One could say that Dave helped Nirvana be a better rock band? only in that Dave may have brought a much needed third element to the chemistry of the band. I think one needs to credit Butch Vig for making Nirvana, a fuller richer sounding band. Nirvana was influenced by the Pixies, (as well the Meat Puppets). But does one hear The Pogues?, well only if you've had a few to many pints beforehand.. Mr. Cobain was far from being a "cryptic poet wannabe'. He, as well as Jeff Buckley, Eddie Veder and Trent Reznor influenced a whole new generation of fans and aspiring rock star musicians. So, I guess it comes down to if you are a fan of Cobain or not? You are right to say that my comparison to Ringo was unfair. Here's my final 2 cents on the matter:Both Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, as we know them, would be different without each other. Any band changes when one member is thrown into or out of the mix. Without Nirvana there would be no Foo Fighters, without Grohl, Nirvana still would have been great.