Kurt Cobain Turns 50

Yesterday, Kurt Cobain had a birthday-- he would've been 50 years old. For people of my generation, he was a big deal. I remember the first time I heard "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (in a video game arcade, of all places) and thinking "Hmm... sounds like Metallica actually wrote a catchy tune." It wasn't until after hearing it several times that I realized it was by a new band called Nirvana. They completely changed the landscape of rock music, taking it from party-hardy glam-rock to angsty, flannel-clad punk-metal. For probably 5 years, Grunge was ubiquitous. I remember obsessing over that particular strain of crunchy guitar-- I couldn't get enough of it.

How did you feel about Nirvana and Kurt Cobain at the time? And, if you're not of my generation or followed a different type of popular music, what was the act that changed your musical landscape?