--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was doing that [a collaboration with…" description: "\"I was doing that [a collaboration with Kurt Cobain] to try to save his life. The collaboration was me calling up as an excuse to reach out to this guy...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/michael-stipe-6714_calling_i-was-doing-that-a-collaboration-with-ku_3098936.png" --- # I was doing that \[a collaboration with Kurt Cobain\] to try… ![“I was doing that [a collaboration with Kurt Cobain] to try to save his life. The collaboration was me calling up as an excuse to reach out to this guy. He was in a really bad place.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/michael-stipe-6714_calling_i-was-doing-that-a-collaboration-with-ku_3098936.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/michael-stipe-6714_calling_i-was-doing-that-a-collaboration-with-ku_3098936.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e28/michael-stipe-6714_calling_i-was-doing-that-a-collaboration-with-ku_3098936.png) > “I was doing that \[a collaboration with Kurt Cobain\] to try to save his life. The collaboration was me calling up as an excuse to reach out to this guy. He was in a really bad place.” [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He attempted to help a troubled friend by reaching out through a creative collaboration, using music as a lifeline. **In simple terms:** Used music to try to rescue a friend. Key Takeaway Reach out creatively to help others. Themes friendship mental health creativity Mood empathetic hopeful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - supporting a friend in crisis - using art for therapy - building trust through collaboration Key Concepts artistic intervention empathy support networks Questions to Reflect On - What role can art play in mental health? - When is professional help essential? A Different Perspective Creative outreach may not replace professional help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) [Calling Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling-excuse-5361708/) [Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cobain/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Collaboration Calling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration-calling-5361709/) [Collaboration Kurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration-kurt-5361707/) [Doing Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-collaboration-2029944/) [Excuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excuse/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Kurt cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kurt-cobain/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-collaboration-4071247/) [Reach out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reach-out/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [This guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-guy/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [I only collaborate with the people I rock with in life, period. I rock with people where I really respect their craft and respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bj-the-chicago-kid/i-only-collaborate-with-the-people-i-rock-with-in-life-period-i-rock/) [BJ the Chicago Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bj-the-chicago-kid/) > [Life is a collaboration, it's not a solo act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-gunn/life-is-a-collaboration-it-s-not-a-solo-act/) [Tim Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-gunn/) > [ I knew \[Kurt Cobain\] and his daughter. And Courtney \[Love\] came and stayed at my house. R.E.M. worked on two records in Seattle and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-knew-kurt-cobain-and-his-daughter-and-courtney-love-came-and-stayed/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [ I simply constructed a project to try to snap Kurt \[Cobain\] out of a frame of mind. I sent him a plane ticket and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-simply-constructed-a-project-to-try-to-snap-kurt-cobain-out-of-a/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [I like strong/vulnerable interesting women, and then sometimes I like painting beautiful men, like Kurt Cobain, or Mr Darcy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-vine/i-like-strong-vulnerable-interesting-women-and-then-sometimes-i-like/) [Stella Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-vine/) > [I always thought Kurt Cobain was the perfect embodiment of the great alternative guitar player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/i-always-thought-kurt-cobain-was-the-perfect-embodiment-of-the-great/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [People looked to Kurt Cobain because his songs captured what they felt before they knew they felt it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-decurtis/people-looked-to-kurt-cobain-because-his-songs-captured-what-they/) [Anthony DeCurtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-decurtis/) > [ I like Kurt Cobain. \[He\] is like my dream boyfriend. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/i-like-kurt-cobain-he-is-like-my-dream-boyfriend/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [When someone like Kurt Cobain or Jack White comes out, they didn't go, "He sounds just like Muddy Waters," did they? They just said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shingai-shoniwa/when-someone-like-kurt-cobain-or-jack-white-comes-out-they-didn-t-go/) [Shingai Shoniwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shingai-shoniwa/) > [“There's good in all of us and I think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/there-s-good-in-all-of-us-and-i-think-i-simply-love-people-too-much/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [It's all magic to me. Country to punk rock, all of it. Chopin to Kurt Cobain. But it always all comes back to punk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-marsters/it-s-all-magic-to-me-country-to-punk-rock-all-of-it-chopin-to-kurt/) [James Marsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-marsters/) > [ \[Kurt Cobain\] had a lot of German in him. Some Irish. But no Jew. I think that if he had had a little Jew… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-love/kurt-cobain-had-a-lot-of-german-in-him-some-irish-but-no-jew-i-think/) [Courtney Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-love/) > [I never met Kurt Cobain, but I felt like I got to know him in a manner probably more intimate than anyone I've known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-morgen/i-never-met-kurt-cobain-but-i-felt-like-i-got-to-know-him-in-a-manner/) [Brett Morgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-morgen/) > [You don't have to come from Trinidad to really love Harry Belafonte, you don't have to come from the West Coast to appreciate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-avett/you-don-t-have-to-come-from-trinidad-to-really-love-harry-belafonte/) [Seth Avett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-avett/) > [If