The surviving members of Nirvana – Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear – reunited on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards last night, accepting a special award on stage and using the opportunity to celebrate their much-missed bandmate and Nirvana frontman, Kurt Cobain.
Accepting the MTV Vanguard Award – previously awarded to the likes of Mariah Carey, U2, George Michael and Michael Jackson – Nirvana’s appearance was preceded by a highlight reel of some of their most iconic music videos, with bassist Novoselic acknowledging Cobain’s role in conceiving those clips.
“Thank you very much to Nirvana’s fans around the world and to everyone at MTV,” said Novoselic. “This award brings back so many memories of making those videos. We saw the dystopian pep rally with anarchist cheerleaders; our version of an Ed Sullivan TV appearance; performing in a Wizard Of Oz-like field of poppies and so many more.
“The ideas for those videos all grew out of the vision of one of the greatest artists of all time, Kurt Cobain. Kurt was one of one. None of us could have imagined that our band, our sound, our aesthetic could mean so much to so many people, but ultimately the music had a life of its own. It charted its own course. Nirvana continues to resonate so deeply because people are so hungry for authenticity, for something real, something uncompromising. It’s something that tells you it’s just okay to come as you are. Kurt would’ve loved that legacy. Thank you so much.”
Watch Nirvana’s acceptance speech below. Other winners at this year’s MTV VMAs included Madonna, Taylor Swift, BTS, Olivia Rodrigo and Ella Langley.
(LouderSound)
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