Cobain's privacy raped in 'Journals'

by Jennifer Contreras
Photography Editor

As I turn up the volume in my 1993 white Pontiac Grand Am while I coast around town, those behind me can see me bouncing in my seat. Obviously, I am grooving to a song I really love. The words come streaming out of the speakers like a drink of cold water on a hot day. "Come on over and do the twist/Overdo it and have a fit/Love you so much it makes me sick/Come on over and do the twist." Ah, the sweetly enraged sounds of Nirvana's "Incesticide" - one of my favorite drive time rituals.

The year was 1991, which would make me about 10 going on 11. But even at that age, I could feel something happening. The pop world as we knew it was about to get rocked the "F" out. A cultural revolution was on the brink of birth, and out of nowhere, it emerged from the womb of a three-man show from Seattle.

We all felt it. It was a satisfying slap in the face. My young mind was intrigued and still, the mystery is still unraveling.

Fan or no fan, you can't deny the impact felt by their breed of music. And you can't deny the gnarly force of grungy kid-turned-rock-icon, Kurt D. Cobain.

Music and pop culture will never be the same. And I trust that it is safe to say that Kurt continues to impact and bewilder. But, I ask is it our right to quell our thirst of wonderment about this fallen star by invading his mind?

With the upcoming release of never heard Nirvana music and a new Nirvana song shaking the airwaves, you'd think that is enough for fans who have wanted for more since Kurt's tragic death.

Unfortunately not.

'Journals' is what it is called and the title is exactly what it sounds like - journal entries of Kurt Cobain.

In the Oct. 28 issue of Newsweek, excerpts from the book were published along with a brief article stating that Courtney Love was paid about $4 million for his journals. The book, which is a collection of hand written diary entries, drawings, band memos, letters and other writings, will be released next month. That's when the line between privacy and public property will be erased for Kurt. Newsweek published small portions of large entries and although I am appalled at the idea, I must admit that I read them. Afterward, it was clear to me that it is simply an invasion of privacy. Even if he is deceased and his widow owns the rights to his property, should his right to privacy be taken away? It is this fan's opinion that it is unnecessary and invasive. Let's see what Kurt has to say.

"You have raped me harder than you will ever know," he wrote in response to an incident in which private writings of his were stolen. How would you feel if your journal was stolen and published?

What I have written for you here is for you. What sits on pages of hemp in a hiding spot in my bedroom is for me. I shudder to think that the people I love would ever rob me of that just to make a profit.

I can see where the interest lies, heck, I could not resist reading those revealing scribbles myself. But that only proves that we as a society are too wrapped up in the lives of those in the limelight, and not nearly as interested in the real stuff that is going on around us. I mean how did we let our Senate get trampled by a herd of elephants? (Are you scared too?) We don't need 'Journals.' We as fans have done fine without it for a long time.

So just enjoy listening to "Aneurysm" in the morning on the way to class. Give your tired mornings a kick with "New Wave Polly" or "Sliver." Now that is Nirvana. From one fan to others, peace out.

Jennifer Contreras, a senior photojournalism major, is photography editor of the Campus Times. She can be reached by e-mail at kinipela_peace@yahoo.com.