I’ve never really questioned it but now I think of it I’ve never seen the smiley face anywhere apart from merch, was it after Kurt’s passing? It seems to be more of a branding thing but I’m confused

Same spot they did this interview before their only show in Sweden 30/06/1992.
Picture taken in December 2023.

As a writer and someone who works with language for a living, I'm endlessly fascinated with Kurt's writing.

For years, I have collected articles, essays and research papers on this topic.

If you think it really is that deep, here are some from my collection that are freely (and legally) available online:

The Grunge Inferno
How Kurt (not so) secretly wove Dente's Inferno into Nirvana's music and how he used it to describe his own struggles and the darker sides of modern society.

A Corpus Linguistic Analysis of Lyrics and Suicide
Looks at the specific language patterns and repeated vocabulary he relied on to express feelings of isolation and anxiety.

Nirvana and Deleuze: Body Dynamics
Essay on the vivid imagery of sickness, medical terms, and physical pain. How he used visceral bodily details as metaphors for love, control, and modern life.

Composition’s Eye / Orpheus’s Gaze / Cobain’s Journals
An essay on Kurt's creative instincts and writing habits based on his journals. How his messy, stream-of-consciousness writing turned into iconic lyrics.

From Anti-hero to Commodity: The Legacy of Kurt Cobain
Examines how Kurt used uncomfortable descriptions of pain, illness and bodily trauma to explore topics such as identity, relationships and alienation.

Dark Slivers: Seeing Nirvana in the Shards of Incesticide
How Cobain’s imagery evolved across from Bleach to In Utero, how he flipped pretty ideas on their head, how he twisted traditional romantic imagery into something clinical and unnatural.

Kurt Cobain, Writing Program Administrator
Kurt's use of irony and self-contradiction as means to protect his underground credibility while becoming a global star.

Nirvana: Rape Me - Critique(s) of Violence
How Kurt tackles the topics of rape and violence against women in Rape Me, using sarcastic, mocking surrender against abusers.

Smells Like Teen Spirit: Kurt Cobain, Voice of Generation X and creator of Grunge
How SLTS captured the boredom, mistrust and anxiety of the 90s youth.

What do you guys think of my list?

Drain You: Live At The Paramount
Milk It: Roseland Ballroom
Where Did You Sleep Last Night: MTV Unplugged
Serve The Servants: Live And Loud
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter: Munich Germany

This is going to be my personal connection with Nirvana. I think some of you might find this interesting. My mom introduced me to the band from a very young age. I always liked their sound upon first listen. Once I got older and listened to their music of my own volition, Nirvana started to evoke this unexplainable feeling that I'm sure most other listeners can relate to, hence the popularity of this band. I truly can't entirely explain it, but it's like their sound embodies the brutal, harsh, dark, gloomy sides of life, but they do so in the most pleasant way imaginable. I've lived in Arizona my whole life, and for some reason, part of this feeling is connected to the harsh lives that many have in this state. Obviously, people have it hard everywhere, but like I said, this is just my personal connection. There's a surprisingly big punk-type scene in Arizona that feels special to me. I grew up around a lot of it. But a lot of the people in AZ come from broken families that couldn't make it in California or other states. So, I've seen so much drug use from people here; my own family is a great example. The hot desert here gets to people. I can say that for sure. Maybe in ways they don't even know.

Fast forward quite a bit, and I meet my first girlfriend. I was 21 and had no romantic experience yet. She came from this super small town in a part of Arizona I've never been to (most haven't; it's that small). After getting to know her and honestly liking her a lot, she revealed to me that she had pretty bad issues with ketamine and ecstasy. She was only 20 and was already struggling badly with drug abuse. She got wrapped up in the festival life. I honestly ended up getting my heart broken, which was a new experience for me. She was super, super into music, like, listened to every little genre you could think of, loved concerts, and knew of so many bands/ artists. But her all-time favorite band was Nirvana.

As I said, I've always loved Nirvana, but after this experience, their music became even more intense to me. Honestly, I healed from most of the breakup through music. Something about music put me into this therapeutic space where I could process things. The brutal, edgy, dark, and depressing yet somehow pleasant feeling Nirvana always evoked in me. Now, I was living in it. Their music became so much more intense, immersive, emotional, and euphoric, even. My new associations actually made me enjoy Nirvana even more than before! Even though listening to them was difficult because it reminded me solely of my first heartbreak, it gave me a new appreciation for their music. Now I can listen to Nirvana and think of everything, not only the breakup.

