Tony Hawk Remembers Hearing Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit': 'You Knew This Was It'
One of the world's most popular skateboarding figures, Tony Hawk, is now revealing, at least to the media, how the Nirvana legendary anthem, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," changed his life and the culture of skateboarding.
He shared those vivid memories of the first time he heard that song as well recently.
I remember when 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' first came on at, say, early 1990, when I was already a certain star in skateboarding. It was almost like nothing else in music would touch him like that again. "It was like a lightning bolt," Hawk said. "You knew this was it. This was the sound of a generation."
That was just enough raw energy, rebellious spirit, and catchy melody-that was the kind of song that skateboard culture needed at such a rebellious and anti-establishment attitude back then. Hawk and his friends own the song and started riding with it and used it to their inspiration.
"Nirvana's music, and 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' particularly, gave us a voice," hawk said. "It allowed us to express ourselves and reach out to a greater audience. It was a very powerful feeling."
Indeed, the popularity of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with skateboarders cannot be exaggerated as it went a long way in bringing the sport to the forefront while also ushering it among new segments of sport enthusiasts. It inspired a generation of skateboarders who looked forward to reinventing their sport and even violating expectations.
The interest of Hawk in Nirvana extends beyond the music played by them. In fact, he can be seen discussing how much Nirvana influenced him in his life. He even remembered naming Kurt Cobain, the front man of that band, as his role model.
"I like Kurt Cobain. He was an artist totally. He was not afraid of being himself or saying what's on his mind. He is a rebel, and I've always loved this aspect," Hawk said.
Besides expressing himself through sharing love for Nirvana, Hawk has also, on different platforms, voiced his support for other bands and musicians that have assisted to shape rock's sounds. In fact, he often uses the said platforms to make people aware of emergent artists and also celebrate legacy acts.
The connection to Nirvana and other rock bands is an eternal statement of the strength music possesses over boundaries in the instance of genres that defines it and binds people from all walks of life. For Hawk, Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was more than just a song; it represented a cultural touchstone for defining a generation.
