What would have happened to Nirvana?

[Krutch]

Since its fun to speculate, I was wondering what everyones thoughts were on what would have happened to Nirvana if Kurt's life hadn't ended so abruptly?

Just taking a stab in the dark, I'd probably guess Nirvana had one more album left before the band broke up. Kurt probably would have gone on to do some solo experimental stuff before disappearing. Foo Fighters probably still would have happened, though I have a feeling they would not have garnered as much praise and attention as they have. I always got the feeling that much of the Foo Fighters acclaim originally came from leftover Nirvana fans needing to carry on their fix through some outlet. I do think Nirvana would still be regarded as a massively influential rock band but most of the mystique around the band would be gone.

I don't know All just guessing of course. What do you think?

[Turnstone]

Loved Nirvana and still do. Doubt there would have been another album at least not for a long while as Kurt just needed to step away from the spotlight for a while. There's a new, unheard Kurt solo album coming out in November which might shed some light on where he was heading musically.

Please keep the death/druggie criticisms to a minimal in this thread. They're overplayed and distasteful. That was someone's father/son.

[Powder]

Originally Posted by Turnstone

Please keep the death/druggie criticisms to a minimal in this thread. They're overplayed and distasteful. That was someone's father/son.

That's not how things go around here.

[Kris]

I'd like to imagine that Nirvana would have been right up there with the likes of Pearl Jam and Radiohead in terms of continuing and amassing success, fame, respect, admiration and popularity as well as an adoring and loyal fan-base. They probably might've shifted into a more electronic sound mixed with the rawness they already had. Granted, that they already tried being a bit catchier with Nevermind too.

I also liked Bleach, Nevermind and In Utero as far as their albums went. Incesticide was also a fun listen. It's also been quite a while since I've listened to Nirvana, but yes, I've also speculated about what would've happened if Kurt Cobain was still alive. I can also still understand people saying that Nirvana wouldn't have been anywhere near as big or popular though, but I guess it also still depends on the person/people saying that.

Oh yes, and it probably would've been quite the set-list for Nirvana at Woodstock 1994 too. It also makes me wonder if they would've also stolen that show.

[Leo656]

I'unno. I've always been a huge, huge fan but Kurt was a very troubled and self-destructive person, and often very difficult to be around by most accounts. I tend to agree that both the band and the person weren't destined to be around very long. Even if Kurt had lived, I think the band would have broken up sooner rather than later. It's easy to forget but there was already pretty big backlash growing against them among some of their "fans" because of how raw and "ugly" In Utero was compared to the slickness of Nevermind, and that was eating away at Kurt and the guys. It's easy to imagine the frustration growing to a point where they might have just each gone on to do other things, instead of trying to live up to the audiences' expectations of what "Nirvana" should sound like.

Some report that the next project was going to be some kind of acoustic project with Michael Stipe from REM; that would have been interesting. I don't think they would have stayed together much longer past that, though.

[sdp]

Kurt killed himself during their peak. That means it was only going to come down from there. Grunge would've died pretty much the same only you would've had more Nirvana albums; which while it would've meant more classic Nirvana songs, it probably also meant plenty of mediocre albums and their legacy might not have been as legendary as it is now. Foo Fighters wouldn't have existed and I'm sure Nirvana would've broken up but you'd see plenty reunion tours.

[shuriken]

I think they woulda broken up after another album. Maybe Kurt wouldda done something with Courtney Love, like Yoko and Lennon did. Dave Grohl wanted to do something different anyway, and if Nirvana was still around who knows if Foo Fighters would have been as big as they are. Whatever the case may be I don't see Kurt being in the spotlight for much longer than he was. Whether he died soon after or just stayed home and raised Francis Bean I don't see him making much more music. Possibly dropping off the face of the Earth for a while and resurfacing for like a reunion tour ten years after their split or something when he's in a more emotionally stable place in his life.

[plastroncafe]

They'd have burned out quickly, which honestly is what I believe lead to Cobain taking his own life. Just the notion that there was nothing left in the creative tank.

If you catch the Seattle episode of Grohl's "Sonic Highways" you can watch video of Nirvana nearly a decade before they broke, and they were playing the same songs.