The Cobain 50

Janice Headley dives into She Hangs Brightly by Mazzy Star. Born from California's Paisley Underground scene, the group is distinguished by the languid vocal style of Hope Sandoval, a Mexican-American songwriter who came into the spotlight in the 1990s. This episode is part of KEXP's monthlong Aquí y Ahora programming for Latinx Heritage Month , officially celebrated from September 15 to October 1...

Dusty Henry dives into Damaged by Black Flag. While we covered their sophomore album My War earlier in this series , Black Flag’s debut album introduces us to one of its most prominent singers: Henry Rollins, who ushered in one of the band’s boldest eras.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry...

During KEXP's fall fund drive , we're celebrating the 33rd anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind and the 31st anniversary of  In Utero . Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, and Albina Cabrera share a tale of two albums — one polished, one gritty — including the music's impact on them personally and across the world.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Special thanks: Albina Cabrera, host of El Cancionero...

Roddy Nikpour dives into the album  Entertainment! by Gang of Four. They are the antiheroes of pop music, writing poignant lyrics that denounce the ideals of capitalism, accompanied by guitar riffs that are as choppy as they are danceable.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.  Support the podcast:...

Janice Headley dives into Pod by The Breeders. Their debut album really lets Kim Deal shine outside of her role in The Pixies. The Breeders influenced generations of artists, including Kurt Cobain, who invited the band to open for Nirvana twice during their touring career.  Hosts: Dusty Henry & Martin Douglas Written + Produced: Janice Headley Mixed + Mastered: Roddy Nikpour Podcast Manager: I...

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, and Roddy Nikpour dig into Kurt Cobain's relationship with the "classic rock canon" and how he — now getting played on classic rock radio himself — interpreted it through Nirvana.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Special thanks: Albina Cabrera, host of El Cancionero de Kurt Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial di...

Martin Douglas dives into Lead Belly's Last Sessions . The blues aren’t limited to a specific era or place — if you’ve got the blues and a strong enough voice, you can sing the blues. Kurt Cobain just happened to filter the blues through a muddy strain of punk rock.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Martin Douglas and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial di...

Dusty Henry dives into Rocks by Aerosmith. This album might not feature Aerosmith’s most recognized songs, but it demonstrated the power of hard rock to mainstream audiences, solidifying the band’s legacy. This album also represents a cautionary tale: For every high, there's always a comedown.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Is...

In this bonus episode, we remember Seattle music journalist Charles R. Cross, who died on August 9, 2024 at age 67. Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas reflect on Cross’ legacy, we listen back to Cross speaking with former KEXP DJ Marco Collins, and KEXP listeners share personal memories of him.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Special thanks: Emily Fox, Owen Murphy, Meerah Powell, Marco Collins...

Roddy Nikpour dives into The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie. The album's title track marks a turning point in Bowie’s career toward stardom, which perfectly explains why Nirvana covered it in one of their most iconic final performances.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.  Support the podca...

Martin Douglas dives into Meet the Beatles! by The Beatles. In this episode, we pay tribute to the ever-connected thread of musicians across time and space. In essence, the “British Invasion” meant taking American music (largely from Black artists) and selling it back to American audiences.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Martin Douglas and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Is...

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, Janice Headley, and Roddy Nikpour explore three of the more melodic entries on Kurt’s list. It’s important to remember that, despite their onstage aggression, Nirvana had some pop sensibilities.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Special thanks: Albina Cabrera, host of El Cancionero de Kurt ; and Janice Headley, co-host of In Our Headphones Audio pr...

Janice Headley dives into Beach Party by Marine Girls. Their lo-fi instrumentation and girlish vulnerability helped set the standard for twee pop.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Janice Headley and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.  Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dusty Henry dives into Green by R.E.M., a band that set the stage for indie rock as this larger idea of staying authentic despite commercial success. The band left a particularly noteworthy impact on Kurt, both professionally and personally.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.  Su...

Roddy Nikpour dives into Get The Knack by The Knack. The album’s catchy lead single came out when Kurt was a preteen. Despite its questionable lyrics, “My Sharona” did for new wave what “Smells Like Teen Spirit” did for punk — brought a genre to the mainstream.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. ...

Michael Azerrad joins us to talk about his relationship with Kurt Cobain, reviving a 30-year-old biography, Nirvana's legacy, and some of the records on Kurt’s list. Michael wrote the 1993 biography "Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana," and he recently released an annotated version titled "The Amplified Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana."  Next week, we'll return to our regularly scheduled...

Seattle's own Jack Endino joins Dusty, Martin, and Albina for this month’s roundtable. June marks the 35th anniversary of Nirvana's debut studio album,  Bleach , which Endino produced. They discuss the unmistakable imprint of the Northwest sound. Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Special thanks: Jack Endino and Albina Cabrera, host of El Cancionero de Kurt Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast...

Martin Douglas dives into Jamboree by Beat Happening. Hailing from Olympia, Washington, the trio lived and breathed the punk rock ideology. Cofounder Calvin Johnson released the band’s albums on a label he founded, the iconic K Records, which practically turned indie music into a religion. Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Martin Douglas and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isab...

Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas dive into the three albums by the Portland band Wipers, the band with the most entries on Kurt's list (unless you count "anything by Kleenex"). Greg Sage's melodic punk riffs not only inspired Nirvana, but also other Northwest bands before them, including The Melvins and Mudhoney.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour P...

Dusty Henry dives into Superfuzz Bigmuff by Mudhoney, whose debut represents the culmination of ideas that we now categorize as “grunge.” Nirvana picked up the grunge baton from Mudhoney and carried it to the finish line.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.  Support the podcast: k...

In this special bonus episode, we break format away from Kurt Cobain and Nirvana and look at the legacy of Soundgarden from the lens of founding member and original bassist Hiro Yamamoto. This year marks the 40th anniversary of Soundgarden’s formation — starting with Yamamoto and Chris Cornell in Yamamoto’s basement. While Yamamoto was there from the beginning, he left the band of his own accord j...

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, and Janice Headley discuss the idea of "punk" through the lens of four bands. Each of them provides a distinctive approach to punk both as a genre and as a mindset. Nirvana is named as one of the core bands of 1991, "the year punk broke."  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial direc...

Larry Mizell Jr. dives into My War by Black Flag. This proto-punk sophomore album upset the fast-paced expectations of hardcore by slowing it down, complete with all-out screams confessing deep-seated emotion. This sound set the precedent for Seattle's famous grunge sound.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Written by: Larry Mizell Jr.  Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Kha...

Martin Douglas dives into Philosophy of the World by The Shaggs. As prophesied by a palm reading, this band of sisters from a small town in New Hampshire would become famous. However, nobody could have predicted the band's "intriguing" sound — or whether they would actually have a fun time performing music.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Martin Douglas and Roddy Nikpour Po...

Dusty Henry dives into Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols by the Sex Pistols. They set the stage for mainstream views of punk in terms of style, substance, and attitude.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Dusty Henry and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr.  Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain See omnystudio.com/liste...