Kurt Cobain undeniably prided himself on being the complete opposite of whatever a guitar hero is meant to be – the antichrist of the genre, if you will.
Indeed, the entire concept of being a hero, saving the world and being lauded with a bed of roses, quite frankly, made the Nirvana frontman feel sick. He was in music not to become the beacon of a generation, but to simply speak to the masses and deliver some home truths. Unfortunately for him, no matter how hard he tried, he still did end up becoming the former.
In this respect, it was one of those things that Cobain just had to learn to live with, no matter how much he resented the status afforded to him. Without ever setting out or intending to be, he was the quintessential anti-establishment beacon of Generation X, otherwise making him be known as a hero to many. Yet among some crowds, this was also met with some consternation – in what world could your guitar hero ever be someone who couldn’t even get the notes right?
Listen, it’s not an entirely unfair assessment to make. Let’s not beat about the bush: Cobain’s playing style was never exactly characterised on its perfection, meticulousness, or intricacy. His mantra was messy, loud, and blazing, because you just couldn’t make a true rock song by being the prodigal genius. You had to change things up, trial new experiments, and sometimes just take a chance on things. Sure, they didn’t always work, but you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs.
Cumulatively, all of this made Cobain an effervescent star, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t have his moments of true shining mastery. Despite every one of his protestations to the contrary, there absolutely was a method in his madness, and a sonic delicacy that flowed through his veins. To this end, whether he liked it or not, he was always a guitar hero, and this was only exemplified from the earliest possible point, from one of Nirvana’s breakout songs, ‘Mr Moustache’.
Taken from the band’s debut album Bleach, and clocking in at 179 beats per minute, this was a song that blitzed through the airwaves and indisputably made Cobain’s fingertips scream until they bled. It wasn’t often that you would find him following intricate patterns or layers of depth in his guitar work, but ‘Mr Moustache’ was a total rare exception, not only in its speed and sound, but for everything it represented within the Nirvana canon.
Everything about ‘Mr Moustache’ centred on the premise of machismo and bravado – characteristics that Cobain morphed between embodying and eschewing over various points in his career. But one thing remained constant throughout it all. The man never wanted to be considered as a hero, and the fact he went to his death being worshipped as one, let alone being enshrined in legend afterwards, could prove to be a blight on all he achieved. But no matter which way you regard him, it was always clear: no one else ever played the guitar like Cobain.