Photos: Fans honor Cobain 20 years after death
Two decades after Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain killed himself in Seattle, fans flocked to the home where he died to pay homage to the influential rocker.
Fans came from nearby cities like Portland, Ore., or faraway towns in Georgia — some sporting '90s-era "grunge" attire like plaid shirts — to leave handwritten notes, flowers and unopened beers to honor the musician.
Police believe Cobain killed himself on April 5, 1994, and his body was found three days later. An investigation determined that the 27-year-old had taken a massive overdose of heroin and then shot himself with a 20-gauge shotgun.
Cobain's Nirvana helped popularize the Pacific Northwest's heavy, muddy "grunge" rock scene, along with bands like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Mudhoney.
Nirvana, which sold millions of albums, will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Thursday. —AP
Kurt Cobain
Portland resident Kim Hoffman scrawls the quote, "who needs action when you have words?" in memory of Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, on a bench near the home where he died on the 20th anniversary of his death Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. On April 10, Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
This Dec. 13, 1993 file photo shows Kurt Cobain of the Seattle band Nirvana performing in Seattle, Wash. Two decades after Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain killed himself in Seattle, fans flocked to his home to pay homage to the influential rocker Saturday April 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Robert Sorbo, File)
Kurt Cobain
Fans of Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, paid homage to the late rock icon with offerings of flowers, unopened beers and handwritten notes on a bench near the home where Cobain died on the 20th anniversary of his death Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. On April 10, Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
With the whole family decked out in plaid shirts and Converse All Star shoes, mother Natalie Sullivan, holding daughter Frieda, and father Tyler Sullivan, holding son Varga, paid homage to the late rock icon of Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, near the home where Cobain died on the 20th anniversary of his death, Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
A view of the home where Nirvana's Kurt Cobain killed himself in 1994, photographed Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. On April 10, Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
Nirvana fans who travelled from Georgia, Katlyn Reece, background, and Rachel Walraven, foreground, paid homage to the late Kurt Cobain, with handwritten notes on a bench near the home where Cobain died on the 20th anniversary of his death Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
Portland residents Ashly Archibald, 26, left, and Kim Hoffman, 28, right, scrawls the quote, "who needs action when you have words?" in memory of Nirvana's lead singer, Kurt Cobain, on a bench near the home where he died on the 20th anniversary of his death Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. On April 10, Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
Several hundred yards from the home where Nirvana's Kurt Cobain killed himself in 1994, background, fans of the late lead singer such as Beau Allen, 27, right, and his mother, Bobbi Binder, center right, visit a bench loaded with offerings of flowers, unopened beers and handwritten notes on the 20th anniversary of Cobain's death, Saturday, April 5, 2014, at Viretta Park in Seattle, Wash. Allen also visited the site on the tenth anniversary of the singer's death, and has been a fan of Nirvana since age six. On April 10, 2014, Nirvana will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (AP Photo/seattlepi.com, Jordan Stead)
Kurt Cobain
In this 1993 file photo, lead singer of Nirvana Kurt Cobain is photographed. It's been two decades since the Nirvana frontman took his own life yet he remains on in the thoughts of those he influenced and entertained. He's a touchstone for young musicians clutching guitars the world over and his story is a tale of both inspiration and caution. His influence still ripples across the surface of pop music and his shadow even looms in the hip-hop world where he's been a referenced by Jay Z, Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Drake and Jay Electronica in various ways recently. (AP Photo/Mark J.Terrill, file)
Kurt Cobain
This 1991 file photo shows the band Nirvana, from left, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl, and Kurt Cobain. Nirvana will be inducted into the 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 10, 2014, at the Barclays Center in New York. (AP Photo/Chris Cuffaro, File)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, a large photo of Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, looks toward the underside of the Young Street Bridge from "Kurt Cobain Landing," blocks from his childhood home in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, a sign marks the location of "Kurt Cobain Landing," a tiny park blocks from the childhood home of Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, graffiti, mostly written about Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, adorns the underside of the Young Street Bridge blocks from his childhood home in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
The ' Sonic Youth' T-shirt of Kurt Cobain, worn during his final stage performance in Munich, 1994, is photographed in the Hard Rock Cafe, central London, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. AP Photo/Joel Ryan)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, graffiti, mostly written about Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, adorns the underside of the Young Street Bridge blocks from his childhood home in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain photo courtesy Charles Peterson, (c) 1992. (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)/
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, Dann Sears, curator of the Aberdeen Museum of HIstory, stands in the tiny garage of the childhood home of Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, a sign at "Kurt Cobain Landing," a tiny park blocks from the childhood home of Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, honors him as it overlooks the Wishkah River in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
A Nirvana Ovation acoustic guitar played by Kurt Cobain is displayed at the launch of Hard Rock International's traveling music memorabilia collection, "Gone Too Soon," Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, at Hard Rock Cafe New York. (Photo by Diane Bondareff/Invision for Hard Rock International/AP Images)
Kurt Cobain
A Christie's employee shows the broken neck of Kurt Cobain's Aria Pro 2 Cardinal electric guitar at the auction house Christie's in London, Wednesday, June 19, 2013. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Kurt Cobain
This photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, shows a guitar, staged for the home sale, and the dining room table and hutch from when Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, lived there in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, a phrase reportedly written by Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, remains on the wall of his room at his childhood home in Aberdeen, Wash. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
In this photo taken Monday, Sept. 23, 2013, an attic bedroom used by Kurt Cobain, the late frontman of Nirvana, is said by realtors to still include the original rug from when he lived in his childhood home in Aberdeen, Wash. Cobain's mother is putting the tired, 1.5-story Aberdeen bungalow on the market this week, the same month as the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's final studio album. The home, last assessed at less than $67,000, is being listed for $500,000, but the family would also be happy entering into a partnership with anyone who wants to turn it into a museum. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain's handwritten lyrics are seen on display at the Hard Rock's 40th Anniversary Memorabilia Tour, in New York, Wednesday, May 18, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes)