5 from Kurt and Nirvana

Thirty years ago, I was 18-years old and desperately looking forward to seeing Nirvana live at the SECC in Glasgow. I had queued for hours to get a ticket from Virgin Records on Union Street. 

Then, in early March 1994, Kurt overdosed in Italy, resulting in the original Glasgow date of 28th March being postponed. There was widespread concern for the health of Kurt, Courtney and young Frances. I remember reading an interview in the Melody Maker by Everett True, friend and champion of Kurt and the band where True wrote of his concern for the way Cobain and Love were living. It sounded utterly chaotic and unsustainable. Later documentary footage of the duo at home around this time is truly harrowing and heartbreaking. 

On 8th April 1994, news broke that Kurt's body has been found. I was in King Tuts to see The Pastels play as part of Glasgow Sound City. In a time before mobiles and the internet, there were pre-gig whispers/rumours around the room. The Pastels came on stage and dedicated the show to Kurt.

I had parked directly outside King Tuts and after the gig my friend Grant and I got into the car and turned on Radio 1 to hear John Peel, but Peel wasn't there. It was just Nirvana song after song, then a pre-recorded message to say that John wasn't able to broadcast and the show was dedicated to Kurt.

From memory, I don't think Grant and I spoke much on the way home. We must have been in shock. A hero had died. Did I grieve? Or just throw myself into more music? I honestly can't remember. I had only just turned 18. I think my grief was over quickly, maybe within a couple of weeks. Music ... and life ... went on. 

It's better to burn out than to fade away is what Kurt wrote in his suicide note. Cobain certainly burned bright and my friends and I would regularly talk about what the next Nirvana album was going to be like following their seminal MTV Unplugged performance. There were rumours that Michael Stipe wanted to write with Kurt.

On reflection, Nirvana got too big, far too quickly. They were a punk band with punk beliefs, but Kurt loved melodic guitar pop - from The Beatles to The Vaselines. Cobain's songwriting quickly developed from the release of debut album Bleach in 1989 to Nevermind and in 1991. Smells Like Teen Spirit took Nirvana to the mainstream, where they were eaten up and spat out, playing to 'jocks' and people that they were always against.

Geffen expected Nevermind  (released in September) to sell 250,000 copies, the same as Sonic Youth's Goo. By Christmas of 1991, Nirvana were selling 400,000 copies per week, fuelled by the phenomenal success of Smells Like Teen Spirit. As a result, the follow up single, Come As You Are, wasn't released until March 1992.

When it came to recording the follow up, Cobain broke from the polished sound of Nevermind, working with producer Steve Albini and writing songs with puns in the title (Radio Friendly Unit Shifter) and cries for help in the lyrics.

I've been listening back to Nirvana quite a bit recently and thought I would blog on 5 of my favourite songs by the band. 

At the time of writing, I chose;

About A Girl

The third song on debut album Bleach and the opening song from the MTV Unplugged performance and album. About A Girl was an early indication of Kurt's sense of melody, very much at odds from the heavy riffing and obscure song titles that dominated Bleach. In comparison, the title said it all. This was a love song about a girl (Tracy Marander), written back in 1988 after Kurt spent an afternoon listening to Meet The Beatles. Kurt had to go into the cafe that Marander worked in to see here. Hence the line I can't see you every night for free.

There is a fizzing guitar solo and a passionate vocal, the first real evidence that Kurt could sing and not just scream. The Unplugged performance sounds even better, Kurt's voice is so beautiful despite years of straining, screaming and singing with gut wrenching emotion. The fizzing guitar solo is much more mellow and allows the groove/rhythm a little space to breathe.

MTV Unplugged version

Lithium

Lithium is the sound of Nirvana perfecting the quiet /loud / quiet / loud / explosive sound.  

Perfectly structured, Lithium begins with a cool melancholic riff for the verses and Kurt singing I'm so happy, 'cause today I found my friends, they're in my head. Cobain doesn't sound happy though.

Things kick in for the yeah, yeah, yeah bridge, with Kurt's vocals straining in that beautiful way that entranced a generation and the second verse contains the brilliant line I'm so horny, that's OK my will is good. Then the second bridge builds to an explosion.

Even now, the relentless power of the I'm not gonna crack double chorus absolutely blows me away. 

