpreted the world and how he felt about everything.
Reading this book was an immersive experience. I don’t have previous experience reading such an interactive book like this, so maybe I am naive in thinking this particular one is fantastic. I enjoyed it more than I originally thought possible and I always love when that happens.
Upon visiting the authors GoodReads page to see what else he’s written, I discovered the biography Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain, which I cannot wait to read. I also intend to watch Montage of Heck, in which the filmmaker Brett Morgan uses materials from Cobain's personal archives to delve further into his childhood experiences, his career, and his untimely death. Of course, I’ll also be listening to Nirvana a little bit more frequently than I already do.
Guys, I enjoyed this book so much that I now consider this a personal treasure of mine. It went from sitting untouched and unread on my highest, unreachable-without-a-step-stool bookshelf to being in my lap as we speak so I can gently caress it to show my utmost appreciation for it. I wouldn’t lend this to my best friend if asked because I never want it to be out of my possession. Maybe that’s taking it too far, but you get the idea, right?
If you’re not a fan of Nirvana and find you don’t really care about Kurt Cobain, I’d say to just avoid this. For fans of Nirvana and Cobain, like myself, I think this is absolutely worth every second you’ll spend exploring it. It is unique and special and deserves to be appreciated.
When my brother was moving out of the house we grew up in, he intended to donate this book. He ended up donating it to me, and in return, he received a look of exasperated disbelief. I could not understand - and still can’t - why he would want to get rid of this. It’s been sitting on my bookshelf for many years, and it fits quite well with my empty liquor bottle bookend "decor". (I swear I don’t have a drinking problem.)
I finally decided I had to read it immediately and so I did. I deeply regret not having read it sooner, and I cannot wait to read it again (and again and again and again).
Kurt Cobain was/is a deeply intriguing human being, which is clearly evident in his artwork. His song writing, his instrumental abilities, his paintings, drawings, the alterations to his various collectible figurines, so on and so forth. His artistic talent was/is uncanny, almost unfathomable. He unfortunately met an early demise and so many hearts - including my own - are still hurting for him. Kurt expressed that he was “too sensitive”, extremely empathetic, and felt very deeply. He also struggled with severe depression for most of his life. In those ways, I relate to him A LOT, and I think, for me, that makes reading about his life that much more meaningful.
Aside from the subject matter, this book has so much to offer. It’s extremely well written, extensively researched, and the author took such care with seemingly minute details that ended up feeling really important to me in terms of attempting to understand not only Kurt, but the progression of Nirvana - all of their success and their gradual departure as a band.
My initial plan to tackle this book was to read it chapter by chapter, like any other book. This book is not like any other book, so that plan swiftly went out the window. It’s an interactive book, with so many pictures and footnotes to rifle through that reading it chapter by chapter just didn’t work out for me. Instead, I read the excerpts in each chapter first, and then went back and scoured the pictures and footnotes, which proved a much better way to read this. Aside from pictures of him, there are other things included, such as Nirvana stickers similar to the ones Kurt made when he was self promoting Nirvana, flyers for Nirvana shows, actual loose leaf letters, notes and journal entries that you can remove from the page and hold in your hands. There are so many pictures of things he collected, art he created, and objects he modified, as well as lists for album and lyric ideas. All of these things combined really help the reader immerse themselves in at least a small portion of his mind - the way he interpreted the world and how he felt about everything.
Reading this book was an immersive experience. I don’t have previous experience reading such an interactive book like this, so maybe I am naive in thinking this particular one is fantastic. I enjoyed it more than I originally thought possible and I always love when that happens.
Upon visiting the authors GoodReads page to see what else he’s written, I discovered the biography Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain, which I cannot wait to read. I also intend to watch Montage of Heck, in which the filmmaker Brett Morgan uses materials from Cobain's personal archives to delve further into his childhood experiences, his career, and his untimely death. Of course, I’ll also be listening to Nirvana a little bit more frequently than I already do.
Guys, I enjoyed this book so much that I now consider this a personal treasure of mine. It went from sitting untouched and unread on my highest, unreachable-without-a-step-stool bookshelf to being in my lap as we speak so I can gently caress it to show my utmost appreciation for it. I wouldn’t lend this to my best friend if asked because I never want it to be out of my possession. Maybe that’s taking it too far, but you get the idea, right?
If you’re not a fan of Nirvana and find you don’t really care about Kurt Cobain, I’d say to just avoid this. For fans of Nirvana and Cobain, like myself, I think this is absolutely worth every second you’ll spend exploring it. It is unique and special and deserves to be appreciated.
March 1, 2011
Let me start off by saying that this review in no way reflects my personal opinions on Kurt Cobain, Nirvana, or any other aspect of his life. If that were the case I would automatically give this book five stars, as Kurt's work and personality has always attracted me, and I've always found him extremely relatable. However, since this is, in fact, a book review, I will try to stay focused on the way the information was presented — that is, what the author himself is responsible for — and avoid passing judgement on the actual content.
"Cobain Unseen" is a scrapbook of sorts that chronicles the creative mind of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Cross shows us small glimpses into the artist's creative life and allows us to witness the metamorphosis from musician to writer to painter to sculptor to collector to photographer and then back again. The information is brief and rarely in depth — this is not meant to be a biography of Kurt's life or the creation of Nirvana, but instead it shows us his imaginative works of art and writing and provides historical information to put their meaning into context.
The draw of this book is not the writing, which is mediocre at the best of times, but instead the inclosed reproductions of priceless memorabilia — a thanksgiving card designed by a young Kurt, a high school diploma, a CD featuring Kurt reading from his journals, and even a copy of the first hand-written edition of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." This is not a book that focuses on heroin addiction or musical power or even the band Nirvana itself — instead it is a collage and highly collectible look into Cobain's mind.
The one thing I do find strange about this book, however, is the fact that Courtney Love would allow these journal entires and private photographs and personal mementos to be mass produced and sold for profit in an almost exploitative way. In fact, the manner in which the book itself was put together seemed so opposite to what Kurt would have wanted (obviously, this is purely my opinion as I have absolutely no way of knowing this.) It was obviously designed to sell well, and to sell well something has to be generally inoffensive, clean, simple, not too dark and, above all, and easy to comprehend. In all honesty, I don't think Kurt himself would have liked to see his art muddled down into an "acceptable" wafer of a book, seeing as how his art was always about pushing limits, about questioning typical societal roles, embracing anarchist archetypes and even doing some things for the pure fun of the shock value. At any rate, it seems odd that one would allow the public to rifle through their loved one's belongings, but this is simply a personal feeling and it has nothing to do with Kurt Cobain himself - I would feel the same way if anyone sold out their loved one's private things for mass production. Overall the book is nicely put together, with high-quality photos and bits of history you wouldn't have gotten to see otherwise, regardless of how they came to be put together in a book. Don't buy it for the writing, but instead for the interesting cornucopia of artifacts inside.
"Cobain Unseen" is a scrapbook of sorts that chronicles the creative mind of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. Cross shows us small glimpses into the artist's creative life and allows us to witness the metamorphosis from musician to writer to painter to sculptor to collector to photographer and then back again. The information is brief and rarely in depth — this is not meant to be a biography of Kurt's life or the creation of Nirvana, but instead it shows us his imaginative works of art and writing and provides historical information to put their meaning into context.
The draw of this book is not the writing, which is mediocre at the best of times, but instead the inclosed reproductions of priceless memorabilia — a thanksgiving card designed by a young Kurt, a high school diploma, a CD featuring Kurt reading from his journals, and even a copy of the first hand-written edition of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." This is not a book that focuses on heroin addiction or musical power or even the band Nirvana itself — instead it is a collage and highly collectible look into Cobain's mind.
The one thing I do find strange about this book, however, is the fact that Courtney Love would allow these journal entires and private photographs and personal mementos to be mass produced and sold for profit in an almost exploitative way. In fact, the manner in which the book itself was put together seemed so opposite to what Kurt would have wanted (obviously, this is purely my opinion as I have absolutely no way of knowing this.) It was obviously designed to sell well, and to sell well something has to be generally inoffensive, clean, simple, not too dark and, above all, and easy to comprehend. In all honesty, I don't think Kurt himself would have liked to see his art muddled down into an "acceptable" wafer of a book, seeing as how his art was always about pushing limits, about questioning typical societal roles, embracing anarchist archetypes and even doing some things for the pure fun of the shock value. At any rate, it seems odd that one would allow the public to rifle through their loved one's belongings, but this is simply a personal feeling and it has nothing to do with Kurt Cobain himself - I would feel the same way if anyone sold out their loved one's private things for mass production. Overall the book is nicely put together, with high-quality photos and bits of history you wouldn't have gotten to see otherwise, regardless of how they came to be put together in a book. Don't buy it for the writing, but instead for the interesting cornucopia of artifacts inside.
