National Geographic are feeling nostalgic for grunge era and so have turned their cameras on the strange wilderness that once was Aberdeen, Washington. Above, you’ll find a clip from the forthcoming miniseries, The ’90s: The Last Great Decade?, exploring in broad strokes the rise of Nirvana and the relationship between Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love. Therein, the ever outspoken widow aims to dispel the “myth” that her husband had no interest in becoming famous.
“He wanted it baaaad,” she says. “He wrote to every major, minor, any label, ‘We’ll pay. Let us be on your label.’ He was desperate to be the biggest rock star in the world. Absolutely desperate. But he made it look like it was thrust upon him.”
Earlier in the clip, however, a clear-eyed Cobain can be seen saying, “I’m too stubborn to allow myself to ever compromise our music or turn us into big rock stars. I just don’t feel like that.” Mr. and Mrs. Cobain also each weigh in on the media attention and bullying they experienced as a couple. And touched upon, however briefly, is Nirvana’s strong stance for feminism, and against homophobia and “jock shit.”
Legendary Nevermind producer Butch Vig makes a cameo, as does 90210 actress Shannen Doherty. According to Rolling Stone, the NatGeo series will premiere on Sunday July 6 and cover such topics as “Bill Clinton’s presidency, MTV’s The Real World, Jerry Springer, and the Macarena.” Speaking of MTV, we recently shared 1992 footage of Nivana fans — including a 14-year-old Phil Elverum — being interviewed outside of a Seattle show.
Also, Kurt and Courtney’s daughter Frances Bean Cobain made the news over the weekend for warning Lana Del Rey of the dangers of romanticizing dying young.
Check out SPIN’s classic Nirvana coverage:
Nirvana: SPIN’s Original Album Reviews, Collected
Nirvana: Read SPIN’s 1994 Cover Story on Kurt Cobain’s Death, ‘Into the Black’
Nirvana: Read SPIN’s 1994 Kurt Cobain Eulogy, ‘Grain of the Voice’
Nirvana: Read SPIN’s 1994 Essay on Kurt Cobain’s Punk Ethics, ‘Revolutionary Debris’
Nirvana: Read SPIN’s 1994 Essay on Kurt Cobain’s Rise, ‘Out of the Blue’
Nirvana’s Greatest Hits: The SPIN Cover Stories
Kurt Cobain in Photos: A SPIN Scrapbook
