The celebrations surrounding the 20th anniversary of Nirvana's Nevermind will continue next Friday, Sept. 23. VH1 plans on airing a rare, hour-long concert by the seminal grunge outfit on its own network, VH1 Classic, and Palladia. The broadcast starts at 11 p.m. EST/PST, which means you might be a few drinks in once it begins. That's not the worst case scenario, of course, but just make sure you don't get too rowdy.
The concert footage stems from a gig at Seattle's Paramount Theater on Halloween in 1991. It apparently includes performances of "Breed" and "Polly" along with their renowned cover of the Vaselines' "Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam" and, my personal favorite, "Aneurysm." If you happen to miss the televised viewing of the show, you can still catch it on DVD and Blu-ray when Nirvana: Live at the Paramount is released on Sept. 27.
2CELLOS -- the Croatian cello duo of Luka Šulić and Stjepan Hauser -- hit the YouTube jackpot with their cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal," and later the Guns N Roses classic "Welcome To The Jungle." In a recent visit to the SiriusXM studios, they performed Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" during an interview with SiriusXM Pops host Paul Bachmann. Hear the interview and performance on Saturday 8/13 7:00 pm ET, or catch the rebroadcast: Sunday 8/14 at 11:00 pm ET.
For more information on SiriusXM Pops, go to http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmpops .
Nirvana’s iconic album Nevermind turns 20 this year. To celebrate, Spin magazine is releasing a cover album that will be available in its entirety Tuesday on Facebook .
The album — cleverly titled Newermind — is a companion to Spin‘s August tribute issue (see the cover to the right) and features a melange of musical styles: Titus Andronicus, The Vaselines and Surfer Blood all cribbing Cobain’s crooning.
Check out an exclusive stream below of JEFF the Brotherhood taking on “Something in the Way” to get a taste of what to expect. (The band recorded this version on cassette and then digitized it. How retro.)
You’ll be able to check out the whole album download Tuesday on Spin‘s Facebook Page. The content will be behind a “Like Gate,” so you’ll have to “Like” Spin before accessing the tunes.
The magazine is also offering artist reflections of the disc via a gallery packed with musings from the likes of Eddie Vedder, Dave Grohl and Wayne Coyne.
When it comes to injecting digital into old media, Spin has stood as one of the most innovative music publications from its excellent iPad app (featuring a streaming playlist for every issue), to its integration with Shuffler.fm (which allows you to listen to all the tracks of a music blog as you read). Spin has also offered tunes for Likes in the past — it’s currently featuring a Bonnaroo mixtape in exchange for some love.
What do you think of the magazine’s Nirvana tribute?
Record Store Day is rapidly approaching (April 16th) and the list of available vinyl is looking pretty expansive. One of the coolest offerings so far is a re-release of Nirvana’s Hormoaning EP, which was previously only released in Australia.
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The EP was originally sold on the band’s 1992 Australian tour and featured two original tracks plus covers of numbers by Devo, The Vaselines and The Wipers (the two original tracks were “Aneurysm” and “Even In His Youth”). The songs were all recorded during a session with John Peel on BBC Radio 1. Four of the tracks previously appeared on the band’s 1992 b-side album, Incesticide, which has since gone platinum.
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Like all the Record Store Day releases, the album will be limited edition and only 6,000 copies will be available. The album’s original run was limited to 15,000 copies in Australia and has since been considered a rarity. Go here to watch Nirvana perform “Aneurysm” live.
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Check out the complete tracklisting below.
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1. ‘Turnaround’ (Devo cover) 2. ‘Aneurysm’ 3. ‘D-7′ (Wipers cover) 4. ‘Son of a Gun’ (Vaselines cover) 5. ‘Even in His Youth’ 6. ‘Molly’s Lips’ (Vaselines cover)
Godlike Genius Dave Grohl invites us into his home studio to see where he produced the latest Foo Fighters album. Find out how weird tea and chicken noodles keep him going, and how he gets a Toys R Us drumkit to sound like Led Zeppelin.
