Kurt Cobain’s Childhood Home For Sale
In the market for a cozy four-bedroom, 1,500-square-foot homestead in beautiful Aberdeen, Washington? The luxurious L.A./Vegas/Palm Springs real estate company the Agency has just the Craftsman-style bungalow for you! And did they mention it’s Kurt Cobain’s childhood abode? Of course they mentioned it — and uploaded a slideshow full of photographs from Cobain’s childhood alongside the usual images of the building, located at 1210 East First Street. Those structural shows showcase a number of of the stenciled logos young Kurt left on the walls, a collection rife with rock ‘n’ roll iconography (Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin) and adolescent disaffection (the Old English 800 logo, the Chicago Bulls logo alongside the phrase “SHIT’S BULL”). There’s an attached garage where Cobain and Krist Novoselic used to jam. There’s also a hole in the wall from when Kurt punched it as a teen — a gritty and authentic way to tap into the angst that would one day drive a man to blow his brains out. They’re asking $500,000 for this bad boy, which seems like a lot for a house in such cruddy condition (average price for a house in Aberdeen this summer was $105,476), but, you know.
Crass? Creepy? Sounds like the kind of thing that would have made Cobain’s ulcer flair up? All true, but presumably the money will be going to Cobain’s family, and the house won’t necessarily be used as some bizarrely obsessive fanboy’s personal residence going forward. Quoth the Agency:
There are a number of exciting possibilities for the historic property, including renovation, moving the building and incorporating it into a larger institution or private collection or creating a museum in Aberdeen or elsewhere (provided the necessary consent is obtained). The family has photos of Kurt throughout his life in the home and would be willing to share a few select copies with the purchaser.
Many rock legend homes have been turned into destination landmarks and restored to look as they did when the musician(s) grew up there. This has been done with the early homes of John Lennon, Paul McCartney and more recently, Johnny Cash. Notable homes like Kurt Cobain’s can also be used as vacation rentals, such as the last home Jim Morrison owned in Hollywood.
Whatever direction the buyer goes, though, this is a once in a lifetime chance to own an amazing piece of rock history.
Check out the listing here.
Speaking of amazing pieces of rock history: Nirvana’s final studio album, In Utero, just turned 20, and the 20th Anniversary Edition reissue is out now on Universal/Geffen.