Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's old LA apartment listed on Airbnb for $150 a night

Cobain reportedly wrote 'Heart-Shaped Box' in the apartment's bath

Daisy Wyatt
Friday 24 April 2015 12:04 BST
Comments
Frances Bean Cobain has to find a way to live her life in the shadow of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love
Frances Bean Cobain has to find a way to live her life in the shadow of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love (Getty)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

If the Kurt Cobain documentary Montage of Heck wasn’t enough to revive your Nirvana nostalgia – you can now stay in Cobain and Courtney Love’s former apartment thanks to Airbnb.

Listed as “Kurt Cobain’s Private 1b + 1bth”, the apartment in LA’s Fairfax District was home to the couple in 1991-1992 when Cobain was most focused on song writing and painting and Love was pregnant with Frances Bean.

The property's owner Brandon Kleinman claims Cobain wrote the song “Heart-Shaped Box” in the apartment’s bath.

Kurt Cobain's former LA apartment doesn't get many visitors, according to its owner
Kurt Cobain's former LA apartment doesn't get many visitors, according to its owner (Airbnb)

Cobain also decorated the walls in the living room and bedroom with murals, which may still exist in the apartment if Kleinman can scrape away at the latex paint over the fireplace.

According to Cobain biographer Charles R Cross, the pair rented the unit for $1,100 (/£727) a month, and Cobain liked to eat nearby at Canter’s Deli.

A picture of Cobain on the apartment's listing (Airbnb/Brandon Kleinman)
A picture of Cobain on the apartment's listing (Airbnb/Brandon Kleinman) (Airbnb)

Last year, photos of the apartment emerged on the internet after the couple moved out appearing to show Cobain and Love living in squalor, with old sheets, unopened letters, cigarette packets and a burnt metal spoon strewn over the floor.

The couple moved out when Love was eight months pregnant due to faulty plumbing and a leak that damaged guitars, artwork and journals that Cobain was storing in the bath.

Cobain and Love moved out of their apartment when Love was eight months pregnant (Airbnb/Brandon Kleinman)
Cobain and Love moved out of their apartment when Love was eight months pregnant (Airbnb/Brandon Kleinman) (Airbnb)

But despite the flat’s legacy, which is available to rent for $150 a night, Kleinman says he gets few offers – mostly from Nirvana fans.

“It gets rented out about four or five times a year,” he told Vulture. “I think Airbnb buried the listing for some reason. I don’t get a lot of interest in it.”

It is thought Cobain's paintings still exist behind the paint above the fireplace (Airbnb/Brandon Kleinman)
It is thought Cobain's paintings still exist behind the paint above the fireplace (Airbnb/Brandon Kleinman)

“Once every 60 days or so, I’ll get a weird, older gentleman, a rocker-type dude, sort of a burnout, knocking on the door, saying, ‘Do you know what used to happen here?’”

Nirvana fans, now is your chance.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in