Read
March 20, 2010I can only read so much of this book before I get physically sick at the sight of the author blowing bottled sunshine up Kurt Cobain's dead and decayed butt. I can't imagine any other character from history deserving (for lack of a better word) a gimmicky pop-up book collecting all the ephemeral keepsake garbage all the way back to their childhood. Can you imagine a book like this exposing Dostoevsky's crude kindergarten drawings of kangaroos and butterflies, and then an author exposing this as a sign of genius to come, a window into his obsessions? Maybe Kerouac deserves a book like this, but sorry Billy Corgan, I don't see yours forthcoming unless you drive your car into the Chrysler building in the immediate future or Jessica Simpson strangles you in your sleep.
The author goes from a tone unintentionally parodying highfalutin scholarship to one of creepy stalkerism. How can this man write seriously about Cobain's "obsessions" (everything is an obsession to him) with bodily fluid and the "experimental" tapes Cobain made in junior high? Has this guy ever met anyone in their 20's? Doesn't he know for the most part all the "hep ones" have a wide collection of kitschy and campy junk and make their own elaborate collages and art, that hardly any of them resort to collecting from E-bay? Man, what a square. The interview with him on the CD enclosed is borderline boring-hilarious.
All in all this book is starting to make me hate Kurt Cobain and imagine him as a whiny, windy pretentious lazy totally gross boring nerd, one of those sensitive artistic geniuses the author likes to portray him as he shoves Cobain's ephemeral and senseless dungdroppings down my throat. I think even Kurt Cobain's colossal yet fragile ego would be embarrassed by this book. But I will continue reading it, and raking up small fines as I postpone returning it to the library, as I am afraid in a short time all the fragile little gimmicky things in this book will be destroyed or lost or stolen before I have a chance to ogle them.
------
Ah! Finally done. Okay, I got a little emotional at the end. But I'm still not sure this book needed to exist. It has made me nostalgic for a time when one troubled entity could become so famous that he could become a "spokesperson" for his generation, before the internet and the splitting of tastes into tiny little factions, before irony became a dead letter to nobody and not the defense mechanism to cliches and superficiality it was initially propped up to be. And I guess I hate a book like this because it reminds me of how we have become as a culture archivers of movements and people and everything, and how this slavishness to detail and description and explanation has in some ways hindered us from producing any new thing. And in my mind there's no uglier or purer example of this tendency than this book, which no doubt has good intentions, but in the end seems over-analyzing and sterile. Grunge is dead. There's no fighting any more.
The author goes from a tone unintentionally parodying highfalutin scholarship to one of creepy stalkerism. How can this man write seriously about Cobain's "obsessions" (everything is an obsession to him) with bodily fluid and the "experimental" tapes Cobain made in junior high? Has this guy ever met anyone in their 20's? Doesn't he know for the most part all the "hep ones" have a wide collection of kitschy and campy junk and make their own elaborate collages and art, that hardly any of them resort to collecting from E-bay? Man, what a square. The interview with him on the CD enclosed is borderline boring-hilarious.
All in all this book is starting to make me hate Kurt Cobain and imagine him as a whiny, windy pretentious lazy totally gross boring nerd, one of those sensitive artistic geniuses the author likes to portray him as he shoves Cobain's ephemeral and senseless dungdroppings down my throat. I think even Kurt Cobain's colossal yet fragile ego would be embarrassed by this book. But I will continue reading it, and raking up small fines as I postpone returning it to the library, as I am afraid in a short time all the fragile little gimmicky things in this book will be destroyed or lost or stolen before I have a chance to ogle them.
------
Ah! Finally done. Okay, I got a little emotional at the end. But I'm still not sure this book needed to exist. It has made me nostalgic for a time when one troubled entity could become so famous that he could become a "spokesperson" for his generation, before the internet and the splitting of tastes into tiny little factions, before irony became a dead letter to nobody and not the defense mechanism to cliches and superficiality it was initially propped up to be. And I guess I hate a book like this because it reminds me of how we have become as a culture archivers of movements and people and everything, and how this slavishness to detail and description and explanation has in some ways hindered us from producing any new thing. And in my mind there's no uglier or purer example of this tendency than this book, which no doubt has good intentions, but in the end seems over-analyzing and sterile. Grunge is dead. There's no fighting any more.
January 19, 2011
If you really like Cobain I hardly see how you can give this less than 5 stars. It explores some territory where the Cross Biography of Cobain touches down a bit, which is more of Cobain's personal items and "collection" as well as his artistic tendencies and skills. It's quite clear Cobain had a zeitgeist energy and good eye for a particular bent of contemporary art, some of which is still being explored in 2011. Always on the leading edge, we imagine if Cobain was still alive today, his contributions to our generation would have probably included art not only in the form of his music talent and ability, but also in his curration, modification and probably production of pop art in contemporary society with a healthy ironic and self-aware wink mixed with a dose of the demented and the damned. The reproduction of some cool little items like home-made Nirvana stickers in Kurt's handwriting and his note on something close to the feel of real lined notebook paper, make this book a cool little addition to a Kurt adoring fan. Like me.
May 1, 2018
An exciting collection of unseen artifacts and photographs from Kurt Cobain's estate's archives, which writer and biographer Charles R. Cross was granted exclusive access to. This fascinating book evokes a fascinating portrait of the creative genius of grunge's most important and influential figure. It's all in here: childhood drawings, early song lyrics and random ramblings, forming a biographical mapping of Cobain's too-short life. This is an unparalleled look at one of the most famous men in music and a thoroughly unique publication that is essential reading for any Cobain or Nirvana fan.
I had the opportunity to speak to Cross a number of years ago about his connection to Kurt Cobain, his biographies on Cobain (Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain and Cobain Unseen) and Cobain's estate, and his love for Seattle, the birthplace of grunge.
Charles R. Cross was born in Virginia, where he spent much of his childhood. When his father became a professor of psychology, the family travelled to a variety of university towns, including Richmond, New York, Connecticut and lastly Washington, where Cross attended high school. He later graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a degree in Creative Writing. While in university, he served as Editor of the Daily in 1979, and caused a whole lot of ruckus when he left the front page of the newspaper blank. The only type was a small line that read “The White Issue,” in deference to the Beatles’ White album.
After college, Cross served as Editor of The Rocket, the Northwest’s music and entertainment magazine, from 1986 through 2000. The Rocket was hailed as “the best regional music magazine in the nation” by the L.A. Reader. Cross wrote stories on such seminal Northwest bands as the Sonics, the Wailers, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, the Screaming Trees, and hundreds, if not thousands, of lesser known bands. In addition to The Rocket, Cross’s writing has appeared in hundreds of magazines including Rolling Stone, Esquire, Playboy, Spin, Guitar World, Q, Mojo, Salon, Spy, Uncut, NME, Request, No Depression, Revolver, Ray Gun, Creem, and Trouser Press. He has written for many newspapers and alternative weeklies including the London Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Oregonian, the Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and Seattle Weekly. He has lectured and read at universities and colleges around the world, and has frequently been interviewed for film, radio, and television documentaries including VH1’s “Behind the Music.”
Cross is the author of seven books, including the New York Times bestseller Heavier Than Heaven, 2005’s Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, the revealing Cobain Unseen, discussed here, and his most recent release, Led Zeppelin: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls. Cross is also Associate Editor of Backstreets Magazine, an internationally circulated quarterly that focuses on Bruce Springsteen and related Jersey Shore artists, which he also founded in 1980.
Cross’s interest in music stemmed from a very early age, taking in a range of music genres or, as he himself says, “everything that was around at the time”. Asked what he listened to in particular, he named Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Carole King, James Taylor, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen as the acts that had the most influence on him growing up. Being a huge fan of rock, Seattle was immediately a place Cross felt comfortable. In one of his many articles that he wrote for the Seattle Times, Cross wrote "Seattle has always had more of an appetite for hard rock than other cities" . When I questioned him on this he stated that this was because “it's a blue-collar town with shipyards and Boeing plants- that kinda blue-collar fan has always liked to rock” . In particular, writing about Northwestern bands has always been hugely important to Cross. Since he first began writing, he has been compelled to write about the bands that he truly loves. When I asked him who were his favourite bands to write about or interview, he answered: “Well, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Nirvana, definitely, but I also loved the Walkabouts, the Screaming Trees, and other underrated bands”.
