Promotional Information

The definitive biography of Kurt Cobain.

About the Author

Charley Cross has lived in Seattle for many years, is the former editor for the "Rocket" and writes for "Rolling Stone" and "Esquire".

Reviews

'Superbly researched and harrowing...The squalor is ghastly but the sheer sadness of Cobain's brief life is beautifully conveyed here. Cross has painstakingly accumulated a wealth of telling detail' -- Robert Sandall, Sunday Times 'Cross's research is impeccable...HEAVIER THAN HEAVEN is, or should be, the last word on Kurt Cobain.' -- Lynn Barber, Daily Telegraph 'I was very glad to read this biography, the result of four years' research and 400 interviews, not to mention the sainted Kurt's police and medical records AND his unpublished journals. I was in hog heaven all the way through - in a caring, wistful way, of course.' -- Julie Burchill, Guardian 'Wins immediate entry into the rock lit pantheon. Five stars' -- Q Magazine 'Cross's portrayal of a shy but prodigiously gifted child, in artistic as well as musical terms, is a joy to read' -- Observer 'The secret here is that Cross was allowed unprecedented access to Cobain's world; his diaries, artworks and most significantly the people who surrounded him. Cross may vividly depict the seemingly inevitable demise of a rock star but he also successfully conveys just what all the fuss was about in the first place.' -- The List

'Superbly researched and harrowing...The squalor is ghastly but the sheer sadness of Cobain's brief life is beautifully conveyed here. Cross has painstakingly accumulated a wealth of telling detail' -- Robert Sandall, Sunday Times 'Cross's research is impeccable...HEAVIER THAN HEAVEN is, or should be, the last word on Kurt Cobain.' -- Lynn Barber, Daily Telegraph 'I was very glad to read this biography, the result of four years' research and 400 interviews, not to mention the sainted Kurt's police and medical records AND his unpublished journals. I was in hog heaven all the way through - in a caring, wistful way, of course.' -- Julie Burchill, Guardian 'Wins immediate entry into the rock lit pantheon. Five stars' -- Q Magazine 'Cross's portrayal of a shy but prodigiously gifted child, in artistic as well as musical terms, is a joy to read' -- Observer 'The secret here is that Cross was allowed unprecedented access to Cobain's world; his diaries, artworks and most significantly the people who surrounded him. Cross may vividly depict the seemingly inevitable demise of a rock star but he also successfully conveys just what all the fuss was about in the first place.' -- The List

"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.