Kurt Cobain Royalty Check Discovered in Seattle Music Store
A 28-year-old royalty check issued to Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was recently uncovered at a Seattle record store. The long lost residual payment was for the paltry sum of $26.57 — a drop in the bucket compared the large sums the late musician collected toward the end of his career.
As reported by Ultimate Classic Rock, the staff at Easy Street Records found the item among a collection that had been purchased in the '90s. The Chemical Bank check from BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc., a performing rights organization) was made out to "Kurt D. Cobain" at an address in nearby Olympia, Washington. See the images of the check down toward the bottom of this post.
"Royalty check found at Easy Street today," the music store shared on Instagram last week. "This is dated 03/06/91, 6 months before [Nevermind] would change the face of the planet. We're guessing the next royalty checks were a bit larger than only.... $26.57."
"We just found it … or should say noticed it," shop owner Matt Vaughan told the NME of the item found among a lot of Nirvana tour itineraries. "We looked through 'em a little, but just put 'em in storage. Seemed like every band in Seattle had tour itinerary books … wasn't uncommon to run across one."
He also found a money order payable to Cobain's landlord, one of the rocker's backstage passes, and a past-due doctor's bill. The NME noted the check was worth about $50 in today's dollars.
In other Nirvana news, the band's 2013 live release Live and Loud has been officially shared in full on YouTube for the first time. It was uploaded Friday, Aug. 30, the same day the set was released digitally and on vinyl, as Consequence of Sound pointed out. Watch the video and see the track list after the images.
Nirvana, Live and Loud Video Track Listing
1. "Radio Friendly Unit Shifter"
2. "Drain You"
3. "Breed"
4. "Serve the Servants"
5. "Rape Me"
6. "Sliver"
7. "Pennyroyal Tea"
8. "Scentless Apprentice"
9. "All Apologies"
10. "Heart-Shaped Box"
11. "Blew"
12. "The Man Who Sold Tthe World"
13. "School"
14. "Come As You Are"
15. "Lithium"
16. "About a Girl"
17. "Endless, Nameless"
See Nirvana in the 30 Best Grunge Albums of All Time