I like it, I'm not gonna crack

I miss you, I'm not gonna crack

I love you, I'm not gonna crack

I killed you, I'm not gonna crack

Wow! At the time of writing, this could be my favourite Nirvana song. Listen to the lift into the second double chorus. As a teenager, cranking this up on my on my stereo with sub woofers and dancing around my bedroom was an absolute joy.

Official video

All Apologies

Or maybe All Apologies might just be my favourite Nirvana song! The groove, the riff, the melody, Kurt's voice ... he reportedly recorded all his vocals for In Utero in just 6-hours. The song dates back to 1990, Dave Grohl recalls hearing a 4-track demo and thinking; 'this guy has such a beautiful sense of melody, I can't believe he's screaming all the time.'

This could be the home demo released on the Sliver - Best of the Box / In Utero boxset.

All Apologies - home demo

Kurt revisits this version in his Unplugged performance. It's still mellow and melancholic as the closing song on In Utero, but the use of cello really comes out on the Unplugged version. Kurt's guitar solo is gorgeous.

MTV Unplugged version

Lounge Act

Outstanding guitar power pop. Kicking in with a bass groove, Kurt then produces warm guitar sounds and a flowing vocal melody over the top, finding the chorus in 32 seconds. 

Don't, tell me what I wanna hear

Afraid of never knowing fear

Then at 90-seconds, Kurt brings out that voice. Stretched to the limits, Kurt goes for it with a verse and double chorus. There is no let up and it's all over in 2 minutes 36 seconds - glorious!

Truth, covered insecurity

I can't let you smother me

Son Of A Gun

I try not to include cover versions when writing features on 10 (or in this case 5) favourite songs by favourite artists, but given that covers feature so prominently through Nirvana's career - from debut single Love Buzz, through Peel sessions and to the legendary MTV show, it's hard not to feature one.

I was going to include Nirvana's cover of Bowie's The Man Who Sold The World as, personally, I think it is way better than the original. The thing that gets me about Bowie's recording is the percussion instrument that is turned up WAY TOO HIGH IN THE MIX in my opinion. It does my head in!

Kurt and Nirvana are not quite 'unplugged' for the fizzing guitar riff that opens their version. Kurt's voice has that beautiful aching feeling to it. No wonder so many people fell for Nirvana, no wonder their Unplugged performance was broadcast almost on a loop.

However, I'm going for Nirvana blitzing their way through The Vaselines for a John Peel session in 1990. This is pre-Teen Spirit and the post Nevermind craziness. I bought The Kurt Cobain Diaries in 2002 and poured over them. I loved Kurt doodling band logos, setlists, artwork and I loved reading his letters to Eugene Kelly from The Vaselines.

Kurt declared his love for the band. It's kind of amazing how he discovered The Vaselines EP's out in Seattle. The two form a bond, exchanging letters and records. In one unposted note to Eugene, Kurt says he is living in his car, passing on Krist's number. It was the same week Teen Spirit was released!

Playing a cover of a band he loved on a radio show by a DJ who fell for his own band just feels so Nirvana. So punk rock. Kurt would always champion his favourite underground acts, by wearing t-shirts by them, or covering their songs. Whether BMX Bandits, Daniel Johnston or The Meatpuppets (Kurt not only covered their songs but invited them to join Nirvana for Unplugged). For those he covered, royalty cheques made a huge difference to their lives and art.

Back to Son Of A Gun. Grohl's drums have a pounding punk Motown feel, Kurt's guitar fuzzes beautifully, Krist holds it all together and the vocals are almost bubblegum punk pop. And Cobain singing that chorus over and over just melts my heart every time. 

Please also see my 2015 blog - Nirvana play The Vaselines

Introducing Dead Pony

BBC Scotland has recently stepped up a gear in terms of promoting new young bands / artists. Their TUNE programme on iPlayer and TV channel has introduced me to a number of acts that I'll feature on the blog. 

Dead Pony filmed a performance by the docks in Greenock. I was immediately taken by singer Anna Shields crystal clear voice and melodies, almost in complete contrast to the grungey riffs and noise being created behind her.

Yet somehow it works ... it works well.

Dead Pony - Anna Shields & Blair Crichton

Shields used to busk regularly on Buchanan Street in Glasgow (I'm pretty sure I have a CD somewhere) before going on to form Crystal and then changing their name to Dead Pony.

