Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love Relationship: From An Intense Rock and Roll Romance to a Tragic Ending
All about the iconic rockstar couple that lived an intense life and had an even more intense ending
When you think rock ‘n’ roll, chances are a vintage photo of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love pops into your head. Cobain, the lead singer of the grunge band Nirvana, and Love, the lead singer of Hole, entered into a whirlwind romance that ended in tragedy.
Thanks to Nirvana being at the height of its fame in the early 1990s, Cobain and Love endured time in the media spotlight as well as public scrutiny during their time together. Both were successful musicians, though Nirvana became one of the best-selling bands of all time. Learn more about the union of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, as well as their tragic end.
Cobain and Love get involved in an intense relationship
The singers didn’t officially meet until the early 1990s, but Love recalls seeing Cobain perform a few years before that.
“I saw him play in Portland in 1988,” Love explained in a 1992 interview. “[He was] really passionate and cute… I couldn’t tell if he was smart or had any integrity.”
But it wasn’t long before Cobain and Love became an item and that was all thanks to Love’s persistence. The singer made it known to the world that she was crushing on Cobain, whether in interviews or calling him on the phone.
“I really pursued him, not too aggressive, but aggressive enough that some girls would have been embarrassed by it,” Love explained. “I’m direct. That can scare a lot of boys… Kurt was scared of me. He said he didn’t have time to deal with me. But I knew it was inevitable.”
Cobain told a different story, explaining, “I would just like [to] say I liked Courtney a lot. I wasn’t ignoring her. I didn’t mean to play hard to get. I just didn’t have the time, I had so many things on my mind.”
Love eventually won Cobain over and they embarked on an intense relationship. On February 24, 1992, the pair tied the knot in a small, interesting wedding. Love apparently wore a prop dress from a Frances Farmer movie, while Cobain stood at the altar in a pair of green and white flannel pajamas.
The rock stars’ rocky relationship
Despite their marriage only lasting about two years, Cobain and Love fit a lot into their time together. On August 18, 1992, the couple welcomed their only child together, daughter Frances Bean Cobain.
Both Cobain and Love dealt with substance abuse issues during their marriage, but while Love attempted to quit before the birth of their daughter, Cobain had a harder time. In fact, he was detoxing from drugs just as Love went into labor.
But once their daughter was born, Cobain shared that he had a change in attitude. “There’s nothing better than having a baby,” he said. “I knew that when I had a child, I’d be overwhelmed and it’s true. I can’t tell you how much my attitude has changed since we’ve got Frances.”
Although Love and Cobain were both musicians, the couple only performed together one time, and it was a memorable performance. The two took the stage on September 8, 1993, at the Rock Against Rape benefit in Hollywood.
Love made it clear that the two wouldn’t be performing again when she said, “Watch closely. This is the first and last time you’ll ever see this happen.”
Love and Cobain bought their first home together in Seattle, Washington in January 1994, just a few months before his death.
“It’s really beautiful,” Love said of the house. “It’s Victorian. And my favorite thing to think about while we’re doing major label meetings and stuff is basically what color we’re going to paint the walls.”
Sadly, Cobain died in that home just a few months later after escaping the Exodus Recovery Center, a rehabilitation clinic where he and Love were checked in. Cobain was only 27 years old when he took his own life, leaving behind Love and their not yet 2-year-old daughter.
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