Nirvana played a significant role in bringing grunge and alternative music to the mainstream. But their frontman, Kurt Cobain, always had a soft spot for music that existed on the fringes.
He drew inspiration from legendary artists like The Beatles and David Bowie. However, he also greatly admired musicians who didn’t enjoy much commercial success.
Kurt Cobain had a deep affection for underground music scenes, especially punk. Among his favorite bands, he once singled out the Wipers, listing three of their albums – “Is This Real?”, “Youth of America” and “Over the Edge”. These are part of his cherished albums. Cobain described the Wipers as a “Portland punk band that emerged in the late seventies under the guidance of Greg Sage and released approximately four or five albums.”
His fondness for the Wipers ran deep, and he even tried to incorporate their style into his music. However, the influence of the Wipers extended beyond Nirvana.
It also reached Cobain’s wife, Courtney Love, the frontwoman of Hole, and another of Cobain’s favorite bands, the Melvins. Cobain states, “The first two [albums] were totally classic and influenced the Melvins and all the other punk rock bands. They’re another band I tried to assimilate. Their songs were so good.”
Cobain had particular praise for Greg Sage, the vocalist and guitarist of Wipers. Kurt saw him as a “romantic, quiet, visionary kind of guy.” He noted, “They started Seattle grunge rock in Portland in 1977.” Nirvana paid tribute to the Wipers by covering two of their songs, ‘D-7’ and ‘Return of the Rat,’ which introduced the Portland punk rockers to a broader audience.
Cobain’s attempt to reciprocate the influence of the Melvins was somewhat less successful. After being hired to produce their fifth studio album, “Houdini,” he was let go due to his struggles with substance abuse. Nevertheless, Nirvana’s commercial success continued to open doors and audiences for alternative bands. Buzz Osbourne, the frontman of the Melvins, acknowledged this by saying, “Left-of-center bands were getting signed because Nirvana and Soundgarden were selling tons of records.”
Kurt Cobain used his platform to champion outsider artists beyond the Wipers and the Melvins. His choice to wear a T-shirt featuring the artwork of lo-fi musician Daniel Johnson’s “Jeremiah the Innocent” from “Hi, How Are You” took him to a dedicated cult following. He held the Japanese punk girl group Shonen Knife in the highest regard and even invited them to tour with Nirvana. In Buenos Aires, he disrupted a show to support The Breeders.
Cobain and Nirvana emerged from these alternative scenes, drawing inspiration from bands like the Wipers and the Melvins. Consequently, Cobain’s support for underground, unconventional music knew no bounds.
