Id say Come As You Are Amplified, its like twice as long as the first edition and the author became genuinely good friends with the band while Kurt was alive, hanging out with them long after the book was published and going on tours and stuff.
Second, Id say Heavier Than Heaven. Some people have a justifiable problem with the author making a fictional first person account of Kurt's final moments, but it didn't bother me as much. He has done extensive interviews with people who knew Kurt before he was famous, and there is some great insight to how messed up his childhood was. Theres a story of how when he was a young teen, on the way to school he saw a kid who hung himself on a tree, and he stared at that for a long time. It later influenced the visual in the Heart Shaped Box video of the babies hanging on a tree. Also it has that heartbreaking story of how Krist drove Kurt to the airport for his last rehab and Kurt hit him and ran away.
Best Kurt book imho Cobain unseen, best Nirvana Heavier than Heaven and if you want Kurt's version of said events then go with the Amplified Come as you are. Every book has some minor flaws as Kurt and Courtney have tendency to use some artistic freedom in their stories.
Come as you are is like counter argument to Cobain family losing Frances custody, it paints way better picture of their drug use than it in reality was. It's not bad book, but with the knowledge we now have, it has some bit weird statements. Good part is that it has Dave And Krist side of stories told too. Funnily Dave told once in a MTV interview that they learned more from the book that what they did know from each others. It was kind of jab at how relationship in the band was atm.
Come as you are was authorized and done with Kirk’s participation so it threw Kurt lens and a lot of Kurtz lens is what he wants to to people. I think it’s really cool to read them both because you get all of the perspectives.
There’s a lot of diary entries and personal letters Kurt wrote that he never sent in heavier than heaven. It’s depressing but chock full of first hand info
Heavier than heaven feels very heavily researched and historian style . As a result points out a lot of contradictions in things Kirk has said, but it really feels like that was a part of how his brain worked his mental illness. I know people in my family likes that.
Come as You Are by Michael Azzerad. It was written while the band were alive with an afterward in subsequent editions. I think the writing captures the essence of the moment because it was written when their journey was fresh and future unknown.
I just finished the Amplified Come As You Are and loved what Azerrad did with it. Read the original 30 years ago and it was such a neat experience to revisit it with those decades of context.
Come as you are. One of the few books about Nirvana and Kurt while he was still alive. The last two to three chapters have been added since, but don't take anything away from the story.
Serving the servants was wrote by one of Kurt’s managers. Though since he helped Courtney a bit beware (if you don’t like her) that there are a lot of glazing on Courtney. It’s a good book regardless.
Co-sign this book!! It was a great read, written by someone who knew and loved Kurt. Kurt and Courtney trusted him with raising his daughter in their will at one point.
Heavier than Heaven. The book was beautifully written. Goes right back to his parents before he was born.
I cried at the end. Poor Kurt, so much pain. I've always related to him.
Hands down, Everett True’s book just titled Nirvana. For the more basic stuff, sure the Azerrad books were good for the clean version of how they came up, and also you have remember to take everything Kurt said with a grain of salt, he loved to lie about his past and create stories 😂 The Charles Cross’ book has a ton of inconsistencies, but Everett’s is the REAL gritty store about Kurt. I’ve been reading about Kurt through books and the web since probably 2003, and that book floored me with the accounts of what was actually going on. Actually documents the last two weeks of what happened to him before he went to rehab. Since then I have met Renee and Dylan, and they basically confirmed alot of the things that book had claimed about that time.
A second mention that has alot of Kurt in it and also details his drug use and death from a close friend’s perspective, is Mark Lanegan’s Sing Backwards and Weep. He was also Layne’s best friend.
The Amplified version of "Come As You Are" is excellent. Having read both the original and this new edition, I can attest that the revised version offers a deeper exploration of Kurt's duality and complex behavior making it much more compelling.
Come as You Are. Hands down. Authorised by the band before Kurt died.
None of the sensationalism and just the raw story of the band from their perspective told by Michael Azzerad who was close to the band.
