TWENTY years ago this weekend, one of rock music's greatest icons, Kurt Cobain, took his own life at the age of 27.
Huge Cobain fan Sarah Milne reminisces with Dan Mulcahy, the man behind a Nirvana tribute night at The Edge, in South End, last night (Saturday)
What was so awesome about Kurt Cobain? He stood out in a sea of phoney rock stars and posers. He had no desire to be a big star or be worshipped or be cool but that's kind of exactly what made him so cool and every oddball kid's hero. We loved him because he was an outsider who won over the masses and inspired so many with his music.What do you love so much about Nirvana? They played the heaviest, greatest, best music and Kurt wrote beautiful lyrics and the coolest riffs. I taught myself how to play guitar and drums by listening to them.What is your favourite Nirvana song and why? Ooh, that's a hard one to answer. Heart Shaped Box is probably the best song he wrote and I really love Milk It. But the moment that really springs to mind is their Unplugged performance of Where Did You Sleep Last Night as, even though it's not their song, the passion and emotion he put into is just incredible. It really felt like he was saying goodbye, even though it was months before he died. I can't think of another moment in music that tops that.I can remember the moment I heard the news he had died like a photograph. What were you doing the moment you heard he had died? I was away on a school trip when I heard he died. I was in the first year of high school I think, so was still young, and it was a shock that this famous rock star killed himself.What do you think his legacy to the music industry has been? He's our generation's John Lennon and, like him, will be talked about and listened to forever. Nirvana changed the industry and exposed the underground to the mainstream and were responsible for many bands getting deals as they scrambled to find 'the next Nirvana'Who are your other musical influences? My other main influences are Radiohead, Joy Division, Sigur Ros, Daft Punk and Prince. I would say it was Michael Jackson who really got me into music and listening to records. I used to put on his records or watch his videos and dance around. I can remember being very young and hearing The Eurythmics too.How did your Unplugged Nirvana Tribute Band come together? I had the idea to do something for the anniversary of the Unplugged Nirvana gig for a while and I was also building a replica of the acoustic guitar Kurt used so, by the time I had finally made it after researching and finding all the parts for it, I had to do something with it. We started by recreating the Unplugged performance for the 20th anniversary of the date of the performance but now we have decided to go live and loud for the anniversary of his death. Ultimately it's the people that really make it work; friends and awesome musicians I've played with in bands over the years. Mallett, who played cello in Soapy Jefferson, William Nein, who is an amazing artist and musician and has released lots of albums, and then there is Joe Flynn from Soapy Jefferson, who is a brilliant guitarist and Matt Mullender, a beast of a drummer. I was lucky enough to find Alexa Sage through searching for accordionist in Croydon and it just so happened that she is a big fan of Nirvana and is an amazing musician.
What was so awesome about Kurt Cobain? He stood out in a sea of phoney rock stars and posers. He had no desire to be a big star or be worshipped or be cool but that's kind of exactly what made him so cool and every oddball kid's hero. We loved him because he was an outsider who won over the masses and inspired so many with his music.What do you love so much about Nirvana? They played the heaviest, greatest, best music and Kurt wrote beautiful lyrics and the coolest riffs. I taught myself how to play guitar and drums by listening to them.What is your favourite Nirvana song and why? Ooh, that's a hard one to answer. Heart Shaped Box is probably the best song he wrote and I really love Milk It. But the moment that really springs to mind is their Unplugged performance of Where Did You Sleep Last Night as, even though it's not their song, the passion and emotion he put into is just incredible. It really felt like he was saying goodbye, even though it was months before he died. I can't think of another moment in music that tops that.I can remember the moment I heard the news he had died like a photograph. What were you doing the moment you heard he had died? I was away on a school trip when I heard he died. I was in the first year of high school I think, so was still young, and it was a shock that this famous rock star killed himself.What do you think his legacy to the music industry has been? He's our generation's John Lennon and, like him, will be talked about and listened to forever. Nirvana changed the industry and exposed the underground to the mainstream and were responsible for many bands getting deals as they scrambled to find 'the next Nirvana'Who are your other musical influences? My other main influences are Radiohead, Joy Division, Sigur Ros, Daft Punk and Prince. I would say it was Michael Jackson who really got me into music and listening to records. I used to put on his records or watch his videos and dance around. I can remember being very young and hearing The Eurythmics too.How did your Unplugged Nirvana Tribute Band come together? I had the idea to do something for the anniversary of the Unplugged Nirvana gig for a while and I was also building a replica of the acoustic guitar Kurt used so, by the time I had finally made it after researching and finding all the parts for it, I had to do something with it. We started by recreating the Unplugged performance for the 20th anniversary of the date of the performance but now we have decided to go live and loud for the anniversary of his death. Ultimately it's the people that really make it work; friends and awesome musicians I've played with in bands over the years. Mallett, who played cello in Soapy Jefferson, William Nein, who is an amazing artist and musician and has released lots of albums, and then there is Joe Flynn from Soapy Jefferson, who is a brilliant guitarist and Matt Mullender, a beast of a drummer. I was lucky enough to find Alexa Sage through searching for accordionist in Croydon and it just so happened that she is a big fan of Nirvana and is an amazing musician.
