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The Cobain 50

by KEXP
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Latest episodes

  • The Raincoats – The Raincoats (1979)

    March 27, 2024 · 23 min

    Janice Headley dives into the legacy of The Raincoats, whose self-titled 1979 debut album inspired both Nirvana and the ‘90s riot grrrl scene. We also hear from Gina Birch, cofounder of The Raincoats, as well as Jenn Pelly, author of a…

  • The Slits – Cut (1979)

    March 20, 2024 · 36 min

    Martin Douglas dives into Cut by The Slits (written in Kurt's list as "Typical Girls," the lead single from the album). They were one of the very first punk bands made up mostly of women, and their style incorporated elements from reggae…

  • PJ Harvey – Dry (1992)

    March 13, 2024 · 28 min

    Roddy Nikpour dives into Dry by PJ Harvey. She’s a grunge pioneer carrying on Kurt’s spirit through her own ongoing legacy. She was one of his close peers — so much so that Dave Grohl has invited her to fill in for Kurt to perform Nirvana…

  • Roundtable: The "Radical" Politics of Kurt Cobain

    March 6, 2024 · 45 min

    Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, and Larry Mizell Jr. explore four albums on Kurt's list that challenged the politics of their time through the lenses of punk and hip-hop.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin DouglasAudio producer…

  • Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)

    February 28, 2024 · 29 min

    Dusty Henry dives into It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back by Public Enemy, the voice of what was really happening in America, particularly within Black communities. With their ferocious sound and in-your-face spirit, it's no…

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  • MDC – Millions of Dead Cops (1981)

    February 21, 2024 · 30 min

    Dusty Henry dives into Millions of Dead Cops by MDC, a prime example of the powerful fusion between hardcore punk and politics. Their frontman Dave Dictor was the anti-John Wayne.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin DouglasAudio producers…

  • Bad Brains – Rock for Light (1983)

    February 14, 2024 · 39 min

    Martin Douglas dives into Rock for Light by Bad Brains. It's a story of how Black punks from one Washington (D.C.) influenced punk in the other Washington (state).  Link to article mentioned in the final segment: https…

  • The Clash – Combat Rock (1982)

    February 7, 2024 · 36 min

    On this International Clash Day, Dusty Henry dives into Combat Rock by The Clash. Their music reminds us not to tolerate the injustice that the world throws at us.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin DouglasAudio producers: Dusty Henry and…

  • Roundtable: What Do The Stooges, Pixies, and The Vaselines Have in Common?

    January 31, 2024 · 41 min

    In the inaugural roundtable of our series, Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, and Albina Cabrera dive into Kurt Cobain's list. Although it features a lot of traditional punk music, the list traversed many genres in a time when music fans were…

  • The Vaselines – Dying for It (1988)

    January 24, 2024 · 18 min

    Janice Headley dives into Dying for It by The Vaselines (listed as Pink EP). By the time Nirvana began covering their songs, The Vaselines had broken up. It was Kurt’s love for the Scottish indie-pop duo that reunited the pair and lifted…

  • The Pixies – Surfer Rosa (1988)

    January 17, 2024 · 29 min

    Dusty Henry dives into Surfer Rosa by The Pixies. It's arguably the most influential "alternative music" album of the 90s — not just for Nirvana, but artists worldwide. Surfer Rosa was Nevermind before Nevermind.  Hosts: Dusty Henry and…

  • The Stooges – Raw Power (1973)

    January 10, 2024 · 24 min

    Martin Douglas kicks off the series by diving into Raw Power by The Stooges. It's no surprise this is the first album on Kurt's list considering the muscular drumming, the dirty bass, and the way the guitar sounds like it’s on fire — all…

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About the show

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.