Cobain Out of Drug Coma

Kurt Cobain, the lead singer and guitarist for the American rock band Nirvana, was in greatly improved condition Saturday after emerging from a coma caused by mixing alcohol and drugs.

“Today he came out of the coma . . . , is able to breathe sufficiently and can talk,” American Hospital said in a statement.

It added that the hospital hopes to take Cobain off the critical list today or Monday if his improvement continues.

The 27-year-old Cobain was rushed to a Rome hospital Friday morning after collapsing at the luxury hotel where he was staying with his wife and daughter during a break in the band’s European tour.

The rock star has a history of drug problems and has admitted taking heroin, but the statement Saturday said that his illness was caused by the combined effects of alcohol and prescribed tranquilizers.