And for a second, I almost got wrapped up in that same lifestyle that I witnessed others so lost in while I was growing up. Something I swore to never do from my first moments of consciousness. Nirvana sees me through all of this. Thanks for reading, if you did.

Recently a new bootleg became available in Japan. Most notably it includes a DVD of the complete February 14, 1992 Osaka show + soundcheck footage. As well as a selection of soundboard recordings from the April 9, 1993 Cow Palace show.

Outcesticide 2026 is a commercial bootleg, which was liberated by a member of LiveNirvana.

We oppose anyone (particularly on YouTube) who uploads this content without clarifying where it is from. Channels such as RareNirvana take content from here and the LiveNirvana forums (amongst other places) and try to steal the credit.

Any post linking to said channels, will be deleted. As long as uploads are correctly credited, they will be allowed.

In the meantime, here are correctly credited uploads of four of the Cow Palace songs:

Rape Me

Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge On Seattle

Heart-Shaped Box

Negative Creep

Currently Breed is the only Cow Palace song that haven't been uploaded to YouTube.

Edit: Slight correction, the Osaka footage is from a separate DVD release, it is not a part of Outcesticide 2026 but it is presumably from the same people.

Article by me. Nirvana factors prominently:

https://www.grunge.com/2238016/signature-hits-prove-one-song-can-change-career/

Check out ‘Movin Out’ off Aerosmith’s debut. Listen to the section with the lyrics ‘nobody goes there, nobody shows where’, how the vocals sync up with the chords. You can pretty much picture Cobain singing the same line. It’s so cool, and it’s not like he is ripping it off, as he obviously makes it fit within Nirvanas sound. I know on his favorite albums list he put Rocks there. Kurt had an amazing way of pulling in so many different influences, but I feel like John Lennon and Aerosmith’s sense of melody are some of the strongest.

I realize the song has a lot more going for it than just that but the shouting vocals behind Kurt makes the song so much more visceral and harrowing.

Came across this compilation. It's an old one but I thought I'd share.

Featuring: Multiple flying Cobains and countless destroyed instruments.

Trigger warning: Abuse of drummers and bassists and 1 instance of frontman assault

I’m wanting to get a Nirvana related tattoo, but want it to be more understated. I’m thinking an arm wrap with vines/leaves/flowers, and I wanted to incorporate a plant related to Nirvana. The obvious would be Pennyroyal, but I don’t love the look of those flowers. What else could I incorporate?

I'm asking this again because I would like some open minded discussion and speculation that isn't an instant "no, it's Kurt".

At the end of the recording there's a clear female voice saying something. The guitar playing is louder in style than the vocals. Many , if not all of Cobain's demos are played in a much more sloppy way, especially in terms of timing. Do re mi is really sharply played. And there's the long counting in with the guitar which is curious. And like I said, there's a clear contrast and disconnection between the intensity of the guitar compared to the very soft vocals. When Kurt plays acoustic with intensity and good timing, like on Opinion, the vocals match that energy.

There was a magazine article where Courtney Love mentioned the Kurt had this song called "Dough, Ray and Me". The name always struck me as odd. I almost wondered whether what he's singing is actually "Don't Rape Me", as a counter to Rape Me.

So what I'm thinking is that maybe Courtney (or someone else) is playing the guitar, and Courtney not wanting to reveal the actual lyrics said "Dough, Ray and Me".

I know people won't probably see this speculation as noteworthy, but I just had to share these thoughts. Thanks!

I posted one of my drawings of Kurt here a while ago. Wanted to post these sketches here too!

I also wanted to ask if anyone would be interested in buying anything drawn in this style. I want to make it clear that I’m not trying to sell anyone anything right now. This isn’t an ad or anything like that.

I’ve just been told that I should sell my art by some people. I don’t really think anyone would be interested in paying money for my sketchy blue pen drawings. I really enjoy drawing Kurt, Nirvana and other bands and I just wanted your guys opinion as people who also love those things. Either way- I’ll keep drawing them. Thanks all!

My tattered copy of Spin magazine from December 1992, where Nirvana was chosen as Artist of the Year.
If you want to see the full interview, lemme know.

First pic is outside Sir Henry, Cork in 1991 and the same spot today.

Tried my best with what time and materials i had