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A review by paul_viaf
Kurt Cobain Journals by Kurt Cobain
4.0
Voyeurism. Reading journals of famous people certainly brings about that frame of mind. The complexity of it is an amalgam of titillation, guilt, and curiosity, amongst other things. But when that initial feeling of guilt washes away, when that initial wall of intimacy is penetrated, one can just sit and begin to grow a comfort it might take years to form on a face-to-face basis. Many times we can go an entire lifetime without knowing someone wholly at all. It is important to note that just as in life, these journals are only one dimension of a person, not the totality. Although he did not voluntarily open up to me personally, I treat this intimacy with real respect. It is because I know how hard it is to be fragile. I know how hard it is to open up. I know how hard it is to know someone, really know them. And perhaps this journal is further evidence that no matter how intimate we get with someone, no one will truly get the entire picture, not even the person themselves.
Initial. The initial is the beginning. The outer most region of someone. It is an incomplete version. Initials, the letters of one name. They give the smallest of clues, if any clue at all. K.C. Kurt Cobain. What conclusions could be drawn from such miniscule letters? This is the starting point from which I chose to begin. I say chose because so much has been speculated about the monumental figure. I’ve seen many documentaries, so much footage, read so many articles, seen interviews, watched concerts, read lyrics, and yet I knew I knew very little if anything at all. After all of this familiarity with the man, I felt as if I was still at the initials, the beginning, the outer most region of his identity.
Proximity. One must consider proximity when it comes to beginning a relationship with a person. Reading a journal, unlike any other reading, feels like the beginning of a very intimate relationship. It is fast tracked. There is no grace period. Immediately one dives into the depths of a person. The reader is immediately thrust into close proximity to one’s true identity. It’s for obvious reasons. No one ever thinks, I’m going to become so incredibly famous that someday millions will give a fuck about my quotidian blurbs and most intimate feelings on any random thing in my life. But it happened. And the proximity to the most intimate thoughts of a person can be very uncomfortable initially. But once that washes away, once the relationship settles into something very familiar, once one learns the codes, languages, emotions, interests, desires, fears, and all the baggage that makes up a human, the proximity is pierced for both writer and reader. You find out about the foundations of human bonds. I found many similarities between him and I. That was comforting. It’s always great to meet a fellow weirdo. In that regard there is a fair amount of humor and quirkiness exposed. His relationship with his father seems to be an issue throughout. There’s also a fair amount of self-deprecation. At times I can't tell if he's mentally unstable, joking, an eccentric artist or what. I can't tell if I am either, so I just took it as he's all of them simultaneously. Yes, proximity can provide insights into such things. It also showed me our differences. Differences in eras, race, economics. All the ways people born across the country with different lifestyles and backgrounds can be.
In summation, this journal provides a deep look into his insecurities, addiction, self-loathing, humility, quotidian concerns, ascent into stardom, and artistic prowess. It also showcases his great drawings. lively imagination, political and social beliefs, the transition of lyrics, the evolution of iconic songs, musical tastes, and provides some nice band suggestions. The journal is also a time capsule into the era of technology and musical scene. It’s a great addition to anyone that likes him personally or just rock history in general.
Initial. The initial is the beginning. The outer most region of someone. It is an incomplete version. Initials, the letters of one name. They give the smallest of clues, if any clue at all. K.C. Kurt Cobain. What conclusions could be drawn from such miniscule letters? This is the starting point from which I chose to begin. I say chose because so much has been speculated about the monumental figure. I’ve seen many documentaries, so much footage, read so many articles, seen interviews, watched concerts, read lyrics, and yet I knew I knew very little if anything at all. After all of this familiarity with the man, I felt as if I was still at the initials, the beginning, the outer most region of his identity.
Proximity. One must consider proximity when it comes to beginning a relationship with a person. Reading a journal, unlike any other reading, feels like the beginning of a very intimate relationship. It is fast tracked. There is no grace period. Immediately one dives into the depths of a person. The reader is immediately thrust into close proximity to one’s true identity. It’s for obvious reasons. No one ever thinks, I’m going to become so incredibly famous that someday millions will give a fuck about my quotidian blurbs and most intimate feelings on any random thing in my life. But it happened. And the proximity to the most intimate thoughts of a person can be very uncomfortable initially. But once that washes away, once the relationship settles into something very familiar, once one learns the codes, languages, emotions, interests, desires, fears, and all the baggage that makes up a human, the proximity is pierced for both writer and reader. You find out about the foundations of human bonds. I found many similarities between him and I. That was comforting. It’s always great to meet a fellow weirdo. In that regard there is a fair amount of humor and quirkiness exposed. His relationship with his father seems to be an issue throughout. There’s also a fair amount of self-deprecation. At times I can't tell if he's mentally unstable, joking, an eccentric artist or what. I can't tell if I am either, so I just took it as he's all of them simultaneously. Yes, proximity can provide insights into such things. It also showed me our differences. Differences in eras, race, economics. All the ways people born across the country with different lifestyles and backgrounds can be.
In summation, this journal provides a deep look into his insecurities, addiction, self-loathing, humility, quotidian concerns, ascent into stardom, and artistic prowess. It also showcases his great drawings. lively imagination, political and social beliefs, the transition of lyrics, the evolution of iconic songs, musical tastes, and provides some nice band suggestions. The journal is also a time capsule into the era of technology and musical scene. It’s a great addition to anyone that likes him personally or just rock history in general.