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Kurt Cobain action figure set to hit store shelves in June

BY Steven Friederich - Daily World Writer

Saturday, April 1, 2006 12:51 AM PST

 

	The National Entertainment Collectibles Association announced this week that it was releasing a Kurt Cobain action figure, dressed in the outfit from the Nirvana music video “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” which first exposed Cobain to millions of fans worldwide. National Entertainment Collectibles An action figure of Late Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain is set for release in June.

“A modern day rock icon presented for the first time as an action figure,” packaging on the action figure reads. “Based on his appearance in the breakthrough ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit' video, Cobain comes with his guitar and a gymnasium floor base.”

The company debuted a picture of the action figure in this week's Rolling Stone, most likely to capitalize on the 12th anniversary of the Aberdeen native's suicide, which occurred on April 5, 1994, in Seattle.

Seattle rock journalist Charles Cross, who wrote the Cobain biography “Heavier than Heaven” and recently finished a biography on rock legend Jimi Hendrix, said he can't confirm if this is the grunge artist's first action figure.

“It's certainly strange,” Cross told The Daily World. “I hate this kind of commercialization. However, that being said, four people gave me the Hendrix action figure for Christmas and my 6-year-old loves to play with it.”

The National Entertainment Collectibles Association was founded in 1997 to make realistic toys from subjects ranging from movies to bands, including characters from the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean” to members of the Sex Pistols.

“While Kurt Cobain may no longer be part of the corporeal world, his words, voice, music and attitude can still be felt today thanks to the full albums, videos and unheard-of amount of bootlegs left behind,” the organization said on its Web site.

Randy Falk, director of product development for the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, was not available for comment.

Internet Web sites were buzzing about the action figure Thursday and Friday.

“This Kurt Cobain action figure is exactly what the notoriously depressed and anti-consumerism grunge rocker would have wanted,” a blog called “Jossip” said in a tongue-in-cheek style. “Too bad it had to come just as Barbie and Ken get back together.”

“Ex-grungers-turned-office-stiffs of the world, rejoice!” Matthew Solarski of the indie music site Pitchfork wrote on his Web site.

“Is it cool because it's Kurt?” Seattle music journalist Travis Hay asked on his “Ear Candy” blog. “Or is it totally commercial and anti-Nirvana to have a (Kurt Cobain) action figure? Well, at least now I know what to put on my desk between my photos of Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell.”

The figure should be available in June and will retail at $14.99.

Steven Friederich , a Daily World writer, can be reached at (360) 532-4000 ext. 134 or by e-mail at sfriederich@thedailyworld.com

 

Source: The Daily World