While (being honest) I much prefer the name Crystal, I imagine there might have been a number of bands across the world stumbling across that name. I'm not sure there will be another Dead Pony, it does stand out!

So does their music. It's almost like Courtney Love fronting Nirvana. Think of Love's poppier songs and melodies, like Malibu or Celebrity Skin and then add in the energy and riffs spilling from Nirvana between Bleach and Nevermind, and you're probably not a million miles from where Dead Pony are. Shields cites her love of pop in interviews, including the likes of the wonderful Dua Lipa (one of my favourite albums from 2020).

Elsewhere Crichton (who wears a Nirvana t-shirt in the Tune episode) shares his influences through the riffs and noises he generates from his guitar. 

Sharp Tongues, their September 2020 single is under 3-minutes of ferocious punk grunge pop, it doesn't let up and I'd love to hear and see them rip through it in a live environment. The hooks come thick and fast.

I've had a little taste of something I cannot forget

I know you're a little bit easy

This was swiftly followed by another single 23 Never Me in November 2020. Shields and Crichton create a glorious blitz as vocals and guitars collide to create a brilliant buzz of energy. The chorus is a frantic blur before things stop almost completely to allow melodies to come pouring through. 

Can't save me from another problem

Never let your feelings show

Crichton then attacks his guitar as if his life depends on it before the band tear though the chorus at breakneck speed for the final time.

Shields demonstrated her commitment by getting the title tattoo'd on her arm.

Dead Pony sounds like they are ready for the next stage - whatever that might be for them. I can imagine they must be chomping at the bit to play live. I'm not sure who has produced them to date - they've done a grand job, but I wonder what a future producer(s) could do with Shields voice, lyrics, melodies and hooks over cool noisy riffs and beats. There is a lot to work with if they get enough time in the studio.

That could well happen. Dead Pony already have the backing of LAB Records who have established a fantastic track record of being a stepping stone for young bands going on to bigger things. In addition, they have management and a booking agent.

One to look out for on the Glasgow scene and way beyond once live shows resume.

Website

Sharp Tongues video

TUNE - BBC Scotland feature

Love Buzz

Cover of the month #38 - Nirvana cover Shocking Blue

I recently watched the Nirvana documentary Montage of Heck accompanied by a few bottles of beer. I was transported back to my teenage years and the wonder of falling in love with the power, punk soul and melody of Nirvana and the charisma and attitude of Kurt Cobain.

The sheer energy that Nirvana generated live as they were breaking was incredible. One of the live performances shown in Montage of Heck was their cover version of Love Buzz by The Shocking Blue. I was captivated.

Krist Novoselic was seemingly lost and fixated on the bass groove, Dave Grohl looked young and ferocious on the drums, hair everywhere. And Kurt ... well Kurt is being Kurt; driving his band on by attacking his guitar, spinning around the stage and simultaneously inspiring and antagonising the crowd.

I have included 3 films of Nirvana playing Love Buzz in this blog to highlight the power and intensity of Nirvana's live performances around this time and the brilliant way they transform the original.

1. Live at the Paramount, Seattle, 31/10/91
Kurt is almost throwing his guitar around as he plays, looking to inject extra energy, urgency and sound. Meanwhile Novoselic and Grohl highlight how tight they were with Krist just grooving on the bass riff and Grohl matching both Kurt's energy and the groove of the bass.

Kurt looks and sounds like he is trying to dismantle his guitar at one point, scratching and pulling at the strings as the rhythm section groove on, they bring it all back together with his guitar miraculously still relatively in tune for one final blitz on the riff.

This is top class live footage with someone on stage really capturing the movement and ferocity of the performance. Breathtaking.

2. Dallas, Texas, 19/10/91
With the stage set dangerously close to the audience, with no real height to offer protection, Kurt plays with added intensity. A couple of bouncers try to deal with stage invaders and crowd surfers as Kurt rips into the riff and screams into the mic. At 2 minutes and 8 seconds something snaps and Kurt launches himself over the heads of the front row, he is hoisted aloft and somehow still generating sounds from his guitar as a bouncer tries to pull him back to the stage. For reasons we'll never know, Kurt strikes out at the bouncer with his guitar before being dragged back to the stage and receiving a hefty blow to the head by the bouncer.

Krist and Dave jump in and Kurt is back on his feet almost immediately as his mates try to defuse the situation.

