The tragic suicide of Kurt Cobain in 1994 sent shockwaves throughout the music world. As the songwriter behind Nirvana, Cobain provided a voice for the disenfranchised youth of the 1990s, introducing global audiences to the revolutionary sounds of grunge in the process. His death left a gaping hole in the music world, leaving behind a near-flawless discography, legions of devoted fans, and an unavoidable level of uncertainty over what Nirvana might have sounded like were the band to carry on.
Very few bands could recover from the death of their songwriter and frontman – in fact, Joy Division and their morph into New Order might be the only decent example. Thus, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic went their own separate ways following the death of their friend and bandmate. Forming the Foo Fighters, Grohl pursued a style of rock music much closer to classic rock and hard rock than anything Nirvana had ever thought about playing. This complete change in direction offered little insight into what the grunge heroes might have sounded like if Cobain had remained alive and the band continued on.
The sound of Nirvana developed rapidly through the years. Their early period as a brash, abrasive, grunge outfit soon gave way to the universal appeal of their defining album, Nevermind. It was the diversity and development of their sound which made Nirvana such an enduring and successful group; staying put in one place did not sit well with the artistic ethos of Cobain. This trend continued into what turned out to be the band’s final album, In Utero, which was far more stripped back and vulnerable than Nevermind.
Aside from being an utterly incredible album, In Utero provides a glimpse at the direction in which Cobain’s songwriting was headed. As his personal life became more complex, with the birth of his daughter and marriage to Courtney Love, Cobain’s songwriting also became more complex and emotionally charged. The understated track, ‘All Apologies’, is perhaps the greatest example of this.
An invaluable account of Cobain’s mental state during the In Utero period, ‘All Apologies’ deals with his worries, relationships, and feelings of being an outsider. In addition to being one of the standout tracks from In Utero, the track also might provide an idea of what Nirvana would have sounded like, had they been allowed to continue on. After all, the track still features that distinctive Cobain growl, and moments of grunge-influenced chaos, but also shows a move towards more intimate and honest offerings.
Of course, it is virtually impossible to predict what Nirvana would have produced if their frontman hadn’t taken his own life. There is, after all, a distinct possibility that the band might have split up after In Utero anyway, spurred on by the disastrous tour and the general fatigue attached to being in a band for so long.
Nevertheless, ‘All Apologies’ seems as if it would be the best bet for the future sound of Nirvana. They could not hold onto their grunge sound forever, as interest in the genre waned into the mid-1990s, and developments in Cobain’s personal life with his family meant that his songwriting would have likely become much more personal and emotional as the years went on.
Regardless of whether ‘All Apologies’ presented a snapshot of Nirvana’s future, it remains one of Cobain’s finest moments of songwriting. Tracks like ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘Come As You Are’ might have been infinitely more popular, but if you had to sum up the talent and personality of Kurt Cobain in just one song, it is difficult to think of a better one than ‘All Apologies’.
