Cobain Followers Form Their Own Church Fledgling Group Hopes To Find Meaning In Late Musician’s Tragic Life

Smells like teen holy spirit: A fledgling church for disaffected youth has chosen as its patron saint the ultimate symbol of disaffection, the late grunge rocker Kurt Cobain.

Underneath Cobain’s brooding, self-absorbed music is a deeper spiritual message, says Jim Dillon, founder of the Church of Kurt Cobain.

“I think there are a lot of people who feel like they are not being talked to in their own language,” says Dillon, who describes himself as the church’s de facto reverend. “These so-called Generation X-ers feel disassociated with society at large.”

Dillon solemnly insists the church is for real. He says he got the idea from a church in San Francisco that incorporates the music of jazz legend John Coltrane into its services.

Instead of playing “Amazing Grace” on an organ, The Church of Kurt Cobain would blast “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

The church hopes to find meaning in the musician’s tragic life, Dillon says. Cobain fatally shot himself in April 1994 at his home in Seattle.

The nondenominational congregation plans to meet once or twice a month, most likely in a member’s home, and is looking for a “real reverend,” says Dillon, a relatively clean-cut 29-year-old who works for a desktop publishing company when he’s not overseeing the church.

Dillon says his sermons most likely will be based on songs from Cobain’s band Nirvana.

For example, he says the song “Rape Me” is really about brotherly love.

The lyrics are, “Rape me my friend. Rape me again, I’m not the only one. Hate me. Do it and do it again. Waste me. Taste me my friend. My favorite inside source. I’ll kick your open sores. Appreciate your concern. You’ll always stink and burn.”

“It’s actually a double negative,” Dillon says. “In essence, the real message is one of a Christian theme - treat me the way you want me to treat you.”

So far, the church has 12 members and plans a rally on Tuesday to sign up more.

Donations will be accepted at the rally for the Hemlock Society, which advocates doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally ill. Dillon stresses the church does not condone suicides such as Cobain’s.

Portland already has a church named after a famous star, The Church of Elvis. But unlike the satirical, kitschy Elvis shrine, Dillon says the Cobain church is serious.

Dillon would not comment on whether Cobain’s wife Courtney Love was aware of the church.

But a Seattle editor who has written extensively about Cobain says the rocker would be offended by the church.

“This was someone who very clearly in his life was not someone who wanted to be held above his fans or worshiped,” says Charles Cross, editor of the bi-weekly Seattle music magazine, The Rocket.

“This may be a sign that our culture as we know it is coming to an end, or people can find spirituality in anything.”