 The full show is available on the second video. Kurt has issues with the sound and after Polly he smashes the sound desk with his guitar at around 34 minutes 50 seconds in. By the time of Love Buzz Cobain's frustrations boil over and he launches himself into the crowd- as above.

Cobain pics his guitar up and plays what sounds like the riff of Something In The Way before tossing his guitar high and into the drums. There is a lot of noise and confusion before Nirvana play again with Kurt's guitar way out of tune for Penny Royal Tea.

Then in a remarkable show of resilience and character after the fight, Kurt and co tear in Negative Creep and On A Plain as bouncers/stewards gamefully try to keep people from invading the stage. The band end by ripping through Territorial Pissings. It is remarkable footage!

3. Live At Reading 1992
The above footage is incredible, both from October 1991, just a month after the release of Nevermind. Fast forward to the summer of 1992 and Kurt takes the stage at Reading in a wheelchair and hospital gown to take the piss out of rumours about his health.

The energy, passion and punk attitude from the above shows is still there as Kurt throws, smashes and detunes his guitar and then somehow manages to play it again. His unpredictability means that you just cannot take your eyes off him.

So Love Buzz is a favourite of mine, the energy leaps out of the song and the rhythm of Krist and Dave is sensational.

The original was released by Shocking Blue in 1969. The riff is there, but Nirvana electrify and magnify it, recognising its power and transforming it to their advantage. The original also has a bit of a crazy section before bringing the riff back in, but again, Nirvana take that to another level and Kurt's rasping vocal is just incredible.

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt
14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine
16. California Soul
18. Wonder wall 
19. Dancing In The Dark
20. Always On My Mind
21. Ceremony
22. Heroes
23. Different Drum
24. Wild Horses

25. Respect
26. Mr Tambourine Man
27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
28. Superstar
29. Twist and Shout
30. Purple Rain
31. Baker Street
32. Not Fade Away
33. Stop Your Sobbing
34. I Don't Want To Grow Up
35. Serious Drugs
36. Dancing With Myself
37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

20-years since Nevermind

'So earlier this year I blogged about the 20^th anniversary of one of my all-time favourite albums; Screamadelica by Primal Scream.

1991 was a seminal year for music and 2 of my other all-time favourite albums were also released that year; Bandwagonesque by Teenage Fanclub and the mighty Nevermind by Nirvana. Reports are out this week that Nevermind is set to get the deluxe, expanded and resmastered treatment this September. So I’ll save a Bandwagonesque blog for the future and focus on Nevermind for now.

1991 was a pretty good year to be a 15!

I discovered so many bands back then, swapping compilation tapes with guys like Grant Mitchell and Martin Callan, devouring the weekly musical press and listening to the Evening Session and the legendary John Peel.

I can’t quite remember exactly how or when I discovered Nirvana. I think it was probably through Grant who probably discovered them through their first album Bleach as Grant was (and is) a bit of a Sub Pop kid with his ear to the ground for new bands and obscure 7-inches. Grant was also well educated by a mutual friend David (Dava) Tough who was a few years older than us and he had an incredible knowledge of independent music that he passed on to kids in our year as Martin Callan (bass) and Scott Sneddon (drums) played in his bands Librarian and All Too Human.

What I do remember quite vividly is being in Glasgow City Centre with Grant and Davey Lamb one day, going into various record shops and Nevermind being played in every single one. There were also posters and billboards everywhere, not to mention t-shirts. Nirvana were everywhere. Nowadays loads of goth/emo kids hang out at Central Station. It used to be indie/Nirvana kids that hung out in Argyll Street outside HMV or at the Museum of Modern Art. I remember one cool girl with bleached blonde hair wearing a black Nirvana t-shirt with a smiley f**ked face and the words; flower sniffin, kitty petting, baby kissin, corporate rock whores. I thought she was beautiful but I never said hi, although she always smiled and recognised me as I walked by. She looked older and cooler.

I also remember a couple of legendary TV appearances. The first being Nirvana’s appearance on the classic youth show The Word that was on late on Friday nights on Channel 4. It was incredibly tacky at times, really cheesey, yet the music on the show was amazing. I think Jo Whiley was the booker...someone who went on to better things anyway. Teenagers used to come home from drinking cider, or stay up late with the TV on quiet in their room, lusting after Danni Behr, laughing at an up and coming Mark Lehmar (check his MC Hammer interview)and wondering how Terry Christian got a job. (that said, Christian is now doing some incredible work for independent and unsigned music in Manchester).

