Come as you are, as you were, as I want you to be. Those iconic lyrics are known across the globe and are synonymous with Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. But, where did Kurt Cobain and Nirvana come from? You might think Seattle, when you think of Kurt Cobain, and no one would fault you for that, but you’d be wrong. Kurt Cobain founder of the band Nirvana was born and raised in the small Western Washington town of Aberdeen. Aberdeen may be known best for the timber industry, but it was also the incubator for greatness.
A two hour drive west of Seattle towards the coast and you’d make it to Aberdeen. The small town greets you with a sign that says those famous lyrics, “Come As You Are”. You can visit the Kurt Cobain bridge where Kurt Cobain slept under for a short while before his fame. There is the Aberdeen walk of fame which includes Kurt Cobain’s star, but other names you may recognize such as the WWE wrestler Daniel Bryan who also grew up in Aberdeen. The D&R theater in the downtown area has hosted some well known names such as Candlebox, and Duff McKagen’s Loaded.
Less than an hour drive from Aberdeen back towards Seattle is Olympia, a place where Kurt hung out during the formation of Nirvana. It was there in Olympia where it’s rumored that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” got it’s origin. Cobain was hanging out in these apartments upstairs in downtown Olympia. Not having showered recently he grabbed the nearest deodorant he could find before he left. The deodorant he used on himself was “Teen Spirit” a defunct brand used by teens in the early 90’s. That night rumor had gotten out that Cobain smelled like Teen Spirit, which later became the title to an iconic chart topping song.