Roddy Nikpour dives into The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie. The album's title track marks a turning point in Bowie’s career toward stardom, which perfectly explains why Nirvana covered it in one of their most iconic final performances. 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

Roddy Nikpour dives into The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie. The album's title track marks a turning point in Bowie’s career toward stardom, which perfectly explains why Nirvana covered it in one of their most iconic final performances. 
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 
Support the podcast: <a href="https://www.kexp.org/cobain/">kexp.org/cobain</a>

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.

Kurt Cobain’s influence went beyond just the music he created with Nirvana. He also put the masses on to some of his own favorite artists. One particular document from his journals has been instructive to many fans – his top 50 albums. Each week, The Cobain 50 podcast digs into albums from this famous list and how they may have influenced Cobain and Nirvana. While learning the individual histories of the different albums on the list, we gain new insights into artists on the fringes as well as some of the biggest groups of all time. The podcast takes us through the legacies of acts like Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Breeders, Public Enemy, PJ Harvey, Black Flag, Mazzy Star, The Shaggs, Shonen Knife, and more. Episodes drop weekly starting January 10, 2024.

The Cobain 50

David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

Martin Douglas dives into Meet the Beatles! by The Beatles. In this episode, we pay tribute to the ever-connected thread of musicians across time and space. In essence, the “British Invasion” meant taking American music (largely from Black artists) and selling it back to American audiences. 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Audio producers: Martin Douglas and Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

Martin Douglas dives into Meet the Beatles! by The Beatles. In this episode, we pay tribute to the ever-connected thread of musicians across time and space. In essence, the “British Invasion” meant taking American music (largely from Black artists) and selling it back to American audiences. 
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Martin Douglas and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 
Support the podcast: <a href="https://www.kexp.org/cobain/">kexp.org/cobain</a>

The Beatles – Meet the Beatles! (1964)

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, Janice Headley, and Roddy Nikpour explore three of the more melodic entries on Kurt’s list. It’s important to remember that, despite their onstage aggression, Nirvana had some pop sensibilities. 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Special thanks: Albina Cabrera, host of El Cancionero de Kurt; and Janice Headley, co-host of In Our Headphones
Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

00:00: Intro
00:54: TL;DR
01:20: Reconciling aggression and pop sensibilities
08:14: Punk is informed by other genres
11:09: The one where Dusty played bass in a grunge band
13:20: Defining "melody"
15:04: How R.E.M. managed their success
17:08: The Knack as a one-hit wonder
19:43: Horniness, the eternal muse
22:37: Lunch meat, the other muse (shout out Weird Al)
24:27: Marine Girls and success via cult status (shout out Everything But the Girl)
28:28: Hearing The Knack, R.E.M., and Marine Girls in Nirvana
32:24: Credits

Dusty Henry, Martin Douglas, Albina Cabrera, Janice Headley, and Roddy Nikpour explore three of the more melodic entries on Kurt’s list. It’s important to remember that, despite their onstage aggression, Nirvana had some pop sensibilities. 
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Special thanks: Albina Cabrera, host of <a href="https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/el-cancionero-de-kurt/">El Cancionero de Kurt</a>; and Janice Headley, co-host of <a href="https://www.kexp.org/podcasts/in-our-headphones/">In Our Headphones </a>Audio producer: Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 
Support the podcast: <a href="https://www.kexp.org/cobain/">kexp.org/cobain</a>
00:00: Intro 00:54: TL;DR 01:20: Reconciling aggression and pop sensibilities 08:14: Punk is informed by other genres 11:09: The one where Dusty played bass in a grunge band 13:20: Defining "melody" 15:04: How R.E.M. managed their success 17:08: The Knack as a one-hit wonder 19:43: Horniness, the eternal muse 22:37: Lunch meat, the other muse (shout out Weird Al) 24:27: Marine Girls and success via cult status (shout out Everything But the Girl) 28:28: Hearing The Knack, R.E.M., and Marine Girls in Nirvana 32:24: Credits

Roundtable: Kurt <3s Melody

Janice Headley dives into Beach Party by Marine Girls. Their lo-fi instrumentation and girlish vulnerability helped set the standard for twee pop. 

Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas
Audio producers: Janice Headley and Roddy Nikpour
Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili
Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 

Support the podcast: kexp.org/cobain

Janice Headley dives into Beach Party by Marine Girls. Their lo-fi instrumentation and girlish vulnerability helped set the standard for twee pop. 
Hosts: Dusty Henry and Martin Douglas Audio producers: Janice Headley and Roddy Nikpour Podcast manager: Isabel Khalili Editorial director: Larry Mizell Jr. 
Support the podcast: <a href="https://www.kexp.org/cobain/">kexp.org/cobain</a>

David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World (1970)

In 1 playlist(s)

The Cobain 50

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips