15 years later: Kurt Cobain and William S. Burroughs
| April 8th, 2009
On this day in 1994 Kurt Cobain’s body was found. Two years earlier, Cobain and William S. Burroughs had produced the “Priest” they called him, an audio collaboration with words by Burroughs and guitar by Cobain.
I’ve been sitting on this for a while, and now it’s time to show you RealityStudio’s “Dossier”, a page of unofficially collected excerpts of information relative to Burroughs and Cobain, and culled from various sources like books, documentaries and various interviews.
When the tour hit Rotterdam on the first of September [1991], it was almost with a nostalgic wistfulness that Kurt approached the last show. He was wearing the same T-shirt he’d had on two weeks earlier — it was a bootlegged Sonic Youth t-shirt — which had gone unwashed, as had his jeans, the only pair of pants he owned. His luggage consisted of a tiny bag containing only a copy of William S. Burroughs’ Naked Lunch, which he had found in a London bookstall.
– Charles R. Cross, Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain
So, as we light our candles in memory, and as we give the “Priest” they called him another listen tonight, let our thoughts bend only toward the good that Kurt and Bill brought into our worlds and remember them, truly, as icons of American art.
I cannot believe kurts dead. He was amazing. A true icon. I love his music. And he was so hot too. R.i.p kurt. Love you xxx
This illustration, apart from being horrific and distasteful, is inaccurate. Despite the horrendous trauma that would have been caused by the shotgun wound, Kurt’s head had not been ‘blown off’. In many sources, including Charles R. Cross’s “Heavier than Heaven” the electrician who found his body rang the police only after noticing a trickle of blood from Kurt’s ear. Until that point he thought it was a dummy lying on the ground. Family and friends at his private funeral who viewed the body also were quoted as saying how considerably normal and ‘intact’ he looked, with the only noticeable alteration being his eyes sewn shut.
This is sick, and totally unneeded. Remember him by his brilliant music and words.
2.
This illustration, apart from being horrific and distasteful, is inaccurate. Despite the horrendous trauma that would have been caused by the shotgun wound, Kurt’s head had not been ‘blown off’. In many sources, including Charles R. Cross’s “Heavier than Heaven” the electrician who found his body rang the police only after noticing a trickle of blood from Kurt’s ear. Until that point he thought it was a dummy lying on the ground. Family and friends at his private funeral who viewed the body also were quoted as saying how considerably normal and ‘intact’ he looked, with the only noticeable alteration being his eyes sewn shut.
This is sick, and totally unneeded. Remember him by his brilliant music and words.
This picture is the best picture i think i have ever seen. Kurt is such an icon. Im proud to say im a huge fan of Kurt and Nirvana. I even have the nirvana logo tattooed on me. I feel so bad for Kurt. Personally i don’t think he killed himself even though it really looks like he did. I have no idea what happened and who knows what really happened. Anyways i love you Kurt. God Bless.
Sincerely,
Cody Clark
Yeah this illustration is dramatized. A medical examiner who saw kurt’s body has said that she was surprised by how intact his skull was, and there was only a smaller hole in the left side of his skull. I must say though that i think you are full of shit “russ” when you said they family saw his body on display at his funeral and his eyes were sewn shut? Total bullshit, who told you that was full of it. Kurt was cremated and his body was not on display. So get your facts right.
I miss Kurt Cobain, he was an inspiration, and such an icon. I feel terrible for what he did, and I wish that it neer happened…To realize that if he hadnt done that, HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE TODAY. that really stings to think about. But Kurt had reseans, and we cannot take away the fact that he is gone. I think the best we can do is to remember him, not for a suicidal man, but for a legend, and an amazing musician.
kurt Cobain was a great man.He will always stay in the heart of all his fans.I believe his death is justified.He was tired of drugs and just think a child having a father who is a strong drug addict! Everything he did is for her daughter. Watch his photos with frances.There was so much of love in his eyes for her. For me he is a hero.Kurt Cobain really means a lot for me. “We” love you Kurt. Rock in paradise..
classy image. however KC did not utilize an elephant gun with hollow points to do the deed. he used a light loaded shotgun for home protection. aka his face nor head were not blown off.
why would people even put the photos of his death on the internet… wtf? i love kurt cobain so much, he was such an inspiration.. :/
man kurt if u were only here today u would rock this world …. well hope to c u in the after life ……. oh hey kurt … nevermind…
@brennan “To realize that if he hadnt done that, HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE TODAY.” wtf kind of comment is that? um no shyt. he committed suicide. That’s like saying, “aw man I would’ve won the race if i didnt just lose the race.” Typically when you saw a thing like that you’re supposed to show remorse over an INDIRECT cause of the death as a way of mourning the irony or avoidability of the death. For example “Poor ronney, if he paid more attention to the roads he still would be alive today.” or “If only Michael Jackson never got addicted to them pain killers after his hair caught on fire, he’d still be alive today” It doesnt work for “Poor Kurt Cobain, he’d still be alive if he didnt kill himself.” Cause even so he probably wouldve died from drug overdose and it STILL would be his fault. At any rate, idiot commentor aside, great artist very unfortunate path he chose.
To uhwhatdoiput:
You’re the one who needs to get his facts straight. Kurt did indeed have a small funeral for family and friends, and it was indeed open casket. Read Charles Cross’s Heavier Than Heaven for the details. They said Kurt looked relatively normal, except for slight deformation of the head and as the other guy put, eyes sown shut.
Kurt WAS creamated. But that was after the ceremony, which is pretty standard, even for cremations. You need to get your fucking facts straight before calling someone else out. Cross also relates stories from the funeral, such as Courtney being hysterical, straddling Kurt’s body, and cutting locks of hair from his head and pubic hair region during the funeral.
kurt was mu idol he was the best man in music…we love you kurt..i will never forget you ..your spirit is on mine……
No reply available.. R.I.P. Man, unless you know what you can do
damm i love you kurt even if i never ever met you … your songs are beautiful .. n real