Another thing that Cross has always been interested in is biography, especially writing about the lives of people in music. His biographies on Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain provide true insight into the lives of both men, particularly the latter, which has been described as one of the most revealing and intimate accounts of one of music’s most influential figures. When I asked him what first drew him to this particular genre he replied: “I have always loved biography and reading things like the Charles Lindbergh biography by A. Scott Berg and Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller definitely influenced me. And of course Peter Guralnick's Elvis books...”
When I spoke to Cross, he was fresh from reviewing the Soundgarden reunion gig at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle for Rolling Stone magazine. When I asked Cross about the show, Soundgarden’s first since their break up in 1997, he said it was “exciting”. “There was a sense of spontaneity”, he added, “that suggested anything could happen”. Cross also commented that although it was a “great show”, it also made him feel “sad” that we will “never see a Nirvana reunion show”.
In the city that Cross calls home, it is impossible not to be reminded of the fact that Nirvana, one of the greatest and most influential bands the world has ever seen, are no more. As he stated in the opening chapter of Heavier Than Heaven, Cross lives less than a mile from Stan Baker Shooting Sports on Lake City Way, the store where the Nirvana singer and guitarist purchased the shotgun that was responsible for his death. I asked Cross if that was unsettling, to which he replied: “It can be creepy. I guess it can be both haunting and inspiring depending on the weather”. Regardless of the weather, Seattle is rife with reminders of Cobain and Nirvana, from the aforementioned Stan Baker’s and independent record label Sub Pop to the many music venues scattered around the city where the band played whilst trying to make it big.
Cross and Nirvana's path first intersected in 1989, when The Rocket, which Cross was editor of at the time, did the first cover story on Nirvana. Witnessing first-hand their transition from underground band to being one of, if not the, most famous bands of all time is something that very few people can boast about. When I asked him what his first impressions of the Nirvana were, Cross answered: “I liked them because of their pop side. I, like everyone else in Seattle, thought Mudhoney would be the bigger band at the start. I think one thing that’s important for people to remember is that early on the band were pretty darn ragged. They toured America five times before they became famous. I certainly had followed the band very closely and saw them live a number of times. I loved the early band stuff, was a big fan of the material from the beginning”. I also asked Cross about his first encounter with Cobain: “I was editor of The Rocket, which at the time was the music magazine in Seattle. Kurt had actually used our magazine on at least three different occasions advertising for a drummer. Every time Nirvana would lose a drummer, he’d come in the office and place an ad- ‘Band seeks drummer’. So, I knew him casually from the scene”.
It was clear Cross had much interaction with the Nirvana frontman during his rise to fame but I was eager to find out what kind of relationship he had with Cobain. “Even as his biographer and someone who knew Kurt, I wasn’t his best friend. And I was editor of a music magazine. We were always gonna have the kind of relationship where he was gonna be sort of suspicious. He clearly respected what I did. I had the benefit of a biographer of going through Kurt’s personal effects and things. He kept copies of my magazines and articles that I had done among his stuff. That, I guess, is the ultimate compliment that a music star could pay a journalist. So, I was respected in the world he was in” .
Cobain’s death in 1994 affected people all over the world and will continue to be remembered as one of the most devastating days in music history. Naturally, I asked Cross where he was at the moment he heard that Kurt Cobain's body had been found. “I was in my office at the Rocket. I knew before it went public; I was one of the first people to find out. I had contributed to a radio show here in Seattle and when the electrician who was working at Kurt's house found his body, that electrician's company called the radio station. I think the infamous words were, ‘You're gonna owe me some great Pink Floyd tickets for this news.’ That radio station called me before they went on air to see if they could confirm it because they knew I was sort of closer to that scene than they were. So, I remember hearing the news to this day. My reaction was, ‘No. It can't be Kurt.’ But at the same time, it's part of the denial. I knew it was him. Everyone in the Seattle scene knew he had struggles. I kept hoping that the body that was discovered would not be Kurt, that it would be mistaken and instead would be one of his drug-buddy friends. And of course, that wasn't the case. It was heart-breaking to get the news, just like it was for everybody who was a Nirvana fan” .
While researching and writing his books on Cobain, Cross was given access to the Cobain estate, allowing him the opportunity to sift through intimate pictures and personal items, many of which he included in Cobain Unseen. I asked Cross about this experience. “Courtney controls the Kurt Cobain estate, which basically by an estate, is a bunch of stuff in a storage locker. But she trusted me. When I wrote my 2001 biography of Kurt, which pre-dated Cobain Unseen, she gave me access to his material. Cobain Unseen somewhat grew out of discussions around that book where I kept saying, ‘the stuff in Kurt’s locker is amazing stuff. You ought to let the world see it...he was an amazing artist.’ At one point she came to me and said, ‘OK. You can do the book.’ So, I was given access to the archives, with no parameters put on the use of Kurt’s stuff” . I also questioned Cross on whether it ever felt like he was delving too deep with his work, if he ever felt uncomfortable going though Cobain’s things, to which he replied: “There were things I left out. With every book, what you leave out is just as important as what you put in”.
In his journals, which were first printed in 2002, Cobain’s struggles were clear for anyone to see, or to read about rather. He battled with a chronic, undiagnosed stomach problem, he struggled with addiction and he was tormented by the demons of his past, particularly his parents’ divorce. He also battled constantly with the pressures of fame, the idea of being completely exposed and feeling like he was losing most of his privacy by moving further and further into the limelight. I was particularly interested in two contradictory statements Cobain wrote in his journals: "Don't read my diary when I'm gone" and "Please read my diary...Look through my things, and figure me out". I asked Cross which of these statements did he think was the most truthful and did he ever battle with the question of whether or not Cobain would have wanted his thoughts, words and drawings to be made available to the world. “I did, yes, but Kurt left his diaries out open on his coffee table so that said something to me. One of the more difficult things as a biographer was looking through Kurt’s journals and seeing how often he would write about his addiction and essentially beg God to please help him with it. He did not want to continue to suffer and basically wrote in his journals, ‘God, I will do anything. Please, please, please help me.’ Unfortunately, that help did not come”.
As well as writing about Cobain, Cross has written extensively on Jimi Hendrix. His book Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix provides an in-depth account of the life of the rock legend, capturing him perfectly. During his research for this book, which included interviewing over 325 people, Cross rediscovered the place where Hendrix’s mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, was buried which, oddly enough, lies only 40ft from where Hendrix himself now lies in Greenwood Memorial Park in Renton, Washington. The gravesite of Lucille Hendrix was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, became buried in decades of mud from the area's notorious heavy rains. Cross delivered a moving eulogy for Lucille when a proper headstone was dedicated at the site. I asked Cross how it felt to uncover something so significant: “Eerie... My son was with me and he still talks about it and he was just a toddler at the time”.
Cobain and Hendrix had many things in common- they both were left-handed guitar players, both died at 27, had four-year musical careers and had battled drug addiction. They also both lived in Seattle, a city with one of the most notable music scenes in the world. I asked Cross if he felt enough had been done to honour both men in Seattle. “The answer is no. The city should honour them more. In the UK, they’ve got their blue plaques; we should have something like that here”.
The last thing I asked Cross was how he thought Kurt Cobain should be remembered, to which he replied: “Well, I think first and most importantly, he will be remembered for those songs. I think that's the reason we're talking about him still today. The quality of that songwriting I think will last and has lasted. That is ultimately the way I think he will be remembered. I think he will be remembered for creating this incredible body of work. The circumstances of his death and all those other things matter far less now sixteen years later. It's truly those songs and that music that is his legacy. Kurt was very unique and that’s the thing I think we miss now so long after his death. The great sadness is that we can’t hear that voice again. That’s the thing I miss. It’s sad for anyone who’s a fan of the music. Kurt was the biggest rock star in the world the year before he died. Sixteen years later, I’m not sure there is another rock star who is as enigmatic and compelling. He remains one of rock’s legendary figures. There has not been one single figure that I think ranks with Cobain since his death. That’s not to say there aren’t people putting out great records and there aren’t people that I love their music, but there’s nobody that combines that personal charisma, the musical quality and most importantly the songwriting genius that Kurt Cobain had. That’s the reason I think his legacy has endured”.
Charles R. Cross still lives in Seattle. He continues to write for numerous publications, both Seattle-based and beyond.
I had the opportunity to speak to Cross a number of years ago about his connection to Kurt Cobain, his biographies on Cobain (Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain and Cobain Unseen) and Cobain's estate, and his love for Seattle, the birthplace of grunge.
