This weekend marked the 20th anniversary of the legendary Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain's death. Those who were influenced by him pulled in their plaid shirt collars as they listened to the timelessly haunting lyrics he wrote all those years ago, and remembered. Kurt Cobain is an unintentional hero, a tortured poet who was honest about his emotions in a time where frontmen were more concerned about looking cool than connecting with the people. 20 years on and he continues to inspire people in all industries.
As the unwilling personification of grunge, Kurt defined a genre of music that was previously unheard of, it was a groundbreaking combination of indie rock and punk, complemented by honest confessional lyrics. There was a pattern to the songs, quiet-verse loud-chorus, that became Nirvana's signature, it was structured chaos. But it was the MTV Unplugged performance that truly shone light on Kurt's gifts as a songwriter. Though his lyrics often had more meaning behind each line, some lines were a direct transmission from his tortured mind. Kurt's raw expressiveness is still inspiring artists today spanning through all genres of music, for example in Drake's heartbreaking confessionals. 20 years on, the presence of Nirvana is still felt throughout the music industry.
It could be strange to think of Kurt Cobain as a style icon, as it seems highly unlikely for that to have been a goal of his, but it's inarguable that he is just that. Every few seasons, designers have cited the grunge movement and Kurt as a key influence. Flannel shirts, grandad-style tatty oversized cardigans, heavy layers, and ripped and patched jeans are still statement pieces in fashion today. Hedi Slimane for Saint Laurent demonstrated how to do grunge Cobain-style perfectly in his Autumn/Winter 2013-14 collection. The collection is pure early 90s grunge, with some pieces that looked like they came straight out of Kurt's wardrobe.
So here's to another 20 years of inspiration to the man, the music, the mystery, the icon that is Kurt Cobain.
(Top image via deviantART, middle images via Vogue UK, bottom image via Photobucket)
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