On a new episode of TMZ's Last Days podcast, hosts Derek Kaufman and Jason Beckerman look back on the life and legacy of late Nirvana songwriter Kurt Cobain -- 30 years after his untimely passing -- and his raw, angst-ridden lyrics that made him the voice for Gen-X.
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Cobain took his own life on April 5, 1994, at his home in Seattle, Washington after years of coping with an unshaken depression and self-medication. Though tragic, the mark of influence he left at just 27 years old on the landscape of music is undeniable.
In just two and a half years -- from the release of Nirvana's sophomore album Nevermind in 1991 through to his death in 1994, he had "transformed American Rock music," says host Derek Kaufman. The band had challenged Pop culture norms, helping usher in the Grunge era -- infused with Punk, Alternative, and Metal stylings just palatable enough for audiences outside of where it blossomed in the gloomy Pacific Northwest.
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"It's hard to overstate, for anybody who wasn't there at the time, how big Nirvana was," says co-host Jason Beckerman. "It's not just that they were big, it's that they came out of nowhere. Because outside of the Seattle underground clubs, nobody had heard of them, nobody had heard of Kurt Cobain, and their music was unlike anything anybody had ever heard. It's not like Taylor Swift coming along with Pop music -- granted she does it maybe better than anybody, but it's a type of music we've heard before. All of a sudden, to a mainstream Pop-loving crew, comes this hard-edged, raspy Alt-Rock group that takes over."
Eventually topping Michael Jackson's Dangerous on the Billboard charts and being crowned arguably the biggest band in the world at the peak of Nevermind's success in the early nineties, the album's 13 angst-driven tracks, each written by Cobain, sent Nirvana cascading into a mainstream of frustrated Gen X-ers. At the same time, pain stemming from a chronic gastritis diagnosis in the late '80s led to self-medication with heroin, which began to affect not just his physical but mental health. Admittedly depressed since his parent's divorce at nine years old, the short-term relief he found in opiates also numbed those traumas, and when attempting to come clean, anxiety, depression, and physical pain would come crashing from all sides.
Listen to the full Kurt Cobain episode above to hear more -- and follow along with Last Days, exploring the final days of some of the biggest icons in sports and entertainment, breaking down precisely what led to the passing of figures who were larger than life but somehow even bigger in death. Hosts Derek Kaufman and Jason Beckerman debunk the myths, unpack the tragedies, and tell the real stories behind the most fascinating celebrity deaths.
It’s okay to not be OK. We know the power of talk can save lives. Audacy's I’m Listening aims to share valuable resources for those who need to connect, heal and share their own stories. Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here.