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Serving The Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain
On the twenty-fifth anniversary of Kurt Cobain’s death comes a new perspective on one of the most compelling icons of our time—and the only book written by someone who knew him
In early 1991, top music manager Danny Goldberg agreed to take on Nirvana, a critically acclaimed new band from the underground music scene in Seattle. He had no idea that the band’s leader, Kurt Cobain, would become a pop-culture icon with a legacy arguably at the level of that of John Lennon, Michael Jackson, or Elvis Presley. Danny worked with Kurt from 1990 to 1994, the most impactful period of Kurt’s life. This key time saw the stratospheric success of Nevermind, which turned Nirvana into the most successful rock band in the world and made punk and grunge household terms; Kurt’s meeting and marriage to the brilliant but mercurial Courtney Love and their relationship that became a lightning rod for critics; the birth of their daughter, Frances Bean; and, finally, Kurt’s public struggles with addiction, which ended in a devastating suicide that would alter the course of rock history. Throughout, Danny stood by Kurt’s side as manager, and close friend.
Drawing on Goldberg’s own memories of Kurt, files that previously have not been made public, and interviews with, among others, Kurt’s close family, friends, and former bandmates, Serving the Servants sheds an entirely new light on these critical years. Casting aside the common obsession with the angst and depression that seemingly drove Kurt, Serving the Servants is an exploration of his brilliance in every aspect of rock and roll, his compassion, his ambition, and the legacy he wrought—one that has lasted decades longer than his career did. Danny Goldberg explores what it is about Kurt Cobain that still resonates today, even with a generation who wasn’t alive until after Kurt’s death. In the process, he provides a portrait of an icon unlike any that has come before.
In early 1991, top music manager Danny Goldberg agreed to take on Nirvana, a critically acclaimed new band from the underground music scene in Seattle. He had no idea that the band’s leader, Kurt Cobain, would become a pop-culture icon with a legacy arguably at the level of that of John Lennon, Michael Jackson, or Elvis Presley. Danny worked with Kurt from 1990 to 1994, the most impactful period of Kurt’s life. This key time saw the stratospheric success of Nevermind, which turned Nirvana into the most successful rock band in the world and made punk and grunge household terms; Kurt’s meeting and marriage to the brilliant but mercurial Courtney Love and their relationship that became a lightning rod for critics; the birth of their daughter, Frances Bean; and, finally, Kurt’s public struggles with addiction, which ended in a devastating suicide that would alter the course of rock history. Throughout, Danny stood by Kurt’s side as manager, and close friend.
Drawing on Goldberg’s own memories of Kurt, files that previously have not been made public, and interviews with, among others, Kurt’s close family, friends, and former bandmates, Serving the Servants sheds an entirely new light on these critical years. Casting aside the common obsession with the angst and depression that seemingly drove Kurt, Serving the Servants is an exploration of his brilliance in every aspect of rock and roll, his compassion, his ambition, and the legacy he wrought—one that has lasted decades longer than his career did. Danny Goldberg explores what it is about Kurt Cobain that still resonates today, even with a generation who wasn’t alive until after Kurt’s death. In the process, he provides a portrait of an icon unlike any that has come before.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2019
312 people are currently reading
3997 people want to read
About the author
Danny Goldberg
13 books33 followersDanny Goldberg is president and owner of Gold Village Entertainment, an artist management company; former CEO and founder of Gold Mountain Entertainment; former chairman and CEO of both Mercury Records and Artemis Records; former CEO of Air America; and frequent contributor to the Los Angeles Times, The Nation, Huffington Post, Dissent, Billboard, and many other outlets. He is the author of In Search of the Lost Chord, Bumping into Geniuses, and How the Left Lost Teen Spirit, and coeditor of It’s a Free Country. He lives in Pound Ridge, New York.
(Source: Amazon)
(Source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
April 5, 2019
Goldberg reminds us that massive success for an artist isn't the only thing that goes down as legend. It's the view from just outside, that person breathing fog rings on a window and sucking them away, listening through the aging panels that do little good keeping the noise in. A rare glimpse inside the mind of a cautionary tale: Too big, too fast.
He didn't need to have serious chats with Kurt to know how he struggled, why he struggled or how intense his struggle was. He lived alongside another human being, empathy strong as ever, feeling a hint of his pain, seeing a glimpse of his vision. Vice-versa.
No one's gonna accuse him of being his brother or his father. But he was there, helping him get it done. I think I appreciated Goldberg’s own point-of-view and his own happenings as much as I did Kurt's. It's not always the star that goes down in history, ‘cause in this book, this is Goldberg, this is HIS-story.
Respect.
He didn't need to have serious chats with Kurt to know how he struggled, why he struggled or how intense his struggle was. He lived alongside another human being, empathy strong as ever, feeling a hint of his pain, seeing a glimpse of his vision. Vice-versa.
No one's gonna accuse him of being his brother or his father. But he was there, helping him get it done. I think I appreciated Goldberg’s own point-of-view and his own happenings as much as I did Kurt's. It's not always the star that goes down in history, ‘cause in this book, this is Goldberg, this is HIS-story.
Respect.
February 16, 2019
Serving the Servant by Danny Goldberg is a first-hand account on the Seattle grunge movement that catapulted a contemplative Kurt Cobain into superstardom. And, suicide. Deeply damaged by his meteoric rise to fame and drugged out of his mind, Cobain’s tragic death 25 years ago has forever changed the music industry and remains a cautionary tale for all seeking the seductive spotlight. While Goldberg’s intimate insight on Cobain’s mental instability is painful to read at times, especially for this Grunger, I’m still left wondering…what if? And, it sucks.
April 13, 2019
It had potential..
The first 2/3 read like a Wikipedia page. I suspect John Silva would be able to fill in many of blanks encountered here. I grew tired of reading other people’s accounts, largely already known, about the past.
The book redeems itself once the Vanity Fair interview is discussed. From that point forward, the book is engaging and provides many unknown details without devolving into a gossipy tabloid. My main gripe is that it took so long to hit its stride.
The last third of the book is essential for Nirvana fans, but those same fans will likely be uninterested in the early chapters.
Oh, and Danny, Ozzy doesn’t have “famous” tattoos of ‘love’ and ‘hate’ on his hands. The tattoo on his hand is literally OZZY — Kurt and Dave were paying homage with the same exact thing. How something so easily verifiable slipped by the fact checkers, I’ll never know.
The first 2/3 read like a Wikipedia page. I suspect John Silva would be able to fill in many of blanks encountered here. I grew tired of reading other people’s accounts, largely already known, about the past.
The book redeems itself once the Vanity Fair interview is discussed. From that point forward, the book is engaging and provides many unknown details without devolving into a gossipy tabloid. My main gripe is that it took so long to hit its stride.
The last third of the book is essential for Nirvana fans, but those same fans will likely be uninterested in the early chapters.
Oh, and Danny, Ozzy doesn’t have “famous” tattoos of ‘love’ and ‘hate’ on his hands. The tattoo on his hand is literally OZZY — Kurt and Dave were paying homage with the same exact thing. How something so easily verifiable slipped by the fact checkers, I’ll never know.
August 29, 2019
I never read biographies, it's really not my thing, but twenty-five years after Kurt Cobain's suicide, this book made for a perfect refresher on a musical career like no other. Loved the insider's view. Despite its abrupt end, Nirvana's short time on the scene still feels like a magical moment to me.
January 9, 2021
There's nothing new in this, which is very disappointing. I wasn't expecting, or hoping for, dirt or exciting gossip, but some insight would have made this a valuable addition. For me, that didn't feel like it was here.
Mind you, Goldberg spends a fair amount of time defending the decisions involved in bringing Kurt Cobain and Nirvana to the mainstream. I understand that with a narrative that "punk/indie genius was lured onto a major label and into the MTV fold and the demands of fame killed him" being popular, his defense that Kurt and company were major forces in the choice to bring themselves into the mainstream.
Ultimately, however, he introduces a dichotomy in the form an idea he quotes Everett True as stating that there are two kinds of punk rock. There is the Jello Biafra/Ian Mackaye school in which one forms an alternative community parallel to the mainstream or there's the version in which one joins the mainstream and subverts it from the inside.
