Book Review: Cobain Unseen by Charles R Cross
The First Authorised Illustrated Biography of Kurt Cobain
Dec 4, 2008
The death of Kurt Cobain at the age of 27 shocked the world. When the lead singer and driving force behind the immensely popular Nirvana committed suicide in April 1994, he left behind his wife, his baby daughter and a musical legacy that according to Rolling Stone magazine “changed the course of rock music”.
Charles R. Cross’s illustrated biography Cobain Unseen (Cassell, 2008) is an absorbing tribute to the revered rock legend. Given access to Cobain’s personal effects by his wife Courtney Love, Cross has put together a book that no Nirvana fan will be able to pass up.
Kurt Cobain’s Childhood Through Artwork and Photographs
Family photographs accompanying the early chapters of Cobain Unseen show Kurt as a boy already interested in music and art. Polaroid snapshots show a young Cobain at an easel, on Christmas with a new drum kit, and with a tambourine and guitar. Music in particular was obviously an essential part of his life from a very young age.
In addition to these childhood photographs usually found in biographies, there are reproductions of some of Cobain’s early paintings. Large fold-outs of watercolours painted by Cobain at ten and thirteen years of age highlight that his artistic talents were already evident.
Rare Cobain Photographs and Memorabilia
The personal photographs continue throughout the biography. There are few staged professional portraits. Most of the included photographs are candid shots of Cobain and his friends and family. The photos of Cobain and his baby daughter Frances Bean are particularly personal and moving.
In gaining access to Cobain’s effects, Cross has also included facsimiles of many small pieces of memorabilia for the appreciation of fans, giving the book a scrapbook feel. These include:
- a handwritten sticker sheet of Nirvana name tags
- flyers from early Nirvana shows
- a hand-drawn card from a young Cobain to his family
- an audio CD of spoken-word monologues (originally recorded by Cobain on cassette)
- a handwritten draft of “Smells Like Teen Spirit”
Cobain was also an avid collector - of heart-shaped boxes and porcelain dolls in particular, and images of these are also scattered throughout the text.
A Comprehensive Biography of Kurt Cobain
Considering Cross is the author of the bestselling Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain (Hyperion, 2001), it is not surprising that the narrative of Cobain Unseen is also insightful and well-researched. By focusing less on Cobain’s career in music and more on his personal and emotional life, Cobain Unseen highlights his creativity, immense talent and emotional frailty.
Between the words and the images of Cobain Unseen, Cross has created an incredibly intimate portrait of one of the music world’s most tragic yet influential figures.
Cobain Unseen (ISBN 0 340 97726 2, 159 pages)
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