Ryan Jarman, guitarist and singer of The Cribs, recently opened up about an unusual gift he received from Courtney Love. This revelation was shared on Far Out Magazine.
The revelation centers on a deeply personal and somewhat unconventional present that Jarman has kept private for years. During a stay at Love’s Los Angeles home, she gave him something tied to Kurt Cobain’s legacy as a gesture of support following a difficult incident.
“Whenever I was in LA I would be living with Courtney Love at her house, which was great,” Jarman explained. “After that NME awards incident she gave me a lock of Kurt Cobain’s hair. So, I have a lock of Kurt Cobain’s hair in a little baggy.”
Jarman had never publicly discussed the gift before, partly due to concerns about how it might be perceived. He clarified Love’s intention behind the gesture.
“I’ve literally never told anyone about that because I felt a bit embarrassed to tell people. There’s almost like a rub of whether or not that’s bad taste. But it’s like she gave it to me almost as this talismanic kind of thing. Because I’d had this incident, and she was like ‘Look, this is what happens when you die young,'” he said.
Jarman viewed the gift as a meaningful gesture from Love despite its unconventional nature. He now keeps the lock of hair stored away in his sock drawer, where it has remained largely forgotten.
The context of this unusual present becomes clearer when examining the events that preceded it. According to Channel X94, the gift was directly connected to a dramatic incident at the 2006 NME Awards. Jarman jumped onto a table and was cut by broken glass, resulting in hospitalization.
This traumatic event prompted Courtney Love to reach out to the musician during his subsequent visits to Los Angeles. Love’s decision to present Jarman with the lock of Kurt Cobain’s hair was not arbitrary. The gift served as a sobering reminder of “what happens when you die young”—a cautionary message from Nirvana’s frontman’s widow to a young musician who had just experienced a near-fatal accident. The gesture, while unconventional, carried significant weight and meaning beyond its physical form.
Jarman has consistently described the present as a cool gesture. He emphasized it wasn’t meant to be a fun or lighthearted offering. Channel X94 reported that the musician keeps the lock of hair stored quite simply—in a little baggy at the bottom of his sock drawer—a humble resting place for one of rock music’s most unusual treasures.
The revelation of this possession adds another layer to the complex relationship between The Cribs and the broader legacy of grunge and alternative rock. Jarman’s willingness to finally share this story demonstrates how deeply personal mementos can carry profound meaning, even when they remain hidden from public view for years. The lock of hair represents not just a connection to Kurt Cobain’s legacy, but also a moment of human connection between Jarman and Love during a vulnerable time in his life.