Charles R. Cross was born in Virginia, where he spent much of his childhood. When his father became a professor of psychology, the family travelled to a variety of university towns, including Richmond, New York, Connecticut and lastly Washington, where Cross attended high school. He later graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle with a degree in Creative Writing. While in university, he served as Editor of the Daily in 1979, and caused a whole lot of ruckus when he left the front page of the newspaper blank. The only type was a small line that read “The White Issue,” in deference to the Beatles’ White album.
After college, Cross served as Editor of The Rocket, the Northwest’s music and entertainment magazine, from 1986 through 2000. The Rocket was hailed as “the best regional music magazine in the nation” by the L.A. Reader. Cross wrote stories on such seminal Northwest bands as the Sonics, the Wailers, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, the Screaming Trees, and hundreds, if not thousands, of lesser known bands. In addition to The Rocket, Cross’s writing has appeared in hundreds of magazines including Rolling Stone, Esquire, Playboy, Spin, Guitar World, Q, Mojo, Salon, Spy, Uncut, NME, Request, No Depression, Revolver, Ray Gun, Creem, and Trouser Press. He has written for many newspapers and alternative weeklies including the London Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Oregonian, the Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and Seattle Weekly. He has lectured and read at universities and colleges around the world, and has frequently been interviewed for film, radio, and television documentaries including VH1’s “Behind the Music.”
Cross is the author of seven books, including the New York Times bestseller Heavier Than Heaven, 2005’s Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix, the revealing Cobain Unseen, discussed here, and his most recent release, Led Zeppelin: Shadows Taller Than Our Souls. Cross is also Associate Editor of Backstreets Magazine, an internationally circulated quarterly that focuses on Bruce Springsteen and related Jersey Shore artists, which he also founded in 1980.
Cross’s interest in music stemmed from a very early age, taking in a range of music genres or, as he himself says, “everything that was around at the time”. Asked what he listened to in particular, he named Bob Dylan, the Beatles, Carole King, James Taylor, the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen as the acts that had the most influence on him growing up. Being a huge fan of rock, Seattle was immediately a place Cross felt comfortable. In one of his many articles that he wrote for the Seattle Times, Cross wrote "Seattle has always had more of an appetite for hard rock than other cities" . When I questioned him on this he stated that this was because “it's a blue-collar town with shipyards and Boeing plants- that kinda blue-collar fan has always liked to rock” . In particular, writing about Northwestern bands has always been hugely important to Cross. Since he first began writing, he has been compelled to write about the bands that he truly loves. When I asked him who were his favourite bands to write about or interview, he answered: “Well, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam and Nirvana, definitely, but I also loved the Walkabouts, the Screaming Trees, and other underrated bands”.
Another thing that Cross has always been interested in is biography, especially writing about the lives of people in music. His biographies on Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain provide true insight into the lives of both men, particularly the latter, which has been described as one of the most revealing and intimate accounts of one of music’s most influential figures. When I asked him what first drew him to this particular genre he replied: “I have always loved biography and reading things like the Charles Lindbergh biography by A. Scott Berg and Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller definitely influenced me. And of course Peter Guralnick's Elvis books...”
When I spoke to Cross, he was fresh from reviewing the Soundgarden reunion gig at the Showbox at the Market in Seattle for Rolling Stone magazine. When I asked Cross about the show, Soundgarden’s first since their break up in 1997, he said it was “exciting”. “There was a sense of spontaneity”, he added, “that suggested anything could happen”. Cross also commented that although it was a “great show”, it also made him feel “sad” that we will “never see a Nirvana reunion show”.
In the city that Cross calls home, it is impossible not to be reminded of the fact that Nirvana, one of the greatest and most influential bands the world has ever seen, are no more. As he stated in the opening chapter of Heavier Than Heaven, Cross lives less than a mile from Stan Baker Shooting Sports on Lake City Way, the store where the Nirvana singer and guitarist purchased the shotgun that was responsible for his death. I asked Cross if that was unsettling, to which he replied: “It can be creepy. I guess it can be both haunting and inspiring depending on the weather”. Regardless of the weather, Seattle is rife with reminders of Cobain and Nirvana, from the aforementioned Stan Baker’s and independent record label Sub Pop to the many music venues scattered around the city where the band played whilst trying to make it big.
Cross and Nirvana's path first intersected in 1989, when The Rocket, which Cross was editor of at the time, did the first cover story on Nirvana. Witnessing first-hand their transition from underground band to being one of, if not the, most famous bands of all time is something that very few people can boast about. When I asked him what his first impressions of the Nirvana were, Cross answered: “I liked them because of their pop side. I, like everyone else in Seattle, thought Mudhoney would be the bigger band at the start. I think one thing that’s important for people to remember is that early on the band were pretty darn ragged. They toured America five times before they became famous. I certainly had followed the band very closely and saw them live a number of times. I loved the early band stuff, was a big fan of the material from the beginning”. I also asked Cross about his first encounter with Cobain: “I was editor of The Rocket, which at the time was the music magazine in Seattle. Kurt had actually used our magazine on at least three different occasions advertising for a drummer. Every time Nirvana would lose a drummer, he’d come in the office and place an ad- ‘Band seeks drummer’. So, I knew him casually from the scene”.
It was clear Cross had much interaction with the Nirvana frontman during his rise to fame but I was eager to find out what kind of relationship he had with Cobain. “Even as his biographer and someone who knew Kurt, I wasn’t his best friend. And I was editor of a music magazine. We were always gonna have the kind of relationship where he was gonna be sort of suspicious. He clearly respected what I did. I had the benefit of a biographer of going through Kurt’s personal effects and things. He kept copies of my magazines and articles that I had done among his stuff. That, I guess, is the ultimate compliment that a music star could pay a journalist. So, I was respected in the world he was in” .
Cobain’s death in 1994 affected people all over the world and will continue to be remembered as one of the most devastating days in music history. Naturally, I asked Cross where he was at the moment he heard that Kurt Cobain's body had been found. “I was in my office at the Rocket. I knew before it went public; I was one of the first people to find out. I had contributed to a radio show here in Seattle and when the electrician who was working at Kurt's house found his body, that electrician's company called the radio station. I think the infamous words were, ‘You're gonna owe me some great Pink Floyd tickets for this news.’ That radio station called me before they went on air to see if they could confirm it because they knew I was sort of closer to that scene than they were. So, I remember hearing the news to this day. My reaction was, ‘No. It can't be Kurt.’ But at the same time, it's part of the denial. I knew it was him. Everyone in the Seattle scene knew he had struggles. I kept hoping that the body that was discovered would not be Kurt, that it would be mistaken and instead would be one of his drug-buddy friends. And of course, that wasn't the case. It was heart-breaking to get the news, just like it was for everybody who was a Nirvana fan” .
While researching and writing his books on Cobain, Cross was given access to the Cobain estate, allowing him the opportunity to sift through intimate pictures and personal items, many of which he included in Cobain Unseen. I asked Cross about this experience. “Courtney controls the Kurt Cobain estate, which basically by an estate, is a bunch of stuff in a storage locker. But she trusted me. When I wrote my 2001 biography of Kurt, which pre-dated Cobain Unseen, she gave me access to his material. Cobain Unseen somewhat grew out of discussions around that book where I kept saying, ‘the stuff in Kurt’s locker is amazing stuff. You ought to let the world see it...he was an amazing artist.’ At one point she came to me and said, ‘OK. You can do the book.’ So, I was given access to the archives, with no parameters put on the use of Kurt’s stuff” . I also questioned Cross on whether it ever felt like he was delving too deep with his work, if he ever felt uncomfortable going though Cobain’s things, to which he replied: “There were things I left out. With every book, what you leave out is just as important as what you put in”.
In his journals, which were first printed in 2002, Cobain’s struggles were clear for anyone to see, or to read about rather. He battled with a chronic, undiagnosed stomach problem, he struggled with addiction and he was tormented by the demons of his past, particularly his parents’ divorce. He also battled constantly with the pressures of fame, the idea of being completely exposed and feeling like he was losing most of his privacy by moving further and further into the limelight. I was particularly interested in two contradictory statements Cobain wrote in his journals: "Don't read my diary when I'm gone" and "Please read my diary...Look through my things, and figure me out". I asked Cross which of these statements did he think was the most truthful and did he ever battle with the question of whether or not Cobain would have wanted his thoughts, words and drawings to be made available to the world. “I did, yes, but Kurt left his diaries out open on his coffee table so that said something to me. One of the more difficult things as a biographer was looking through Kurt’s journals and seeing how often he would write about his addiction and essentially beg God to please help him with it. He did not want to continue to suffer and basically wrote in his journals, ‘God, I will do anything. Please, please, please help me.’ Unfortunately, that help did not come”.
As well as writing about Cobain, Cross has written extensively on Jimi Hendrix. His book Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix provides an in-depth account of the life of the rock legend, capturing him perfectly. During his research for this book, which included interviewing over 325 people, Cross rediscovered the place where Hendrix’s mother, Lucille Jeter Hendrix, was buried which, oddly enough, lies only 40ft from where Hendrix himself now lies in Greenwood Memorial Park in Renton, Washington. The gravesite of Lucille Hendrix was lost because the standard welfare marker of her day, an inscribed brick, became buried in decades of mud from the area's notorious heavy rains. Cross delivered a moving eulogy for Lucille when a proper headstone was dedicated at the site. I asked Cross how it felt to uncover something so significant: “Eerie... My son was with me and he still talks about it and he was just a toddler at the time”.
Cobain and Hendrix had many things in common- they both were left-handed guitar players, both died at 27, had four-year musical careers and had battled drug addiction. They also both lived in Seattle, a city with one of the most notable music scenes in the world. I asked Cross if he felt enough had been done to honour both men in Seattle. “The answer is no. The city should honour them more. In the UK, they’ve got their blue plaques; we should have something like that here”.
The last thing I asked Cross was how he thought Kurt Cobain should be remembered, to which he replied: “Well, I think first and most importantly, he will be remembered for those songs. I think that's the reason we're talking about him still today. The quality of that songwriting I think will last and has lasted. That is ultimately the way I think he will be remembered. I think he will be remembered for creating this incredible body of work. The circumstances of his death and all those other things matter far less now sixteen years later. It's truly those songs and that music that is his legacy. Kurt was very unique and that’s the thing I think we miss now so long after his death. The great sadness is that we can’t hear that voice again. That’s the thing I miss. It’s sad for anyone who’s a fan of the music. Kurt was the biggest rock star in the world the year before he died. Sixteen years later, I’m not sure there is another rock star who is as enigmatic and compelling. He remains one of rock’s legendary figures. There has not been one single figure that I think ranks with Cobain since his death. That’s not to say there aren’t people putting out great records and there aren’t people that I love their music, but there’s nobody that combines that personal charisma, the musical quality and most importantly the songwriting genius that Kurt Cobain had. That’s the reason I think his legacy has endured”.
Charles R. Cross still lives in Seattle. He continues to write for numerous publications, both Seattle-based and beyond.
July 8, 2022
Es un libro que añade poco a la historia de Nirvana pero que sirve para indagar en la voda intima de Cobain con multitud de fotos, pinturas, dibujos, juguetes y material que el lider de Nirvana tenia en su casa. Sólo para muy fans de Nirvana que ya hayan leido los libros más importantes sobre la banda.
March 31, 2013
I find it hilarious how some people take themselves so seriously writing reviews on here. As if their lives or livelihoods dependent on it. People can be very self absorbed about it all. Listen to me!! My opinion matters!! And of course it does because it means people like me get opinions and access to books they wouldn't otherwise come across. Then there are the people who take things to pieces for no reason apart to show how clever they are and are maybe uber resentful because they are not fulfilling their dreams of being professional writers. It's kinda paradoxical. A bit like Cobain, his life and this book. He was interesting and cool but took himself too seriously, a bit like the reviews on this book!
If you are a nirvana and Cobain obsessive you will love this, that's pretty obvious. If you are a nirvana fan but less interested in Cobain you will like it but maybe find it less engaging. I love nirvana, as in the music, as I've got older I've got a bit bored of the folklore. If you are new to nirvana or want to enter Cobains world, again, worth a look.
What I do not see the point of is none nirvana fans looking at this then whining about how rubbish it is afterwards. Get a life for Christ sakes.
If you are a nirvana and Cobain obsessive you will love this, that's pretty obvious. If you are a nirvana fan but less interested in Cobain you will like it but maybe find it less engaging. I love nirvana, as in the music, as I've got older I've got a bit bored of the folklore. If you are new to nirvana or want to enter Cobains world, again, worth a look.
What I do not see the point of is none nirvana fans looking at this then whining about how rubbish it is afterwards. Get a life for Christ sakes.
December 4, 2011
I for a while have, currently do, and forever will have a deep infatuation with Kurt Cobain's life, music, and impact to rock & roll history. However, just as I will always like Nirvana, I will equally always dislike 50 percent of this book. I get that he was a phenomenal artist, using more than one artistic outlet, however, I don't buy into the significance Cross attributes to his obessive collecting of board games and lunch boxes. I recommend ignoring the text, geared towards a middle school audience, and allowing Cobain Unseen to sit on your shelves as a diehard fan's scrapbook.
Read
November 27, 2017I just looked at the pictures. This was too deep of a look into Cobain’s life. The public shouldn’t be able to view shitty letters he never sent and personal affects from his wife, among other things. Courtney Love obviously cooperated with this, but I didn’t care for it - I felt like I was gaping. I have to admit though that photographs of Cobain remain arresting. It’s hard to ‘look him in the eye’ so to speak because every look on his face appears too open.
March 21, 2012
Charles R. Cross (Heavier than Heaven) makes a return to a familiar
topic with Cobain Unseen. In this meshing of photos, journal excerpts
and bits of memorabilia, Cross attempts to bring further insight into
the life of one of rock and roll’s most mysterious and beloved front
men, Kurt Cobain. This is not your typical biography. Cross doesn’t
just fill the book with the typical biographical information followed
by some home pictures; no instead he goes much, much deeper into the
life and art of Kurt. Readers are treated to very entertaining bits
and stories from Cobain’s early life and through his rise to fame. The
book’s 154 pages are filled with hundreds of beautiful pictures: shots
of Cobain as a kid, on stage, even quiet family moments. The images
are wonderful counterparts for each other. Even better are the
glimpses into Kurt’s creativity, given to us through paintings and letters done in
his own hand. There is even a CD of the troubled singer reading from
pages of his journal.
Cross chooses a scrapbook-style for Cobain Unseen, and it really seems
fitting as we learn more about Cobain’s collections, passions and
artistic endeavors. The writing is on point and unencumbered by the
traditional style of most biographies. The author has no need for an
over the top portrayal of his subject, and this results in writing that
is raw and real. It feels authentic to Kurt and parallels the style of
writing in his songs. The book uses extensive research and interview
materials in a quick and entertaining manner that at no point feels
clunky or wordy. Cross of course has the benefit of having written
Heavier than Heaven before this. Cobain Unseen isn’t necessarily for
those who are coming at Cobain, or Nirvana, for the first time. With
this attempt, Cross has no need for the usual information. He doesn’t
need (or want to) introduce us to the people in Kurt’s life. He
focuses on giving the reader a new view into the mind, the creativity,
and even the madness, that was Kurt Cobain. He chooses to go for an in
depth look at the pieces of history that came together to fuel and
create Kurt's unique personality. This means newer readers may be left
to their own devices to understand or figure out the simpler of facts
and stories involving Kurt. That fact should not hinder a reader new
to the Cobain story from enjoying the book.
These pieces and intimate recreations are punctuated with the author’s
thoughts and research. It presents the life of the artist through
never before seen photos, chaotically scribbled notes/lyrics, precious
mementos and art. These are the real gems of Cobain Unseen. The almost
dizzying array of personal photos such as Cobain and his daughter, the
concerts, or even the shots as a baby and young child are unseen
glimpses into the rock legend. We are given views of his entire
emotional spectrum. Some match the raw and unrefined moments
of his lyrics. They run the range from blurry and untouched to glossy
magazine photo shoots. Included are slices of Cobain's interests,
which are as odd and mystifying as the singer was. The odd dolls,
masks, monkeys, and the love (shared with Courtney) of heart-shaped
boxes, carved-up drawing figures and graffiti. One of the best parts
of the book are the assorted fold-outs and removable items: ads for
Nirvana, a copy of Kurt's high school diploma, a CD of old songs,
blurry letters, X-rays, a scrawled handwritten draft of "Smells Like
Teen Spirit," and even a handmade Thanksgiving day card made by a
young Kurt. This helps ground the reader and the life of the singer
who took his own life.
