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After Kurt Cobain gains custody of his daughter Frances Bean and divorces Courtney Love in January of 1996, Cobain embarks on a journey of presenting his art publicly and expressing himself creatively.
In February 1996, Cobain starts working on a solo project that combines his love for both music and visual arts in a psychedelic style. This project involves creating original artwork and music that complements each other, with the aim of hosting a unique art exhibition that showcases his talents in both fields. During this period on April 4, 1996 Dave Grohl, having gained significant experience as the lead vocalist of Nirvana during Kurt's absence, decides to launch his own side solo project, the Foo Fighters (based on the Nirvana compilation album of the same name), as a one-man project. The group's debut album, "Alive & Well," is released to critical acclaim, solidifying Dave's status as a respected musician in his own right. The album features complete versions of Alone + Easy Target, Exhausted, and Wattershed.
May 11th-June 20th, 1996: Kurt's art exhibition at his home, titled "The Window Pain Exhibit," opens in Seattle to critical acclaim. The exhibition features a collection of his paintings, sculptures, and other visual art pieces, accompanied by a soundtrack of new and instrumental music he composed specifically for the event with some help from his daughter. Fans and art enthusiasts alike are impressed by Kurt's artistic versatility. The exhibit concludes on June 20th of that year and is met with praise.
Nirvana, led by Cobain, opens for Alice in Chains in July 1996 at Kemper Arena, adding a poignant note to the latter's final show before a hiatus due to Layne Staley's drug issues.
By July 1996, Cobain begins conceptualizing Nirvana's fifth studio album, "Token Eastern," a return to the band's grunge roots with a sound reminiscent of their early days. Also, with the rising popularity of the internet, Nirvana decides to post updates on projects and other things on their website for everyone to see. Cobain begins work on a home studio for him, other artists to jam out and record on occasions, and his band around this time. This home studio is called "The Playroom" (but I'll keep calling it Cobain's home studio just because). Cobain now has a part-time career as a producer when he isn't recording music or doing art.
The recording of "Token Eastern" commences in August 1996, with Cobain fully immersed in his creative endeavors. The album marks a return to their grunge roots and features iconic tracks like "Sappy," "Courtney Will Take Us Over Soon Enough," "Mexican Seafood," and "Grandpa's Whiskey" (a song similar to Stupid Mop by Pearl Jam, meaning that it is basically the Revolution 9 of this Nirvana album, and is an instant classic for being a creepy sound collage). The album is set to feature re-recorded versions of the songs "Nobody Knows I'm New Wave", "D-7", "Sound of Dentage", "Blathers Log", "Creation", "Gallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip" (known under the new title "Five Months Late (Haven't Had Sex For a Week)"), and a version of "Underground Celebritism" with a new instrumental. The album also features songs like "Sappy" and "If You Must." Nirvana begins recording sessions for their fifth studio album, Token Eastern, at Cobain's under-constructed home studio in the basement of his house (I could imagine that part of the basement having soundproof walls to prevent complaints of loud noises in the area). The album explores the earlier, heavier, and more grunge-oriented sound of Nirvana, reminiscent of their early days. Kurt, now fully immersed in his artistic pursuits and personal growth, pours his heart into the songwriting process. The band's chemistry is palpable, and fans are excited to hear the new material.
Nirvana's fifth album is released on July 4, 1997, garnering mixed reviews but celebrated for returning to their raw grunge roots. This release leads to a threat of legal action from Courtney Love, who then unexpectedly moves to Germany with her boyfriend.
During this time, Nirvana holds auditions for a new drummer after having guests drummers for live performances and some recording sessions for their fifth album, eventually welcoming Taylor Hawkins to the band in September. The year ends with the band taking a hiatus, giving Cobain time to focus on family, nurture his artistic ventures, and even plan a future solo album project in collaboration with Hawkins.
Kurt Cobain and Nirvana take a well-deserved hiatus after the mixed ball that was the Token Eastern album, the fear of Courtney striking once again, a grand tour (bigger compared to Nirvana's other tours), and for Cobain to spend more time with Frances and family. The grunge movement is still thriving in this world in the later half of the 1990s and pushing forward with Kurt Cobain still alive and with other grunge albums becoming popular, meaning that post-grunge is nonexistent. [vVG5FaPr4po] |