Nirvana's philosophy was the latter, which they argued for in nearly every interview they gave, so the argument that this was their intention and that Goldberg and those around him were working diligently to get them what they wanted is a solid point. Unfortunately, I'm also not sure Nirvana is a good case study for that philosophy working. Once they themselves were gone, the subversion was gone, it seems to me, and once we pass the recording of In Utero, Goldberg never takes up the thread again, and certainly not in terms of the legacy left behind. This is not meaningless, as much of the first two-thirds of the book are dedicated to discussing this point.
This might have been a solid memoir in the immediate aftermath of Kurt's death, but it feels woefully inadequate for a book with two and a half decades to reflect on these memories and the questions raised by all of it.
Mind you, Goldberg spends a fair amount of time defending the decisions involved in bringing Kurt Cobain and Nirvana to the mainstream. I understand that with a narrative that "punk/indie genius was lured onto a major label and into the MTV fold and the demands of fame killed him" being popular, his defense that Kurt and company were major forces in the choice to bring themselves into the mainstream.
Ultimately, however, he introduces a dichotomy in the form an idea he quotes Everett True as stating that there are two kinds of punk rock. There is the Jello Biafra/Ian Mackaye school in which one forms an alternative community parallel to the mainstream or there's the version in which one joins the mainstream and subverts it from the inside.
Nirvana's philosophy was the latter, which they argued for in nearly every interview they gave, so the argument that this was their intention and that Goldberg and those around him were working diligently to get them what they wanted is a solid point. Unfortunately, I'm also not sure Nirvana is a good case study for that philosophy working. Once they themselves were gone, the subversion was gone, it seems to me, and once we pass the recording of In Utero, Goldberg never takes up the thread again, and certainly not in terms of the legacy left behind. This is not meaningless, as much of the first two-thirds of the book are dedicated to discussing this point.
This might have been a solid memoir in the immediate aftermath of Kurt's death, but it feels woefully inadequate for a book with two and a half decades to reflect on these memories and the questions raised by all of it.
May 15, 2019
I honestly can’t believe it’s been 25 years since Cobain’s death. I was 12, and can remember my older brother’s utter devastation. Cobain’s friend and former manager has penned an intimate look at the brilliant, but troubled artist during the peak of Nirvana’s fame through his tumultuous last days. This is an honest and touching tribute, though admittedly biased (naturally). It’s an excellent companion to the extremely detailed Michael Azzerad biography.
July 24, 2020
Me at 17: Kurt Cobain was ridiculously hot.
Me at 32: Kurt Cobain was a creative genius. That's why he was ridiculously hot.
Me at 32: Kurt Cobain was a creative genius. That's why he was ridiculously hot.
November 10, 2024
2,5 ~ 3.
„Да служиш на слугата: Спомен за Кърт Кобейн“ е книга, която обещава да предложи задълбочен поглед върху живота на емблематичния фронтмен на Nirvana – Кърт Кобейн. Въпреки че авторът хвърля светлина върху някои интересни аспекти от музикалния бизнес, общото впечатление от биографията остава незадоволително.
Дани Голдбърг очевидно изпитва необятна симпатия и уважение към Кърт, което си личи във всеки ред. Едно от основните разочарования обаче е, че много от представените факти и истории могат да бъдат открити в интернет. Липсва истинска дълбочина в представянето на противоречивия вътрешен свят на Кърт, което кара книгата да се усеща като нещо ново, насочено повече към случайния фен, отколкото към читателя, който търси по-личен или аналитичен поглед върху живота на Кърт Кобейн.
Интересни са моментите, свързани с музикалния бизнес и как той влияе върху успеха и натиска, на който са подложени звездите. Тези пасажи разкриват малко известни детайли за индустрията. Въпреки това книгата оставя усещане за непълнота по темата за зависимостта на Кърт – един от най-важните и сложни аспекти на неговия живот. Искаше ми се да има повече интимност, повече емоции и повече интервюта с близки и приятели. Липсата на истинско психологическо и емоционално изследване на тази страна от живота му оставя впечатление, че авторът е пропуснал възможността да представи един по-богат и многопластов портрет.
В заключение, „Да служиш на слугата: Спомен за Кърт Кобейн“ би могла да бъде подходяща за нови фенове или за тези, които търсят лесно достъпна информация за Кърт Кобейн. За читателите, които се надяват на нещо по-задълбочено или по-лично, книгата вероятно ще остави известен вкус на разочарование.
„Да служиш на слугата: Спомен за Кърт Кобейн“ е книга, която обещава да предложи задълбочен поглед върху живота на емблематичния фронтмен на Nirvana – Кърт Кобейн. Въпреки че авторът хвърля светлина върху някои интересни аспекти от музикалния бизнес, общото впечатление от биографията остава незадоволително.
Дани Голдбърг очевидно изпитва необятна симпатия и уважение към Кърт, което си личи във всеки ред. Едно от основните разочарования обаче е, че много от представените факти и истории могат да бъдат открити в интернет. Липсва истинска дълбочина в представянето на противоречивия вътрешен свят на Кърт, което кара книгата да се усеща като нещо ново, насочено повече към случайния фен, отколкото към читателя, който търси по-личен или аналитичен поглед върху живота на Кърт Кобейн.
Интересни са моментите, свързани с музикалния бизнес и как той влияе върху успеха и натиска, на който са подложени звездите. Тези пасажи разкриват малко известни детайли за индустрията. Въпреки това книгата оставя усещане за непълнота по темата за зависимостта на Кърт – един от най-важните и сложни аспекти на неговия живот. Искаше ми се да има повече интимност, повече емоции и повече интервюта с близки и приятели. Липсата на истинско психологическо и емоционално изследване на тази страна от живота му оставя впечатление, че авторът е пропуснал възможността да представи един по-богат и многопластов портрет.
В заключение, „Да служиш на слугата: Спомен за Кърт Кобейн“ би могла да бъде подходяща за нови фенове или за тези, които търсят лесно достъпна информация за Кърт Кобейн. За читателите, които се надяват на нещо по-задълбочено или по-лично, книгата вероятно ще остави известен вкус на разочарование.
June 17, 2019
This book is a love letter to Kurt Cobain - and also Courtney Love. The Author waxes on about how creative and amazing Kurt was, but glosses over, downplays or ignores all together the tragic drug use of both Kurt and Courtney. Huge gaps were left out of this retelling of history. This book was not balanced in any way and seemed to be simply a cathartic writing for the author. For the reader (and a fan of both Nirvana and Courtney Love) this book was a huge let down.
June 27, 2019
A few years back, I read Kurt’s published “Journals”. I gave it 1 out of 5 stars on here. Here is my entire copied & pasted review for it that I wrote up on here:
“I wanted to like this book. I love Nirvana & I have always been interested for insight into how Kurt’s mind worked. He seemed like such a complicated soul.
I did, however, have my own reservations going in about whether he would have ever wanted / intended any of this to be read by fans / the general public. It is an oversized book full of compilations of Kurt’s various journal entries that he kept in notebooks throughout his life.
And there were a few entries that interested me. Especially his entries purely based on music. I.e. obscure bands and song lists that he had discovered and was into, his own band, lyrics and the stories behind the music he was writing. Also, he was clearly a VERY talented artist, as seen through his drawings and comics throughout the book.
But these were few and far between comparatively to the pseudo-political ramblings of an obviously ill, troubled, and disturbed man, self medicating with illegal drugs. Which for me, was just heartbreaking, very difficult to follow / understand and therefor, made the book EXTREMELY hard for me to push through. It took me a few months to force myself through reading the whole thing.
I was talking to a friend about this and we both agreed that while we see and understand how so many people enjoy and are fascinated by reading drug induced stream of consciousness writing, it just didn’t work for us / me.
Sorry ‘Kurdt’. Wish you had made it through the depression and difficult periods in your life to the other side where fans like me could still be enjoying your artistic gifts today.”
I shared that review because while I did enjoy Danny’s book more than that, (I would say that I did like it & am giving it 3 stars), I also felt a lot of the same things in reading this book.
There have been SO many books, movies, documentaries, etc written & produced about Nirvana & particularly Kurt over the years. I’m sure more than half of what gets publicized either isn’t true at all, or is grossly over exaggerated. Unfortunately, I think Kurt Cobain has become another celebrity death legend throughout society, milked for everything it’s worth.
The reason I took interest in Danny’s book is because I heard him on some podcast music thingy on sirius-xm I was listening to, & I could hear the genuine love, trust, & respect he shared with Kurt, as well as Courtney to this day. And I know he has maintained a good relationship with Krist over the years as well. Although it seems not so much, or maybe he never was really all that close to Dave. Or Pat for that matter either.
But I knew he had managed Nirvana & developed a close, personal relationship with Kurt throughout that time. & I knew that his (now ex) wife had been Nirvana’s attorney, Kurt’s personal attorney, & also worked with Courtney & Hole as well.
Listening to his interview on xm, knowing that he waited so many years to write the book, & hearing from his own mouth what the content of the book would be, made me feel comfortable that it wasn’t just another biography written to squeeze some more money out of Kurt Cobain’s brief but extraordinary career, struggle with drugs & depression, & ultimate suicide.
& I would say that upon completing the book, I still DO feel that way. Danny Goldberg clearly cared for Kurt deeply, loved & respected Nirvana’s music, & still wishes to honor & protect Courtney & Frances to this day. That is definitely evident throughout the book. Even to the point where one can see, (& he actually fully admits,) that he’s greatly biased & still sees certain things about Kurt through rose-tinted glasses & maybe still has some blinders on as well.
It came off as probably the closest thing to accuracy I’ve ever read, heard, or seen on Nirvana’s career. It’s a pretty straightforward biography. Danny does not go through Kurt’s entire life - he only biographs him in the time of about 5 years that he knew him from the real start of Nirvana’s career with the “Bleach” record up through the “Unplugged” record & Kurt’s subsequent downward spiral & death, which Goldberg does discuss candidly in the last few chapters.
I know many people idolize him, & I do think that musically & artistically Kurt Cobain WAS a genius! ... & a quite tortured one @ that. He clearly struggled greatly with mental illness & addiction & was never properly diagnosed or taken care of in that regard.
The main thing I took away from this book was that he was clearly a man who lived a life full of contradictions. There was the way he wanted to see the world, & the way it actually was. The way he wanted to live his life, & the way he actually did. The things he talked & dreamed about, & the things he actually lived out. He could be at once, SO sweet, kind, humble & open minded, while also being incredibly cold, hard, selfish, & reserved.
As Danny even kind of says himself by the end of the book, I really don’t even know if those closest to Kurt truly ever knew him. Dying @ under 30 years of age with the difficult childhood, fame, & drug abuse, etc, I don’t even know how much Kurt really, truly ever knew of himself. Obviously, someone like me will certainly never know!
I think Danny did a good job with the book in saying what he wanted to say. There were several slow spots for me, & times throughout the book when I didn’t really like Danny Goldberg all that much based on how he described himself. But in the end, I did like it & I’m glad I read it.
“I wanted to like this book. I love Nirvana & I have always been interested for insight into how Kurt’s mind worked. He seemed like such a complicated soul.
I did, however, have my own reservations going in about whether he would have ever wanted / intended any of this to be read by fans / the general public. It is an oversized book full of compilations of Kurt’s various journal entries that he kept in notebooks throughout his life.
And there were a few entries that interested me. Especially his entries purely based on music. I.e. obscure bands and song lists that he had discovered and was into, his own band, lyrics and the stories behind the music he was writing. Also, he was clearly a VERY talented artist, as seen through his drawings and comics throughout the book.
But these were few and far between comparatively to the pseudo-political ramblings of an obviously ill, troubled, and disturbed man, self medicating with illegal drugs. Which for me, was just heartbreaking, very difficult to follow / understand and therefor, made the book EXTREMELY hard for me to push through. It took me a few months to force myself through reading the whole thing.
I was talking to a friend about this and we both agreed that while we see and understand how so many people enjoy and are fascinated by reading drug induced stream of consciousness writing, it just didn’t work for us / me.
Sorry ‘Kurdt’. Wish you had made it through the depression and difficult periods in your life to the other side where fans like me could still be enjoying your artistic gifts today.”
I shared that review because while I did enjoy Danny’s book more than that, (I would say that I did like it & am giving it 3 stars), I also felt a lot of the same things in reading this book.
There have been SO many books, movies, documentaries, etc written & produced about Nirvana & particularly Kurt over the years. I’m sure more than half of what gets publicized either isn’t true at all, or is grossly over exaggerated. Unfortunately, I think Kurt Cobain has become another celebrity death legend throughout society, milked for everything it’s worth.
The reason I took interest in Danny’s book is because I heard him on some podcast music thingy on sirius-xm I was listening to, & I could hear the genuine love, trust, & respect he shared with Kurt, as well as Courtney to this day. And I know he has maintained a good relationship with Krist over the years as well. Although it seems not so much, or maybe he never was really all that close to Dave. Or Pat for that matter either.
But I knew he had managed Nirvana & developed a close, personal relationship with Kurt throughout that time. & I knew that his (now ex) wife had been Nirvana’s attorney, Kurt’s personal attorney, & also worked with Courtney & Hole as well.
Listening to his interview on xm, knowing that he waited so many years to write the book, & hearing from his own mouth what the content of the book would be, made me feel comfortable that it wasn’t just another biography written to squeeze some more money out of Kurt Cobain’s brief but extraordinary career, struggle with drugs & depression, & ultimate suicide.
& I would say that upon completing the book, I still DO feel that way. Danny Goldberg clearly cared for Kurt deeply, loved & respected Nirvana’s music, & still wishes to honor & protect Courtney & Frances to this day. That is definitely evident throughout the book. Even to the point where one can see, (& he actually fully admits,) that he’s greatly biased & still sees certain things about Kurt through rose-tinted glasses & maybe still has some blinders on as well.
It came off as probably the closest thing to accuracy I’ve ever read, heard, or seen on Nirvana’s career. It’s a pretty straightforward biography. Danny does not go through Kurt’s entire life - he only biographs him in the time of about 5 years that he knew him from the real start of Nirvana’s career with the “Bleach” record up through the “Unplugged” record & Kurt’s subsequent downward spiral & death, which Goldberg does discuss candidly in the last few chapters.
I know many people idolize him, & I do think that musically & artistically Kurt Cobain WAS a genius! ... & a quite tortured one @ that. He clearly struggled greatly with mental illness & addiction & was never properly diagnosed or taken care of in that regard.
The main thing I took away from this book was that he was clearly a man who lived a life full of contradictions. There was the way he wanted to see the world, & the way it actually was. The way he wanted to live his life, & the way he actually did. The things he talked & dreamed about, & the things he actually lived out. He could be at once, SO sweet, kind, humble & open minded, while also being incredibly cold, hard, selfish, & reserved.
As Danny even kind of says himself by the end of the book, I really don’t even know if those closest to Kurt truly ever knew him. Dying @ under 30 years of age with the difficult childhood, fame, & drug abuse, etc, I don’t even know how much Kurt really, truly ever knew of himself. Obviously, someone like me will certainly never know!
I think Danny did a good job with the book in saying what he wanted to say. There were several slow spots for me, & times throughout the book when I didn’t really like Danny Goldberg all that much based on how he described himself. But in the end, I did like it & I’m glad I read it.
July 14, 2019
I would do 2.5 stars if I could. I liked the book, clearly since I finished it. It was nice to get another perspective of who Kurt really is/was, especially from a artistic viewpoint. But it overall just read to me as a book that was meant to be one that defends Courtney and tries to do damage control over the decades worth of bad press she's received. As well as a way to undermine the fact that she hired a PI who wasn't finding information out that fit the narrative she wanted the world to believe.
Also, often the author wouldn't believe things people had to say about Kurt (and by"people" I'm referring to people the author knew well and they were friends/close to Kurt and knew him as well as Danny Goldberg did) when those things labeled Kurt as something other than what fit the narrative of the author, as well. Because apparently Danny Goldberg "knew all" there is to know about Kurt. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was his job to make Kurt feel better and to see things in a better light; so why would he pay attention to Courtney's toxic behavior and "blame" her for the downward spiral Kurt went into? Courtney could do no wrong.
