Kurt Cobain would have been 51 years old if he had lived, and he was a musical hero for many troubled youth and at-risk youth suffering from teen depression and teen drug abuse. With many rock stars sadly choosing a permanent solution to their problems, several rock stars in recovery, as well as the family survivors, are speaking out.
Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, who struggled with addiction throughout his life, has organized a charity event called Above Ground, which will feature a variety of guest musicians, including Billy Idol and Corey Taylor from Slipknot, to raise awareness of mental health and encourage people to get help.
As a report on Blabbermouth states, the organizers of Above Ground stated that there can be “a disastrous loss of amazing talent through the twin tentacles of suicide and depression. The common misconception that an artist who is ‘famous’ or ‘rich’ has nothing to be depressed about is just a complete falsehood. Moreover, the act of asking for help is still something that is shrouded in misplaced embarrassment, humiliation and shame.”
The surviving daughter of Kurt Cobain, Frances Bean, also told Rolling Stone she is currently two years sober. “It is an everyday battle,” she says, adding that “the fact that I’m sober isn’t really public knowledge, decidedly and deliberately. But I think it’s more important to put aside my fear about being judged or misunderstood…I want to have the capacity to recognize and observe that my journey might be informative, even helpful to other people who are going through something similar…”
For the musicians who’ve survived what can often be a dangerous and unhealthy environment with the music business, they’re currently doing a lot to show troubled youth and teens suffering from addiction that you can survive, make it to the end of the tunnel, and live a better life.