Smells Like A Gross Exaggeration
So VH1 compiled its list of top 100 songs of the 90's, and wouldn't you know it, Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit topped the list. How surprising. Living through Nirvana's adulation while it was occurring was annoying enough, but watching Cobain rise to the status of a Lennon or Hendrix in death borders on unbearable.
Don't get me wrong, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a damn catchy tune. And in their short time Nirvana was able to put together a string of fine pop rock songs.
But they didn't do anything that hadn't been done before. And Cobain never pretended he did, openly acknowledging that Smells Like Teen Spirit was his attempt to write a Pixies song. At other times, he referred to Nirvana as the Cheap Trick of the 90's . Some have said that was an attempt a humility. Others say it's proof that this depressed martyr didn't understand the extent of his genius. I disagree. I think it sums up Nirvana pretty well. Both groups were fronted by blonde-haired, blue-eyed pretty boys who penned some simple, straight-forward pop rock songs. And, hey, there's nothing wrong with that. I like Cheap Trick. Nirvana too.
But Nirvana's main accomplishment was to make a style of music ---they neither invented nor expanded--- cool. They made it okay again to be lo-fi and aggressive, and they did it in a way The Pixies or Screaming Trees or Mudhoney couldn't. Because Curt Kobain was cool. He had a cool attitude. And, most importantly, he was really good-looking --- something noticeably lacking from some of the aforementioned bands. I mean, Christ, which is Cobain and which is Brad Pitt?
So, I'm sorry, but Cobain doesn't get Lennon or Hendrix status. I will put him in league with Jim Morrison, but then again, that's another guy whose legend is based on looks and personal charisma at least as much, if not more, than the music.
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Gladstone writes for Cracked and others. Go to Wayne Gladstone Lives in Maine to see all his published stuff, links to his other worthless endeavors, and his full name and state of residence.
Except Nirvana is not a pop-rock band, they're f**king punk-rock (that's what they were before everyone started calling them Grunge).
ReplyI'm actually really disappointed here. I /liked/ Gladstone.
ReplyAm I a fan of Nirvana? Hell yes. Do I believe they deserve spot #1? Not really, especially not that particular song. But I do think this article is seriously lacking in due-credit.
ReplyFor one, why are we even comparing them to Lennon? I'm sorry if The Beatles happened to be popular, but that doesn't make them good.
Come on Gladstone, the Cheap Trick of the 90's? I think Nirvana were a little more important than that. I am by no means gonna compare Cobain to Lennon, especially since the latter outlasted the former in the spotlight by about 13 years. Cobain may have eventually become as important to his generation as Lennon was to the Boomers, but that's only speculation. Hendrix? Hendrix was in a completely different league than either Cobain or Lennon. Jimi practically invented distortion and made the guitarist just as important as the singer. Eddie van Halen did the same thing 10 years later. Hendrix was probably, musically, the most important person in rock n' roll, however, he was not nearly as culturally relevant (not to say that he wasn't at all) as Lennon or even Cobain.
ReplyI agree with the last thing you said Gladstone - that Kurt was more similar to Jim Morrison than anybody else. I've always thought the same thing, but don't try to underrate Morrison - next to Lennon and McCartney, he WAS the most important rockstar of the 1960's, even if a lot of his fame was due to "good looks and personal charisma". You could argue that any artists fame, including the Beatles, was at least partly due to those things.
Overall, I'd say Nirvana were on the same level as Guns N' Roses, Van Halen, the Sex Pistols, or the Doors. Nobody is in the same league as the Beatles, including Nirvana, but they're certainly more deserving than f**king Cheap Trick.
Even though Cobain didn't invent grunge, I feel like he did it an immense favor by completely pulling it out of the 80s. He brought emotions back to music and made it about the music, not the show, which is what he truly did. Nirvana rightly should sit on top of the music world with the Beatles. I cannot think of anyone who is a lyrical "genius" they don't exist, because if you were good with words, you would be writing literature. I do think Cobain however did put a special and interesting twist onto music with his lyrics.
ReplyAll Cobain did was make Grunge popular. Listen to the early bands associated with early grunge- Mudhoney, The Melvins, much better than Nirvana.
"Grohl faggot poser" how mature...Nirvana became a lot more dynamic when Dave joined the band. they needed a hard hitting drummer. Kurt asked him to join the band just based on a single gig with Scream. So..a poser? Kurt could've had anyone in the band but chose Dave, so is he that bad?
ReplyAs for not giving credit? I've seen him give credit to Kurt and I challenge you to show him say anything bad about Kurt. Do you really think Foo Fighters have been only succesful cause Grohl was in Nirvana, come on. Sure it helped him to get a deal, but what's the point?
who ever said Grohl is a better singer, listen to Nirvanas mtv unplugged, especially "Lake of Fire" and "Where Did you Sleep Last Night" and take that back
by the way "Rusty Cage" is not a Johnny Cash cover, it's the other way round.
I honestly think Nirvana deserves the top spot. If not for smells like teen spirit then for on of their other amazing songs.
ReplyI really agree with everything Aeolian said
aeolian:
Replyare you insane? kurt cobain better guitarist than george harrison?, better than paul mccartney in anything and equal to john lennon? nevermind better than any beatles album?.
yep.
I would tell you to go and listen to revolver, the white album, abbey road or sgt pepper if you weren't deaf, or insane.
Gladstone I'm a huge Nirvana fan and I 100% agree. Kurt Cobain would not have wanted the #1 spot on VH1's best songs of the 90's! He knew that his type of songwriting had already been done, but not in Nirvana's particular style. Cobain should always be given credit for starting a mainstream musical revolution (that pushed hair metal off the edge of the earth overnight, thank god) but he would not have enjoyed the martyr status he's received since he killed himself.
Replybull shit Gladstone bull shit
ReplyWhoever said Grohl helped Kurt Cobain with guitar parts????????? Dude your smokin crack. I think Kurt Cobain was an asshole. He treated the people around him like shit; he was a whiny little bitch who did not give a fuck about his kid. Any man who shoots drugs with young kids is a low life period. but the guy was an amazing talent. I think his songs were genius and no body from that era could touch him. Grohl is a little faggot poser boy who owes EVERYTHING TO KURT COBAIN. Every time he opens his hole I want to put my fist in it. He should change the lyrics of that song from "I don't owe you anything" to "I fuckin owe you everything" He is a decent drummer yes, but nothing special or stand out and he would sill be sucking hind tit if it wasn't for Cobain. Cobain gave him a name and the fuckin guy is too much of a pussy to give him any credit.
ReplySo basically, you like Nirvana because you find Kurt Cobain sexually attractive.
ReplyWowzers, that was a long post.
ReplyForgot to mention, hey Jesi, "rock and roll" and its incarnations embrace poor grammar because they can and for other reasons. If they If they used perfect grammar they'd all sound like huge tools. Yeah, The Doors rocked, but just because Jim is a good writer doesn't mean he's a better or more influential musician than others like Hendrix.
ReplyThat's a fair assessment. I agree, Gladstone.
ReplySo Gladstone has more respect for Grohl, Because he had rich parents and lived in Baltimore!?.
ReplyGrohl is just like Vedder and the Melonheads singer who had the right connections and abilty to con DJs.
Kurt is'nt here to defend himself against you but i've got your number funny boy.
Thinking back on it now maybe Cobain looked at it as a pathetic song that should have gone no where. Maybe he was disgusted by the fact that people flocked to the song like it was a fucking Anthem.
ReplyHe probable had tons of songs read to go but was forced to make what he considered crap over, and over again. Maybe thats why he decided to take his way out of the scene
I hate whichever guy said the drummer had to help Kurt out with the guitar parts. What the fuck!?! Kurt told Dave what to do, not the other way around.
ReplyYou know what other bands didn't have a lot of technical proficiency? The Beatles and the Ramones. Think about that for a moment.
Replyjessi, there's no doubt jimmy boy could throw the words around pretty well, but he's got some serious groan inducing moments committed to tape himself. nobody's a perfect peach.
Replyi like nirvana, i agree with gladstone's assessment on this one...
except for soundgarden. never, ever did anything for me. at all. chris cornell featuring the rage against the machine all-stars sealed the deal for me on that guy.
fiendish mentioned the strokes being really cool and i think that's their main problem. sam mentioned buckley and i have to agree that grace is a monster of an album.
risking adding to the circle jerk goin on here, this is probably the most constructive internet thread i've ever read. seeing as though it's about a subject as volatile as music preferences, that's surprising.