This overall theme of Saint Courtney makes this entire book subjective, because to not acknowledge how awful she was in that time period and how her impact negatively affected Kurt the last years of his life (no mention of the fact that Kurt was talking to his wife Rosemary about divorce, interesting?) just doesn't make it credible. It screams as a PR move for her after all these years. And I'm sure Danny Goldberg really believed the things he wrote, it just doesn't mean that it's the word of God.
Also, often the author wouldn't believe things people had to say about Kurt (and by"people" I'm referring to people the author knew well and they were friends/close to Kurt and knew him as well as Danny Goldberg did) when those things labeled Kurt as something other than what fit the narrative of the author, as well. Because apparently Danny Goldberg "knew all" there is to know about Kurt. It had nothing to do with the fact that it was his job to make Kurt feel better and to see things in a better light; so why would he pay attention to Courtney's toxic behavior and "blame" her for the downward spiral Kurt went into? Courtney could do no wrong.
This overall theme of Saint Courtney makes this entire book subjective, because to not acknowledge how awful she was in that time period and how her impact negatively affected Kurt the last years of his life (no mention of the fact that Kurt was talking to his wife Rosemary about divorce, interesting?) just doesn't make it credible. It screams as a PR move for her after all these years. And I'm sure Danny Goldberg really believed the things he wrote, it just doesn't mean that it's the word of God.
June 21, 2019
Se não sabem que sou fã dos Nirvana passam a saber. A forma como admiro esta banda é de tal forma incrível, que muitos acham que já é mais fanatismo a mais. Não vos sei dizer ao certo como descobri que os Nirvana seriam a minha banda preferida, não sei quando descobri que a voz do Kurt Cobain iria acalmar-me nos dias mais turbulentos. Por magia dei por mim a viver as músicas da banda, a sentir e a vibrar com eles. Infelizmente, não nasci na época dos Nirvana, mas mesmo assim fui apanhada por este fenómeno. Com um póster na parede do Kurt na parede, uma caneca que me acompanha no pequeno almoço, os álbuns que são os companheiros das viagens longas, os documentários sobre ele que vejo e revejo, o seu diário com tudo aquilo que ele sentia. Detalhes que para mim, enchem a minha vida de fã.
Assim que saiu uma nova biografia, em abril deste ano, dei por mim a dizer "Vou comprar, custe o que custar". E comprei. Não li nenhuma biografia dos Nirvana ou do Kurt, no máximo li os diários dele. Quero ler mais, descobri mais sobre o Cobain através dos olhos daqueles que o rodearam e tiveram a oportunidade de o conhecer. Esta biografia que nos chega através do manager dos Nirvana nos últimos anos da banda. Já conhecia o Danny Goldberg, admito que nunca lhe dei muita atenção até ler esta biografia da sua autoria.
Quando disse nas redes sociais que estava a ler esta nova biografia, alguns fãs avisaram-me que o Danny não era a pessoa ideal para acreditarmos. O facto do manager da banda defender a ideia que foi suicídio, que a Courtney nada teve a ver com o sucedido ao Kurt, revolta muitos fãs. Não me preocupei com isso, não faço teorias sobre o que aconteceu, nunca saberemos a verdade, portanto, não vejo a necessidade de procurar descobrir o impossível. Li sem quaisquer expectativas, apenas queria descobrir sobre uma das pessoas que admiro. Valeu a pena?
É uma biografia cheia de momentos marcantes para o Kurt e os Nirvana. Goldberg relembra que o que realmente faz um artista não é o sucesso que ele tem, mas a forma como comunica com o público, como se preocupa em trazer as músicas para os fãs que eles realmente vão admirar e sentir algo. O Kurt sempre levou a sério a sua música, em diversos documentários vemos o quanto ele volta e meia estava a escrever ou compor. A música ia-lhe na alma.
Temos aqui a descrição de como era o Kurt fora e dentro do palco. A forma como ele agia, como se deu a criação de algumas músicas, vídeos e até alguns espetáculos em especial. Danny conta-nos quase o backstage da banda, dando-nos detalhes. Desde as nomeações a prémios da MTV, a concertos em que o Kurt nos momentos antes de entrar estava a passar mal. Temos aqui uma biografia fria e crua. Notámos que a relação de ambos, tanto de Danny e Kurt, como o resto da banda, é de uma certa união e companheirismo. Todos sabiam o que o Kurt passava, tinham noção da pessoa que ele era, mas todos sabiam que ele era das pessoas mais inteligentes e criativas que podiam ter conhecido.
Temos ainda a descrição do relacionamento da Courtney Love com o Kurt Cobain. Uma relação que não agrada a muitos fãs, a mim passa-me completamente ao lado. Ela não deixa de ter uma certa culpa nisto tudo, acredito que ela foi deveras um ponto a levar ao fim, mas não a culpabilizo de tudo. Frances, a filha deles, foi resultado do que Danny diz ser uma relação cheia de amor em que o carinho e admiração abundava. Verdade ou não, ninguém saberá. A verdade é que houveram diversos problemas relacionados com drogas, de quem é a culpa? Não sabemos.
Admito que o livro realmente tinha potencial para ser uma das melhores biografias do Cobain, o facto do Goldberg ser tão próximo do Kurt e da banda, dava-lhe a oportunidade para dar aos fãs aquilo que sempre quiseram saber. Sei que muitos dos detalhes aqui apresentados, a maioria dos fãs já tinha conhecimento, com uma simples pesquisa na Internet e acesso à Wikipédia, temos todos estes detalhes lá chapados. Houve algumas falhas, através de outros testemunhos sabemos que essas falhas rapidamente podiam ser preenchidas com alguma pesquisa e conversas. Mas, Danny Goldberg preferiu ficar pelas suas memórias. Tudo bem, trata-se do seu ponto de vista e aquilo que quer recordar do Kurt.
Não vos sei dizer se realmente será a melhor biografia do Kurt, não tive ainda oportunidade de explorar outras biografias e comparar. Porém, não deixou de ser uma leitura que me aqueceu o coração. Senti-me mais perto Kurt, apercebi-me que ele realmente sofreu e ninguém soube lidar com a situação da melhor forma. Ele realmente estava destinado a vir à terra marcar os fãs, mostrar-lhes o que sabia e podia, e no fim sofrer e acabar de uma forma terrível. Não acaba por ser uma história incrível, é uma história com dor de uma pessoa depressiva que lidou com o sucesso e a certo ponto da vida perdeu o rumo.
Recomendo realmente a todos os fãs da banda, não deixaram de se surpreender. Contudo, recomendo vos a não acreditarem em tudo o que leem, nem tudo pode ser verdade.
Assim que saiu uma nova biografia, em abril deste ano, dei por mim a dizer "Vou comprar, custe o que custar". E comprei. Não li nenhuma biografia dos Nirvana ou do Kurt, no máximo li os diários dele. Quero ler mais, descobri mais sobre o Cobain através dos olhos daqueles que o rodearam e tiveram a oportunidade de o conhecer. Esta biografia que nos chega através do manager dos Nirvana nos últimos anos da banda. Já conhecia o Danny Goldberg, admito que nunca lhe dei muita atenção até ler esta biografia da sua autoria.
Quando disse nas redes sociais que estava a ler esta nova biografia, alguns fãs avisaram-me que o Danny não era a pessoa ideal para acreditarmos. O facto do manager da banda defender a ideia que foi suicídio, que a Courtney nada teve a ver com o sucedido ao Kurt, revolta muitos fãs. Não me preocupei com isso, não faço teorias sobre o que aconteceu, nunca saberemos a verdade, portanto, não vejo a necessidade de procurar descobrir o impossível. Li sem quaisquer expectativas, apenas queria descobrir sobre uma das pessoas que admiro. Valeu a pena?
É uma biografia cheia de momentos marcantes para o Kurt e os Nirvana. Goldberg relembra que o que realmente faz um artista não é o sucesso que ele tem, mas a forma como comunica com o público, como se preocupa em trazer as músicas para os fãs que eles realmente vão admirar e sentir algo. O Kurt sempre levou a sério a sua música, em diversos documentários vemos o quanto ele volta e meia estava a escrever ou compor. A música ia-lhe na alma.
