Men an Explanation: Kurt Cobain

In this episode, Tom and Tim start with Kurt Cobain, and talk again about the process of making things. Listening to things, cobbling things together, steal from things, inspiration, and all that stuff. And an anecdote about Gene Kelly and also Magic the Gathering. Thanks for listening!Timestamps00:00 - Preface to the 2019 edition of Kurt Cobain biography, about Kurt's record collection3:20 - Tom's desperate attempts to consume the Western Canon of literature7:00 What is culture in the British Empire, being a part of the conversation.8:00 Cartoonists' canon9:00 Hey Siri, play Rubber Soul10:00 Cobain read about and heard about punk music before he heard any.11:00 The imagination that works in scarcity12:00 The canon again13:00 canon as a system, or a narrative. Beowulf, Don Quixote, etc15:50 Cobain stealing from his resources16:30 so little time / space for meaningful things. Tim doesn't care what it is anymore. Magic the Gathering18:30 Preferring literature over gaming. Loving the process of writing20:30 Following those artists' inspirations.21:00 Kundera's The Art of the Novel and his inspirations21:30 Tom never read Cervantes but read the Cliffs Notes24:00 Tim brings books around and nobody is paying attention and nobody cares25:00 Back to Kurt Cobain, or Gene Kelly25:10 Kurt listening to music in his dad's car at work, draining the battery.27:00 The joy of just creating27:30 Kurt got to the point where there were so many demands put on by record companies and Mtv etc.29:00 The Mtv Music awards and the threats to other bands if they didn't play by MTv's rules30:45 Tom's desire to impress people with art and devising systems to hack it33:00 The bad reviews and reactions we're trying to avoid.33:20 Gene Kelly, and Tim's uncle's indoor sports arena, with hockey rinks, basketball courts, etc.35:00 Gene Kelly beautifully noodling around with a cane37:00 More about loving the process37:33 Tom's cartoonist friends who would all rather be drawing what they were drawing in their tweens.40:00 should have taken more life drawing, to be more like Gene Kelly42:30 Tim love the process and the moment too.45:00 Tim feels like accumulating little experiences with art is the thing46:45 People just catching a breath48:00 Finish with more Cobain. What part of his art experience was his favorite?48:30 Kurt's suicide note. Freddie Mercury was enjoying himself49:30 The hours and hours he spent practicing chords and putting things together50:00 Being poor, living in his car, criss crossing the country in the van50:45 Putting creature comforts aside to create something51:20 "Whatever happens, we still have those memories"51:45 The medium fills us with elation and we need to keep doing it52:30 Tim's reading corner: Excerpt from biography of Kurt Cobain This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tomhart.substack.com