RIP Kurt and Layne

Being in the Seattle area, my local radio station of choice has some different programming going on today.  All day they will be celebrating the lives of Kurt Cobain and Layne Staley, who both died on April 5th, and both were huge influences in both the Grunge and Seattle music scenes.
 
Kurt Cobain was the lead singer and guitarist in the band Nirvana back in the 90s.  It's been said that Nirvana was the flagship band of Generation X.  During the last few years of his life, Kurt struggled with drug use, depression, and a marriage to Courtney Love, front-woman to the band Hole.  He took his own life with a shotgun on this day in 1994.  While we didn't really call stuff "angsty" back in the 90s, Kurt's music would definitely be labelled as angsty today.   
 
  

Have you ever read Cobain's suicide not? It's one of the steamiest piles of horse shit I've ever read. I was never a fan, in fact, I'd call him a pussy.

I don't agree with what either of them were doing with their personal lives.  But like I said, they were huge influences on the grunge scene and the Seattle music scene.

Two of the greatest vocalists to ever grace the world with their voices and talent
 
RIP 
 
  

I'm not really a huge Nirvana or Cobain fan but I love AiC. RIP Layne.

While I like both bands, I don't see why their deaths should be treated as anything special

I remember when I was a kid, I thought Alice In Chains and Nirvana were the same band.
 
It's also crazy that they both died on April 5th. Like, literally crazy. I mean, what are the chances? Crazy stuff.
 
Great music though. I listen to their stuff every now-and-then.

" While I like both bands, I don't see why their deaths should be treated as anything special "

" Have you ever read Cobain's suicide not? It's one of the steamiest piles of horse shit I've ever read. I was never a fan, in fact, I'd call him a pussy. "

 
I'm a big fan of Nirvana and Alice in Chains is also great :)
 
R.I.P

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

" Have you ever read Cobain's suicide not? It's one of the steamiest piles of horse shit I've ever read. I was never a fan, in fact, I'd call him a pussy. "

" @SSully: Never said she was "

" @KingWilly said:

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

" @KingWilly: As someone who was in high school when it happened, I'd have to agree with you.  I actually wasn't really a Nirvana fan at the time that it happened.  I didn't come to appreciate their music until later.  But it was a big deal back then.  Grunge was a big deal back then.  Even now, it's looked back on as a defining point of Seattle (the grunge movement, that is).   Too bad it wasn't Courtney instead.  She's always been a skank. "

Can't believe it's been almost ten years since Staley died. Alice in Chains are one of my favourite metal acts.

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

I meant no offense. I am not going to sit here and tell someone one life was worth more than another, either. I was only trying to illustrate for someone who wasn't there how much of an impact that news had on an entire generation of people.  "

" @KingWilly said:

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

I meant no offense. I am not going to sit here and tell someone one life was worth more than another, either. I was only trying to illustrate for someone who wasn't there how much of an impact that news had on an entire generation of people.  "

Not really an "entire generation" more like anyone is currently 27-31, white, and middle class.  "

Love Kurt, love Nirvana.

Is it weird that whenever someone brings up Nirvana I find myself compelled to listen to TAD instead?

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

I meant no offense. I am not going to sit here and tell someone one life was worth more than another, either. I was only trying to illustrate for someone who wasn't there how much of an impact that news had on an entire generation of people.  "

Not really an "entire generation" more like anyone is currently 27-31, white, and middle class.  "

Alright buddy, I understand it's rather popular to be contrarian in regards to cultural events and the popular opinion surrounding them, but this isn't really the place for it. "

by discussing it in terms of music culture, and regional culture

Nirvana had a cultural impact. Kurt Cobain had a cultural impact. Kurt's death had a cultural impact. I'm not a fan of Nirvana, but I will admit those things. Another thing I will do is not come in here and troll this thread.

" Have you ever read Cobain's suicide not? It's one of the steamiest piles of horse shit I've ever read. I was never a fan, in fact, I'd call him a pussy. "

i thought the Guitarist for AiC was the talent of that band...prettysure he wrote most of the songs. 