Temos aqui a descrição de como era o Kurt fora e dentro do palco. A forma como ele agia, como se deu a criação de algumas músicas, vídeos e até alguns espetáculos em especial. Danny conta-nos quase o backstage da banda, dando-nos detalhes. Desde as nomeações a prémios da MTV, a concertos em que o Kurt nos momentos antes de entrar estava a passar mal. Temos aqui uma biografia fria e crua. Notámos que a relação de ambos, tanto de Danny e Kurt, como o resto da banda, é de uma certa união e companheirismo. Todos sabiam o que o Kurt passava, tinham noção da pessoa que ele era, mas todos sabiam que ele era das pessoas mais inteligentes e criativas que podiam ter conhecido.
Temos ainda a descrição do relacionamento da Courtney Love com o Kurt Cobain. Uma relação que não agrada a muitos fãs, a mim passa-me completamente ao lado. Ela não deixa de ter uma certa culpa nisto tudo, acredito que ela foi deveras um ponto a levar ao fim, mas não a culpabilizo de tudo. Frances, a filha deles, foi resultado do que Danny diz ser uma relação cheia de amor em que o carinho e admiração abundava. Verdade ou não, ninguém saberá. A verdade é que houveram diversos problemas relacionados com drogas, de quem é a culpa? Não sabemos.
Admito que o livro realmente tinha potencial para ser uma das melhores biografias do Cobain, o facto do Goldberg ser tão próximo do Kurt e da banda, dava-lhe a oportunidade para dar aos fãs aquilo que sempre quiseram saber. Sei que muitos dos detalhes aqui apresentados, a maioria dos fãs já tinha conhecimento, com uma simples pesquisa na Internet e acesso à Wikipédia, temos todos estes detalhes lá chapados. Houve algumas falhas, através de outros testemunhos sabemos que essas falhas rapidamente podiam ser preenchidas com alguma pesquisa e conversas. Mas, Danny Goldberg preferiu ficar pelas suas memórias. Tudo bem, trata-se do seu ponto de vista e aquilo que quer recordar do Kurt.
Não vos sei dizer se realmente será a melhor biografia do Kurt, não tive ainda oportunidade de explorar outras biografias e comparar. Porém, não deixou de ser uma leitura que me aqueceu o coração. Senti-me mais perto Kurt, apercebi-me que ele realmente sofreu e ninguém soube lidar com a situação da melhor forma. Ele realmente estava destinado a vir à terra marcar os fãs, mostrar-lhes o que sabia e podia, e no fim sofrer e acabar de uma forma terrível. Não acaba por ser uma história incrível, é uma história com dor de uma pessoa depressiva que lidou com o sucesso e a certo ponto da vida perdeu o rumo.
Recomendo realmente a todos os fãs da banda, não deixaram de se surpreender. Contudo, recomendo vos a não acreditarem em tudo o que leem, nem tudo pode ser verdade.
May 24, 2020
My rating would be slightly higher if this Danny dude wasn't up the butt of Courtney Love so much. The truth is this: she was a master manipulator and she was woefully out of control with her lusting for greed.
I don't know for a fact that Kurt was murdered, but all I know is that she DID have a motive. A big, big motive. The way that Mr. Goldberg discredits the man (Tom Grant) that SHE hired as a private investigator is hilarious.
I almost stopped playing the audiobook when Danny called Tom a nut. How's he a nut but Love isn't? She's the hugest nut of them all! And yet...he hesitated to state how horrible she was/is.
The reason I'm harping on only this aspect of the book is because the last areas focused on his suicide/death. Danny Goldberg acted as if there's not a bundle of evidence suggesting that there was some foul play involved. Watch Soaked in Bleach. It'll intrigue you to an extent.
Final thing I will type...
I'm an artist/musician/songwriter who is also severely depressed/self-loathing. But just because we write lyrics that literally say we want to die doesn't mean we do! It's sometimes simply therapeutic to express through song and journals.
I don't know for a fact that Kurt was murdered, but all I know is that she DID have a motive. A big, big motive. The way that Mr. Goldberg discredits the man (Tom Grant) that SHE hired as a private investigator is hilarious.
I almost stopped playing the audiobook when Danny called Tom a nut. How's he a nut but Love isn't? She's the hugest nut of them all! And yet...he hesitated to state how horrible she was/is.
The reason I'm harping on only this aspect of the book is because the last areas focused on his suicide/death. Danny Goldberg acted as if there's not a bundle of evidence suggesting that there was some foul play involved. Watch Soaked in Bleach. It'll intrigue you to an extent.
Final thing I will type...
I'm an artist/musician/songwriter who is also severely depressed/self-loathing. But just because we write lyrics that literally say we want to die doesn't mean we do! It's sometimes simply therapeutic to express through song and journals.
March 20, 2020
Една от най-честните книги за Кърт Кобейн, написана от мениджъра му Дани Голдбърг. В разказа си за Кобейн, базиран изцяло на работата му с него, авторът пише интересни подробности и за звукозаписните компании през 90-те
July 3, 2025
Да започнем с това, че Да служиш на слугата. Спомен за Кърт Кобейн не е поредната биографична книга за великия музикант. Това е среща с легендата през очите на Дани Голдбърг – дългогодишен музикален мениджър, бивш президент на Atlantic Records и близък приятел на Кърт. В началото на книгата имах неприятното усещане, че книгата е опит за правене на пари използвайки марката „Кобейн“. Както и опит авторът да постигне слава като разказва за групата, вкарвайки и от своята автобиография. Е, с развитието на книгата това чувство поизчезна. В голяма степен благодарение на искрените разкази и чувството, че читателят надниква в света на Nirvana от една нетипична гледна точка.
След прочита на книгата придобих съвсем нова представа за Кърт. Разбрах колко е бил упорит в работата си, колко много аспекти от процеса по създаването на твори на Nirvana е следял и изпипвал. Като се започне от очевидните неща като обложките на албумите, текстовете и самата музика, до далеч по фини неща като миксирането, мърча на бандата и посланията по време на концертите. Досега не бях оръщал внимание на това колко много подкрепя гей хората, колко явни са феминистките му виждания и колко много иска да достигне до ��ези, които са тормозени. Да, музиката му винаги е била бунт и глас на безгласните, но сега се убедих още по-силно в това.
Разказът започва от зараждането на Нирвана, макар и да не е последователен. Проследен е целият път на пънк рок групите от Сиатъл, преминаването към названието гръндж, отношението на Кърт към това название. Разказани са истории на групите вдъхновители на Кобейн, на групи приятели и на много любопитни аспекти от музикалния бизнес. Честно казано не очаквах книгата да се движи в такава посока, но ми беше интересно да разбера как лейбъли избират групи, какъв е потокът на продажбите, какви са били бизнес отношенията в Нирвана. Особено интересна е ситуацията с обложката на In Utero и издаването ѝ в някои държави, както и виждането на Кърт за това.
Интересен е погледът на автора и към проблемите на Кърт и Кортни с наркотиците. Дани като приятел на семейството прави не малко опити да им помогне да спрат да ги употребяват. И макар да преминават през клиники, то за съжаление знаем, че Кърт не успява да се справи с този проблем до края на дните си. Особено неприятна е ситуацията покрай бремеността на Кортни и възможността да бъдат съдени като родители заради употребата на дрога. Именно тогава имат нужда от силни фигури и ние като фенове дори не можем да си представим напрежението и самотата в такива моменти, през които минават рок звездите. Романтизирането на употребата на наркотици в рок средите от миналия век е силно пъти преувеличено и не си даваме сметка за болката, през която те минават. С Кърт положението е още по-особено, защото той така и не открива на какво се дължат стомашните му проблеми и се опитва да спира болката единствено с наркотици. Огромната слава, която придобиват Нирвана за твърде кратък период не е от помощ в случая. Авторът проследява този проблем до самия край на Кобейн. Разглежда и преките последици от получената свръхдоза на Кърт към последвалото самоубийство. Впоследствие и като приятел на семейството разкрива от първо лице какво се случва след смъртта му, конспирациите за убийство и всякакви други митове. Показва категоричната позиция по случилото се, както и предистория. За съжаление всичко е тъй логично и от хода на времето изглежда като да е било толкова предотвратимо, но уви... Лесно ни е на нас днес да го кажем...
Интересно е да се прочете как Кърт се среща с феновете си, какво е отношението му към тях. А още по-интересно ми беше да науча за враждата му с Аксел Роуз и скандалите. Кърт като феминист не може да понася рок величията, за които жените са просто поредната бройка. Тези разправии добавят към представата за Кобейн и в крайна сметката спомагат за цялостното оформяне на образа на музиканта.
