Our epic compilation of musician-on-musician insults aside, many of rock’s most famous rivalries have been nothing more than publicity stunts. For instance, if you read Keith Richards’ surprisingly excellent memoir, Life, you’ll learn that he was quite good friends with John Lennon, despite the fact that the Stones’ PR machine was constantly pitting them against the Beatles. Nearly as famous among alt-rock fans is Kurt Cobain’s supposed hatred of Eddie Vedder. But last night, on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Cameron Crowe, who directed the new documentary Pearl Jam Twenty, aired a storied clip of the grunge frontmen tenderly slow dancing to Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards.
So, what gives? Was there a beef between Cobain and Vedder, or was that all hype? A candid vintage MTV news interview clears up the confusion: “I just have always hated their band,” says Cobain when asked about Pearl Jam. But he goes on to say that he and Vedder have “had a few good conversations on the phone. I really like him. I think he’s a really nice person.”
[via Aol TV]