" @KingWilly said:

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

I meant no offense. I am not going to sit here and tell someone one life was worth more than another, either. I was only trying to illustrate for someone who wasn't there how much of an impact that news had on an entire generation of people.  "

Not really an "entire generation" more like anyone is currently 27-31, white, and middle class.  "

Alright buddy, I understand it's rather popular to be contrarian in regards to cultural events and the popular opinion surrounding them, but this isn't really the place for it. "

So a thread about the cultural impact of their deaths isn't the place to discuss the cultural impact of their death? As I was pointing out it's only popular opinion to people who are 27-31, white, and from the middle class of America. Nice use of the word contrarian by the way! "

" Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

" @blueduck said:

" Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

How about actually making an attempt to discern what the poster was saying? It was a cultural milestone, not an attempt to place one event's value  over the other. The impact of Cobain's suicide had was massive. "

Yes let's celebrate the day when a guy shot himself in the head with a shotgun and another dude overdosed on cocaine and heroin. I can't see a reason why we wouldn't celebrate that.

AIC is one of my favorite bands. Shame Layne couldn't get his act straight. I miss his vocals, that being said Duvall is pretty decent as the new lead singer. 
RIP Layne.

" @melcene said:

by discussing it in terms of music culture, and regional culture

 So age, race, and social status having nothing to do with these two?  "

 By Patrick Macdonald

Kurt Cobain revitalized rock 'n' roll with a natural style that was built on tradition but soared to new heights by expressing the fear, uncertainty and also the exuberance of contemporary youth.

With one song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," he rapidly rose from an obscure cult figure into a major international star, a journey that frightened and confused him.

Cobain said "Smells Like Teen Spirit" had "a teen revolutionary theme to it."

It also was a cynical rebuke aimed at merchandising to teenagers, since its title came from a deodorant for teen girls.

The success of the single pushed the album it came from, "Nevermind," into international sales of more than 7 million units. The band's most recent album, "In Utero," has sold a little over a million copies.

While critics initially scrambled to define Nirvana's merger of punk and pop, its simultaneous embrace and disdain of what had come before, Cobain always insisted that it was "another style of pop music, just more abrasive."

Eventually the style came to be known as grunge. With Nirvana at the forefront, the Seattle-based genre spread throughout the pop-music world. It has made the city the acknowledged center of the rock world, exemplified by such groups as Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Mudhoney.

Like many of the local bands that have gone on to international stardom, Nirvana began its recording career with the small, feisty Seattle label, Sub Pop. Its first singles and debut album were on Sub Pop, but soon the label could not handle the demand for Nirvana and allowed the group to sign with a major label, Geffen, whose manufacturing, distribution and promotion abilities helped the rapid rise of the band.

" Yes let's celebrate the day when a guy shot himself in the head with a shotgun and another dude overdosed on cocaine and heroin. I can't see a reason why we wouldn't celebrate that. "

cant we have a nice thread paying homage and tribute and respect to two of the Grunge lords of the world without having to fight about who killed whom and this being a pussy and that being a coward? 
 
god damn the internet never grows up out of this youtube-comments-esque bullshit

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @blueduck said:

" @KingWilly said:

" @Bocam: I suppose you weren't there when it happened. It was one of those cultural moments that kind of sent shockwaves throughout our society, much like people of previous generations talk about where they were when Kennedy was shot, this was more or less the same deal for many people in April of 1994. It really can't be expressed adequately in words how surreal it all felt at the time, or how much Kurt's death in particular more or less killed what momentum grunge as genre had left. After Kurt died, it more or less just ended. It was like everyone was riding a weird high for two years or so and then sobriety kicked our collective teeth in.  I'm sure someone else would want to disagree, but honestly, that's what I remember from it. "

Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

I meant no offense. I am not going to sit here and tell someone one life was worth more than another, either. I was only trying to illustrate for someone who wasn't there how much of an impact that news had on an entire generation of people.  "

