Cobain’s Hometown Pays Tribute To Nirvana
A memorial committee set up in remembrance of Kurt Cobain has petitioned to get a new tribute to the late Nirvana star constructed in his native town of Aberdeen, in Washington.
The memorial committee, formed in May 2004 with the goal of finding ways to honour Kurt Cobain in his hometown, have been petitioning to build a memorial park and youth centre constructed in the small town of Aberdeen.
Their efforts finally came to fruition last Monday (April 4) when a new sign was added to the 'Welcome to Aberdeen' sign on the town’s limits. The new sign [pictured] tells people to 'Come As You Are' in reference to the track on Nirvana’s classic album ‘Nevermind’.
“I think it's a good idea and it's about time,” Cobain’s grandfather Leland Cobain stated in an interview with the Aberdeen Daily World newspaper, “I drive by there every day and look for it. I have been waiting for it to go up.”
“After getting feedback from Kurt's fans across the world, we settled on 'Come As You Are' because it had dual meanings,” said committee co-chairman Jeff Burlingame, “Nirvana fans will understand the significance, yet it's vague and appropriate enough that the meaning is applicable to everyone.”
More information can be found at www.kurtcobainmemorial.org
In other Nirvana news, ‘Nevermind’ is to be added to the US Library Of Congress’ National Recording Registry. This means it will join astronaut Neil Armstrong's first words from the moon, speeches by President Wilson and songs by Al Jolson, Muddy Waters, The Beach Boys, Public Enemy and James Brown as representing historically significant recordings.
Apparently according to Library of Congress’ it was “Characterized by raw vocals, driving rhythms and surprising shifts in dynamics, the record resonated with America’s youth.” Which was nice. Rumours that The Others debut album is next to be inducted are unconfirmed as yet.
The full list (if you’re interested) in date order is:
‘Gypsy Love Song’ Eugene Cowles (1898)
‘Some Of These Days’ Sophie Tucker (1911)
‘The Castles in Europe One-Step (Castle House Rag)’ Europe’s Society Orchestra. (1914)
‘Swanee’ Al Jolson (1920)
Armistice Day broadcast by Woodrow Wilson (1923)
‘See See Rider Blues’ Gertrude "Ma" Rainey (1923)
‘Charleston’ Golden Gate Orchestra (1925)
‘Fascinating Rhythm’ from ‘Lady, Be Good!’ George Gershwin (1926)
NBC radio broadcast of Charles A. Lindbergh’s arrival in Washington, D.C. (1927)
‘Stardust’ Hoagy Carmichael (1927)
‘Blue Yodel (T for Texas)’ Jimmie Rodgers (1927)
‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ Thomas "Fats" Waller (1929)
‘Gregorio Cortez’ Trovadores Regionales (1929)
Sergei Rachmaninoff. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor (1929)
‘The Suncook Town Tragedy’ Mabel Wilson Tatro (July 1930)
Rosina Cohen oral narrative from the Lorenzo D. Turner Collection (1932)
‘Stormy Weather’ Ethel Waters (1933)
‘Body and Soul’ Coleman Hawkins (1939)
Sergey Prokofiev. Peter and the Wolf (1939)
‘In The Mood’ Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (1939)
Edward R. Murrow broadcast from London (1940)
We Hold These Truths. Radio broadcast (1941)
Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky. Piano Concerto No. 1, op. 23, Bb minor (1943)
‘Down by the Riverside’ Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1944)
U. S. Highball (A Musical Account of a Transcontinental Hobo Trip). Harry Partch (1946)
Four Saints in Three Acts. Virgil Thomson (1947)
‘Manteca’ Dizzy Gillespie Big Band (1947)
Jack Benny radio program, March 28 (1948)
‘Foggy Mountain Breakdown’ Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs (1949)
‘Lovesick Blues’ Hank Williams (1949)
'Guys and Dolls' Original cast recording (1950)
‘Old Soldiers Never Die’ General Douglas MacArthur (1951)
Songs by Tom Lehrer (1953)
‘I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man’ Muddy Waters (1954)
‘Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)’ The Penguins (1954)
Tuskegee Institute Choir Sings Spirituals (1955)
Messiah. Eugene Ormandy (1958)
‘Giant Steps’ John Coltrane (1959)
‘Drums of Passion’ Michael Babatunde Olatunji (1960)
‘Peace Be Still’ James Cleveland (1962)
‘The Girl From Ipanema’ Astrud Gilberto (1963)
‘Live At The Apollo’ James Brown (1965)
‘Pet Sounds’ The Beach Boys (1966)
King James version of the Bible. Alexander Scourby (1966)
Remarks by Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong broadcast from the moon. (1969)
‘The Allman Brothers Band at Fillmore East’ (1971)
‘Star Wars (Soundtrack)’ John Williams (1977)
Recordings of Asian elephants by Katharine Payne (1984)
‘Fear of a Black Planet’ Public Enemy (1989)
‘Nevermind’ Nirvana (1991)