The 90s gave us some of the purest rock music ever, and it’s a testament to the quality of those bands that they were able to record dozens of solid albums and still have plenty of great rare material lying around. What follows is a list of some of the best B-sides, rarities, obscure tracks, and special releases from eight definitive 90s rock bands. Enjoy the flashback.
8. “Get Born Again” by Alice in Chains
Recorded late in the band’s career and originally released on the boxed set Music Bank, “Get Born Again” highlights Layne Staley’s incomparably creepy vocal style. While it lacks some of the punch of songs like “Man in the Box,” it makes up for it with atmosphere.
7. “Cold Bitch” by Soundgarden
Available on the single for “Spoonman,” “Cold Bitch” sounds like Black Sabbath’s self-titled track via the mind of an acid-tripping madman. Kim Thayil’s doom and gloom guitar tones complement Chris Cornell’s unparalleled vocal range. That “rare, unreleased track” that they recently slapped on their greatest hits album was a fluke; they have a lot of lesser-known material that’s just as good as the classics.
6. “So What!” by Jane’s Addiction
Recorded specifically for the compilation release Kettle Whistle, “So What!” is an obscure Jane’s Addiction tune that is notable for featuring the Red Hot Chili Pepper’sFlea on bass duties. His seductive rhythms provide the groove, while Dave Navarro’s psychedelic guitar tones and Eastern melodies ensure that Perry’s lyrics—“Life is for pleasure”—sound very, very appropriate.
5. “Fatal” by Pearl Jam
Of all the 90s alternative rock bands, Pearl Jam has had some of the greatest success when it comes to staying relevant, and when you write enough material to release a B-sides album, Lost Dogs, that consists of two discs, it’s pretty easy to see why. “Fatal,” an outtake from the Binaural era, sounds simultaneously defiant and resigned, gentle and brutal. In strictly Pearl Jam terms, it is the middle ground between “Jeremy” and “Daughter,” featuring dark lyrics, acoustic guitars, heavy rhythms, and some of the most haunting vocal work Eddie Vedder has ever delivered.
4. “Search and Destroy” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
Found on the “Give it Away” single, this cover of “Search and Destroy,” originally written and performed by Iggy and the Stooges, highlights the punk rock intensity that characterized the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s early years while maintaining their unique funk sound. The rough sound of the recording makes perfect sense for the song choice.
3. “The Ghost of Tom Joad” by Rage Against the Machine
Bruce Springsteen was inspired by The Grapes of Wrath to pen this tune on economic inequality, and Rage Against the Machine was inspired by his socially conscious lyrics to cover it in their distinct rap-rock style. They did such a good job with it that, although originally released as a rare single, it ended up charting anyway. Zack de la Rocha’s voice is as angry as ever, and Tom Morello runs his guitar through so many effects pedals that you wonder how he made sense of what he was doing. Either way, it works, and the song was popular enough that another recording of it was made available on the band’s post-breakup cover album, Renegades.
2. “Molly’s Lips” by Nirvana
Found on the Incesticide collection, “Molly’s Lips” is a cover of a song originally performed by The Vaselines. While the original recording features shimmering guitars, it’s a slow, forgettable tune that sounds a little too hollow to love. The aggressive approach that Cobain and company took with the song transforms it into a classic and represents what made Nirvana so successful: they played catchy tunes while sacrificing none of the ferocity of their punk rock roots. Not only was Cobain a superb songwriter, but he could pick out an already decent song—“The Man Who Sold the World” also comes to mind—and make it much, much better.
1. “Starla” by Smashing Pumpkins
Originally released on the “I Am One” single and made widely available on Pisces Iscariot, a collection of B-sides, demos and covers that kept fans pacified during the recording of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, “Starla” is a monster of a song, clocking in at just about eleven minutes in length.
