On April 5, 1994, the lead singer of the alternative rock band Nirvana, Kurt Cobain, died by suicide at the age of 27. His body was discovered three days later in a greenhouse above the garage in his home in Seattle, Washington, by an electrician who was installing a security system in the house. He had been missing for six days. A rambling suicide note was found nearby. Cobain had shot himself with a shotgun, which was found lying across his chest. His death immediately made him a member of the fabled “27 Club” of rock stars, including Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, who had died at the same age. The medical examiner discovered a large amount of heroin in Cobain’s system as well as traces of Valium.
In 2006, director Jon Brewer (Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero; B.B. King: on the Road) released the documentary All Apologies: Kurt Cobain 10 Years On to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Cobain’s death, re-released under the title Kurt Cobain: All Apologies. The film takes its name from the popular Nirvana song “All Apologies,” from the album In Utero, which was released in 1993, and features interviews with journalists, musicians, and friends and family of Kurt Cobain. In addition to interviews and concert footage of Nirvana, the documentary chronicles Cobain’s descent into drug addiction and struggles with depression leading up to his suicide.
Nirvana was formed in 1987 by lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic and had various drummers, including Chad Channing, before Dave Grohl in 1990. The band was recognized as part of the Seattle grunge scene, releasing their first album Bleach in 1989 through the independent record label Sub Pop. Nirvana had unexpected mainstream success with the release of their second album Nevermind in 1991, due in large part to the megahit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
In an interview for All Apologies: Kurt Cobain 10 Years On, Steve Sutherland, Editor for NME magazine, recounts how Nirvana’s music came into the UK music scene mostly through journalist Everett True, who wrote for Melody Maker magazine at the time. She played the band’s music for the magazine and told stories about how Nirvana was playing extraordinary shows for very large crowds. Steve Diggle of the band The Buzzcocks talks about hearing the album Bleach for the first time and how Nirvana had a bit of a punk flavor to their music but had a very unique sound. Keith Cameron of MOJO Magazine shares several stories about Nirvana and also discusses the fact that Kurt Cobain had a difficult time with being a celebrity, especially the loss of any sort of privacy in his life.
Some of the most poignant revelations in the documentary are conversations with those who were closest to Cobain. Former drummer for Nirvana, Chad Channing, explains that Kurt Cobain was a quiet person who rarely showed intense emotions; Leland Cobain, Kurt’s grandfather, conveys that he and Kurt’s grandmother never knew he used drugs and recalls fond memories of their time with their grandson; and Tracey Marander, Cobain’s former girlfriend, talks about how hard it was for Kurt to not be able to go out without being recognized, and gets emotional when discussing his death.
Since the documentary was released in 2006 and relies on old concert footage, including smaller more intimate shows, as well as various older interviews with members of Nirvana, including Cobain, the quality of the cinematography is inconsistent, but the editing is well done. Despite some brief, but fascinating interviews, some of which are insightful conversations with Cobain, All Apologies: Kurt Cobain 10 Years On isn’t quite as in-depth as it should be, especially as it was meant to recognize the 10-year anniversary of his death. The fact we’re still discussing Kurt Cobain, and Nirvana’s music, more than 20 years after his death says that the music means something to people. And music is forever.
The DVD does not include any special features other than the official trailer for the film.
Re-releasing on DVD July 29th, 2025.
For more information, head to the official Cardinal Releasing Kurt Cobain: All Apologies webpage.
To purchase, head to the official MVD Entertainment Group Kurt Cobain: All Apologies webpage.
Final Score: 3 out of 5
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Categories: Home Release, Recommendation
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