About the Author

Charles R. Cross was editor of The Rocket, the Northwest's highly regarded music and entertainment magazine and the first publication to do a cover story on Nirvana. He is also the author of Room Full of Mirrors: A Biography of Jimi Hendrix; Led Zeppelin: Heaven and Hell; Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and his Music; Nevermind: The Classic Album; and Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain. His writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Spy, among many other publications. He lives in Seattle.

Reviews

"Heavier Than Heaven sets a high, new standard."--Rolling Stone

"As engrossing as a good novel. A remarkable portrait."--Entertainment Weekly

"Charles R. Cross' definitive biography of Cobain traces his life story via more than 400 interviews, and intimate access to the Nirvana frontman's private journals and lyrics."--Entertainment Weekly, Your Complete Kurt Cobain Reading Guide

"Definitive...Cross untangles the soul of a man."--USA Today

"One of the most moving and revealing books ever written about a rock star."--Los Angeles Times

"Thorough, definitive."--The New York Times

"And there had never quite been a rock star like Kurt Cobain," Cross eulogizes in this celebrity biography. Unfortunately, Cross, former editor of the Rocket, a Northwestern music and entertainment weekly, never proves his claim. Instead, Cobain's story, culled from more than 400 interviews with friends, family and colleagues and exclusive access to Cobain's unpublished diaries, sounds wholly ordinary, from boilerplate adolescent bitterness about his parents' divorce ("I hate Mom, I hate Dad. Dad hates Mom, Mom hates Dad. It simply makes you want to be so sad") and malt liquor, punk rock-adorned angst to the tawdry details of his drug addiction. "Even in this early stage of his career, Kurt had already begun the process of retelling his own story in a manner that formed a separate self," writes Cross as he carefully dispels some of Cobain's self-made myths, including claims of living under a bridge, "tales... about his constant abuse at the hands of Aberdeen's rednecks" and harboring an aversion to fame. The many unenlightening observations are often painted thick with sensationalism; other times, Cross trawls the bottom for sources whose credibility and relevance are dubious at best. (For instance, he interviews Cobain's drug-addicted ex-babysitter, Cali, and some of her girlfriends, yielding a depressing she-said-he-said of Kurt's final days.) Conspiracy theorists will speculate about the conditions under which Cross gained access to Cobain's private journals. Complete with gossip and meticulous references, the biography will catch the devotees, though, like junk food, it may leave them feeling unnourished. 16 pages b&w photos. (Aug. 15) Forecast: Released on the 10th anniversary of Come As You Are and with radio giveaways, this book will sell well. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Heavier Than Heaven sets a high, new standard.--Rolling Stone
As engrossing as a good novel. A remarkable portrait.--Entertainment Weekly
Charles R. Cross' definitive biography of Cobain traces his life story via more than 400 interviews, and intimate access to the Nirvana frontman's private journals and lyrics.--Entertainment Weekly, Your Complete Kurt Cobain Reading Guide
Definitive...Cross untangles the soul of a man.--USA Today
One of the most moving and revealing books ever written about a rock star.--Los Angeles Times
Thorough, definitive.--The New York Times