Unquestionably the most famous couple in the grunge / alternative rock world, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain and Hole’s leader Courtney Love bonded initially over a mutual admiration for one another’s music. Married in February 1992, the pair were always hugely supportive of each other’s art, but, perhaps surprisingly, shared a stage only once, on September 8, 1993, in their adopted hometown of Los Angeles.
Neither Cobain nor Love were scheduled to appear at the Rock Against Rape benefit gig held at Hollywood’s Club Lingerie that evening, but following performances from Concrete Blonde’s Johnette Napolitano and X’s Exene Cervenka and prior to headliners 7 Year Bitch, Love took to the stage to perform two Hole songs, Doll Parts and Miss World, destined to appear on the band’s Live Through This album, before introducing her spouse to the crowd as “my husband Yoko.”
“Watch closely,” said Love. “This is the first and last time you’ll ever see this happen.”
The pair then performed two acoustic songs together, Nirvana’s Pennyroyal Tea (which would be released on In Utero two weeks later), and Leadbelly’s Where Did You Sleep Last Night?, later covered by Nirvana during their November 18, 1993 MTV Unplugged set. Love signed off by referring to herself and Cobain as “Sonny and Cher”.
Love was correct in stating that the pair would never share a stage again. Which makes this raw and undeniably affecting recording of their performance a true treasure for grunge fans.
