It’s been two months since his passing, but it seems that information continues to comes out about the life and death of Tim Bergling, better known by his stage name Avicii. As the EDM community continues to mourn the loss of one of the greats, we can’t help but find similarities with another great, Kurt Cobain.
Avicii passed away on April 20 at the young age of 28. Before retiring he helped bring EDM to the mainstream, while showing fellow DJs and fans alike just what EDM could be. Though he did so much good for the genre, it does not help the pain the community is feeling. But his story is weirdly similar to a legend in rock, Kurt Cobain. And both of their legacies, stories, and struggles will last way past their final days.
As hard as it is to hear, they both died by supposed suicide. Recently a report came out saying Avicii died from self-inflicted cuts from glass. This has yet to be confirmed by family, but they did hint at it in a earlier statement. Kurt Cobain also passed away by suicide, a gun shot wound, (though some believe that someone else pulled the trigger).
Not only did both artists die by suicide, but both died in their late 20s. Kurt Cobain was part of, “The 27 Club” a group of influential artists that died at the age of 27, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, and Amy Winehouse are also on this list. Avicii was 28.
They each had a substance of choice. Kurts was heroin. Heroin was found in Kurt Cobain at the time of death and he talked about it in his journals. Avicii had alcohol. Avicii released a song under Tim Berg, Alcoholic, the only lyric in the whole seven-minute track is, “Call it what you want to call it, I’m a fucking alcoholic.” He also talked openly about his alcohol use in interviews, and how it was usually always provided to him and free.
But the biggest similarity is what they did for music. They opened doors for future and current artists, selling out venues, making none conventional collaboration, being nominated and winning awards. They put their all into their music and fans, but maybe at the expense of themselves. It makes you wonder if the hard times would of been so severe if they had not been in the music industry. It’s possible Avicii is the Kurt Cobain of EDM, but the hardest part is that people are struggling and we may never have answers. Instead we remix their pain.
We have to look out for each other, and notice when someone may need help. More than ever we have to be their for each other.
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