Kurt Cobain’s Death the Subject of Second Documentary

Soaked in Bleach washes away theories that Nirvana frontman committed suicide

The death of former Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain has been a topic of intrigue for music fans ever since he reportedly took his own life on April 5, 1994. It is speculated by many that the grunge legend did not actually commit suicide, despite reports claiming this. Soaked in Bleach is a newly released docudrama that explores the circumstances surrounding Cobain’s death, and ultimately attempts to convince the viewer that the speculations are indeed true; Cobain did not take his own life.

Told mainly through the perspective of Tom Grant, the private investigator hired to investigate Cobain’s death, the goal of this film is to convince the viewer that the icon was murdered. When compared to Montage of Heck, another Cobain documentary that was released recently, this film spotlights the investigation of the icon’s death rather than key moments of his life. In a sense, Soaked in Bleach feels like a sequel to Montage since it strictly details the death investigation, whereas Montage instead celebrates Cobain’s life.

Another distinction between the two films is that Bleach targets Courtney Love for being at least somewhat responsible for Cobain’s death. Montage, on the other hand, maintains a more neutral standpoint, often depicting Love as a caring, though herself troubled, wife to the rockstar.

A major touching point in Bleach is that, according to his peers, Cobain simply wasn’t suicidal. Because of his lyrics, which typically revolved around feelings of hopelessness, critics and investigators have traditionally thought of Cobain’s music as a reflection of the inner turmoil he was experiencing. However, Bleach makes clear that this is a false narrative, as an interview in the film shows Cobain himself saying that people put “too much meaning” into his lyrics. Another interview with one of Cobain’s peers sees the rock star described as “optimistic” and that “he’d been under a lot of pressure but [had] been handling things pretty good.”

One of the key contributors to the theory that Love is, at least in part, responsible for her husband’s death, is Tom Grant—who was hired by Love to track down Cobain after he went missing days before his death. A recorded interview between Grant and Love before Cobain’s death shows Love coming across as controlling and angry regarding her husband’s whereabouts and lifestyle. Love is also shown to be heavily paranoid, believing that Cobain had been cheating on her. In addition, it is mentioned that the couple would likely divorce soon.

Grant reveals that Love did not assist in the search for Cobain because “she had business in L.A.,” which was proven to be false and added suspicion regarding Love’s involvement in the events to come. If Cobain hadn’t died, and the couple did get divorced, it would prove to be detrimental to Love. According to Rosemary Carroll, godmother to Love and Cobain’s daughter: “If the divorce had gone through, Courtney would have received a very small settlement as a result of the prenuptial agreement.” However, if Cobain were to die, his wife would co-inherit an estate “worth possibly more than a billion dollars of future royalties,” which is what this film argues to be her motivating factor in having her husband murdered.

Overall, Soaked in Bleach, unlike Montage of Heck, succeeds in outlining the investigation and myths surrounding the death of one of the most beloved icons in music. The fact that there is such an abundance of speculation regarding this case only proves how influential Cobain was to the masses. It’s a shame, however, that the icon’s death has been, and could be forever, surrounded in mystery.