When Kurt Cobain died in 1994, the world wept. Whether you are a big fan of Nirvana, or casual fan, anytime you lose someone from a major band, it is a travesty, especially when it is at their own hands.
There was a deep absence in the world of music without Nirvana, the band that is credited with putting Grunge into the forefront of music. Regardless if you think the band was what started Grunge or not, it is undeniable that they were a major force. (I think Soundgarden started the Grunge movement, commercially, but that is beside the point).
It was 8 years before we got anything that would be considered “new” from Nirvana, which was part of a Greatest Hits package. The song was “Know You’re Right”. It was a throwaway track, but that didn’t stop people from being excited about it.
Let’s fast-forward to 2023, 29 years since the passing of Kurt. Since that time, technology has progressed and keeps evolving in every aspect of life, including music. Whether it has been better for music is debatable. For example, the introduction of AI into music.
Early on, AI was asked to created songs for AC/DC:
While this sounds like typical AC/DC, the lyrical content is completely gibberish. But you can’t deny the sound is pretty damn close to what the band would sound like…and a title, which is pretty consistent with their normal fair.
Then there was AI created a new song from Metallica, using all of their music fed into a computer, the exact same way the AC/DC song was done:
Now, let’s look at what happened when someone asked AI to have Kurt Cobain sing for Soundgarden, removing Chris Cornell’s vocals and adding in Kurt Cobain.
…Wait a minute!?!?!?! Did Kurt ever try to cover “Black Hole Sun”. I mean, artists do like to do covers as a form of respect for songs and artists they like. But that isn’t what happened here.
Keep in mind, “Black Hole Sun” came out the same year that Kurt died, so it is feasible that Kurt COULD have recorded a version of this song…but he didn’t. But AI made it happen:
Then there is Radiohead’s “Creep” (a song that Radiohead won’t play in concert anymore). The song came out in 1993. Again, Kurt COULD have recorded a version of the song…but AGAIN, he didn’t. But AI made it happen.
Sorry, AI, that one is too melodic for Kurt, but the potential was there.
Then this is the really creepy, yet odd one…AI, interestingly, had Kurt sing “Everlong”. Yes, the Foo Fighter’s song. As in Nirvana’s drummer, Dave Grohl’s band. While many Foo Fighter songs were written during his time with Nirvana, Dave felt intimated to share them. But when Kurt passed, Dave decided to make it on his own after getting offers from other groups.
This one is especially creepy, as AI decided to put Kurt into a Dave song. Since the original came out in 1997, music had changed to a less Grungy sound. And Foos are more straight-ahead rock. This could give us a window into how Nirvana would have sounded, if Nirvana was able to continue. I hate to say it, but Nirvana would have probably faded away or broken up, if this was the sound they were going for. Sadly, we will never know, but I can tell you one thing, there is a VAST difference between Kurt and Dave’s music. And it is proof that you can’t match the original…not even AI can do it.
I hate to say it, but Kurt on Foo Fighters “Everlong”, just plain sucks. Personally, I wish this was never done. It isn’t a great epitaph to Kurt’s legacy. While he, nor his estate, had ANYTHING to do with these songs, it saddens me to hear these song, not because I was a huge fan of Kurt, but rather, because some of these are absolutely terrible.