Number 18

Today's song: In Bloom by Nirvana

This post took a big swerve when i was doing the ground work for the posting.  Generally when i decide on the song for the day i find a video and watch it.  This process helps me decide what to write.  By now you've probably figured out that i like videos more than i like listening to music.  Being a child of the Eighties, i grew up with MTV.  This was back in the long, long ago when the M stood for Music, not Moron.

I had planned to talk about how i liked the contrast between the ways the band is depicted in the video for In Bloom.  The wholesome boys from the fifties versus the trouble making freaks that Nirvana wanted to be.  And i do like the contrast, don't get me wrong.  But every now and then you come across something that changes the way you look at things -- this isn't one of those times.  This is one of those times where you find something that confirms everything you were thinking before and you realize that you are always right. This experience probably happens for me more often then it does for you, dear reader.

When i was looking for the video for In Bloom i came across the original video on the Spike website.  I'll reproduce the poster's description of the video in its entirety for your consideration:
The original video, before fame supersized the band, has a creepy-cool vibe more in tune with the song's lyrics. Even though Nirvana's been endlessly imitated ever since, they have never been matched. (P.S. This early video features second drummer Chad Channing. Dave Grohl was the band's third.).  This was enough to get me to load up the video and check it out.

What i realized was i was right.  You see, i was in Seattle when Kurt Cobain shot himself.  I could not understand the hundreds of children who were holding vigil for Cobain.  I liked Nirvana, they made some good music.  But Cobain wasn't someone that i was going to lose any sleep over.  Cobain was an out of control addict who didn't want to take responsibility for his problems.  Over the years i had softened a little in my opinion.  Time made me question whether or not Cobain and Nirvana were special.

The original video for In Bloom reminded me that Cobain, while talented, was not special.  The video shows Cobain engaging in the typical antics of a guy in a band.  He probably had more talent than most people who join bands, but the world is no worse off without him.  Arguably it is better.  Dave Grohl may not have gone on to form Foo Fighters if Cobain was still around.  Maybe they would have gotten back together made a little more music and then fizzled out the way Smashing Pumpkins did.  Had Cobain elected to confront his troubles head on things may have been different, but that isn't the kind of guy he was.

Final score
Bob 1
Hundreds of crying teenagers 0

Later

Bob