Cobain was in the early stage of his relationship with Courtney Love and promptly dedicated ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ to ‘Courtney Love, the best f*ck in the world.’ Watching this video back just makes me grin from ear to ear.

Cobain and Nirvana has a sense of excitement about them. A garage band who got massive yet remained fiercely independent, still releasing split singles with the likes of Jesus Lizard, still remaining true to their punk roots, singing the praises of (and ultimately turning thousands on to) The Vaselines, Captain Amercia/Eugenius, Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits (from Glasgow alone), Sonic Youth, Mudhoney, Daniel Johnston and the Meat Puppets.

‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ was the song that kicked down doors for Nirvana and left them ajar for countless other alternative independent bands to follow; Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Dinosaur Jr....

Grohl still recalls in interviews how Cobain would order them to practice the infectious riff for hours on end until it was perfected. Well they got it and so did millions of teenagers and the record company and marketing men recognised it too.

The other legendary TV performance that I recall fondly was Nirvana appearing live on the Jonathan Ross Show. They were meant to be playing their current single 'Lithium' but instead they tore into the sheer punk of ‘Territorial Pissings’, kicking over their amps and smashing up their equipment, much to the amusement of Jonathan Ross. This was punk rock, yet the shock tactics that may have scared off some viewers only attracted more teenage kids looking to rebel.

But on to the album, Nevermind; the iconic cover, laden with singles, yet jam packed with amazing tracks from start to finish.

Nevermind is not an album I listen to that often to be honest. Mainly because all of the Nirvana albums I have (other than Bleach) are on vinyl. Somehow that makes the albums even more special.

My copy of Nevermind certainly displays signs of wear and tear, yet lovingly so. It is an album that still gives me a sense of anticipation, a buzz, when I take it out the sleeve and the needle hits the record.

The record starts, of course, with the single that catapulted Nirvana from tiny bars to stadiums, ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (see the video on The Word above).The riff explodes into action, before the bass holds it all together.

A lot of the lyrics to Nevermind were supposedly written last minute, while that may show at times, the fact that maybe not a great deal of care went into some of them, makes them even more special. The first words that come to mind, or the ones that need to come to mind during recording, can sometimes be the best.

And I forget just why I taste 
Oh yeah I guess it makes me smile 

I found it hard it's hard to find 

Oh well whatever nevermind 

While the 'here we are now, entertain us' was adopted as an athem for Generation X. 20 -years down the line it is hard to measure the impact this song and Nevermind as an album had on a generation of teenagers across the world. The loud guitars, lyrics, Cobain's punk rock attitude, the video(s)...everything combined. I think that generation were crying out for a band with meaning to grasp on to and Nirvana obliged.

In Bloom was also a single from the album. The run of singles propelled Nirvana skywards and their sense of humour was allowed to flourish in the videos that accompanied them, none more so than in the video for this one.

There is yet another huge riff, distorted, Cobain's voice straining to its raw best. Two songs into the album, both mention guns, although this one is in a sexual context (to me anyway). The video cuts between suited and bespectacled Nirvana on an Ed Sullivan-esque show, to them playing on the same show in dresses, smashing the place up and being and true to their punk roots. Perhaps a pop at Geffen for the stuff that the record company were enforcing on Nirvana.

Sell the kids for food. Weather changes moods. 
Spring is here again. Reproductive glands. 

 He's the one who likes all the pretty songs. 

And he likes to sing along. And he likes to shoot his gun. 

But he knows not what it mean. Knows not what it mean. And I say yeah. (x2) 

We can have some more. Nature is a whore. 

Bruises on the fruit. Tender age in bloom. 

'Come As You Are' was one of my favourites off this record when it came out. A little mellower, yet with Cobain still showcasing that beautiful raw voice, only in a slightly different way. Of course it wasn't all about Cobain, Nirvana were a true band. Dave Grohl exploding on drums throughout the album and Krist Novoselic keeping it all together on bass. Of course this song also mentions 'gun'. 

'Breed' is one of the punkiest songs on Nevermind and it was a real favourite of mine as a teenager. Listening to it now, it still is. The band tear through it, barely pausing for breath, Cobain spewing out lyrics, Grohl and Novoselic locked in a manic groove, distorted guitars for a solo. The 'I don't care' and 'I don't mind' lyrics were just ripe for teenagers to sing.

