Weekly Tribute : Nirvana

Nirvana's Origins:

Nirvana changed the landscape of rock music over the course of only a few years, but in the beginning, they were just one more struggling group deciding on a lineup and a name. In 1985, guitarist/singer Kurt Cobain met bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington, instantly bonding over their mutual love of the punk-metal band the Melvins. The duo brought in several different drummers over the next couple years, eventually settling on Chad Channing. Meanwhile, the group shuffled through different band names (including the Stiff Woodies, Pen Cap Chew and Skid Row) before opting fo

r Nirvana.

Nirvana's Promising First Album:

After recording a series of demos in 1988, Nirvana landed a deal with Seattle label Sub Pop. A year later, the group released their first record, Bleach. Though it only sold about 35,000 copies, Bleach est

ablished Cobain’s penchant for angry, compelling songs about society’s outsiders. Leaning heavily on hard rock and metal, Bleach didn’t sport the same pop hooks that Nirvana’s later albums would feature, although “About a Girl” demonstrated his early flair for catchy pop songs akin to the Beatles.

A New Decad

e and a New Drummer:

As the band entered the '90s, Cobain’s songwriting would continue to blossom. Another important improvement occurred around the same time: Channing left the group and was replaced by Dave Grohl, the former drummer of the punk band Scream. Bleach had won the admiration of respected groups such as Sonic Youth, and demos of subsequent sessions began attracting the attention of major labels. Signing with DGC and with Growl now in tow, Nirvana recorded their follow-up, an album called Nevermind. It would have been the furthest thought from any of the band members’ minds at the time, but superstardom was on the horizon.

Breaking Through to the Mainstream:

Released in September of 1991, Nevermind wasn’t an immediate blockbuster, but on the strength of its first single, “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” the album reached the top of the charts by January 1992. At a time when pop and hair metal were extraordinarily popular, Nevermind signaled a cultural shift toward more urgent, intense music sparked by introspective, sometimes caustic, lyrics. The album generated four singles and catapulted the band from the tiny Washington city to superstar status.

Drug Addiction:

Though Cobain now enjoyed universal acclaim and exceptional sales, he couldn’t fully savor his moment in the sun, as he was in the midst of a horrible heroin addiction that had been developing from before Nevermind. Questions about his health circulated as Nirvana returned to the studio in 1993 to record their next album. The willfully prickly In Utero proved to be less listener-friendly, but Cobain’s commitment to hook-laden songs transcended the album's surface aggressiveness. In Utero may have scared off causal fans who simply wanted Nevermind II, but it was an instant critic

al success and a strong seller.

Tragedy:

On April 8, 1994, Cobain’s body was found in his home in Seattle. The cause of death was determined to be suicide from a shotgun blast to the head. It had not been Cobain’s first suicide attempt, but the news of his death nevertheless was a shock to his many fans.

Life After Nirvana:

Though Nirvana disbanded shortly thereafter, their legacy remains unscarred, with the band’s biggest hits still a staple of rock radio. Grohl, Novoselic and Cobain’s widow Courtney Love (of the band Hole) have subsequently released live albums and compilations, including a greatest-hits package and a box set of rare tracks. Novoselic has played in a few bands since Nirvana’s dissolution, while Grohl has focused his energy on his own band, Foo Fighters.

(=(thanks http://rock.about.com/od/nirvana/p/Nirvana.htm)

Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit

By marizZza