Prior to branching out with arrangements, electronic beats, and synthesizers, frontman Billy Corgan was all about creating the trippiest guitar sounds he could. The result is a track that begins with a gentle, clean riff and culminates in a five minute long solo featuring layers upon layers of fuzzed out electric guitars. It’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” for the slacker generation.
In what will be the closest thing to a Nirvana reunion since 1994, Krist Novoselic will join his old bandmate Dave Grohl in the Foo Fighters as bassist. If that's not enough, the Foo Fighters' next album is being helmed by Nevermind producer and ex-Garbage drummer, Butch Vig.
The Foo Fighters album, their first since 2007's Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace is due out next year. Coincidentally, 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of Nevermind, a fact that is surely not lost on Grohl and Novoselic.
Of course, with Novoselic playing bass now, what happens to Nate Mendel, the band's current and original bassist? Currently, there's no word that Mendel is officially out of the band, and he's been busy over the last year playing with his old band, Sunny Day Real Estate. However, not everyone is obsessed with the fate of 90s emo-rock legends, and for those who don't care and just want to hear more about the new record, Grohl says, "Foo Fighter fans are going to freak out because, honestly, it's awesome." [Billboard]
Courtesy of NME -- Frances Bean Cobain sings as part of a "gang" on Dresden Dolls side-project Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love's daughter Frances Bean is to make her singing debut on a track also featuring My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way, Andrew WK, and Weird Al Yankovic.
Seventeen-year-old Cobain sings on "My Space," which will appear on the eponymous debut album by Evelyn Evelyn, who are made up of Dresden Dolls frontwoman Amanda Palmer and Seattle musician Jason Webley.
Other acts on the track include Tegan & Sara, ex-Hold Steady keyboardist Franz Nicolay, Margaret Cho, Eugene Mirman, and various members of Mindless Self-Indulgence, reports Twentyfourbit.com.
The album Evelyn Evelyn is due to be released on March 30.
In December, Courtney Love lost custody of Frances Bean Cobain.
"It could be worse - at least I'm not an interloper only out to usurp the good name of the Grange. I was elected Master of the Grays River Grange and am a committed member. I'm also doing this to beat anyone else with the same idea. However, if there were another Grange candidate in the race, it would be up to voters figure out who is their preferred Grange candidate - even though the Grange doesn't run candidates.
As a strong believer in private association, I oppose the way The State has implemented I-872 - the Grange sponsored Top Two Primary. My problem is not really with a top two runoff election. My issue is with the way candidates can appropriate the name of a private group."
As many of you probably know, April 5, 2009 marked fifteen years since Kurt Cobain committed suicide.
Nirvana wasn’t the first of the so called “grunge” bands, but they were the band that brought Seattle to the world.
See, in 1991 we didn’t have the access that we have now to music. We had to rely on the radio, and yes, even MTV. Unless you were tapped into a live music scene, or even college radio, there was little exposure to music outside of the radio and MTV.
When I got turned onto Nirvana by a friend, I would patiently listen to the radio waiting for their music or news. This inadvertently turned me onto a slew of other bands. While I was discovering all this great music, Nirvana still remained my band. The reason that they struck a chord with so many people was because of their raw, simplistic emotion. This was a band that got how so many of us felt. It was a breath of fresh air that quickly erased the cheesy hair bands that didn’t relate to us. And, it made me pick up a pen and a guitar so that I could write down how I felt. Because, if Nirvana could do it, then anyone could.
Needless to say, I was crushed when I heard the news about Kurt Cobain. The friend that introduced me to Nirvana called my house and told me the news. At first, I thought it was a cruel joke. It wasn’t until I turned on MTV that I realized that it wasn’t a joke.
Kurt Cobain was the voice of our generation, so it isn’t shocking that his death was the beginning of the end. You have to remember that during the time of his suicide, there was no one ready to step up to the plate. Pearl Jam was battling Ticketmaster, and was drifting away from all the bullshit that fame had brought them. Soundgarden would disband within three years. Alice in Chains was crumbling because of Layne Staley’s own demons. Whether or not he wanted it, Kurt was the voice, and without him, there became a void.
