Kurt Cobain Through The Eyes Of His Imaginary Friend, And His Nirvana Bassist Give New Perspectives

The life and death of late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is once again getting renewed attention, as biographer Nicolas Otero prepares for the release of his graphic novel, Who Killed Kurt Cobain? While the fact that this is a graphic novel recounting Kurt’s life through the eyes of his childhood imaginary friend, named Boddah, Otero seems to have done his research and delivers a non-fictional account of the Nirvana singer’s life and death.

Meanwhile, one of the men to have known Cobain best of all, Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic, is opening up about Kurt in a new interview, attempting to interpret how Cobain might see the world today. Is it just a flight of fancy, or is Novoselic really qualified to allow Kurt Cobain to speak through him from beyond the grave?

Nicolas Otero Asks Who Killed Kurt Cobain?

In writing Who Killed Kurt Cobain?, Otero explains to Bleeding Cool that this project was a labor of love, inspired by Nicolas’ life long love for Nirvana, their music, and their legendary lead singer. The biographer says he was like millions of others, following Nirvana through the ’90s and attending their concerts whenever possible, including a very memorable Nirvana performance in Paris, France, in the summer of 1992. Otero adds that writing Who Killed Kurt Cobain? brought back those old feelings and admits it made him feel like a teenager once again.

Initially, Otero’s cousin had been the Nirvana singer’s biographer, intending to write a straight-forward biography, but, as Nicolas reveals, fate intervened and compelled him to take on the project. The result is a book as uniquely compelling as Kurt Cobain, himself.

“It was a strange experience. It all started with a strange dream when I was in the closet. I opened this closet and I saw blonde hair, and there was a lot of blood. In my personal life, I got a cousin and a friend who committed suicide just before, and it was really hard for me to understand that. My friend Heloise was writing this novel. I called her and I said, ‘I dreamed about your book, and I’ve got to make an adaptation. It’s really important for me.’ She finds this very strange, I can agree, but she accepts and I did the book.”

While Who Killed Kurt Cobain? is a non-fiction endeavor, Otero admits he has taken some liberties, switching around events and altering dialogue. To achieve this and remain distanced from the story of Kurt Cobain’s life, Otero says taking on Boddah, Cobain’s imaginary friend, was a great tool in crafting his story.

In telling the Nirvana founder’s story, Nicolas doesn’t censor life. He gives it in its rawest, truest sense, just as Kurt Cobain lived it. He says readers will find a storm of violence, blood, passion, and drugs within the graphic novel’s pages, warning that some portions are the book will be difficult for readers to get through.

“The life of Kurt Cobain was extraordinary, sad but powerful and intense,” says the Who Killed Kurt Cobain? author.

Nirvana Bassist Krist Novoselic Believes Kurt Cobain Would Have Much To Say About Today’s Music

September marked the 25th anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind, and marking the occasion, a flood of tributes to the song were released from a long line of contemporary musicians, but Krist Novoselic told Rolling Stone that Kurt Cobain wouldn’t have been impressed. He adds that Kurt was very cynical of music, even of his fellow grunge musicians, so Krist feels Cobain would be very critical of today’s musicians.

“I love him, but boy, I don’t know what he’d think of a lot of music today. He wouldn’t hold his punches,” Krist says of Cobain. “Kurt just had so much passion, the way he’d sing and feel about the music. We all had this intensity.”

Even so, Novoselic does still feel the loss very keenly, remarking that he wishes Cobain was still around. Like millions of Nirvana fans, the loss of Cobain has left Krist with a dark emptiness that has yet to be filled, but the Nirvana bassist finds hope in a resurgence of fans, newly discovering the band and its iconic lead singer.

“A whole new generation of listeners are discovering Nirvana and [are] connecting with Nirvana. It’s always good that we remember Kurt,” Noveselic said. “He lives on.”

While the April 5, 1994, loss of Kurt Cobain was tragic and has left his fans hurting from the feeling that they have lost more than a musician, possibly a dear friend, his creative genius can still be felt in the treasure trove of music he left behind. Nirvana released three studio albums, Bleach, Nevermind, and In Utero, as well as an additional three live albums, MTV Unplugged in New York, From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah, and Live at the Reading.

[Featured Image by Larry Busacca/Getty Images]