Charles R. Cross, the Seattle music journalist whose best-known book was the Kurt Cobain biography Heavier Than Heaven, died on August 9, 2024, at age 67. His family said he died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep, according to reports by the Los Angeles Times and Pitchfork.
Who was Charles R. Cross?
Cross was a Seattle-based music journalist and author whose career followed the city’s music scene as it reached a wider audience. He started in music journalism while studying at the University of Washington, founded the Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets, and wrote for publications including Rolling Stone and Spin.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain | $12.72 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Journals | $16.92 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Love & Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain | $13.65 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Kurt Cobain: A Life from Beginning to End (Biographies of Musicians) | $2.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Tribute: Kurt Cobain: Bonus Edition | $3.99 | Buy on Amazon |
He edited Seattle music newspaper The Rocket from 1986 until it ceased publication in 2000. That tenure overlapped with Nirvana and other Seattle bands rising to broad attention. Former Death Cab for Cutie member and producer Chris Walla later wrote that it was “impossible to imagine the music or community of seattle in the 80s and 90s without charles r. cross.”
What did he write about Kurt Cobain?
Cross’s best-known work was Heavier Than Heaven, a biography of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain published in 2001. The publisher, Hachette Book Group, says Cross spent four years researching the book and based it on more than 400 interviews. Its source material included unpublished diaries and lyrics, family photographs, and other documentation.
#1 Best Overall
The biography traces Cobain’s life from his early years outside Aberdeen, Washington, through his rise with Nirvana. Former Los Angeles Times pop music critic Robert Hilburn called it “one of the most moving and revealing books ever written about a rock star.” That is Hilburn’s assessment; the available reporting does not establish that every interpretation or account in the biography is uncontested.
What else did Cross write?
His books covered several major figures in rock music, with Cobain one part of a broader body of work:
Rank #2
- Room Full of Mirrors, a biography of Jimi Hendrix.
- Backstreets: Springsteen, the Man and His Music, about Bruce Springsteen.
- Led Zeppelin: Heaven and Hell and Nevermind: The Classic Album.
- Here We Are Now: The Lasting Impact of Kurt Cobain, which returned to Cobain’s influence.
- Kicking & Dreaming, co-written with Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson.
How did Charles R. Cross die?
Cross died on August 9, 2024, aged 67. His family’s announcement, reported by the Los Angeles Times and quoted by Pitchfork, said he died “of natural causes in his sleep.”
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #3
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches
