Evan Dando has recently shared new reflections on the final days of Kurt Cobain. In an interview with NME, the The Lemonheads frontman addressed long-standing allegations involving Courtney Love.
Dando was asked about claims that Love once told Cobain she was having an affair with him in order to provoke jealousy. Responding to the allegation, Dando offered a deeply personal reflection on Cobain’s state of mind before his death.
“My first spiritual experience was when Kurt died [in 1994], because I felt that he knew the truth – because he went to his death not knowing,” Dando said. “[Nirvana’s] Pat Smear told me Kurt really thought I was having an affair with Courtney.”
Dando also recalled a disturbing remark he claims Love made during the early days of grunge’s commercial success, when many artists suddenly found themselves wealthy.
“I hope I’m balanced in the book about her, but I couldn’t help saying that the first thing she said to me when grunge broke and everybody had money was: ‘Evan, this is great! We can put hits out on people now!’” he continued.
Reflecting further, Dando spoke about his complicated and distant relationship with the late Nirvana frontman, describing an unusual sense of connection between them despite their lack of closeness.
“I felt that Kurt knew the truth a lot after he died. ‘Cause me and him had this weird barrier. We were doppelgängers in a way,” Dando explained. “People who worked with us both said they couldn’t even tell who was onstage. We listened to a lot of the same music and even his singing – I think that early on, he heard our early stuff.”
He went on to express regret over what might have been. “This sounds like a podcast and it’s so boring and who-gives-a-shit, but we could have been friends and it’s a bummer. And I think we are friends now ’cause he knows the truth,” he added. “One thing Courtney always used to say was that he said his prayers every night.”
The relationship between Dando and Cobain has been the subject of speculation for decades, particularly regarding Love’s alleged role in keeping them apart. Dando has repeatedly denied any romantic involvement with Love. According to Clash Magazine, Dando once stated, “Courtney was saying that we were having an affair – I was never attracted to Courtney,” contradicting the narrative that Love used the claim to incite jealousy.
Despite shared influences and mutual respect, the two musicians had very limited direct interaction. Songfacts reported that Dando described Cobain as “a good guy,” but said they “never really hooked up,” largely due to Love, even though Dando once visited Nirvana’s rehearsal and enjoyed the experience.
Further insight into the strained dynamic came from The Telegraph, which cited Dando describing their “famously strained relationship” as the result of Love getting “right between us,” preventing a closer bond despite mutual admiration.
The tragedy of the situation lies in what never materialized. Both Dando and Cobain were key figures in the early 1990s alternative rock movement, and The Lemonheads followed a similar path from underground success to mainstream recognition. Given their overlapping influences and artistic sensibilities, many observers have long speculated that the two could have formed a meaningful friendship had circumstances been different.
