Vol 1 | Inspirational musician quotes: Kurt Cobain
Quotes from musicians that inspire me in my visual creative practice.
“I want to do something different, really different and if that alienates people that’s too bad.”
I have written about this quote before, but wanted to revisit and expand further. Anyway, speaking in an interview in 1993, Kurt Cobain, of the band Nirvana, was teasing the idea of taking his music in a new direction. Of course, the following year, in April 1994, he passed away and the world never got to hear that new thing. Apparently, if Google and the general vibe on the internet is anything to go by, Kurt was listening to REM’s Automatic for the People album a lot and wanted to move more in that direction, away from abrasive grunge toward a more melodic, songwriter-focused style. On a personal note, I would have LOVED to have heard this. Yes, it may have alienated a certain fanbase, but was the man to do? Admittedly, even if you listen to Nirvana’s catalogue of albums, from the first to the last, you can already hear that evolution, as really every one of their albums are a different style or sound.
In a similar way, artists are well known to have different artistic periods throughout their careers. Picasso had 8 main ones for example. From his Blue Period to the Mediterranean Period, it’s evident that as artists we do evolve. The same as we grow as people and our personalities and tastes change over time.
How this has inspired me
Particularly in my personal work, I feel like I understand the need and urge to grow as a creative person. Having the balls and confidence to evolve and do my thing regardless of what people think is very important. Kurt thought the same it seems, citing in the same interview, that The Beatles went from songs like “I want to hold your hand” to Sgt. Pepper’s and wanting to have enough guts to do it and try something different.
I never want to alienate people though, but I don’t necessarily want to feel like I can’t do something different because someone might not like it. Similarly so, I never ever want to play to the crowd either. Ultimately, the core of what I am is an artist and to play, experiment and try new things is what being an artist is all about.
I’m not changing or evolving on purpose, it’s just a natural thing. As I change through life, so does my art. It’s important embrace the new you and try new things. I’ll still always draw in my inky style because that’s what people like to commission me for. But it won’t stop my creative play.
Thanks for reading. Pete :)