Kurt Cobain: unseen pictures

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Kurt Cobain in Tracy Marander’s flat, Olympia, Washington, circa 1989, around the release of Nirvana’s debut album ‘Bleach’. Marander was Cobain’s girlfriend at the time, and he relied on her for money and accommodation. In this picture he is seen drinking Strawberry Quik milkshake, which he drank regularly because he believed it coated his stomach, which acted up when he was on the road.

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A polaroid of Kurt Cobain circa summer 1990, the period in which he wrote most of ‘Nevermind”s best-known songs, such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ and ‘Drain You’ (although the latter was originally called ‘The Retards’). His T-shirt publicises the local Pop Underground Festival (which Nirvana did not play at) and he is holding his kitten, Spina Bifida. Taken from ‘Cobain Unseen’ by Charles R. Cross.

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Kurt Cobain with Beat Generation writer and long-time heroin addict William S. Burroughs, August 1994. Cobain wanted Burroughs to appear in the video for ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ as a crucified man on a cross. Burroughs refused but the pair became friends. On this occasion, at Burroughs’ home in Kansas, they chatted about the blues musician Leadbelly.

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