King Buzzo Slams ‘Disgusting’ Kurt Cobain Firing Claims
King Buzzo slammed long-standing rumors that Kurt Cobain was fired from producing Melvins’ 1993 album Houdini because the band wanted him to write songs for them.
The Nirvana frontman was dismissed partway through the process as a result of his addiction issues, Buzz Osborne said, adding that he never got over Cobain's spiraling demise in the following months.
Asked in a recent Revolver interview if there was a “catalyst moment” that triggered the split, Buzzo replied, “Yeah – that's exactly what happened. He didn’t show up for one of the sessions, and it was just really obvious [that he was unfit].”
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He added that the move “wasn’t a judgment call” on Cobain’s abilities but instead a reaction to knowing that “this isn’t going to work.” He added, “I went into [Nirvana manager] Danny Goldberg’s office at Atlantic, and told him this. And he conveniently doesn’t remember any of it, which is crazy.
“He’s actually said stuff like Kurt quit because we wanted him to write songs for us – which is fucking insane. I don’t need anybody to write songs for me.”
You can watch the interview below.
Osborne described how he preferred a producer to operate: “We’d show him the songs we have, and maybe we'd go through them, [ask,] ‘What do you think of this?’ But I've never needed anyone writing anything for me – ever. That whole idea is absurd. It’s quite disgusting, and I take a lot of offense from that.”
Melvins’ King Buzzo ‘Not Over’ Kurt Cobain’s Death
While Cobain, an old friend of the band, received credit for Houdini, the project was completed by Melvins with assistance from co-producer Garth “GGGarth” Richardson. The album was released on Sept. 21, 1993 – seven months before Cobain’s death.
“The whole Nirvana thing … was not a happy time, with how it all ended and everything,” Buzzo reflected. “When I hear their music, it's difficult for me to have feelings that aren't affected by that.” Describing Cobain’s death as a “personal tragedy” that “ends badly,” he noted, “I’m not over it.”
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Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin