School of Rock

Last week I started reading 'Heavier than Heaven', Kurt Cobain's most critically acclaimed biography. It's a good read, going through over 400 interviews, medical records and unpublished journals. As Julie Burchill comments on the back 'I was in hog heaven all the way through - in a caring, wistful way of course'.

Anyway, to give it full justice I've also been listening to Nirvana's albums - mostly in the car on school runs and the like. Fortunately the kids are too young to be demanding their own music just yet and so are getting a well rounded 'education' from the likes of Arctic Monkeys, White Stripes, Vampire Weekend, to Bowie, The Stones and all sorts in between.

It was on one of these trips that I had 'Bleach', Nirvana's first fairly raw album, playing a little too enthusiastically when I get stuck in a line of cars turning into the quiet school road. As Kurt's voice blared out above the mangled drums and guitar and the boys were busy headbanging in the back, one of the school mothers crossing the road stood absolutely still and stared at me with what I can only describe as a 'what on earth are you thinking?' face. Of course I pretended not to notice whilst discreetly turning it down a notch or five. It was only later when I'd switched the CD to 'Nevermind' that I wondered what she would have done if In Bloom had been playing; it's opening line being 'Sell the kids for food...'.

This isn't the first time I've wondered about what music I'm listening to whilst I've got 3 pairs of little ears flapping in the wind beside me. Obviously there are some artists you just know you can't get away with (Eminem this morning kids?), but what about the ones you really love that just happen to have a few rude words peppering their album? Most of the time I just put it on and hope the kids won't pick up on it. Like when the Libertines sing 'I Get Along' ('I get along singing my song, people tell me I'm wrong.....F**k 'em'). Bad mother? Maybe. But what if I tell you I sing very loudly and out of tune over the bad bits? La la la la la....
Wonder what school mum would have made of that.