'In Utero' and Kurt's Anti-Mainstream Aesthetic
According to Richard Dyer, the crossover star, beyond achieving widespread popularity, “though rooted in a particular tradition of music with a particular audience, somehow manages to appeal, and sell, beyond the confines of that audience” (Dyer, Heavenly 67). Thus, becoming a crossover star is a two-part process; the star must first take root in a subculture – and remain loyal to this subculture – before trying to reach out to other demographics. Undoubtedly, Cobain was staunchly an alternative/grunge/hipster (these are all somewhat synonymous in his case) star, and Cobain’s interviews during the press tour for the album certainly bolsters his claim to legitimacy as the anti-mainstream hero for those groups. In an interview with MTV, Kurt ended an almost 16-minute long discussion about music videos – a media used to attract new fans to music – by stating that he had no interest in making additional videos for that purpose. Rather, Kurt states (around the 16:44 mark) that he “just want[s] to sell albums to people who really like [Nirvana] and already know about us,” clearly catering to his roots in the alternative subculture and rejecting mainstream interests. Additionally, before releasing the album, both Kurt and rock news outlets described the album as unlikeable because of the choice of Steve Albini as the album’s producer. Former music journalist Chuck Klosterman describes Albini as “an abrasive, ethical man whose legacy is built on crafting sonically authentic records that normal people hate” (Klosterman 28), a reputation Albini established long before the recording of In Utero in 1993. Kurt’s choice in producer was, at least in part, fueled by his internalized hipster ideal to distinguish oneself in opposition to “normal people,” to search for authenticity as a way to reject capitalistic success.
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- Kurt Cobain, Hipster Christ Ashley Hawkins