The diary like style employed by Cross immerses the reader in the
world that was Kurt Cobain. Cobain Unseen feels less like a biography,
and more like a collage of Cobain's lifetime. Chaotic, pieced together
moments and scraps perhaps not all that different than the ones Kurt
himself glued and pieced together. If you’ve read Heavier Than Heaven
or any of the other books on Kurt and Nirvana, you will still want to
buy this book. As a whole, the book is a great for any fan of Nirvana
or even someone who just loves music.
topic with Cobain Unseen. In this meshing of photos, journal excerpts
and bits of memorabilia, Cross attempts to bring further insight into
the life of one of rock and roll’s most mysterious and beloved front
men, Kurt Cobain. This is not your typical biography. Cross doesn’t
just fill the book with the typical biographical information followed
by some home pictures; no instead he goes much, much deeper into the
life and art of Kurt. Readers are treated to very entertaining bits
and stories from Cobain’s early life and through his rise to fame. The
book’s 154 pages are filled with hundreds of beautiful pictures: shots
of Cobain as a kid, on stage, even quiet family moments. The images
are wonderful counterparts for each other. Even better are the
glimpses into Kurt’s creativity, given to us through paintings and letters done in
his own hand. There is even a CD of the troubled singer reading from
pages of his journal.
Cross chooses a scrapbook-style for Cobain Unseen, and it really seems
fitting as we learn more about Cobain’s collections, passions and
artistic endeavors. The writing is on point and unencumbered by the
traditional style of most biographies. The author has no need for an
over the top portrayal of his subject, and this results in writing that
is raw and real. It feels authentic to Kurt and parallels the style of
writing in his songs. The book uses extensive research and interview
materials in a quick and entertaining manner that at no point feels
clunky or wordy. Cross of course has the benefit of having written
Heavier than Heaven before this. Cobain Unseen isn’t necessarily for
those who are coming at Cobain, or Nirvana, for the first time. With
this attempt, Cross has no need for the usual information. He doesn’t
need (or want to) introduce us to the people in Kurt’s life. He
focuses on giving the reader a new view into the mind, the creativity,
and even the madness, that was Kurt Cobain. He chooses to go for an in
depth look at the pieces of history that came together to fuel and
create Kurt's unique personality. This means newer readers may be left
to their own devices to understand or figure out the simpler of facts
and stories involving Kurt. That fact should not hinder a reader new
to the Cobain story from enjoying the book.
These pieces and intimate recreations are punctuated with the author’s
thoughts and research. It presents the life of the artist through
never before seen photos, chaotically scribbled notes/lyrics, precious
mementos and art. These are the real gems of Cobain Unseen. The almost
dizzying array of personal photos such as Cobain and his daughter, the
concerts, or even the shots as a baby and young child are unseen
glimpses into the rock legend. We are given views of his entire
emotional spectrum. Some match the raw and unrefined moments
of his lyrics. They run the range from blurry and untouched to glossy
magazine photo shoots. Included are slices of Cobain's interests,
which are as odd and mystifying as the singer was. The odd dolls,
masks, monkeys, and the love (shared with Courtney) of heart-shaped
boxes, carved-up drawing figures and graffiti. One of the best parts
of the book are the assorted fold-outs and removable items: ads for
Nirvana, a copy of Kurt's high school diploma, a CD of old songs,
blurry letters, X-rays, a scrawled handwritten draft of "Smells Like
Teen Spirit," and even a handmade Thanksgiving day card made by a
young Kurt. This helps ground the reader and the life of the singer
who took his own life.
The diary like style employed by Cross immerses the reader in the
world that was Kurt Cobain. Cobain Unseen feels less like a biography,
and more like a collage of Cobain's lifetime. Chaotic, pieced together
moments and scraps perhaps not all that different than the ones Kurt
himself glued and pieced together. If you’ve read Heavier Than Heaven
or any of the other books on Kurt and Nirvana, you will still want to
buy this book. As a whole, the book is a great for any fan of Nirvana
or even someone who just loves music.
July 27, 2011
I dig the whole feeling of this book. Full of an insider's view as to the musical genius and tortured soul that was Kurt Cobain.
This book / collection offers a look at the man behind the music - the life behind one of the most influential bands in contemporary music.
The reproductions of nostalgic pieces such as art pieces, flyers, CDs of spoken word material, letters to band members, etc are an added bonus to anyone wanting to delve deeper into the nostalgic experience that was Nirvana / Kurt Cobain.
An easy read - collectively gathered and told through the words of Charles Cross, Kurt Cobain & those who knew him, the art, family photos, photoshoot outtakes, and random clippings of promotional material that makes up the history of Kurt Cobain & Nirvana.
I would also reccoment reading Charles Cross' biography on Kurt Cobain "Heavier Then Heaven" for more insider info on Cobain
This book / collection offers a look at the man behind the music - the life behind one of the most influential bands in contemporary music.
The reproductions of nostalgic pieces such as art pieces, flyers, CDs of spoken word material, letters to band members, etc are an added bonus to anyone wanting to delve deeper into the nostalgic experience that was Nirvana / Kurt Cobain.
An easy read - collectively gathered and told through the words of Charles Cross, Kurt Cobain & those who knew him, the art, family photos, photoshoot outtakes, and random clippings of promotional material that makes up the history of Kurt Cobain & Nirvana.
I would also reccoment reading Charles Cross' biography on Kurt Cobain "Heavier Then Heaven" for more insider info on Cobain
January 7, 2011
This book was an amazing read. The subject and contents are such that this could have been a very exploitative look at one of the most important figures of rock in my generation, but instead it was held with respect and a genuine compassion for the subject.
Many of Cobain's artworks and personal photographs are reproduced in a scrapbook manner, which causes the reader to remove them from a pocket or unfold them, creating a sense of instant intimacy.
The photos of Kurt and Frances are particularly heartbreaking - it's obvious that he adored his daughter more than anything. It's truly tragic that the drug demons overtook him.
Many of Cobain's artworks and personal photographs are reproduced in a scrapbook manner, which causes the reader to remove them from a pocket or unfold them, creating a sense of instant intimacy.
The photos of Kurt and Frances are particularly heartbreaking - it's obvious that he adored his daughter more than anything. It's truly tragic that the drug demons overtook him.
January 8, 2009
Having already read a bunch of Cobain biographies this book was a refreshing look on the artistic life of Kurt Cobain. This book has some extremely faithful reproductions of various pieces of art, journal entries, notes, and other random bits of Kurt's life and artistic expression. It's like a pop-up book for adults with various reproductions that can be removed from the book.
It also gives a decent summary of Kurt's life and can be used as a Nirvana/Cobain primer if you are interested in their story.
It also gives a decent summary of Kurt's life and can be used as a Nirvana/Cobain primer if you are interested in their story.
March 3, 2009
This is basically one of the best books that I have read.
April 8, 2014
Hard to believe but 20 years ago this month Nirvana’s front man, Kurt Cobain, died at 27-years-old from an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound. A few years ago, a publisher contacted me about reviewing one its books on Cobain. I decided to dust it off and publish it here.
It seems anything that can be written about the late Kurt Cobain has been written. But with Charles R. Cross’ new book Cobain Unseen, readers get fascinating glimpse of Cobain not only as a rock star, but also as a child, artist, husband and father.
Cobain Unseen is an illustrated book filled with new photographs of Cobain, his band mates, wife Courtney Love, and daughter Frances Bean. Also included are Cobain’s artwork, which often reveals his inner torment. Readers will also find reproductions of Nirvana stickers, early flyers of advertising Nirvana gigs, handwritten lyrics, a VIP backstage pass and a promotional postcard regarding Nirvana’s 1992 Saturday Night Live appearance.
More personally, there are reproductions of Cobain’s other effects, including a greeting card he made as a child, a school art award certificate, and a hand-written note to Michael Stipe. One of the most disturbing and heartbreaking aspects of Cobain Unseen is a “Dear Diary””excerpt written on loose-leaf paper. In a few paragraphs, Cobain expresses that he thinks he knows what’s wrong with him, his faults, his insecurities, his problems. He wonders if he continues to worry about his problems and his problems with others, they might get worse. This brief diary entry is a sad glimpse into Cobain’s inner torment.
Torment was a common theme in Cobain’s life. He was born months before the summer of love in 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. His parents were very young, didn’t have much money and divorced when Cobain was a child. Throughout his life, Cobain was plagued by health problems, including stomach troubles and scoliosis. He was also put on Ritalin for his hyperactivity.
However, Cobain was a highly creative child. Art and music were forms of escape. As soon as he was able to hold a crayon or pencil, Cobain was drawing. He spent hours making his original works of art, and his parents thought he might study art in college. Cobain also experimented with putty and clay. His childhood room was covered with his art work, and his art work was also well-accepted by his peers.
