THE MEANDERWALKER

Dear Kurt Cobain,

Man, I can’t believe you would have been 40 years old today. Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York was one of the first CDs I ever bought after getting my first CD player (along with Weezer’s debut album). Yeah, it was near the end of 1994 (that fateful year) when it came out, but I had been catching the coat tails of the grunge era for some time before that. Nine or ten years old, wearing a lot of flannel, not really “getting it,” but feeling awesome in my Airwalks, singing the lyrics of “Pennyroyal Tea” with you. I can vivdly remember the creepy undertones of watching you in that old-man sweater during the unplugged show which aired posthumously. It reeked of sadness. But it was also probably one of the most beautiful moments in rock history, in my young and humble opinion. But its been 13 years, right? I hear there’s a sweet party full of Nirvana covers in NYC tonight, and, even though I haven’t listened to a Nirvana track in years, I would go if I could go. Really, I would! A lot of us would agree that Nirvana’s impact on us as young individuals and on the musical world we live in is still strongly evident to this day.

Well, Kurt, enough sappy stuff… It looks like Face/Off (aka: The Worst Movie Ever Created) just came on the TV and I need to hurry up and change the channel before my brain explodes and hatred seeps out my lifeless eyeballs.

Alright, you got me… I’m exaggerating.

But really, I hate this movie.

Thanks again, Kurt.

Sincerely,

Lauren Frohne

[Author's Note:  I am aware that the "unplugged" album was, far and wide, not Nirvana's finest work. That they had many many "more important" albums before that. But, the point I am emphasizing is that I was nine-years-old at the time, and Nirvana still had a major impact on me.  It just so happens that their impact on me personally was achieved through this unplugged album and through the accompanying show they played over and over again on MTV. Old man sweater.]