Over the years I have drifted further and further away from Nirvana. I just don’t feel the same emotions that I once did when I hear their music. While they may have been replaced, Nirvana will always hold a place in my heart because they were a series of first for me. My first musical love. The first band that my parents hated, and couldn’t understand. The first band that I wanted to become. The first band that my little garage band covered. The first band that opened my mind, and ears. The first band to be my muse.
I can honestly say that without Kurt Cobain a lot of us wouldn’t be here today. Whether you’re a musician, blogger or just a music lover. And, because of that, we should never forget him. To quote Kurt, “the sun is gone, but I have a light”.
I should also remind everyone that April 5, 2009 marks the seventh anniversary of Layne Staley’s death. But, on a brighter note, it was also Mike McCready’s 43rd birthday.
To remember Kurt, and his band, let’s take a walk down memory lane from the beginning:
Kurt Cobain meets Krist Novoselic in 1985 through The Melvins.
Kurt and Krist go through a bunch of drummers and band names over the next couple of years.
Early band names included: Skid Row, Bliss, Throat Oyster, Pen Cap Chew, Windowpane and Ted Ed Fred.
In early 1988 Nirvana records their first demo with Melvins drummer Dale Crover.
Drummer Chad Channing joins the band in 1988.
Sup Pop releases the band’s first single, “Love Buzz/Big Cheese”, in November of 1988.
Nirvana’s debut album, Bleach, was released in June, 1989 through Sub Pop.
The working title for Bleach was Too Many Humans.
Jason Everman loaned the band the money to pay for the studio expenses for Bleach; which is why he receives credit for playing guitar on the album, although he didn’t.
Everman did join the band for a small time; he was also in Soundgarden for a short time.
Chad Channing is kicked out the band in the spring of 1990 during recording sessions with producer Butch Vig.
The band record “Sliver” with Mudhoney drummer Dan Peters in July of 1990.
Dave Grohl is introduced to the Kurt and Krist through Buzz Osbourne of the Melvins; on October 11, 1990 Nirvana plays their first show with Dave.
Nirvana signs with Geffen Records on April 30, 1991; at the recommendation of Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon.
Nevermind is released on September 24, 1991.
Here’s the story for the title for “Smells Like Teen Spirit”:One day Kurt and a friend were having a discussion about teenage revolution, they later got drunk and his friend wrote on the wall ‘Kurt smells like teen spirit.’ Kurt was inspired, he thought she meant he would be the type of person who could incite a teen rebellion. He went and wrote the song. She thought that he just smelled like the deodorant. Kurt hadn’t heard of the deodorant at the time, and he claimed to have rarely used it himself.
Kurt Cobain once quoted Neil Young who said “it’s better to burn out than to fade away” and then he (allegedly) shot himself in the face. Kurt, who would have turned 42 this coming Friday, is part of the unlucky group of musicians who died at the tender age of 27 when their careers were still in bloom (oh, bad pun). As homage to the Nirvana frontman, we take a scroll through memory lane and honor the five greatest musicians who are part of the cursed 27 club; May they rest in peace.
Jimi Hendrix – The Jimi Hendrix Experience (died 1970)
There was nothing about Jimi Hendrix that didn’t stick out; from his flamboyant outfits, to his left-handed guitar or his use of amp overdrive. After being turned down by The Rolling Stones, Jimi was introduced to Chas Chandler via Keith Richard’s girlfriend. They went on to form The Jimi Hendrix Experience a rock band that would revolutionize the genre forever. In 1969, he headlined the biggest music festival of all time, Woodstock. One year later, Jimi Hendrix was found dead after overdosing on pills and drowning in his own vomit (Asphyxiation).