Всички тежки ситуации за групата са описани от гледната точка на Голдбърг и как той е трябвало да защитава имиджа на групата. За феновете всеки един скандал действа по различен начин, но ролята на музикалния мениджър е да защити интересът на бандата. Това е поредният страничен поглед, за който не може да прочетете в обикновена биография. И може би именно искреността и личният контакт са нещата, които правят тази книга истински ценна за феновете на Нирвана. Книгата не създава култ към Кърт. А го представя такъв, какъвто Дани го вижда - добро човешко същество, с всеотдайност и любов към музиката. Един непоколебим към качеството на изкуството революционер с изключително топли сини очи.
“I’m not like them, but I can pretend …
The day is done and I’m havin’ fun
I think I’m dumb
Maybe just happy.”
След прочита на книгата придобих съвсем нова представа за Кърт. Разбрах колко е бил упорит в работата си, колко много аспекти от процеса по създаването на твори на Nirvana е следял и изпипвал. Като се започне от очевидните неща като обложките на албумите, текстовете и самата музика, до далеч по фини неща като миксирането, мърча на бандата и посланията по време на концертите. Досега не бях оръщал внимание на това колко много подкрепя гей хората, колко явни са феминистките му виждания и колко много иска да достигне до ��ези, които са тормозени. Да, музиката му винаги е била бунт и глас на безгласните, но сега се убедих още по-силно в това.
Разказът започва от зараждането на Нирвана, макар и да не е последователен. Проследен е целият път на пънк рок групите от Сиатъл, преминаването към названието гръндж, отношението на Кърт към това название. Разказани са истории на групите вдъхновители на Кобейн, на групи приятели и на много любопитни аспекти от музикалния бизнес. Честно казано не очаквах книгата да се движи в такава посока, но ми беше интересно да разбера как лейбъли избират групи, какъв е потокът на продажбите, какви са били бизнес отношенията в Нирвана. Особено интересна е ситуацията с обложката на In Utero и издаването ѝ в някои държави, както и виждането на Кърт за това.
Интересен е погледът на автора и към проблемите на Кърт и Кортни с наркотиците. Дани като приятел на семейството прави не малко опити да им помогне да спрат да ги употребяват. И макар да преминават през клиники, то за съжаление знаем, че Кърт не успява да се справи с този проблем до края на дните си. Особено неприятна е ситуацията покрай бремеността на Кортни и възможността да бъдат съдени като родители заради употребата на дрога. Именно тогава имат нужда от силни фигури и ние като фенове дори не можем да си представим напрежението и самотата в такива моменти, през които минават рок звездите. Романтизирането на употребата на наркотици в рок средите от миналия век е силно пъти преувеличено и не си даваме сметка за болката, през която те минават. С Кърт положението е още по-особено, защото той така и не открива на какво се дължат стомашните му проблеми и се опитва да спира болката единствено с наркотици. Огромната слава, която придобиват Нирвана за твърде кратък период не е от помощ в случая. Авторът проследява този проблем до самия край на Кобейн. Разглежда и преките последици от получената свръхдоза на Кърт към последвалото самоубийство. Впоследствие и като приятел на семейството разкрива от първо лице какво се случва след смъртта му, конспирациите за убийство и всякакви други митове. Показва категоричната позиция по случилото се, както и предистория. За съжаление всичко е тъй логично и от хода на времето изглежда като да е било толкова предотвратимо, но уви... Лесно ни е на нас днес да го кажем...
Интересно е да се прочете как Кърт се среща с феновете си, какво е отношението му към тях. А още по-интересно ми беше да науча за враждата му с Аксел Роуз и скандалите. Кърт като феминист не може да понася рок величията, за които жените са просто поредната бройка. Тези разправии добавят към представата за Кобейн и в крайна сметката спомагат за цялостното оформяне на образа на музиканта.
Всички тежки ситуации за групата са описани от гледната точка на Голдбърг и как той е трябвало да защитава имиджа на групата. За феновете всеки един скандал действа по различен начин, но ролята на музикалния мениджър е да защити интересът на бандата. Това е поредният страничен поглед, за който не може да прочетете в обикновена биография. И може би именно искреността и личният контакт са нещата, които правят тази книга истински ценна за феновете на Нирвана. Книгата не създава култ към Кърт. А го представя такъв, какъвто Дани го вижда - добро човешко същество, с всеотдайност и любов към музиката. Един непоколебим към качеството на изкуството революционер с изключително топли сини очи.
“I’m not like them, but I can pretend …
The day is done and I’m havin’ fun
I think I’m dumb
Maybe just happy.”
June 5, 2019
I Mine tre år med Kurt Cobain fortæller musikmanageren, Danny Goldberg, om sine tre år som Nirvanas manager. Han blev bandets manager kort før udgivelsen af ’Nevermind’ og var det i tre år frem til Kurt Cobains selvmord. Det var en skeptisk Goldberg, der i 1991 blev præsenteret for ideen om at blive Nirvanas manager. Hidtil havde punkrockbands ikke tjent penge på deres musik, – genren opstod som del af en antikapitalistisk ideologi, så et kommercielt gennembrud stod på mange måder i kontrast til musikkens udgangspunkt – så at Nirvana skulle skabe det album, der kom til at erstatte Michael Jacksons førsteplads på Billboards top 200 var umuligt at forudse. Ikke desto mindre tog Danny Goldberg opgaven på sig, og i tre år fulgte han bandet tæt, særligt tæt kom han på Kurt Cobian og senere Courtney Love, som hans hustru, Rosemary Carroll, var advokat for.
I bogen fortæller han Nirvanas historie ud fra en stram kronologisk komposition, og selvom mange af hans beretninger er fortalt før, så tilfører han nye indblik og forsøger at skabe et helstøbt billede af Kurt Cobain. Der er oftest en tendens til helgendyrkelse, når der tegnes billeder af afdøde idoler, og selvom Danny Goldberg gør sit bedste for at beskrive Cobains mange nuancer, så skinner hans kærlighed til kunstneren alligevel igennem. Forfatteren er dog bevidst om egne tendenser og gentager, at han ikke er helt objektiv, hvilket er med til at skabe en transparent og forholdsvis saglig beretning. Det er en opslugende og levende fortælling om bandets og Cobains udvikling fra at være antikapitalistiske rebeller til at blive et af de største rocknavne i verden.
I bogen fortæller han Nirvanas historie ud fra en stram kronologisk komposition, og selvom mange af hans beretninger er fortalt før, så tilfører han nye indblik og forsøger at skabe et helstøbt billede af Kurt Cobain. Der er oftest en tendens til helgendyrkelse, når der tegnes billeder af afdøde idoler, og selvom Danny Goldberg gør sit bedste for at beskrive Cobains mange nuancer, så skinner hans kærlighed til kunstneren alligevel igennem. Forfatteren er dog bevidst om egne tendenser og gentager, at han ikke er helt objektiv, hvilket er med til at skabe en transparent og forholdsvis saglig beretning. Det er en opslugende og levende fortælling om bandets og Cobains udvikling fra at være antikapitalistiske rebeller til at blive et af de største rocknavne i verden.
May 19, 2019
Anytime I get to read something about Kurt - I feel totally blessed to even have any access to what he was like (artistically, his work ethic, the passion and empathy for people around him, the way he was humble, vulnerable, raw and most of all - flawed, partly like the rest of us but also in an artistic genius way). He was a mystery to even those closest to him and I believe he didn't understand himself fully either. However, we are truly fortunate to be able to listen and feel the emotions he conveyed through his art.
While I was reading the book, I could intensely feel some of the aspects Danny Goldberg was depicting, and in some occasions I had to stop and read again Kurt's words because I was in awe of the flow of his thoughts and the way he meticulously arranged to perfection his words, lyrics, art and persona. His being was deeply rooted in constantly creating, learning and trying to evolve all while staying true to his values and yet pushing for new horizons and opportunities. He knew what he wanted all along, even if it didn't seem like that. He was a visionary, a sensible soul but also a brave and strong-willed artist that never settled or compromised his art for the sake of anyone's opinion.
