I emailed Michael Azerrad on August 23 of this year. It was the day I found out Kurt Cobain About A Son had not only been made, but was going to have its first festival screening. In the email I expressed my excitement about the film, as I’ve been a fan of Nirvana for many years. I’ve also been an admirer of Michael’s work, especially Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana. It was that book, and later Charles Cross’ book Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain, that really got me interested in Kurt’s life. After reading as much as I had about Kurt and Nirvana, I felt like I knew quite a bit about his life. While there were certainly some extraordinary parts, he was just a guy who played in a band that wrote some of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Nirvana’s music spoke to me in a way that no other band had been able to do. It was the raw emotion, the sentimentality and the brilliant instrumentation. It spoke to me, and I wasn’t alone.
Kurt Cobain About A Son is an important film for people to see, not only because it shows Kurt simply as a young man, but also redefines what a documentary can be. It’s one of the most unique, if not the most unique documentaries I’ve ever seen. It’s not a documentary on Nirvana, it doesn’t contain any Nirvana music, it has almost no photos of Nirvana (or Kurt) except at the very end and contains little discussion of the music. The film is an intensely emotional look at Kurt’s life in his own words. Those words were drawn from 25 hours of taped conversations between Kurt and Michael Azerrad. The visuals were comprised of imagery from Aberdeen, Olympia and Seattle. These were not only places where Kurt had lived, but marked three distinct points in his life and the film. Each place had a particular feel. Whether it was different film, a richer or duller color palette, the emotion in the visuals and hearing Kurt’s voice was stunning.
He talked about everything from first getting together with Krist in high school, to living with Dave in a depressingly small apartment, to meeting Courtney for the first time to his thoughts on drugs, family and life. It’s actually difficult for me to recall many specifics, but there were definitely some laughs and other times I found myself angry for what a contradictory asshole he could be. I remember feeling the same when I was reading the books and articles sometimes. The candor and honesty in Kurt’s conversation was amazing, no doubt a reflection of the trust he had for Michael. During one particular point in the interview Kurt is expressing his utter hatred and disgust for journalists. He thinks they are the scum of the earth and says as much. In a split second of awkwardness as Kurt realizes he’s talking to a journalist, he assures Michael that he’s not part of the 99% to which he’s referring. It spoke to the friendship between them. That friendship became more apparent as the film progressed and Kurt was revealing more.
Throughout the film I had moments where I had to consciously breathe. I didn’t want to hear or see anything else. The Director, AJ Schnack was able to keenly illustrate the importance of “sense of place,†which he felt was particularly important. He explained, “In creating the visuals, I didn’t want to adhere to anyone’s idea of what “grunge†might look like - either in the cinematography or the editing. I wanted a classic structure - three acts, an overture and two interludes - with composed, dream-like imagery. That imagery, along with the I’ve-been-up-all-night tone of Kurt’s conversation, was intoxicating and haunting at times. The visuals never distracted you from the story. It was like looking out the window of slow-moving bus while someone whispered a story in one ear while a stark soundtrack played in the other. Many times, I felt like I was the only person sitting in the theater.
In much the same way the imagery helped tell the story, the music marked points and provided a sonic foundation that supported the film. Whether it was carefully chosen songs that had direct significance to Kurt such as Queen’s “It’s Late,†Big Black’s “Kerosene,†The Vaselines’ “Son of a Gun,†Scratch Acid’s “Owner’s Lament,†David Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World†or the gorgeous score by Steve Fisk and Ben Gibbard, music was important to this story. After all, it was Kurt’s story.
Whether you’re a causal or die-hard Nirvana fan, this film will appeal to you. It tells a tragic story through Kurt’s own words, dreamy visuals and music. There are moments where you’ll laugh, feel anger and certainly sadness. Even though you know how the story ends, you’ll find yourself hoping otherwise. It’s the story of Kurt Cobain’s life, but more than that it’s the story about a fellow human being that struggled with depression and was never able to find true happiness inside of himself.
A special note of gratitude to Michael Azerrad and Anne Stulz for making sure I was able to see the film.
Monday I saw Modest Mouse at The Wiltern, which I wasn't terribly excited about. I've never been a big fan of the band, but they had some good songs. Yeah, "Float On" is one of them. The show felt uninspired, forced and unrehearsed. While it was col to see Johnny Marr on stage with them, the show was pretty unimpressive. I spoke to a few fans of the band after the show who generally agreed. While I didn't feel the night was a waste (especially since the ticket was free), I walked away even less excited about the forthcoming studio album.
Thursday and Friday were real treats. Despite the fact that Joseph Arthur played The El Rey last month, he played to a packed crowd at The Troubadour on Thursday. It's weird that I'd never seen him play live before, considering I've been a huge fan since I picked up 'Redemption's Son' years ago. Whatever talent you think he has in the studio clearly comes out in a live performance as well, and he has a fun time doing it. There's nothing worse that seeing someone on stage that you know could give a shit about being up there (hello Isaac). Arthur loves it. He even dressed up for the occasion in what looked like an Elvis-inspired suite with all kinds of line drawings. Bass player (and model) Sybil Buck also dressed up for the show, which added to the enjoyment for the evening. Art was being made on the side of the stage while Arthur played many songs from his latest, and possibly greatest, 'Nuclear Daydream.' "Black Lexus," "Too Much To Hide," "You Are Free" and "Don't Tell Your Eyes" sounded like perfection. It was the kind of show you smiled about as you walked back to your car and reminded you why you love music so much.
If ever there was a band that I regret not having been a fan of it would have to be The Wrens. I bought the ticket to their show mainly because I wanted to see Asobi Seksu, who were good, but seeing The Wrens for the first time, I was in awe. Why the hell hadn't I picked up one of their albums before? I feel like someone told me I needed to years ago and now I understand why. I've rarely seen a band that inspires such a wide variety of people. There were people over 40 screaming along with 20 year olds. Everyone knew the lyrics to every song and there wasn't a single person that wasn't moving. It could have been as simple as a leg shaking back and forth to the beat or hitting one of many drum sticks handed out to the rhythm of a song. It was an incredible sight as I looked around and thought to myself, 'where the hell are these people from?' It wasn't your run-of-the-mill LA hipster crowd. And if it was, the music was too powerful for their penchant for arm crossing and shoe gazing. If you've never had the opportunity or the desire to see The Wrens, you're dong yourself a disservice. I don't care what kind of music you like. They're the godfathers of indie rock and emo and you'll thank me for the heavy endorsement. I'm gong to the record store to buy everything they've ever released.
