Raw Kurt Cobain: U2, Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana

"SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY"                     U2

U2, Live At Red Rocks, one of the greatest concerts captured on film.   U2 wasn't the Mega Arena band at this point in 1983, they were 4 lads from Ireland singing songs about Faith, Liberation, Change, and this classic about one historic day in Irish history.   Sunday Bloody Sunday features a militaristic drumbeat, a classic Edge guitar riff, and Bono's melodic chants of "No More" punctuating a reminder of the day British troops killed North Ireland protesters and bystanders.  

"SOMETHING IN THE WAY"               NIRVANA

What a tragic loss.    This version of the song from the BBC Radio One Network captures Kurt's haunting vocals mixed with a totally raw guitar solo punctuated by Dave Grohl's punishing drum beats.   "Something In The Way" was the last song on Nevermind.   Rolling Stone magazine said of Nevermind, "No album in recent history had such an overpowering impact on a generation—a nation of teens suddenly turned punk."

"SHERRY DARLING"                   BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

The question, name 5 CD's you take with you if you were stranded on a desert island?    Bruce Springsteen's 1980 release, "The River" would be on my list.    A double LP that never gets boring as each song tackles a new genre.   There are rockers like "Cadillac Ranch" and "Hungry Heart" (originally written for The Ramones) to introspective songs like the title track and "Stolen Car".   Along the way, "The River" adds some classic New Jersey fun, "Sherry Darling" is the best of those!