I am truly thankful and I believe so many people are too. He will always live in the memory and hearts of those who loved him and through the music he left behind.
Danny, thank you for putting in time and effort to commemorate Kurt - as a person, a friend, an artist and a hero to countless.
Love always,
Jenny
While I was reading the book, I could intensely feel some of the aspects Danny Goldberg was depicting, and in some occasions I had to stop and read again Kurt's words because I was in awe of the flow of his thoughts and the way he meticulously arranged to perfection his words, lyrics, art and persona. His being was deeply rooted in constantly creating, learning and trying to evolve all while staying true to his values and yet pushing for new horizons and opportunities. He knew what he wanted all along, even if it didn't seem like that. He was a visionary, a sensible soul but also a brave and strong-willed artist that never settled or compromised his art for the sake of anyone's opinion.
I am truly thankful and I believe so many people are too. He will always live in the memory and hearts of those who loved him and through the music he left behind.
Danny, thank you for putting in time and effort to commemorate Kurt - as a person, a friend, an artist and a hero to countless.
Love always,
Jenny
June 8, 2019
Fascinating account, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in the history of 90s rock music or pop culture and iconography and art in general. I could write 1,000 words of praise, discussing all the things I really enjoyed about this book, which was headed towards a solid five stars. Instead of doing that, I'll explain my one-star demerit.
I complemented my read of Goldberg's text with as much online media as I could: when he describes concert performances, or interviews, etc, I looked them up online, turning the experience into more of a multi-media project.
In a few cases I found small inaccuracies. Case in point, Goldberg writes: "One of MCA’s roles was to secure TV appearances, the first of which was for the Channel 4 show The Word, at which Kurt proudly told the studio audience, “I’d like you all to know that Courtney Love is the best fuck in the world.”" Here is video of what Kurt actually said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcpcE... "I'd like all of you people in this room to know that Courtney Love, the lead singer of the sensational pop group Hole, is the best fuck in the world." The meaning may come to the same, but nuance is lost through the abbreviated version. I believe that attributed quotes should be verbatim whenever possible, particularly when the source is so readily available; details matter. And if words are left out, that should be signaled in the transcript. Hence the slight rating dip for a few of these discrepancies.
Still, an overall fantastic book, with a clearly stated point of view, from someone who was there, on the inside.
I complemented my read of Goldberg's text with as much online media as I could: when he describes concert performances, or interviews, etc, I looked them up online, turning the experience into more of a multi-media project.
In a few cases I found small inaccuracies. Case in point, Goldberg writes: "One of MCA’s roles was to secure TV appearances, the first of which was for the Channel 4 show The Word, at which Kurt proudly told the studio audience, “I’d like you all to know that Courtney Love is the best fuck in the world.”" Here is video of what Kurt actually said: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcpcE... "I'd like all of you people in this room to know that Courtney Love, the lead singer of the sensational pop group Hole, is the best fuck in the world." The meaning may come to the same, but nuance is lost through the abbreviated version. I believe that attributed quotes should be verbatim whenever possible, particularly when the source is so readily available; details matter. And if words are left out, that should be signaled in the transcript. Hence the slight rating dip for a few of these discrepancies.
Still, an overall fantastic book, with a clearly stated point of view, from someone who was there, on the inside.
April 7, 2022
Когато видях това красиво оформление с твърда корица на книга посветена на Нирвана, веднага поисках да я прочета. Истинско удоволствие са такива изкусно изпипани книги като тяло. Но не мога да кажа същото за съдържанието. Не знам какво съм очаквала, но книгата ми беше скучна. Разказана е от мениджъра на групата и това, че е писана 25 години след смъртта на Кобейн, всъщност я прави тенденциозна. Опитът на автора е да напише нещо за човекът, който е обичал като приятел и подкрепял като брат, но нещо показваща го само от към блестящата му страна на творец.
В книгата има голяма доза философия и разсъждения относно продуцентството и мениджърството като цяло и в частност спрямо Нирвана; има опит за анализ на албумите им и някои от песните; има дълги и безинтересни разсъждения спрямо медийните изяви, медийните отзиви и медийните войни. Няма причинно-следствени връзки и обяснения за човекът Кърт Кобейн и кое го е направило такъв, какъвто е бил. Няма почти нищо споменато за личния му живот и ако наркотиците не заемаха толкова очевидна и световно известна част в живота на изпълнителя, те изобщо нямаше да се споменат. Писано е за зависимостта помежду другото, сякаш не тя е заемала доста важно място в живота на фронтмена и на всички около него.
Беше ми доста суховата тази книга. Имаше цели страници, които минах по диагонал и които не предизвикаха никаква емоция в мен освен досада. Може би вина за това ми усещане има и това, че доста скоро прочетох друга биография за Кърт - много по-лична и много по-разкриваща, но тази книга не ми беше интересна.
В книгата има голяма доза философия и разсъждения относно продуцентството и мениджърството като цяло и в частност спрямо Нирвана; има опит за анализ на албумите им и някои от песните; има дълги и безинтересни разсъждения спрямо медийните изяви, медийните отзиви и медийните войни. Няма причинно-следствени връзки и обяснения за човекът Кърт Кобейн и кое го е направило такъв, какъвто е бил. Няма почти нищо споменато за личния му живот и ако наркотиците не заемаха толкова очевидна и световно известна част в живота на изпълнителя, те изобщо нямаше да се споменат. Писано е за зависимостта помежду другото, сякаш не тя е заемала доста важно място в живота на фронтмена и на всички около него.
Беше ми доста суховата тази книга. Имаше цели страници, които минах по диагонал и които не предизвикаха никаква емоция в мен освен досада. Може би вина за това ми усещане има и това, че доста скоро прочетох друга биография за Кърт - много по-лична и много по-разкриваща, но тази книга не ми беше интересна.
August 4, 2024
This book almost feels like more of an excuse for Danny Goldman to rattle off his accomplishments than remember the legendary Nirvana frontman. Most of the commentary from Goldman is just him talking about his managing business, the formation of his company, and other Seattle/grunge related bands he managed. Even when talking solely about the emotional success of Nirvana, Goldman makes sure to remind the audience of YouTube views and platinum records. It also feels like Goldman is constantly defending his own financial/management decisions to the reader. This would be fine if this was a musical managing book, but it’s a memorial to Kurt Cobain. A couple of lines in this book rubbed me the wrong way as well, especially when Goldman starts talking about his beliefs on the science behind depression. A lot of the outside sources, especially from MTV and Sonic Youth were interesting, and I thought that the sections on In Utero and Insecticide were fascinating. And it is important to note that Goldman was an actual friend and confidant of Kurt Cobain, who was an actual human being, something that today’s society often seems to forget. All in all, if you like learning about the industry I would recommend, but if you’re really looking for information on Cobain or Nirvana maybe try something else.
Final rating- 1.5 stars
Final rating- 1.5 stars
April 21, 2019
I knew from the introduction that I had an adverse opinion of Danny Goldberg's Serving The Servant. Goldberg's tone leans corporate and self-serving when detailing his time as manager of the band Nirvana from their pre-stardom of Nevermind until the death of Kurt Cobain. Goldberg's countless erroneous assumptions of Cobain's feelings is a testament to how much this novel was driven by ego. Not to discount Goldberg's relationship with Nirvana but persumptions of such a complex and highly publicized figure like Kurt Cobain can be dangerous. Goldberg carefully doesn't offend anyone from his music world and sticks to the script of Kurt, Nirvana and of course..... Courtney.
The book gets three stars for the fact that I devoured it in 48hrs and it was a very digestible read. Serving The Servant makes me question the depth of how well do we really know the people in our lives, let alone ourselves. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch suggests,"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb in his skin and walk around in it.”Kurt's teenage angst is obviously still paying off for everyone.
The book gets three stars for the fact that I devoured it in 48hrs and it was a very digestible read. Serving The Servant makes me question the depth of how well do we really know the people in our lives, let alone ourselves. In To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus Finch suggests,"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb in his skin and walk around in it.”Kurt's teenage angst is obviously still paying off for everyone.
