It is over ten years - April 8th 1994 - since Kurt Cobain's body was found in the upstairs room of the garage at his Seattle home and yet the truth behind his death is still not clear. What made him end his life and become a member of that 'stupid club' as his mother called it? At the time, the reaction of the world's media was mixed, some agreeing with Kurt's mother Wendy whilst others saw it as a drug-induced tragedy waiting to happen, lamenting the loss of a true musical talent. Many believed that the pressures of stardom, society and fame had killed him whilst Courtney Love, Kurt's wife, called him 'an asshole'. Kurt himself simply wrote in his suicide note that it was 'better to burn out than just fade away'. So what is the truth? "Kurt Cobain: The Cobain Dossier", edited by Martin Clarke, brings together all the best writing about Cobain and his phenomenally successful band Nirvana both before and after his death. Nobody is trying to imply that there was anything suspicious about the circumstances of Kurt's death, but every commentator has a different fix on the motivation behind his suicide.
By bringing together the many points of view, "Kurt Cobain: The Cobain Dossier" provides a complete picture of the man, his influence and the impact of his life and death on his generation, an influence that still resonates today. It is a fitting memorial to the singer-songwriter who has been hailed as the first true rock 'n' roll star of the nineties.