N I R V A N A

[ghost]

Nirvana were the best nihilistic buddhist rock & roll band ever. Kurt Cobain was one of the best songwriters & rockstars to ever grace our awareness.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8SngmT4rmE&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYbSxx-4Wik&feature=related

- two nice vinyl rips of Nirvana live

[Alex]

Nirvana were OK. Like some of the songs but not so much the grunge sound. I prefer Weird Al`s Smells Like Nirvana to the original. Though I do love that Cobain was always talking up cool underground bands in the press.

[ghost]

Nirvana were OK. Like some of the songs but not so much the grunge sound. I prefer Weird Al`s Smells Like Nirvana to the original. Though I do love that Cobain was always talking up cool underground bands in the press.

You know nothing about Nirvana, Alex. Please allow me the assumed superiority in knowledge to teach you. Kurt Cobain was not just some guy that played music. Kurt Cobain is living mythology. Kurt studied all the classic rock & roll cases particular with frontmen. Kurt designed his fate from day one - in a sense. Nevermind is so poppy [though much like Come As You Are is also expertly written] because Kurt wanted to breakthrough into the collective consciousness in a big way. In his suicide letter he said he was a narcissistic death rocker. Or thought of as such - and he also called himself narcissistic. Yes that's it. Anyway- point is, Kurt was the real deal. Nirvana was a Buddhist-Nihilist rock & roll band from unknown places in washington state. Kurt sang, Look on the bright side- suicide in Milk It over the Devil's Tritone beginning of that diabolical riff. Kurt reached entirely new artistic depths on In Utero. Scentless Apprentice, Heart Shaped Box, Milk It, Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Tourrettes... these are not your mothers Nevermind album. These are Kurt's songs about his esoteric thoughts. Look on the bright side- suicide. The dark side I'm on your side.

Nirvana were one of the best rock & roll bands that have ever occurred. some days I even think The Beach Boys are nothing compared to Nirvana. In just a few blazing years Kurt Cobain set the world on fire & burned himself to nothingness. He epitomized the meaning of his band name. Nirvana in Buddhism means cessation, ceasing to be, like a flame disappearing. Kurt injected himself with a suicidal dose of heroin and before the major effect wiped him out of action he shot himself.

I have one word for Kurt Cobain that I hope you will all come to feel too : respect. Kurt was intense. If the suicide is true then it's just so intense. A murder is nicer to believe. You can believe in one man's evil, bad blood, or kill contract against a man, but you don't want to believe in one man's own evil, bad blood with himself, and suicide contract with himself. Kurt showed us all that - he wasn't just fucking around. Something got to Kurt Cobain. Something bad. Was it Courtney cheating? Heroin addiction [and drug addiction in general]? Fame? All the obligations with Nirvana doing tours etc? Nirvana also had various minor legal troubles that would've at least made Kurt paranoid at times. Song writing loyalty suits and stuff. Being sued by club owners for destroying their equipment. Kurt in pictures has a look I personally know all too well. He's there, you could talk to him. He's not unaware at all. In fact, Kurt Cobain is a lizard. He's vibrantly vividly aware of life around himself. Unless he's all smacked out but still. He's a beautiful man to watch- doing anything.

[ghost]

[ghost]

Kurt adored William S Burroughs and they hung out together one day. They put out a single together too but they didn't record it together. Bill sent Kurt a recording of him reading a story and Kurt put music to it.



Show me a picture of Brian Wilson looking THAT cool!

[ghost]

[Jay]

I may not agree with your view, but I must admit that I admire your passionate way of writing about this subject.  You should write a book. 

[ghost]

I'm an idiot- if only you'd all realize. What do you guys do when you're sad? I'm sad exactly for the reason that I cannot have what I want. This is causing profound suffering. It has brought me to the point of Kurt Cobain when he conceived "Look on the bright side- suicide ; the dark side, I'm on your side" perhaps in a dope trance.

[pixletwin]

Agreed with just about everything ghost said about Kurt. There are days when I think Nirvana > The Beach Boys.... but those days become farther and fewer between the older I get. 

[grillo]

I definitely loved Nirvana in the early nineties until he killed himself (or whatever) but to compare them to the BB is way out there, man.
First of all, the only one of Nirvana's recordings that doesn't sound painfully dated is Bleach, and maybe some of the singles stuff from whatever that comp was called. I mean DATED. Bad, super selfconcious art rock like In Utero ,and really everything from that Jesus Lizard single on, sound like a bad time to me. And if you can sit through the horrible production on Nevermind and compare that to ANY brian-produced BB album (including Love You) then, my friend, we live in strange times indeed.
Sounds like you are more into the myth of Kurt Cobain, whatever that has turned into, than the deliberately provocative twenty-something guy who would complain about Rolling Stone magazine, in a Rolling Stone article, with HIM on the cover! A confused guy, for sure, with some good songs but neither the brains nor the foresight to see past himself and his 'problems' .
I've known a lot of guys like that, and there was nothing cool about their flame-out.
Anyway, Beach Boys rule!

[Loaf]

You're overreaching, Ghost. If Kurt hadn't killed himself, their reputation would have gone the way of Pearl Jam, into ever-decreasing circles of blandness. Kurt had nowhere else to go but out.