Music was also important to Kurt, and his musical aspirations were supported by his aunt Mari, herself a singer. As a teen-ager, Cobain was given a guitar and discovered punk music. He started to write songs, and art continued to be positive force in his life. After high school, Cobain struggled, often living on food stamps and getting evicted from dumpy apartments. However, he also formed the band Nirvana and began to hone Nirvana’s distinctive grunge sound.
Despite the idea that Cobain was a slacker, not concerned with fame and fortune, he was hugely ambitious when it came to his music. He spent lots of time writing songs, sending demos to different record labels and playing endless gigs. “Overnight” success came in 1991, when the Gen X anthem, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” of Nirvana’s seminal release Nevermind became a huge hit. For far too long, music was total dreck, with the likes of Color Me Badd, MC Hammer and Paula Abdul topping the charts. Nirvana and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became manna from Heaven for many rock fans (including yours truly).
Along the way, Cobain met and married Hole frontwoman, Courtney Love, and they had a daughter, Frances Bean. The marriage was at times loving, and at other times tumultuous, but Cobain aspired to be a devoted father to little Frances. He also continued to be plagued by health troubles and soon became addicted to heroin.
Professionally, Nirvana reached the heights of fame. They released three studio albums and toured throughout the world. Cobain was called the voice of a disaffected generation. However, stardom did not sit well with him. Today, where even the most untalented celebrities try to extend their fifteen minutes of fame by appearing in movies or putting out their own fashion lines, Cobain considered himself an artist, not a rock star. He bit the hand that fed him, had squabbles with his record label and didn’t always care about pleasing his fans.
Ultimately, Cobain could no longer handle the physical, mental and emotional misery that plagued him, and he committed suicide in April of 1994, leaving fans devastated and people wondering what could have been.
But Nirvana fans know all of this already, and Cross covered Cobain’s life in his notable biography, Heavier Than Heaven. However, that doesn’t mean Cobain Unseen isn’t a fascinating read. Cobain Unseen is more than a biography of Cobain’s life. It’s also a biography of his art. Childhood photos feature a tow-headed Cobain in front of an art easel or playing a tambourine. His art work conveys his stomach and back problems with the use of raw meat, bones, skeletons and doll parts. The reader will see heart-shaped boxed Cobain collected, and photos of Cobain with daughter Frances show a very tender and sweet side of Cobain. Also included in Cobain Unseen is a CD of Cobain’s spoken-word material, and an interview with Cross about his research for the book.
Cobain Unseen is vanguard of biography. Not satisfied with text and photos, I believe readers today want tactile and tangible personal items of the famous people they admire and want to learn more about. Cobain Unseen is an intriguing inside look at the creativity and the madness of one of rock’s biggest icons. Cobain Unseen is one of the most definitive rock biographies I have ever seen…and felt.
Originally Published at The Book Self
http://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com/...
It seems anything that can be written about the late Kurt Cobain has been written. But with Charles R. Cross’ new book Cobain Unseen, readers get fascinating glimpse of Cobain not only as a rock star, but also as a child, artist, husband and father.
Cobain Unseen is an illustrated book filled with new photographs of Cobain, his band mates, wife Courtney Love, and daughter Frances Bean. Also included are Cobain’s artwork, which often reveals his inner torment. Readers will also find reproductions of Nirvana stickers, early flyers of advertising Nirvana gigs, handwritten lyrics, a VIP backstage pass and a promotional postcard regarding Nirvana’s 1992 Saturday Night Live appearance.
More personally, there are reproductions of Cobain’s other effects, including a greeting card he made as a child, a school art award certificate, and a hand-written note to Michael Stipe. One of the most disturbing and heartbreaking aspects of Cobain Unseen is a “Dear Diary””excerpt written on loose-leaf paper. In a few paragraphs, Cobain expresses that he thinks he knows what’s wrong with him, his faults, his insecurities, his problems. He wonders if he continues to worry about his problems and his problems with others, they might get worse. This brief diary entry is a sad glimpse into Cobain’s inner torment.
Torment was a common theme in Cobain’s life. He was born months before the summer of love in 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. His parents were very young, didn’t have much money and divorced when Cobain was a child. Throughout his life, Cobain was plagued by health problems, including stomach troubles and scoliosis. He was also put on Ritalin for his hyperactivity.
However, Cobain was a highly creative child. Art and music were forms of escape. As soon as he was able to hold a crayon or pencil, Cobain was drawing. He spent hours making his original works of art, and his parents thought he might study art in college. Cobain also experimented with putty and clay. His childhood room was covered with his art work, and his art work was also well-accepted by his peers.
Music was also important to Kurt, and his musical aspirations were supported by his aunt Mari, herself a singer. As a teen-ager, Cobain was given a guitar and discovered punk music. He started to write songs, and art continued to be positive force in his life. After high school, Cobain struggled, often living on food stamps and getting evicted from dumpy apartments. However, he also formed the band Nirvana and began to hone Nirvana’s distinctive grunge sound.
Despite the idea that Cobain was a slacker, not concerned with fame and fortune, he was hugely ambitious when it came to his music. He spent lots of time writing songs, sending demos to different record labels and playing endless gigs. “Overnight” success came in 1991, when the Gen X anthem, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” of Nirvana’s seminal release Nevermind became a huge hit. For far too long, music was total dreck, with the likes of Color Me Badd, MC Hammer and Paula Abdul topping the charts. Nirvana and “Smells Like Teen Spirit” became manna from Heaven for many rock fans (including yours truly).
Along the way, Cobain met and married Hole frontwoman, Courtney Love, and they had a daughter, Frances Bean. The marriage was at times loving, and at other times tumultuous, but Cobain aspired to be a devoted father to little Frances. He also continued to be plagued by health troubles and soon became addicted to heroin.
Professionally, Nirvana reached the heights of fame. They released three studio albums and toured throughout the world. Cobain was called the voice of a disaffected generation. However, stardom did not sit well with him. Today, where even the most untalented celebrities try to extend their fifteen minutes of fame by appearing in movies or putting out their own fashion lines, Cobain considered himself an artist, not a rock star. He bit the hand that fed him, had squabbles with his record label and didn’t always care about pleasing his fans.
Ultimately, Cobain could no longer handle the physical, mental and emotional misery that plagued him, and he committed suicide in April of 1994, leaving fans devastated and people wondering what could have been.
But Nirvana fans know all of this already, and Cross covered Cobain’s life in his notable biography, Heavier Than Heaven. However, that doesn’t mean Cobain Unseen isn’t a fascinating read. Cobain Unseen is more than a biography of Cobain’s life. It’s also a biography of his art. Childhood photos feature a tow-headed Cobain in front of an art easel or playing a tambourine. His art work conveys his stomach and back problems with the use of raw meat, bones, skeletons and doll parts. The reader will see heart-shaped boxed Cobain collected, and photos of Cobain with daughter Frances show a very tender and sweet side of Cobain. Also included in Cobain Unseen is a CD of Cobain’s spoken-word material, and an interview with Cross about his research for the book.
Cobain Unseen is vanguard of biography. Not satisfied with text and photos, I believe readers today want tactile and tangible personal items of the famous people they admire and want to learn more about. Cobain Unseen is an intriguing inside look at the creativity and the madness of one of rock’s biggest icons. Cobain Unseen is one of the most definitive rock biographies I have ever seen…and felt.
Originally Published at The Book Self
http://thebookselfblog.wordpress.com/...
June 8, 2022
A unique insight into the mind of Cobain throughout his weird collection and his writings.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
November 30, 2009
The grunge pop-up book. Charles Cross makes the case that Kurt Cobain was a serious visual artist. His book really just reinforces the sense that Kurt Cobain was just a guy swingin' on the flippity flop in his apartment, and that the weird things he did by himself would somehow become dominant themes in popular culture. This illustrates how a young person's on-paper fantasies and private visual world can emerge from time to time in great works of art. Things that seem like a waste of time really aren't. They add to the richness of a personal world that can be shared with others.
The biggest contribution this book makes is the photo documentation of Cobain making the huge floor sculpture for the back cover of In Utero. It's really awesome work and I'm glad there's proof now that he made it himself.
The biggest contribution this book makes is the photo documentation of Cobain making the huge floor sculpture for the back cover of In Utero. It's really awesome work and I'm glad there's proof now that he made it himself.