'Lithium' is just f**king brilliant. Taking the 'yeah yeah yeah's' from Cobain's beloved Beatles and turning them into something different altogether. Nirvana were tagged with the quiet-loud-quiet-loud brush at times by lazy journalists. In reality they were just a shit hot band that knew when to explode into action as they do to devastating effect in this song with the 'I'm not gonna crack' section.

I like it. I'm not gonna crack.
I miss you. I'm not gonna crack. 

I love you.I'm not gonna crack. 

I killed you. I'm not gonna crack. (x2)

'Polly' slows things down. This was a real common room favourite at school, with both this version and the electric version from Incesticide receiving equal blasts of love on the ghetto blasters. The song is allegedly (well quite clearly really) about the abduction, rape and torture of a girl who had been attending a rock show. 

'Territorial Pissings' is pure punk rock as demonstrated in the Jonathan Ross show video above. Cobain pushes his voice to breaking point screaming 'gotta find a way, a better way' before one of my favourite lyrics;

just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you

If Side 1 of Nevermind is full of singles, Cobain cuts loose on Side 2, kicking off with 'Territorial Pissings' before going on to demonstrate his ability for melody with 'Drain You'. Listening to the lyrics now, it could easily be interpreted as a love song (no Courtney pun intended). 

'Lounge Act' is now possibly my favourite song from Nevermind. I just love the way it flows, the lyrics, the guitars and the hooks. Cobain is just in sensational form with his voice, just spitting out the lyrics towards the end.

And I've got this friend, you see

Who makes me feel and I

Wanted more than I could steal

I'll arrest myself, I'll wear a shield

I'll go outta my way to prove I still

Smell her on you

'Stay Away' is pure punk pop, for some reason it makes me smile. The lyrics are almost bubble gum pop with Cobain rhyming stuff of and Grohl responding, it is fast, furious and fun;

Monkey see, monkey do 

(I don't know why)

Rather be dead than cool 

(I don't know why)

every line ends in rhyme 

(I don't know why)

less is more, love is blind 

(I don't know why)

'On A Plain' is another fave of mine, the lyrics made me smile as a teenager and they still do. It's one of the poppier efforts from Nevermind. Pop isn't a word that may sit well with Nirvana fans, yet Cobain clearly had an ear for a hook and a riff. 

Some of the lyrics almost make fun of the fact that Cobain was still writing them during recording;

It is now time to make it unclear 

To write off lines that don't make sense 

And one more special message to go 

And then I'm done, and I can go home 

The song flows easily from start to finish and lyrics like the ones below hark back to childhood, the humour in the line 'the finest day I ever had, was when I learned to cry on demand' is maybe lost on some. The unplugged version is below.

I love myself better than you 

I know it's wrong so what should I do? 

The finest day that I've ever had 

Was when I learned to cry on commmand

I love myself better than you 

I know it's wrong so what should I do? 

'Something In The Way' ends Nevermind on a mellow and sombre note, in complete contrast the ferocious opening. Telling the tale of when Cobain was homeless and living under a bridge in Seattle. This song is perhaps an early indication of where Cobain was heading post In Utero.

So how do you sum up Nirvana and Nevermind. It is a quite staggering album, all the more so because of the band they went on to become and the icon that Cobain was and is to millions of music fans.

Listening to it again today I am reminded of the faith that you could place in a band like Nirvana. Cobain was funny, confused, passionate, a genuine music fan...all qualities that you would want in a front man. Nirvana became massive yet never sold out. They needed the leg up from a major label to reach the masses, yet they were still punk rock, covering The Vaselines and The Meat Puppets, playing by their own rules. I can only dream about the band that they would have become. It would have been interesting.

Looking at bands today, someone with Cobain's spirit is sadly missing from the music scene. He was a one-off of course, but there appear to be far to many artists and bands that will jump through hoops and play by the rules. 

I can only hope that the flourishing DIY and underground scenes throw up an artist like Cobain or a band like Nirvana to give hope to the millions of teenagers out there. In 1991 I had Cobain, Gillespie, Brown all speaking to me through music, but also teaching me by speaking passionately about their musical tastes. 

This blog could go on and on, I'll simply end by saying that Nevermind still has immense power and depth 20-years from its release. If you have a copy, dig it out.