Seattle, WA
Charles R. Cross, Kurt Cobain Biographer and Revered Chronicler of Seattle Music Scene, Dies at 67
Charles R. Cross, an instrumental figure in the Seattle music scene who wrote the definitive 2001 biography of Kurt Cobain, “Heavier than Heaven,” has died at age 67, his family confirmed on Sunday night.
“We are sorry to share that Charles Cross has passed. He died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9, 2024. We are all grief-stricken and trying to get through this difficult process of dealing with the next steps,” his family said in a statement shared with the media.
Nancy Wilson of Heart wrote on Facebook, “Whadda one-of-a-kind guy. His passion and purpose was to make it his life’s work to celebrate and chronicle the beautiful global renaissance that started with our local Seattle music scene.”
She noted on Facebook that Cross was “never salacious, never invasive” in his 2012 biography, “Kicking & Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock & Roll.” Cross also wrote biographies of another Seattle icon, Jimi Hendrix, as well as Led Zeppelin.
Cross served as editor of the influential Seattle music monthly “The Rocket,” from 1986 through 2000, just as bands like Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney were poised to explode on the national stage.
As he said in a recent video about the digitization of all 300 issues of “The Rocket,” When you look back on the history of the paper, we’re the first people to cover Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam.” He also mentioned that Cobain — in a now-famous listing looking for a drummer— was one of the many musicians who advertised in the magazine’s classified ads.
On a personal note, he was also a friend and mentor of mine, who gave me one of my entertainment journalism gigs at The Rocket. I last spoke with him on the phone a year ago when he generously shared his insight for TheWrap’s story about suicide prevention in Hollywood. As an expert on the Seattle music scene, he was also, sadly, an authority on the subject, and frequently gave lectures on suicide prevention.
Served as editor of the University of Washington’s Daily in 1979, where he worked with future “Rocket” editor and collaborator John Keister of “Almost Live!” fame.
He also founded the Bruce Springsteen fanzine “Backstreets,” selections of which were published in 1989 as “Springsteen: the Man and His Music.”
The Seattle music community mourned Cross’ unexpected death. No Depression co-founder Grant Alden recalled how. Cross gave him a “ringside seat to the grunge circus” and how his industry connections helped Alden create the roots music journal. He also noted Cross’ generosity after selling “The Rocket.”
“Some years later a check arrived. I was no longer desperately broke and in debt because ND actually took off, but it was still a welcome kindness. He didn’t have to do that. I know how capitalism works,” wrote Alden.
Pacific Northwest Archives founder Karl Braun wrote on Facebook, “[He] probably knew more about Seattle music than anyone on earth … he was in progress on his memoir/autobiography which he told me would have many additional stories that had not made their way into any of his previous works.”
Cross had previously described the book as “a little bit about my life and a little bit about Seattle music history.”
He also wrote for The Seattle Times, Rolling Stone, Spin, Esquire, Playboy, the Los Angeles Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
He is survived by his son, Ashland.
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SEATTLE — People from Seattle to Redmond are speaking out about the ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran after President Trump’s threat of massive attacks.
President Trump on Tuesday announced he would suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for two weeks as part of a temporary ceasefire brokered by the Pakistani government.
The suspension of attacks is contingent on Iran agreeing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
ALSO SEE | Oil prices drop and stock futures jump as US and Iran agree to a 2-week ceasefire
Iran responded by claiming victory, saying ships will be allowed to pass through the strait, but only under the management of the Iranian military.
Shayan Arya is an Iranian-American with cousins and friends in Iran, who have detailed by phone their experiences being near recent warfare.
“In the middle of our conversations, the bombing started,” Arya explained. “And so she said, ‘Can you hear the bombs dropping?’”
He said he was concerned about power plants being bombed in Iran, and is grateful they won’t be targeted, for now.
Meanwhile, on the steps of Seattle City Hall, a group rallied against the Trump Administration’s foreign policy and actions.
“Perhaps we should stop bombing the cradle of civilization and calling it freedom. We should be investing in people, the communities,” one woman chanted through a megaphone.
Counter-protesters showed up, leading to heated confrontations for a short time.
Arya said he feels relief, for now, amid the ceasefire, but that there’s ongoing concern about Iran’s future under its current regime.
“It’s just a matter of time [until the regime collapses], and at what price?” he asked.
CNN reports the White House is preparing for in-person negotiations with Iran to help broker a long-term peace deal.
The developments come just hours after the president posted a message online, threatening, “A whole civilization could die tonight… Never to be brought back again.”
The City of Seattle is paying $650,000 to fix a bus line error along the RapidRide G Line.
Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) crews removed three orange steel plates that had lifted buses by approximately one inch and repaved the short sections of the roadway along Madison Street where the plates were initially placed.
Those orange plates were a stopgap solution to properly serve riders who use wheelchairs and walkers, as the original construction for the three center-road bus stops along King County Metro’s RapidRide G Line were roughly an inch too high when it first opened in 2024.
The $650,000 construction fix is expected to come from a $144.3 million construction project, which paid for nine new buses, built 8 miles of sidewalks, repaved the road, and replaced or upgraded more than 40 traffic signals, according to The Seattle Times.
The affected stops were Stops 104, 105, and 124. Stop 104 is on Madison Street between Terry and Boren Avenues, while Stop 105 is on Madison Street between Summit and Boylston Avenues, and Stop 124 is on Madison Street at E. Union Street and 12th Avenue E.
An SDOT spokesperson told The Seattle Times the specific bus platforms were “slightly too high for bus ramps to extend properly.” If the platform height is even slightly off, riders using wheelchairs, walkers, or experiencing other mobility issues can’t get on or off the bus.
The RapidRide G Line, which opened in 2024, connects Madison Valley, Capitol Hill, First Hill, and Downtown Seattle.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Kraken dropped their fifth-straight game as the Jets won 6-2 in Winnipeg.
The loss adds to the dwindling Stanley Cup Playoff hopes for a Kraken team that’s made the postseason just once since the team began playing in the 2021-2022 season.
The Kraken’s (32-33-11) 75 points trail the Nashville Predators’ 81 points with just six games remaining.
The Jets, Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and Saint Louis Blues are ahead of the Kraken in the standings as teams jockey for Wild Card spots.
Kraken captain Jordan Eberle opened the scoring in the first period to give Seattle a 1-0 lead.
The Jets then scored once in the first period and twice in the second to take a 3-2 advantage into the third.
Goalkeeper Joey Daccord was pulled after allowing two goals on 12 shots.
Forward Jared McCann scored early in the third period to bring the Kraken to within one.
The Jets then scored two unanswered goals and an empty-net goal to seal the 6-2 win.
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