Review: Heavier Than Heaven (Charles R. Cross)

Amazon.com's review.

"He was the shape of suicide." - Ryan Aigner about Kurt Cobain quoted in Heavier Than Heaven.

Like many people of my generation, Nirvana and Kurt Cobain shaped the way I listened to music and what I listened to. Before I found Nirvana, my musical tastes ranged only as far as New Kids on the Block and Paula Abdul. I don't remember when I first heart them - probably when "Smells Like Teen Spirit" came out - but I remember my musical tastes subsequently being transformed.

I remember watching the vigil held after his death and hearing Courtney speak and cry and wail and read Kurt's suicide note. I remember Rolling Stone published some of the note. It really affected me at the time - as it did many other kids my age. So many teenagers were absolutely devastated by his death. It's a sad story. He really was, or could have been, an amazing man. He was, no doubt, a lyrical genius who inspired many, many people.

This book was an extremely interesting read. The author delves into the psychology behind Cobain's oddities and freakishness - because, let's face it, he was a pretty weird dude, even before he began abusing drugs. The book delves into Cobain's childhood, friendships, girlfriends, but hits the heart of the matter when he meets the Great Train Wreck, Courtney Love. The book shows Courtney's "human" side. We all simply see her as a big hot mess but she really was a driving force behind his life. Many people thought of her as Nirvana's "Yoko Ono" and thought she was the one who started Kurt heavily into drugs, but the truth is, he was using long before he met her. She did her best by him, and their love for one another - and their daughter, Frances Bean - clearly shines through.