AC/DC and Nirvana: mutual hatred or just different interests?
In the 1980s, the punk movement was very much in full force. The subcultures became inspired by much more than just the music – they campaigned against homophobia, racism, and misogyny in an attempt to ruffle the feathers of those who opposed them. At the same time, very few rock figures of the time were forthcoming in their views against prejudice. Lyricism and media comments weren’t as scrutinised as they are today.
Kurt Cobain was one of the few who actually became known for his moral code. He was a champion of the righteous who challenged bigotry and ignorance at any opportunity. This led to him becoming at odds with some of the other prominent artists, many of whom stuck to the status quo when it came to musical trends. Cobain was never one to shy away from honesty on the matter.
Back in 2013, Nirvana’s manager Danny Goldberg said that Cobain had a complicated relationship with the music of classic rock bands. He liked some of the big names’ material, including AC/DC and Led Zeppelin, but a lot of the lyrics didn’t sit right with him. “He had a broad appreciation,” he said, but “the lyrics were not something he felt comfortable with” because of their sexist and homophobic undertones.
A 1992 interview with AC/DC’s Malcolm Young revealed a subtle distaste for Nirvana in return. When asked if he enjoyed Nirvana’s angsty heavy rock, Young responded with, “Naaaah. Singer’s a blond fella. Bit of a poser.”
Now, this also followed a comment about his daughter being a fan of the band. Although his response could have been fronted with some kind of nonchalant, ‘I don’t associate with my daughter’s tastes’ kind of pride, it certainly accelerated the discourse around the hostility that both sides had for each other.
AC/DC is no stranger to bad press. Over recent years, media attention has been rife with criticism about the messaging behind a lot of their most popular songs. Misogyny, in particular, is a big part of the language they used – something that Cobain loathed – so it’s easy to see why a lot of their material hasn’t aged all that well. While AC/DC extolled the virtues of romantic liaisons (to put it lightly), Cobain instead sat on the other side of the train.
‘Rape Me’, a song that was never released as a single and almost didn’t make it onto the album, is one of his most controversial. Many see it as a powerful and necessary commentary on rape culture, while others consider it to be too insensitive for a topic so uncomfortable and triggering. But that’s one of the things that made his legacy: he wasn’t afraid to stand up and say, “Women are totally oppressed.”
For Nirvana and AC/DC, perhaps ‘hating’ each other would be too direct and intentional a word, but regardless, it really demonstrates the two opposing sides of rock subculture.
