Courtney Love says Kurt Cobain would be proud of Succession's use of Nirvana's Rape Me

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(Image credit: Paul Bergen/Redferns - Getty)

Courtney Love recently opened up about approving the use of Nirvana song Rape Me for the HBO show Succession and how she feels it would make Kurt Cobain 'proud'. 

Sharing a clip from the song's appearance on the episode, which first aired on October 31, Love said via Twitter, "I’ve never felt so good about approving a usage of a song of Kurt’s. You understood this: him, it’s beautiful. I’m sure he’s proud.”

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Used to interrupt a corporate speech about investigations into accusations of sexual assault, the song's appearance is appropriately in-keeping with its disruptive history. 

Written shortly after work had been completed on Nirvana's landmark Nevermind album, the song was eventually released on Nirvana's final studio album In Utero. Rape Me was immediately controversial for its frank lyrical content, so much so that the band were banned from playing it at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. 

Infamously, the band agreed not to play the song but on the night started playing the opening chords before playing Lithium, almost causing the show's producers to cut broadcast. 

In addition to praising the song's usage in Succession, Love also cryptically alluded to the fact the song was written about a specific person. "Ask me who it’s about one day. I might even tell you,” she wrote. 

Love has managed Cobain's estate since the singer's death in 1994. This year marked the 30th anniversary of Nirvana's landmark Nevermind, the album most often recognised as the mainstream breakthrough for Seattle's grunge scene. 

Earlier this year Spencer Elden, the baby featured on Nevermind's iconic cover revealed he was suing members of Nirvana, Love, photographer Kirk Weddle and various record labels as he felt the image represented "child pornography". In an interview with Vulture Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl briefly addressed the accusations, saying "he has a Nevermind tattoo, I don't."

Rich Hobson

Staff writer for Metal Hammer, Rich has never met a feature he didn't fancy, which is just as well when it comes to covering everything rock, punk and metal for both print and online, be it legendary events like Rock In Rio or Clash Of The Titans or seeking out exciting new bands like Nine Treasures, Jinjer and Sleep Token.