Not really an "entire generation" more like anyone is currently 27-31, white, and middle class.  "

Alright buddy, I understand it's rather popular to be contrarian in regards to cultural events and the popular opinion surrounding them, but this isn't really the place for it. "

So a thread about the cultural impact of their deaths isn't the place to discuss the cultural impact of their death? As I was pointing out it's only popular opinion to people who are 27-31, white, and from the middle class of America. Nice use of the word contrarian by the way! "

The tone I got from your replies made it seem like you were looking for an argument. If that's incorrect then I apologise.   As for your point, I honestly don't think threads that basically amount to "rest in peace" with a quick write up of why these people were important is really the place to discuss whether or not Kurt or Layne was an asshole. I only responded to this topic because of a comment another person made, who seemed to be too young to either remember how big of a deal it was or wasn't born yet.   As for the whole "white middle class American" thing, you can say that, sure, but it's not exactly correct. While I doubt that Brazilians (or many of them, at least) mark April 5th down on the calendar to remind themselves of the day Cobain died, it was still important for a great many people in North America. You're saying that nobody was really affected by Cobain's suicide, which lends me to believe you don't remember how breaking updates on the developing situation went down, or how MTV seemed to keep reminding people every ten minutes. It was a big deal, and it was culturally relevant not just for a bunch of middle class white kids, but for the music industry as a whole. Cobain killed a lot more than just himself with that shotgun. "

" @blueduck said:

" @melcene said:

by discussing it in terms of music culture, and regional culture

 So age, race, and social status having nothing to do with these two?  "

You lack reading comprehension.
 
 
   

" cant we have a nice thread paying homage and tribute and respect to two of the Grunge lords of the world without having to fight about who killed whom and this being a pussy and that being a coward?  god damn the internet never grows up out of this youtube-comments-esque bullshit "

People's attitude here can be unnecessarily arrogant. :\
 
You can't argue the impact both Nirvana and Alice In Chains had on the music industry. Be it before or after they died, their music meant so much to millions of people and continues to do so. Obviously there will be more people out there who don't care for it, but this subject isn't for them... I don't claim to be the "biggest fan" of either band personally (though I grew up with Nirvana and still listen to them quite regularly), but I really respect what they were able to do and I think their lives should be celebrated by those with that outlook.

Never liked Nirvana and never found them or Cobain to have talent in what they did. 
 
Layne on the other hand was a shame.

If Cobain didn't kill himself Nirvana would be what Green Day is now, and maybe Grohl wouldn't have ventured off into any of his shitty projects. So I guess thats a negative and a plus respectively, so their whole scene would still be equally shit. 
 
Staley was however a very decent vocalist. Don't care for the actual music but his singing is pretty good.

 Ain't found a way to kill me yet
Eyes burn with stinging sweat
Seems every path leads me to nowhere
Wife and kids, household pet
Army green was no safe bet
The bullets scream to me from somewhere

Yeah they come to snuff the rooster
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die

Here they come to snuff the rooster
Ah yeah, yeah
Yeah, here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die

Yeah they come to snuff the rooster
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no, you know he ain't gonna die

Walkin' tall machine gun man
They spit on me in my home land
Gloria sent me pictures of my boy
Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death
My buddy's breathin' his dyin' breath
Oh god please won't you help me make it through

Yeah they come to snuff the rooster, ah yeah
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, you know he ain't gonna die

" @hexx462 said:

" @blueduck said:

" Linking Kurt Cobain's death to the assassination of Kennedy is insulting. "

How about actually making an attempt to discern what the poster was saying? It was a cultural milestone, not an attempt to place one event's value  over the other. The impact of Cobain's suicide had was massive. "

What impact was that, please go into detail because I'm having a hard time understanding. "

I'm here to pay my respects to the two greats.
 
and to tell @blueduck to stop fucking trolling. Why don't you act like a grown up and let people be. Or do you have to bother everyone?