Scott, I am glad that you posted this today. I have not been into rock music, merely because I was born with overly-sensitive ears. My audiologist: "I've never seen ears this sensitive." Hearing in "negative" decibels. So, in spite of not having been a dedicated fan, the issues resonate with me. And I can think of a lot of people who, while they might not have actually taken their lives in a sudden and dramatic act, have gone into tailspins in their lives that were a form of slow suicide. Creative writing is a form of exercise in Zen for me. This post is a reminder of the joy of sharing that can naturally comes when we are authentic in the creative process, and how important it is to keep in touch with that joy. Perhaps that sensation of being in touch with a creative process is really what keeps any human going. Interesting that this is also President's day, a day in which we're reminded of our Constitution and the protection of our rights, including the pursuit of happiness. There seems a connection.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" was without-a-doubt my generation's Beatles-on-Sullivan-moment. I remember being eleven-years-old and seeing the video. I thought two things: 1) I've never heard music like this. and, 2) I want to be a part of that. By the time I started junior high, 25% of us had garage bands. And that only increased when Kurt died. He was a huge influence my teen years and all around me. Even if you didn't like him, that was how you were defined. That's probably the best compliment you can give an artist.

[...] Remembering Kurt Cobain (gointothestory.blcklst.com) [...]

I was disappointed to learn I was one of those who bought a copy of the CD before the label realized there was a hidden song on it. From what I understand, I have one of the first 50,000 copies of the album (though I've also read 100,000 being the correct figure). Nevertheless, it's a rare version considering how many copies are in print. They came to play at Alumni Arena my first year at UB and I recall asking my suite-mates if anybody was interested in seeing them. Nobody was... until somebody else suggested it a day or two before the concert without telling me. Hmmm... Anyway, the show was November 5, 1993 and he died less than four months later. I have attended a couple of concerts by myself since then, saying screw it if nobody else is interested. Not going to stop me from doing something I want to do.

What a lot of people don't realize is how bad the music scene was when Nirvana exploded onto it. Prior to them, it was a lot of really canned dance music and bubblegum nonsense. Nirvana and the bands that followed suit right after (Temple of the Dog, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, etc.) slashed and burned all that junk right into the ground, even if only for a short while, and it was such a liberating breath of fresh air.

Agreed, Jeff. Similar in a way to when punk music blew up during the height of the disco era. Have you seen the movie "Singles," Cameron Crowe's homage to the Seattle music scene? Actually features members of Pearl Jam. Re Nirvana: I remember my wife and I keeping MTV on for days just so we could watch the video to "Smells Like Teen Spirit".