Charles R. Cross is a journalist and author known for his book "Heavier Than Heaven," a biography of Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain. Cross was the editor of a local paper in Washington state, where Cobain grew up, and had access to Cobain's personal belongings, such as his diaries and letters. This allowed Cross to paint a detailed portrait of the musician and his life.
The book was released 20 years ago and is still considered the definitive biography of Cobain. Cross talked about his early connections to the subpop scene and how he approached the task of writing about a mythical figure. He discussed the process of humanizing Cobain in the book and the challenges of dealing with the apocryphal stories that arose after the band's success.