Courtney Love – Kurt Could Have Lived If Another Band Became The First

Nirvana’s iconic album No matter, who helped revive the grunge movement in Seattle, turned 30 last week on September 24. Kurt Cobain rocker and widow Courtney Love believes that if “In Bloom” had been the first single rather than “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and another band had blown up first, Cobain might have survived.

“Life would have been simpler and better if I had been heard,” she told the Los Angeles Times [via Stereo Gum]. “I’m not a big fan of the idea that everything ‘could’ have been so different, but ‘In Bloom’ could have made a difference. It could have survived if someone else [gone first]. Like Eddie Vedder, someone with good infrastructure.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” was released on radio stations in August 1991, a few weeks before the release of No matter. In January 1992, no matter peaked at No.1 on the Billboard 200, hitting Michael Jackson Dangerous from the top. Cobain and Love were in Oregon when they heard the news.

“[Cobain] cry. I cried. We were really scared, ”Love recalls. “He liked this no matter was. He licked his lips and said, ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa.’ But he hid it very well, so he attributed these holy qualities. He had modesty, and he put forward this character of public virtue, and he was good at it. But he worked it. “

“In Bloom” was the fourth and final single from the album, released in November 1992.

Regarding Love’s rating on Vedder and Pearl Jam, their hit debut album Ten climbed to No.2 on the album chart, but not until August 1992 after the success of no matter helped catapult Seattle groups into the mainstream. Alice in Chains’ second effort in 1992 Dirt also landed in the Top 10 of the chart in October of the same year.

Cobain was found dead at his home on April 8, 1994 with an apparent gunshot wound. His death was considered suicide. Many have since speculated that Nirvana’s fame had become dominant for the 27-year-old rocker, which may have led to his demise. One person who seems to share this sentiment is Melvins’ Buzz Osborne, who had a long-standing friendship with Cobain.

“Now, Nirvana. I always liked these guys, but I never liked when they got big, ”Osborne explained to Guitar.com earlier this year. “I never liked the people around them. I never liked their management and I never liked any of the people who worked with them. And then you mix up the drugs and the people who brought it in. And it’s a sordid story. And it’s not a happy ending.

“And it’s hard for me to get over that and just sit there and say ‘Well let’s just look at the good times’,” he continued. “I can’t, it’s not possible for me to do it. I would much prefer someone like Kurt Cobain to be completely unsuccessful and alive than to be successful one day. We were friends first. So, his death only puts an end to this story that I will never overcome. ”

Top 30 Grunge Albums of All Time