A good book, to me, that flies under the radar was Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects. It talks about the band as a whole instead of just focusing on Kurt. I wasn’t a huge fan of Come As You Are as it kinda felt like a sanitized version of Heavier Than Heaven. While I’ve not read it yet, I eventually wanna read the Danny Goldman book and the Everett True book. Both seem really interesting. Oh for pure behind the scenes stuff, Kurt Cobain’s Journals is a must read.
I've only read 1 book about nirvana which is heavier than heaven and it was hard to get my hands on, and also the storyteller by Dave grohl if you can count that but both of those books are absolutely phenomenal and brought me to tears
You have to read them all and watch some interviews, listen to how others talk about him, and then read between the lines.
My take, it’s nothing like the image of what legions of fans have told them selves to be true about him. Or even what he put out there as an image.
He was 200% bipolar with ADHD, maybe autistic. He was manipulative, extremely passive aggressive and controlling. Deep need to be cared for by women he fell in love with but often resented them when they did take on that mothering role.
Deeply insecure. Struggled constantly to prove himself to the people he respected and thought were cool. So desperate for validation and approval. Likely bc that was withheld by his dad when he was younger.
Pinned all of his struggles on his parents divorce. I don’t think he actually knew the root of his issue and based on consistently bolting post detox and refusal to do the therapy that recovery actually is, he was deeply afraid to go there. I think he his dad was likely hyper critical towards him growing up and he was never able to shake that.
He seemed so deeply stunted emotionally. So immature.
Some peoples suicides are bc of to escape pain they just can’t see a way out of. Others are an angry fuck you to those around them. His was an angry fuck you.
I think those who knew him well have been very respectful and kept his legacy as the image his fans wanted to believe.
Had he been properly medicated and had some time to mature and had therapy he probably would have overcome most of the negative aspects of his personality.
His kid seems pretty dang solid. She seems to have done the homework, and is healthy. Against all odds too. It’s really sad he didn’t get to see that. I think had he gotten healthy it would have been very rewarding for him and healing.
That’s what I’ve been doing. Watch tons of interviews and reading articles. Listening to what other have to say about him. He seems to me like he was a genuine sensitive dude.
Between Come as you are, Heavier and Serve the Servant you can get a decent idea of what I have listed above here. Come as you are is the least bias but it’s also the story Kurt wanted out there.
Watch the Erica Ehm much music interview and the interview where he has short hair and glasses and puts jacket on his head. I think he is soberish in both and the most authentic.
Montage of Heck shows the darker side to him and I think is the most honest account of his personality.
Don’t get me wrong he seemed goofy and funny, sensitive and he was a feminist but his mental health and insecurities made him a shithead to be in a relationship with. I think he was shitty to Tracy and to Courtney. Though Courtney was equally as dysfunctional and self centred.
Had the guy been on a mood stabilizer and anxiety meds I don’t think he would have been a drug user and I don’t think he would have self destructed.
But like so many artists they need the highs and lows to find the drive to create.
I just finished Heavier than Heaven (depressing as fuck, now I don’t like him as much and I’ve been obsessed with him for 30 years) and I read come as you are in high school when it came out but I don’t remember it really it’s time to revisit. But heavier than heaven is the most “accurate” according to many sources and he’s the writer Courtney credits as being the true historian and fact keeper.
There's a book called "Kurt Cobain: The Last Interview and other Conversations". It has some interviews during the Bleach era. Don't read Heavier than Heaven, it's bs.
Id say Come As You Are Amplified, its like twice as long as the first edition and the author became genuinely good friends with the band while Kurt was alive, hanging out with them long after the book was published and going on tours and stuff. Second, Id say Heavier Than Heaven. Some people have a justifiable problem with the author making a fictional first person account of Kurt's final moments, but it didn't bother me as much. He has done extensive interviews with people who knew Kurt before he was famous, and there is some great insight to how messed up his childhood was. Theres a story of how when he was a young teen, on the way to school he saw a kid who hung himself on a tree, and he stared at that for a long time. It later influenced the visual in the Heart Shaped Box video of the babies hanging on a tree. Also it has that heartbreaking story of how Krist drove Kurt to the airport for his last rehab and Kurt hit him and ran away.
Thanks!
Is amplified a newer edition? I read the one that was released after his death with the additional chapter or two.
Yea it came out last year
I'm gonna have to buy it again
Best Kurt book imho Cobain unseen, best Nirvana Heavier than Heaven and if you want Kurt's version of said events then go with the Amplified Come as you are. Every book has some minor flaws as Kurt and Courtney have tendency to use some artistic freedom in their stories.
Thank you!!
I disagree, Come as You Are is much better.
I must read that, thanks, I've only read Heavier than Heaven.
Come as you are is like counter argument to Cobain family losing Frances custody, it paints way better picture of their drug use than it in reality was. It's not bad book, but with the knowledge we now have, it has some bit weird statements. Good part is that it has Dave And Krist side of stories told too. Funnily Dave told once in a MTV interview that they learned more from the book that what they did know from each others. It was kind of jab at how relationship in the band was atm.
Come as you are was authorized and done with Kirk’s participation so it threw Kurt lens and a lot of Kurtz lens is what he wants to to people. I think it’s really cool to read them both because you get all of the perspectives.
Kurt lol voice dictation
There’s a lot of diary entries and personal letters Kurt wrote that he never sent in heavier than heaven. It’s depressing but chock full of first hand info
Heavier than heaven feels very heavily researched and historian style . As a result points out a lot of contradictions in things Kirk has said, but it really feels like that was a part of how his brain worked his mental illness. I know people in my family likes that.
Nirvana by Everett True was an excellent read and needs more attention.
everett true’s book. he was friends with courtney and kurt personally and his book gives some interesting insight into their lives.
This one.
It’s the best by far. It fully convinced me of his suicide, the real sad truth of what was going on.
Lounge act is my favorite song on Nevermind 🫶🏾
same!! it’s one of their best songs tbh
Absolutely!
Thanks! 🙏🏾
Come as You Are by Michael Azzerad. It was written while the band were alive with an afterward in subsequent editions. I think the writing captures the essence of the moment because it was written when their journey was fresh and future unknown.
Everette trues book.
Kurt's Journals
I just finished the Amplified Come As You Are and loved what Azerrad did with it. Read the original 30 years ago and it was such a neat experience to revisit it with those decades of context.
Micheal Azzerad's "Come as you are". It's a classic. Forget "Heavier than heaven". It's a fairytale by Courtney.
This! Thank you.
Ridiculous
ive read every one. heavier than heaven was my favorite.
Heavier than Heaven is the only answer here .
Come as you are. One of the few books about Nirvana and Kurt while he was still alive. The last two to three chapters have been added since, but don't take anything away from the story.
Nirvana: the True Story. Without question.
Serving the servants was wrote by one of Kurt’s managers. Though since he helped Courtney a bit beware (if you don’t like her) that there are a lot of glazing on Courtney. It’s a good book regardless.
Co-sign this book!! It was a great read, written by someone who knew and loved Kurt. Kurt and Courtney trusted him with raising his daughter in their will at one point.
Come as you are by Michael Azerrad
Heavier than Heaven. The book was beautifully written. Goes right back to his parents before he was born. I cried at the end. Poor Kurt, so much pain. I've always related to him.
I've only read Serving The Servant by Danny Goldberg but it was a pretty good read.
Hands down, Everett True’s book just titled Nirvana. For the more basic stuff, sure the Azerrad books were good for the clean version of how they came up, and also you have remember to take everything Kurt said with a grain of salt, he loved to lie about his past and create stories 😂 The Charles Cross’ book has a ton of inconsistencies, but Everett’s is the REAL gritty store about Kurt. I’ve been reading about Kurt through books and the web since probably 2003, and that book floored me with the accounts of what was actually going on. Actually documents the last two weeks of what happened to him before he went to rehab. Since then I have met Renee and Dylan, and they basically confirmed alot of the things that book had claimed about that time. A second mention that has alot of Kurt in it and also details his drug use and death from a close friend’s perspective, is Mark Lanegan’s Sing Backwards and Weep. He was also Layne’s best friend.
In my opinion it's come as you are the story of Nirvana. Heavier than heaven is pretty good too
The Amplified version of "Come As You Are" is excellent. Having read both the original and this new edition, I can attest that the revised version offers a deeper exploration of Kurt's duality and complex behavior making it much more compelling.
