What If Kurt Cobain Had Been Born 20 Years Later? Would Things Have Turned Out Differently?
Here’s an interesting email from Jody:
Do you think Kurt Cobain would have killed himself if his music was released during the internet age?
For clarity sake let’s assume that peer-to-peer file sharing was accessible to the general public by 1990.
One of the things I always hear about Cobain was that success kind of bothered him. He didn’t like being tagged as the leader of a youth movement, and he didn’t want to seem like a rich rock star (there’s the classic story of him having Courtney take a Lexus back to the dealership.)
Three things I’d like to mention; first, without album sales (or the promise of them), is Kurt going to have as much money? How would he feel about his music being available for free?. Second, the internet can make fame a little more fleeting, would Nirvana have been the band they were if the internet had made them famous instead of their music (well, the internet AND their music). Third, how would Kurt have handled social media? With Twitter and Facebook, he would hear what everyone thought about him if he wanted.
I know it’s weird to speculate on what someone who’s been gone for almost 20 years might or might no do. But I couldn’t stop thinking about this, I would love to hear what you (and the people who work with you) thought.
These are all interesting questions–and it’s fun to speculate on alternate histories. Here’s what I think:
1. Kurt was conflicted about fame. He wanted to his music to be world famous yet he didn’t want many of the trappings, sacrifices or responsibilities that came with it. If he were a young musician active in music today, he might have found himself extremely frustrated at not being able to break through and be heard.
2. Kurt was also very protective about things such as songwriting credits. He even demanded that he receive more credit than Krist and Dave for a majority of songs (“Teen Spirit” excepted). Giving away his life’s work for free might have been tough for him.
3. I’m not sure Kurt would have been a good social media person. But then again, it’s hard to imagine how a pre-Internet dude might have handled such a radical and powerful technology.
Anyone else have anything to add?
This is type of discussion is commonly known as 'Bench Racing'. Coined by people who actually race as a derogatory remark about those who argue about hypothetical results of racing between cars, motorcycles, hell, even mopeds.
I don't usually participate in Bench Racing, but I'll throw in my 2p.
I think Kurt would have fallen to the same fate. He shunned the spotlight and therefore would have shunned Facebook, Twitter and the like. In the post Y2K world we have become a civilization of entitlement, thinking we deserve to know all of the personal lives of those deemed famous. TMZ would have been relentless with him. His door would be constantly pounded on for reality show deals (just imagine the shitshow Courtney would have provided)
He was VERY protective of Frances. It would have driven him mad to be constantly followed around by the media looking for dirt to publish to the world.
I'm sure there are many other facets to this, these are only two. In the end though, it would have only fueled his addiction and we would end up with the same tragic result.
Want proof? I have two words for you. Amy Winehouse.
DavidR
I think Jody & Alan are both wondering if Nirvana would have reached the same level of popularity in an internet age. Due to Curt's dislike of fame, and most likely social media, the band may not have had as many sales. Though, another thought is that perhaps one of the others may have helped more with the social media and taken some of the spotlight off of Curt. Who knows? Perhaps Courtney would have become a youtube sensation and never met Curt. So many avenues of possibility…
In today's music climate? That's easy. Kurt and Nirvana would've been a non factor. They would've been playing in obscurity grounded in Seattle.
What is being forgotten here is that Kurt was suicidal.
"I hate myself and I want to die."
Kurt had issues. I don't know that the availability of the Internet would have changed this.
I suspect that if he'd not achieved his sudden fame he'd have probably still killed himself eventually.
It's rather like trying to second guess a soap opera.
If I remember right (from all the interviews I've seen, watched, and read), he was looking forward to fame. Once it came fast and furious, it was too much. He also disliked being the idol of all these disenchanted youth that clung onto every word he sang and said.