Brian Jones was the founder of a little known band named The Rolling Stones. While on the phone to secure a gig with a venue owner, Brian came up with the name “Rollin(g) Stones” by reading it off an album that was laying around. Their music consisted mostly of R&B covers and it wasn’t until Andrew Loog Oldham joined that they began shifting their focus to newer, more original material. This transition reduced Jones' role in the band which was further accelerated with his drug habit and alcohol abuse. He became alienated from The Rolling Stones and eventually, he was no longer a member of the band he helped form. One month later, he was found face down in his swimming pool.
Janis Joplin – Big Brother and The Holding Company (died 1970)
Janis’ big break came in 1966 when she became the lead vocalist of the psychedelic hippie rock band, Big Brother and The Holding Company. She was renowned for her strong powerful vocals during a male dominated rock era. Janis Joplin performed at Woodstock after having several shots of heroin and being highly inebriated. In 1970, she flew to Brazil where she cleaned up her act and remained sober for a while. She would later return to the US where her drug habits would resurface and ultimately, get the better of her as she died from an apparent heroin overdose in October 1970.
Jim Morrison was a poet, a writer, a filmmaker and of course, the lead singer for the rock band, The Doors. Controversy surrounded The Doos when they were asked to perform on the Ed Sullivan show. Fearing that the lyric “Girl We Couldn’t Get Higher” was too risqué for television, Ed Sullivan requested that the band modify the sentence to be more TV friendly to which they agreed. When they played, Jim proceeded with original wording which infuriated Ed Sullivan. The Doors had great success in the late 60s but Jim Morrison started to get out of control. He was constantly drugged or drunk and would oftentimes show up late for live performances. In 1971, he moved to Paris and a few months later, Jim Morrison was found dead in his apartment. The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear as an autopsy was never performed.
We began with a left-handed guitarist, so it’s only fitting that we end with one as well. In an era where rock music was all about long hair and leather jackets, Kurt Cobain sported short hair and wore flannel clothing. Nirvana became an overnight success when they took Michael Jackson off the number one slot in the Billboard music charts with their smash hit, Smells Like Teen Spirit. Grunge music would go on to flood the radio airwaves throughout the early nineties. In 1992, Cobain wed the equally unorthodox Courtney Love with whom they had daughter Frances Bean Cobain. In 1993, Nirvana, known for their grungy loud music, were approached by MTV and asked to perform a quieter, more intimate acoustic set. Kurt Cobain’s emotional performance in “Where Did You Sleep Last Night” still sends chills down our spines.
More than 17 years ago, when he was still an infant, Spencer Elden's parents dropped him into a swimming pool in California, where underwater photographer Kirk Weddle was waiting to snap an entire roll of film of the naked, buoyant baby. The picture was later used as the cover image for Nevermind, the second studio LP from a little rock band out of Seattle called Nirvana.
Now, 17-year-old Elden is a high school student, who told MTV News last year that "it's kind of creepy [to think] that that many people have seen me naked — I feel like I'm the world's biggest porn star."
Elden recently re-created the iconic album's cover in the same pool at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center in Pasadena, California, where it was originally shot — only this time, he was wearing shorts. It remains unclear as to why Elden decided to shoot this new photo.
Elden's parents were paid just $200 for allowing him to be photographed back in 1991. But last year, Elden told us that being the Nirvana baby has its perks. He references it when trying to pick up ladies, he said: "I have to use stupid pickup lines like, 'You want to see my p---s ... again?' " But it's also led to some strange encounters as well. He was once invited to swim in a rather wealthy woman's pool for the mere fact that he was the Nirvana baby. Another time, he even met "Weird Al" Yankovic, who famously lampooned the cover on his 1992 disc, Off the Deep End.
"I ran into him when I was going to do a TV interview," Elden said. "He was in the hallway, and he actually signed the back of my platinum record."
Spencer Elden recreating Nirvana's Nevermind album cover in Pasadena, California
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All you art collectors out there. Here is a chance to get a Giclee copy of some of Ian M Sherwin work. Ian is planning on doing a whole series of Marblehead, Massachusetts paintings. His work is amazing.
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Spencer Elden recreating Nirvana's Nevermind album cover in Pasadena, California 
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