Kurt From Aberdeen
Kurt from Aberdeen
Weaned on the likes of the Pistols, Blink 182 and most particularly Nirvana, Sussex- based musician, photographer, poet, impressionist and “party instigator” Bertie Taylor is something of a punk renaissance man. The first album that Bertie bought was Nirvana’s “Nevermind”. He was ten. The album had a profound effect on him and in Bertie’s words, he found in Kurt Cobain “a kind of musical hero who sounded like I felt”.
Cobain himself seemed simultaneously intense and vulnerable, an unkempt anti-fashion style icon, togged up in baggy thrift- store jeans, oversized flannel shirts and sporting the perfect Rockstar Barnet. A grungy guitar- wielding James Dean for the nineties, finally achieving a type of immortality as a permanent member of the fabled 27 Club. In short, the perfect role model for a generation of kids, who, like Taylor wrote songs, formed bands and truly believed that their destiny lay in the dream reality of rock stardom.
The young Kurt of course had been a fanboy himself, citing his heroes including The Beatles, punk and Led Zeppelin as influences on his music. Unlike so many other wannabees however, his dream of becoming a Rockstar came only too true. Be careful what you wish for.
On his 30th birthday Bertie Taylor realised that he had outlived his lost musical hero by three years. He found himself wondering what Kurt Cobain’s life had really been like, beyond the doomed Rockstar archetype portrayed by the media. On a whim he decided to fly to Seattle from London, armed with a film camera and a notebook to try and find out.
Actively avoiding the usual tabloid cliches, the resultant short but sweet and honest little film traces Kurt Cobain’s journey from humble Aberdeen shack to Washington Rockstar mansion, telling his story from a genuine fan’s viewpoint.
The filmmaker has talked about returning to Kurt’s old haunts to make a more sophisticated documentary version of the story. But there’s something about this no budget, DIY short that in its spontaneity and immediacy captures the truth and spirit of the subject matter.
The Velvet Curtain
May 26th, 2026
PS Don't try clicking on the play button on the picture above , it's a screen shot.