November 12, 2021
Moja je greska sto sam mozda ocekivala previse. Buduci da me ne zanimaju tehnike i brojke muzickih kuca i brojke svih muzicara koje je Kobejn bar jednom pozdravio u prolazu,veci deo knjige mi je bio kao vikipedia. To naravno za ljude koji se razumeju i vole nije problem. Mene su zanimale malo licnije stvari. I to je moja greska. Ne moze se ocekivati licnije od legende koja se ubila. On nije ostavio licnije za javnost. Lepo je bilo procitati sa kime je bio u dodiru,kako je razmisljao o nekim stvarima,kako se slava Nirvane razvila. Ali nije knjiga koju bih gurnula nekome u ruke na pomen Kobejna.
Nirvana je naravno imala veliki uticaj u mom tinejdzerkom ,,propadanju'' i slazem se da je ostavila veliki uticaj u svetu,ali u isto vreme,ako niste ziveli tad,ne postoji knjiga koja ce vam docarati i odvesti vas tamo. Ali lepo je sto ljudi konstantno pokusavaju. 2.5⭐
Nirvana je naravno imala veliki uticaj u mom tinejdzerkom ,,propadanju'' i slazem se da je ostavila veliki uticaj u svetu,ali u isto vreme,ako niste ziveli tad,ne postoji knjiga koja ce vam docarati i odvesti vas tamo. Ali lepo je sto ljudi konstantno pokusavaju. 2.5⭐
February 5, 2024
It feels like Danny is a true gentleman who genuinely loved Kurt and cared for him, but the book itself is written in rather "dry" documental style and gives little insights on Kurt's persona, concentrating on business matters instead (which so to say makes sense since author is a former Nirvana manager). For avid Nirvana reader it still has a lot of fun describing details of label relations, production process, cooperation with lesser known bands etc. but if you're eager to get into anecdotes on Kurt's life and behind the scenes stuff to feel you really "knew" the guy it would be better to pick up another book.
Nonetheless thank you Danny for giving us this, we cherish every new piece of info on this amazing artist especially from a true friend of his. Cheers!
Nonetheless thank you Danny for giving us this, we cherish every new piece of info on this amazing artist especially from a true friend of his. Cheers!
April 23, 2019
Brought back some good memories of my time in Pittsburgh PA. Can't believe how old I am! I was in my 20s when Nirvana came on the scene, and I don't really know much about them. I have ambivalent feelings about the author, and I'm sure there are other sides to the history of the band, but I wound up wondering what Kurt Cobain would be doing now, and feeling the loss.
August 30, 2020
***3.5 stars***
April 14, 2019
Many thanks to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of Serving the Servant, in exchange for an honest review.
I was fifteen years old when Kurt Cobain died. I still remember exactly where I was, who I was with and what we were doing the very moment the news came over the radio. In a short time, Nirvana had shaped much of the music I adored in my teenage years, and still love today, so when I received Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain from Hachette Australia for review, to say I was excited would be an understatement.
I found a lot of the intricate ins and outs Danny Goldberg laid down about the music industry a little tedious at first, but once I got into the swing of the stories and heartfelt descriptions of Kurt's personality, I was hooked. There was so much about Kurt Cobain that I didn't know, and I thought I knew a lot. As a fifteen year old in the early nineties, I didn't take much notice of the fact that he was a feminist and a supporter of gay rights - it just wasn't something on most teenagers radar then (although nowadays teens seem much more worldly and outspoken about important issues). I loved reading about his views and the way he rejected other rock stars who showed racist, sexist and homophobic viewpoints in their lives and music. If I thought I couldn't love Kurt any more than I already did, this alone proved me wrong.
The explanations surrounding Kurt's viewpoints on 'reverse snobbery' in the underground indi music industry really resonated with me too. That's something that certainly still goes on today but Nirvana were instrumental in bridging that gap between so many different music lovers.
Danny Goldberg writes about Kurt in such an endearing way, almost like an older brother would lovingly describe his rascally younger sibling. He admits on several occasions in the book that he is biased when it comes to thoughts about Kurt, because he loved him so much and his pain when discussing Kurt's addiction is obvious. He doesn't hold back on talking about the sadder parts of Kurt's life and personality, but he does such a great job of celebrating the intelligent, incredible music genius that resided inside him.
Danny's description of Kurt as a quiet, funny person, who could switch to depressive episodes so quickly, showed the obvious mental health challenges he faced. It was devastating to read how the pressures of instant stardom and media witch-hunts took such a toll on both Kurt and Courtney and inconceivable that it was only 3 years from the time Nevermind was released to Kurt's death. The ripples Nirvana made in the music world have lasted well into the current day and I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves their music.
MY BLOG ~ INSTAGRAM
I was fifteen years old when Kurt Cobain died. I still remember exactly where I was, who I was with and what we were doing the very moment the news came over the radio. In a short time, Nirvana had shaped much of the music I adored in my teenage years, and still love today, so when I received Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain from Hachette Australia for review, to say I was excited would be an understatement.
I found a lot of the intricate ins and outs Danny Goldberg laid down about the music industry a little tedious at first, but once I got into the swing of the stories and heartfelt descriptions of Kurt's personality, I was hooked. There was so much about Kurt Cobain that I didn't know, and I thought I knew a lot. As a fifteen year old in the early nineties, I didn't take much notice of the fact that he was a feminist and a supporter of gay rights - it just wasn't something on most teenagers radar then (although nowadays teens seem much more worldly and outspoken about important issues). I loved reading about his views and the way he rejected other rock stars who showed racist, sexist and homophobic viewpoints in their lives and music. If I thought I couldn't love Kurt any more than I already did, this alone proved me wrong.
The explanations surrounding Kurt's viewpoints on 'reverse snobbery' in the underground indi music industry really resonated with me too. That's something that certainly still goes on today but Nirvana were instrumental in bridging that gap between so many different music lovers.
Danny Goldberg writes about Kurt in such an endearing way, almost like an older brother would lovingly describe his rascally younger sibling. He admits on several occasions in the book that he is biased when it comes to thoughts about Kurt, because he loved him so much and his pain when discussing Kurt's addiction is obvious. He doesn't hold back on talking about the sadder parts of Kurt's life and personality, but he does such a great job of celebrating the intelligent, incredible music genius that resided inside him.
Danny's description of Kurt as a quiet, funny person, who could switch to depressive episodes so quickly, showed the obvious mental health challenges he faced. It was devastating to read how the pressures of instant stardom and media witch-hunts took such a toll on both Kurt and Courtney and inconceivable that it was only 3 years from the time Nevermind was released to Kurt's death. The ripples Nirvana made in the music world have lasted well into the current day and I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves their music.
MY BLOG ~ INSTAGRAM
April 28, 2019
there were some factual errors, but in all, i will always appreciate people with maturity who look at kurt's death for what it was, and who don't vilify courtney love. there might be a lot of information in here that most nirvana fans would know about, but still interesting to hear from another person's point of view who was close to kurt. the vanity fair information near the end was really interesting, with the wrongful information and slander published by linda hirschberg, especially since danny goldberg had more inside information from his wife (their lawyer at the time). definitely a worthwhile read for any nirvana or kurt admirer.
November 17, 2024
Nothing new. It felt like reading a wikipedia article. Longer chapters lost me after three pages. Shorter chapters were good but unfortunately short. I tried to give it a chance but i really struggled through out the whole book. It just wasn’t my cup of tea. Even though I had such a high expectations I just couldn’t get myself to enjoy in it. It felt like it was stuffed with facts and facts only and like there was no raw emotion. Or I just didn’t feel one.
March 8, 2024
Danny Goldberg añade poco a las biografías ya existentes de Nirvana. Creía que al ser el manager de Nirvana este libro incluiría más anécdotas o aspectos de las grabaciones de sus discos que se habían escapado en otras publicaciones pero sólo hay un poco de eso en el capítulo relativo a In Utero.
Si no has leido nada sobre Nirvana puede pasar pero si no el mejo libro para mí con diferencia es el de "Heavier than heaven" de Charles R. Cross.
Si no has leido nada sobre Nirvana puede pasar pero si no el mejo libro para mí con diferencia es el de "Heavier than heaven" de Charles R. Cross.
March 23, 2025
An informative read, though full of sadness at the desperate pressures and struggles of Kurt Cobain’s short life. A lot of listing names of people in the music industry which was not that interesting but the parts about his life and his recording inputs were fascinating. Still miss him.
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