Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967, in the small logging town of Aberdeen, Washington. As a child, Cobain was artistic and had an ear for music. Although he had a younger sister Kim (b. 1971), the two were separated when their parents got divorced. At age nine, Cobain went to live with his father who eventually remarried, which put more strain on their relationship.
He later said the divorce had a profound effect on his life, while his mother noted that his personality changed dramatically; Cobain became defiant and withdrawn. In a 1993 interview, he said:
“I remember feeling ashamed, for some reason. I was ashamed of my parents. I couldn’t face some of my friends at school anymore, because I desperately wanted to have the classic, you know, typical family. Mother, father. I wanted that security, so I resented my parents for quite a few years because of that.”
Cobain behaved insolently toward adults during this period, and began bullying another boy at school. His father took him to a therapist, who concluded that he would benefit from a single family environment. Both sides of the family attempted to bring his parents back together, to no avail. On June 28, 1979, Cobain’s mother granted full custody to his father. Cobain’s teenage rebellion quickly became overwhelming for his father, who placed his son in the care of family and friends. While living with the born-again Christian family of his friend Jesse Reed, he became a devout Christian and regularly attended church services. He later renounced Christianity, engaging in what was described as “anti-God” rants. The song “Lithium” is about his experience while living with the Reed family. Religion remained an important part of his personal life and beliefs.
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