Wait until next year

Putting off what could be done tomorrow, today

Tag: Kurt Cobain

What else should I be – In Utero twenty years on

Kurt Cobain in a drumkit, as he was inclined to do from time to time

I can still remember buying In Utero, on cassette, in my local Our Price. I can remember the anticipation that surrounded its release. There was rumours it was going to unlistenable, that Steve Albini had presided over a messy, noisy session and had done nothing to make it more palatable. The sheen of Nevermind would be gone, replaced by a murky punk. It sounded awesome – the idea of a hugely successful band making an album that would alienate all but their most devoted fans greatly appealed to my teenage self. Loving bands as a teenager is all about having those bands to yourself. They are your secret, your refuge, your way of knowing that while you might feel like you’re on your own you have something your peers can’t get their hands on, something they don’t understand. That is obviously harder when you love the biggest band in the world. Read the rest of this entry »

1993

Nirvana standing outside a cinema reading Melody Maker

I think it must have been September 1992 when a school friend of mine handed me a beat-up C90 tape. He had borrowed some albums from his older brother and dubbed them on to the cassette. On the A side was Nevermind, by Nirvana. I don’t remember ever listening to whatever he put on the B side. Read the rest of this entry »

A few words on Gary Speed

I only saw Gary Speed play in the flesh once, towards the end of his playing career. He was playing in the Championship for Sheffield United and despite nearing 40 was clearly the best player on the pitch. There was a thoughtfulness and intelligence to his play. He didn’t need to run around like his younger team-mates and opponents as his mind always seemed to be one step ahead. Like all the best players he made playing football look easy. Read the rest of this entry »

Kurt

Kurt Cobain with a catI’m sure the internet is awash with eulogies to Kurt Cobain, who died seventeen years ago today. However, I thought I’d add a few brief thoughts anyway. Read the rest of this entry »