Nirvana had remained a small, underground punk rock band, Kurt Cobain would still be alive. And he'd probably be living in Seattle, getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/if-nirvana-had-remained-a-small-underground-punk-rock-band-kurt/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) ## More by Michael Stipe > [We don't get groupies.We get teenagers who want to read us their poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/we-don-t-get-groupies-we-get-teenagers-who-want-to-read-us-their/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [ At the \[teenage\] time, I did have an inkling of my sexuality. And I had an inkling that I was different from other people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/at-the-teenage-time-i-did-have-an-inkling-of-my-sexuality-and-i-had/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [I don't find R.E.M. to be nihilistic. There is a constant undertone of joyous optimism. I'm not going to kill myself to Patti Smith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-don-t-find-r-e-m-to-be-nihilistic-there-is-a-constant-undertone-of/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [ I simply constructed a project to try to snap Kurt \[Cobain\] out of a frame of mind. I sent him a plane ticket and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-simply-constructed-a-project-to-try-to-snap-kurt-cobain-out-of-a/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [I was vulnerable every day. Every night that I stepped on stage I was laying myself open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-was-vulnerable-every-day-every-night-that-i-stepped-on-stage-i-was/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [We're absolutely American and distinctly so, I think. That's part of what people respond to outside of this country, part of the reason that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/we-re-absolutely-american-and-distinctly-so-i-think-that-s-part-of/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [ \[Columbia House\] magazines were how I found out about the punk world going on in New York. Because of what I read, at the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/columbia-house-magazines-were-how-i-found-out-about-the-punk-world/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [I'm tired of being this solemn poet of the masses, the enigma shrouded in a mystery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/i-m-tired-of-being-this-solemn-poet-of-the-masses-the-enigma-shrouded/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [Frankly I'm not great with heroin addicts. I tried heroin, but it was by accident. I'm not great with that level of substance abuse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/frankly-i-m-not-great-with-heroin-addicts-i-tried-heroin-but-it-was/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [The whole punk ethic was do-it-yourself, and I've always been very literal, especially as a kid. When they said that anybody can do this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/the-whole-punk-ethic-was-do-it-yourself-and-i-ve-always-been-very/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [They spoke truth and a lot of people listened… that voice, Kurt we miss you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/they-spoke-truth-and-a-lot-of-people-listened-that-voice-kurt-we-miss/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [A wise man once said-'the skill in attending a party is knowing when it's time to leave,'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/a-wise-man-once-said-the-skill-in-attending-a-party-is-knowing-when/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [They always want me to play myself and that's a big snooze.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/they-always-want-me-to-play-myself-and-that-s-a-big-snooze/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [Anything you do as a group is fraught with compromise... But everyone 's got to do that, right? It's part of being a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/anything-you-do-as-a-group-is-fraught-with-compromise-but-everyone-s/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) > [To be called an elder statesman is so unbelievably insulting. Brad Pitt is exactly three years younger than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-stipe/to-be-called-an-elder-statesman-is-so-unbelievably-insulting-brad/) [Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) [Explore all 98 Michael Stipe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-stipe/) ## More Calling quotes > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [God is not calling us to go to church; he is calling us to be his church, the hope of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/god-is-not-calling-us-to-go-to-church-he-is-calling-us-to-be-his/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-neiman/there-s-no-greatest-moment-in-the-arts-it-s-a-life-it-s-a-continuity/) [LeRoy Neiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-neiman/) > [“Duty is a done deal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/duty-is-a-done-deal/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [NBC is making a movie about Martha Stewart that will cover the recent stock scandal. They are thinking of calling it 'The Road To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/nbc-is-making-a-movie-about-martha-stewart-that-will-cover-the-recent/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“There is no interaction without God with interaction with men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/there-is-no-interaction-without-god-with-interaction-with-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [When I was a little boy, I was reading Dante and I was saying to myself 'Bravo, Dante, Bravo.' It's so beautiful, the music,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-benigni/when-i-was-a-little-boy-i-was-reading-dante-and-i-was-saying-to/) [Roberto Benigni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-benigni/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [\*Calling someone I don't want to answer\* \*Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail. Please go to voice mail..\* Hello? -\_\_\_-](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/calling-someone-i-don-t-want-to-answer-please-go-to-voice-mail-please/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Sometimes you hear a voice through the door calling you... This turning toward what you deeply love saves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/sometimes-you-hear-a-voice-through-the-door-calling-you-this-turning/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) [Browse all 3,811 Calling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calling/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was doing that [a collaboration with Kurt Cobain] to try to save his life. The collaboration was me calling up as an excuse to reach out to this guy. 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