January 25, 2010
I really liked this book as a supplement to the other Cobain/Nirvana biographies. It focuses on Kurt's art, which previously I didn't know much about. Looking back at how Kurt's life ended, it can be hard to not feel pity for him (or anger, or disgust, etc). But this book lifted my sense of pity, because I realized he did use his time on earth to his full advantage, living his life as a true artist. The photography is cool, since there were many images I hadn't seen before. Most of the journal facsimiles I had already encountered in the Cobain "Journals."
Overall, the author gives a nice condensed version of Kurt's life, whittled from his meatier "Heavier than Heaven." I can't speak about the spoken word since my version (gotten at the library) didn't come with the CD. Oh, those library punks :D
Overall, the author gives a nice condensed version of Kurt's life, whittled from his meatier "Heavier than Heaven." I can't speak about the spoken word since my version (gotten at the library) didn't come with the CD. Oh, those library punks :D
June 7, 2009
Tasteful yet genuine, intimate yet non-exploitive, and affordable for the current generation of intelligent & creative doubting youngsters, this collection of Cobain stuff-with-text is just right for what it aims to do. I've never been a fan of the music (unplugged excepted), but I'm Kurt's age and lived in Oly and Seattle when he did, and this book definitely shows the aesthetic of that time & place. Viewing his life's artifacts, we fall in love with him and deeply know how special he was... at the same time, there were many who similarly created and embodied that time and place, who survived and grew. There is the unending, echoing question why, and no book will answer that question. The best response to that echo is the harmonic echo created by Gus Van Sant, Last Days.
Read
September 22, 2015I honestly don't know how I feel about this "scrapbook" of Kurt Cobain as I'm left feeling torn as I usually am after reading a book about him. This one in particular feels completely exploitative and I can't help but think this is the very kind of thing Kurt fought against and would have completely hated. On the flip (and probably hypocritical) side, I am and always have been a Nirvana/Kurt Cobain "fan" so naturally I inevitably always end up reading garbage like this. I can't rate this as I wouldn't know where to begin.
October 30, 2019
Ormai è stato detto tutto di Cobain e dei Nirvana.
Posso dire con gioia che questo era l'ultimo libro acquistato riguardante il frontman del trio di Aberdeen (dandomi poi una calmata sul materiale del gruppo ). Veramente curato, ottime le repliche dei vari gadget.
Posso dire con gioia che questo era l'ultimo libro acquistato riguardante il frontman del trio di Aberdeen (dandomi poi una calmata sul materiale del gruppo ). Veramente curato, ottime le repliche dei vari gadget.
January 7, 2024
⭐️ 3.75 STARS ⭐️
i have always had a soft spot for Kurt Cobain, and a strong infatuation with his art and creative mind. after seeing this book on my boyfriend’s bookshelf, i decided to pick it up and finally read more about him.
Cobain Unseen is more of a scrapbook of Kurt’s writings (stretching from lyrics to journal entries), photographs of his eccentric collections of thrifted toys and sculptures, prints of flyers and tour announcements for Nirvana, and photos of him, the band, and his family. in addition to these things, the book provided a short biography of his life, containing details that were new to me while i read this.
although i enjoyed getting to know Kurt more through viewing his art and reading snippets of his journals, i constantly felt contradiction - thoughts like, “would he have wanted his private words and masterpieces on show for the world to see?” of course, that is mostly Courtney Love’s fault, after giving permission to the author to publish everything included in this book. but since Kurt seemed like a private man himself, i feel like he would have been against a book like this. i also always feel weary of reading biographies, especially ones that are published posthumously. the author talked about Kurt as if he was a lifelong friend, knowing every detail of his life. to my knowledge, they had never even met. (of course he’s spent years studying him. but the way he talked about him was just odd to me.) it felt weird reading certain details of Kurt’s life - especially ones that were traumatizing in his childhood, or heavily descriptive examples of his depression and suicidal thoughts - when the author wasn’t there for any of it. because of this, it makes me wonder how much of this book is fact, how much of the truth is exaggerated, and how much is false.
just for clarification though, my rating is in regards to this book as a publication - not the subjects it covers. in no way does my rating reflect Nirvana, Kurt, his friends, his family, or his art. if anything, this book made me even more interested in Nirvana, and Kurt Cobain as an artist. regardless of my skepticism of this book, it got me listening to more of Nirvana’s music, looking up old interviews, and old concert footage. it definitely fueled by love for Nirvana and Kurt, and i can't wait to dive in deeper. ❤️
format: physical
i have always had a soft spot for Kurt Cobain, and a strong infatuation with his art and creative mind. after seeing this book on my boyfriend’s bookshelf, i decided to pick it up and finally read more about him.
Cobain Unseen is more of a scrapbook of Kurt’s writings (stretching from lyrics to journal entries), photographs of his eccentric collections of thrifted toys and sculptures, prints of flyers and tour announcements for Nirvana, and photos of him, the band, and his family. in addition to these things, the book provided a short biography of his life, containing details that were new to me while i read this.
although i enjoyed getting to know Kurt more through viewing his art and reading snippets of his journals, i constantly felt contradiction - thoughts like, “would he have wanted his private words and masterpieces on show for the world to see?” of course, that is mostly Courtney Love’s fault, after giving permission to the author to publish everything included in this book. but since Kurt seemed like a private man himself, i feel like he would have been against a book like this. i also always feel weary of reading biographies, especially ones that are published posthumously. the author talked about Kurt as if he was a lifelong friend, knowing every detail of his life. to my knowledge, they had never even met. (of course he’s spent years studying him. but the way he talked about him was just odd to me.) it felt weird reading certain details of Kurt’s life - especially ones that were traumatizing in his childhood, or heavily descriptive examples of his depression and suicidal thoughts - when the author wasn’t there for any of it. because of this, it makes me wonder how much of this book is fact, how much of the truth is exaggerated, and how much is false.
just for clarification though, my rating is in regards to this book as a publication - not the subjects it covers. in no way does my rating reflect Nirvana, Kurt, his friends, his family, or his art. if anything, this book made me even more interested in Nirvana, and Kurt Cobain as an artist. regardless of my skepticism of this book, it got me listening to more of Nirvana’s music, looking up old interviews, and old concert footage. it definitely fueled by love for Nirvana and Kurt, and i can't wait to dive in deeper. ❤️
format: physical
March 22, 2021
From one of Cobain's biographers, Charles R. Cross, the author of Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain which the Los Angeles Times called "one of the most moving and revealing books ever written about a rock star" and which won the ASCAP Timothy White Award for outstanding biography, comes this pretty damn cool "survey tour" of a sampling from the Cobain archives, featuring some of Kurt's drawings, collages, journal excerpts, letters (like one he wrote to William Burroughs as well as one he received from Micheal Stipe), photographs and other artifacts.
The coolest part is that there are over 20 "interactive" features with facsimiles, for instance, of the handwritten lyric for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ripped from a spiral-bound notebook and a sheet of computer label stickers Kurt hand-wrote to publicize an early pre-fame Nirvana gig. Included is also a cd with never-before-released spoken word material.
It's an overall sadly tragic tale; Cobain was an incredibly creative, talented artist who was plagued by his demons and whose environment had little to offer him skillful strategies to deal with them. Almost 30 years on, those opening jagged chords from "Smells Like Teen Spirit" STILL sounds fresher than 97% of anything I hear on the radio...
The coolest part is that there are over 20 "interactive" features with facsimiles, for instance, of the handwritten lyric for "Smells Like Teen Spirit" ripped from a spiral-bound notebook and a sheet of computer label stickers Kurt hand-wrote to publicize an early pre-fame Nirvana gig. Included is also a cd with never-before-released spoken word material.
It's an overall sadly tragic tale; Cobain was an incredibly creative, talented artist who was plagued by his demons and whose environment had little to offer him skillful strategies to deal with them. Almost 30 years on, those opening jagged chords from "Smells Like Teen Spirit" STILL sounds fresher than 97% of anything I hear on the radio...
December 31, 2019
Soy un gran fan de Kurt Cobain y de su arte. He leído mucho sobre él y tengo que decir que este es el mejor libro sobre su vida que tengo. Muchas fotografías y material inedito.
Lo recomiendo y doy una puntuación de 5 estrellas.
Lo recomiendo y doy una puntuación de 5 estrellas.
October 9, 2018
Adoro a Kurt Cobain.
May 30, 2019
amazing book
November 12, 2019
It was so neat to see this book as an interactive means to Kurt’s life. My only complaint the font was tiny but overall the photos and artwork all cohesively tell his story.
November 18, 2021
It's really sad he died so young.
September 18, 2023
Still can’t name three nirvana songs
April 6, 2024
So incredibly heartbreaking.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews