Sophia Michaels
Tony Hawk is planning to celebrate Kurt Cobain’s birthday on Monday, who would have turned 56.
In an Instagram post, Hawk wrote that he bought Cobain’s 1985 skateboard at an auction last year. An avid painter — sometimes of classic rock imagery — the deck is decorated with Cobain’s painting of Iron Maiden. It’s an original Jeff Phillips model, a skateboarder who died by suicide in 1993, three months before Cobain ended his life.
“Two icons that had immense influence on their respective fields, both of whom passed away tragically and much too young,” Hawk wrote. “I even tracked down the original owner to understand its provenance. With the incomparable help of @dupedupe, we are hoping to make something good of this acquisition by raising awareness for emotional health, and to help provide resources for those who are struggling mentally. More to come on February 20 (Kurt’s birthday).”
This is not the first time that Cobain’s personal items have been sold. In 2021, one of his childhood homes in Montesano, Washington, went on sale, and his artwork went to auction. Last spring, the Fender Mustang he played in the “Smells Like Teen Spirit” video was sold for $4.5 million; the Cobain family donated a portion of the money to the NFL team’s Kicking The Stigma mental health awareness campaign.
Earlier this month, Nirvana were honored at the Grammy’s Special Merit Award ceremony, where Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic took the stage alongside Heart, members of the Supremes, and others. “There’s a new generation of Nirvana fans, and I’m just very grateful for that,” Novoselic said. “Thank you all, so just keep on rockin’.”
