So it all ended in tears of blood and broken dreams? Of course. But it mattered. It caused change. It was a life affirming feeling for degeneration. Kurt Cobain was a hero amongst losers. An icon defied by his own iconoclasm. And now we are witness to the milking of the cash cow, the extorting of a once belligerent ‘collective’ for currency, to help balance tax debts the size of most third world countries. Smell the change and look the other way. We’ve just seen the future and it’s sponsored by corporatism. On the other hand crank up the volume and let this bugger seep into your conscience, terrify your innermost demons and remind you of a band that DID change your life.

Nirvana are the feeling of pure, unadulterated joy. Of love that cannot be named. Something so perfect, so mind numbingly exciting. To the youth, Kurt Cobain was responsible for a celebration of teenage angst, a soundtrack of acceptability. It became ok to wear cardigans and grow your hair. Walking through corridors with a soundtrack of ‘Nevermind’ or ‘In Utero’ lifted you above the mundane. ‘It’s fun to lose and to pretend’ soundtracked the obvious and meant reality was accepted only as a substitute for bigger and better things. ‘Come As You Are’ allowed kidz to pick up guitars without being intimidated by chords and solos. Simple. Effective. Effervescent. Owning ‘Bleach’ made you feel powerful and superior, ‘Incesticide’ like its dangerous accompaniment. No longer were rock starz different to you. Empathy. Acceptance. Belief.

Then of course the aforementioned is great. But you already own the records. You bought the t-shirts emblazoned ‘Flower Sniffin, Kitty Pettin, Baby Kissing, Corporate Rock Whores.’ You downloaded ‘You Know You’re Right’, if you hadn’t already found it on a bootleg from ’94. And you thought it was a damn fine song, as raw as anything from ‘In Utero’ but as catchy and poplicious as say ‘Sliver’. The box set’ll be here soon enough. The diaries will keep you entertained for a little while longer if Courtney Love’s new songs don’t. Will the fact that the tracklist could have been compiled by your drunk gran affect your purchasing power? For completists, the uninitiated and a whole new generation of kidz wanting to be inspired, NO. For the few that value the sanctity of the ‘alternative’ it will probably be too much to ask. The important fact is that the decision is there to be made. Choice brings freedom.

But most of all. Keep believing, take it upon yourself to be transcended and amazed. Ignore the bullshit, concentrate on the relevant, take heed in surpassing what’s expected of you and hope that the feeling of exuberant change will once again motivate revolution. Except don’t give up, don’t burn out or fade away. Learn to love Nirvana all over again.