When most people think of Nirvana they think of 3 things: 1) Kurt Cobain, 2) The song Smells Like Teen Spirit & 3) Dave Grohl; The talented multi-instrumentalist frontman of Foo Fighters who used to drum for them in the '90s. However, What most people don't realize is that Dave wasn't even their original drummer & their bassist Krist Novoselic was a founding member of Nirvana and a beloved friend of Kurt.
So how did one turn into rockstar superstardom and the other fade away after Kurt's death? To understand this we need to go back in time to briefly understand them. Dave, not one to stick around, joined Nirvana "on a whim" after his previous band broke up, While Krist was embedded into the Seattle scene after meeting Kurt at an early age. For 10 years this is all Krist knew being the sidekick to Kurt. Meanwhile, Dave was able to learn how to take risks and follow his gut even if it meant failing.
This brings me to Nirvana's post-breakup: Krist dabbled in some music endeavors but Dave turned this tragedy into the rebirth of his musical career by forming the Foo Fighters taking on frontman duties. When Foo Fighters began they weren't the arena rock band as we know them today and they went through challenges as trying to shake off the "it's the drummer from Nirvana's new band." The comparisons were night & day as this was a completely different band which a much different sound compared to Nirvana. Eventually, over time they would come into their own and Dave Grohl would evolve into the rock legend as we know him today.
This isn't a love letter to Dave Grohl or the Foo Fighters but a testament to those individuals who can transcend difficult times in their lives by becoming successful. Think about this for perspective; his band broke up and he was joining Nirvana "on a whim" who hadn't even put out the decade-defining "Nevermind". His gut, his instinct, and his will to fight told him he needed a change in joining Nirvana. It was through his opportunity being in Nirvana that he was able to re-establish himself thanks to his passion for music & his drive to be successful. Krist Novoselic has enjoyed a modest life post-Nirvana but nothing on the level Dave has which is fine and I guess in the end you have to choose what you really want in life.
In order to be successful, we need to learn to grow and be willing to change. In the same way, we don't accept teenagers to be wearing pampers is the same way we don't expect our grandparents to be wearing skinny jeans. Change is necessary, change is part of life and most times change isn't easy. However, in order to be successful, we need to learn to reinvent ourselves when whatever we're currently doing isn't working.
- .BRIANGOESON.
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