‘Heavier Than Heaven’ author & grunge fixture Charles R. Cross dead at 67

Charles R. Cross, author and prominent figure of the Seattle grunge scene, has died at age 67.

In a statement, Cross’ family shares that he “died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9th, 2024.”

“We are all grief-stricken and trying to get through this difficult process of dealing with the next steps,” the statement continues.

Cross edited the Seattle-based magazine The Rocket starting in the mid-’80s, which chronicled the rise of grunge. He was particularly known for his coverage of Nirvana and released a biography of the late Kurt Cobain, Heavier than Heaven, in 2001.

ABC Audio spoke with Cross in 2019 in remembrance of Cobain and the 25th anniversary of his death.

“Nirvana’s music was about the internal dialogue of Kurt Cobain: depression, angst, alienation,” Cross said. “Those suddenly became themes that rock songs could be about. And that has stretched over to rap and to other things. Music has never really been the same since Nirvana broke.”

Cross also founded the Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets.

Charles R. Cross, author and prominent figure of the Seattle grunge scene, has died at age 67.

In a statement, Cross’ family shares that he “died peacefully of natural causes in his sleep on August 9th, 2024.”

“We are all grief-stricken and trying to get through this difficult process of dealing with the next steps,” the statement continues.

Cross edited the Seattle-based magazine The Rocket starting in the mid-’80s, which chronicled the rise of grunge. He was particularly known for his coverage of Nirvana and released a biography of the late Kurt Cobain, Heavier than Heaven, in 2001.

ABC Audio spoke with Cross in 2019 in remembrance of Cobain and the 25th anniversary of his death.

“Nirvana’s music was about the internal dialogue of Kurt Cobain: depression, angst, alienation,” Cross said. “Those suddenly became themes that rock songs could be about. And that has stretched over to rap and to other things. Music has never really been the same since Nirvana broke.”

Cross also founded the Bruce Springsteen fanzine Backstreets.