Roundtable: Kurt <3s Melody

The Cobain 50

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, Janice Headley, and Roddy Nikpour explore three of the more melodic entries on Kurt’s list.

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Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, Janice Headley, and Roddy Nikpour explore three of the more melodic entries on Kurt’s list. It’s important to remember that, despite their onstage aggression, Nirvana had some pop sensibilities. 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Special thanks: Albina Cabrera, host of El Cancionero de Kurt; and Janice Headley, co-host of In Our Headphones
Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

00:00: Intro
00:54: TL;DR
01:20: Reconciling aggression and pop sensibilities
08:14: Punk is informed by other genres
11:09: The one where Dusty played bass in a grunge band
13:20: Defining "melody"
15:04: How R.E.M. managed their success
17:08: The Knack as a one-hit wonder
19:43: Horniness, the eternal muse
22:37: Lunch meat, the other muse (shout out Weird Al)
24:27: Marine Girls and success via cult status (shout out Everything But the Girl)
28:28: Hearing The Knack, R.E.M., and Marine Girls in Nirvana
32:24: Credits

More From The Cobain 50

Roddy Nikpour dives into The Record by Fear. Fear sings from a grotesque vantage point to call out injustice through “punk irony.” 

Dusty Henry dives into Tales of Terror by Tales of Terror. Their run was short, but their influence has kept their music alive for generations.

Friday, November 1, 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the release of Nirvana’s live album MTV Unplugged in New York.