Fan bids to turn Kurt Cobain's childhood home into museum
by Jak Phillips | 27 Mar 2014
Cobain was the frontman of revered Seattle grunge band Nirvana / Flickr
Twenty years on from his tragic death, legendary Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain could be immortalised in a museum at his former home, a site the local Mayor hopes could become as big as Elvis Presley attraction Graceland.
After hearing that the grunge star’s childhood home in Aberdeen, Washington, US, had been put up for sale, fan and journalist Jaime Dunkle launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.com in the hope of raising US$700,000 (€508,000, £421,000) to buy the house and turn it into a museum.
After 25 days, the campaign has raised $825 (€599, £496), although Dunkle is determined to ensure the spirit of the band can be preserved.
"We're making sure this house is memorialised by us fans so it doesn't end up in the clutches of capitalist greed," she wrote in her listing. "This museum will reflect the anti-commercialism spirit of Nirvana."
Dunkle recently visited the home and produced a video (see below) showing scrawlings – purportedly made by Kobain in his childhood bedroom – paying homage to legendary bands and whisky brands he was fond of.
Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson is apparently in favour of Dunkle’s proposal, having been quoted in the music press as saying: “"We have been remiss for a long time of not honouring him (Cobain). We hope this is just as big as Graceland eventually."
There are already a number of events planned in the area to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Cobain’s death, as well as the bands’ planned induction into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame on 10 April. These include a Nirvana Day in nearby Hoquiam on the same day, as well as a Kurt Cobain Day that was held in Aberdeen on 10 February.
Twenty years on from his tragic death, legendary Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain could be immortalised in a museum at his former home, a site the local Mayor hopes could become as big as Elvis Presley attraction Graceland. After hearing that the grunge star’s childhood home in Aberdeen, Washington, US, had been put up for sale, fan and journalist Jaime Dunkle launched a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe.com in the hope of
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