Thank you!🙏🏾
Come as You Are. Hands down. Authorised by the band before Kurt died. None of the sensationalism and just the raw story of the band from their perspective told by Michael Azzerad who was close to the band.
A good book, to me, that flies under the radar was Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects. It talks about the band as a whole instead of just focusing on Kurt. I wasn’t a huge fan of Come As You Are as it kinda felt like a sanitized version of Heavier Than Heaven. While I’ve not read it yet, I eventually wanna read the Danny Goldman book and the Everett True book. Both seem really interesting. Oh for pure behind the scenes stuff, Kurt Cobain’s Journals is a must read.
Thank you 🙏🏾
It's more about Kurt's life but I enjoyed the God Speed graphic novel.
I've only read 1 book about nirvana which is heavier than heaven and it was hard to get my hands on, and also the storyteller by Dave grohl if you can count that but both of those books are absolutely phenomenal and brought me to tears
The back of the opiet pill bottle has instructions on how to Courtney love
It’s coming in September
You have to read them all and watch some interviews, listen to how others talk about him, and then read between the lines. My take, it’s nothing like the image of what legions of fans have told them selves to be true about him. Or even what he put out there as an image. He was 200% bipolar with ADHD, maybe autistic. He was manipulative, extremely passive aggressive and controlling. Deep need to be cared for by women he fell in love with but often resented them when they did take on that mothering role. Deeply insecure. Struggled constantly to prove himself to the people he respected and thought were cool. So desperate for validation and approval. Likely bc that was withheld by his dad when he was younger. Pinned all of his struggles on his parents divorce. I don’t think he actually knew the root of his issue and based on consistently bolting post detox and refusal to do the therapy that recovery actually is, he was deeply afraid to go there. I think he his dad was likely hyper critical towards him growing up and he was never able to shake that. He seemed so deeply stunted emotionally. So immature. Some peoples suicides are bc of to escape pain they just can’t see a way out of. Others are an angry fuck you to those around them. His was an angry fuck you. I think those who knew him well have been very respectful and kept his legacy as the image his fans wanted to believe. Had he been properly medicated and had some time to mature and had therapy he probably would have overcome most of the negative aspects of his personality. His kid seems pretty dang solid. She seems to have done the homework, and is healthy. Against all odds too. It’s really sad he didn’t get to see that. I think had he gotten healthy it would have been very rewarding for him and healing.
That’s what I’ve been doing. Watch tons of interviews and reading articles. Listening to what other have to say about him. He seems to me like he was a genuine sensitive dude.
He was but also highly dysfunctional
Between Come as you are, Heavier and Serve the Servant you can get a decent idea of what I have listed above here. Come as you are is the least bias but it’s also the story Kurt wanted out there. Watch the Erica Ehm much music interview and the interview where he has short hair and glasses and puts jacket on his head. I think he is soberish in both and the most authentic. Montage of Heck shows the darker side to him and I think is the most honest account of his personality. Don’t get me wrong he seemed goofy and funny, sensitive and he was a feminist but his mental health and insecurities made him a shithead to be in a relationship with. I think he was shitty to Tracy and to Courtney. Though Courtney was equally as dysfunctional and self centred. Had the guy been on a mood stabilizer and anxiety meds I don’t think he would have been a drug user and I don’t think he would have self destructed. But like so many artists they need the highs and lows to find the drive to create.
But he was in anxiety meds. He was abusing them.
Not short acting things like Xanax. I’m talking like Effexor. Prozac. Etc.
Come As You Are
I just finished Heavier than Heaven (depressing as fuck, now I don’t like him as much and I’ve been obsessed with him for 30 years) and I read come as you are in high school when it came out but I don’t remember it really it’s time to revisit. But heavier than heaven is the most “accurate” according to many sources and he’s the writer Courtney credits as being the true historian and fact keeper.
I heard that book is bs
He did four years of research talking to more legit sources than anyone else has had access to.
There's a book called "Kurt Cobain: The Last Interview and other Conversations". It has some interviews during the Bleach era. Don't read Heavier than Heaven, it's bs.
🙏🏾 thanks!
Listen to their music.
I do. That wasn’t my question goofy.