SEASON 1 EP10: CHARLES R. CROSS FULL, UNCUT INTERVIEW BONUS CONTENT
EPISODE NOTES:
Episode 10 of Rock is Lit features Jennifer Haupt’s novel ‘Come As You Are’, a story set against the backdrop of the Seattle grunge scene of the early 1990s.
Joining Jennifer and me on that episode to share their memories of that pivotal moment in music history to add real-world context to Jennifer’s novel are Nabil Ayers, co-founder of Seattle’s iconic record store Sonic Boom and author of the memoir ‘My Life in the Sunshine’, about his efforts to connect with his father, the funk, soul, and jazz legend Roy Ayers; and Charles R. Cross, author of the award-winning 2001 biography on Kurt Cobain, ‘Heavier Than Heaven’.
My conversation with Charles went on much longer than I’d anticipated when we began talking, and I could only fit a fraction of it in the regular episode. What Charles had to say about Kurt Cobain was so fascinating and astute, based on his extensive research into Kurt’s life and career, Charles’s extraordinary access to Kurt’s private papers via Kurt’s widow, Courtney Love, and Charles’s unique position as the editor of the Seattle music magazine ‘The Rocket’ before, during, and after the Seattle grunge explosion of the early ‘90s, a position that put him in direct contact with Kurt Cobain several times, that I decided to make the whole uncut interview with Charles available here.
There are short outtakes from my interviews with Jennifer and Nabil in the Vault as well, which I hope you’ll listen to.
But for now, light a candle, drop the needle on track three of ‘Nevermind’, and come as you are to hear Charles R. Cross talk about the genius and demons of Nirvana’s front man and primary songwriter, Kurt Cobain.
KEY QUOTES AND TEASERS:
What was Kurt’s relationship with Courtney Love like? What did Kurt think of the Weird Al parody of “Smells Like Teen Spirit? Why does Charles think Nirvana never could have happened in the Facebook era? Listen to the interview to find out why.
Charles: “[Nirvana] weren’t great at the start. They were not the best band in Seattle in 1988, 1989, and 1990. They were the best band in Seattle in 1991.”
Charles: “Kurt’s greatest gift is that when he sang, you felt like he was singing to you.”
MUSIC AND MEDIA THAT APPEAR IN THE EPISODE IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE:
“Come As You Are” by Nirvana
Clip of Kurt Cobain talking about his lyrics
MTV announcement of Kurt’s death, April 8, 1994
“Lithium” by Nirvana
“Serve the Servants” by Nirvana
Clips of artists praising Nirvana and Kurt: Jewel, Henry Rollins, Robert Plant
“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
“Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” performed by Nirvana
Michael Stipe: “Kurt, we miss you.”
LINKS:
Charles’ website, https://charlesrcross.com/
Charles on Twitter, @charlesrcross
Kurt Cobain during the taping of ‘MTV Unplugged’ at Sony Studios in NYC. Photography by Frank Micelotta/Getty.