A couple of good songs, though.

[Mike's Beard]

Said it before and will say it again - if Kurt hadn't shot himself noone would care about Nirvana now. Most people thought In Utero sucked.

[pixletwin]

Said it before and will say it again - if Kurt hadn't shot himself noone would care about Nirvana now. Most people thought In Utero sucked.

Oh? What scientific polling was conducted to bring you to this conclusion?

[Mike's Beard]

Everyone in my school who liked Nevermind didn't like the follow up. Until he died. Then they did.

[stack-o-tracks]

Most Nirvana "fans" say either In Utero or Incesticide. Also like to name drop Radio Friendly Unit Shifter and Milk It.

[pixletwin]

Everyone in my school who liked Nevermind didn't like the follow up. Until he died. Then they did.

I see. It was a completely scientific undertaking on your part. 

My experience was different. In Utero is frequently quoted as their favorite album (it's my favorite as well).

[Roger Ryan]

My reaction to Nirvana (1991 - 1994):

Wow, that's interesting that this song is getting so much airplay...it's pretty much a ripoff of the Pixies...but the lyrics aren't very good.

This heavier Seattle punk sound seems inspired by Husker Du...or at least Bob Mould's last record...that bass is very appealing, but those lyrics?

Seriously, this voice of a generation stuff has got to stop. Cobain's songs are alright, but the guy seems like he's a hopeless addict who would rather be anywhere else.

As unimpressed as I am with the band, I'm glad they opened the door for all these other cool bands to be heard...now excuse me while I listen to Sebadoh's latest one more time.

It sure sounds like a suicide attempt after that concert in Italy no matter how they spin it - Courtney is scaring me - I fear for their daughter.

He's gone missing? I bet he really did it this time - Oh man, what a shame - the way the media is spinning it, this guy will be like John Lennon in twenty years.

[ghost]

My reaction to Nirvana (1991 - 1994):

Wow, that's interesting that this song is getting so much airplay...it's pretty much a ripoff of the Pixies...but the lyrics aren't very good.

This heavier Seattle punk sound seems inspired by Husker Du...or at least Bob Mould's last record...that bass is very appealing, but those lyrics?

Seriously, this voice of a generation stuff has got to stop. Cobain's songs are alright, but the guy seems like he's a hopeless addict who would rather be anywhere else.

As unimpressed as I am with the band, I'm glad they opened the door for all these other cool bands to be heard...now excuse me while I listen to Sebadoh's latest one more time.

It sure sounds like a suicide attempt after that concert in Italy no matter how they spin it - Courtney is scaring me - I fear for their daughter.

He's gone missing? I bet he really did it this time - Oh man, what a shame - the way the media is spinning it, this guy will be like John Lennon in twenty years.

Just watch Unplugged. If that's not a satisfying experience for you then Nirvana is not meant for you, ever. Other people, myself included, find such a performance iconic and timeless - a friend that will always be there.

[Alex]

Nirvana were OK. Like some of the songs but not so much the grunge sound. I prefer Weird Al`s Smells Like Nirvana to the original. Though I do love that Cobain was always talking up cool underground bands in the press.

You know nothing about Nirvana, Alex...
 
I have one word for Kurt Cobain that I hope you will all come to feel too : respect...

Kurt was a talented guy, but his music just doesn't do it for me. I'm not stopping you from loving Nirvana.

[Roger Ryan]

My reaction to Nirvana (1991 - 1994):

Wow, that's interesting that this song is getting so much airplay...it's pretty much a ripoff of the Pixies...but the lyrics aren't very good.

This heavier Seattle punk sound seems inspired by Husker Du...or at least Bob Mould's last record...that bass is very appealing, but those lyrics?

Seriously, this voice of a generation stuff has got to stop. Cobain's songs are alright, but the guy seems like he's a hopeless addict who would rather be anywhere else.

As unimpressed as I am with the band, I'm glad they opened the door for all these other cool bands to be heard...now excuse me while I listen to Sebadoh's latest one more time.

It sure sounds like a suicide attempt after that concert in Italy no matter how they spin it - Courtney is scaring me - I fear for their daughter.

He's gone missing? I bet he really did it this time - Oh man, what a shame - the way the media is spinning it, this guy will be like John Lennon in twenty years.

Just watch Unplugged. If that's not a satisfying experience for you then Nirvana is not meant for you, ever. Other people, myself included, find such a performance iconic and timeless - a friend that will always be there.

Actually, after posting I realized I forgot to include my reaction to seeing the UNPLUGGED show when it first aired, which was a very positive one. I liked the stripped-down arrangements and the cello really added a nice flavor, especially on my favorite Nirvana song "Dumb". I also appreciated Pat Smear being asked to contribute as well as the Meat Puppets (who I was a fan of at the time). Still, I found this setting tended to reveal Cobain's limitations as a singer/performer. I guess I just wanted Nirvana to have a stronger, more focused delivery with songs that made a more emotional connection for me ("Dumb" and one or two others do this).

I'm not trying to dissuade your love of this band; only note what my reaction was like to them at the time they were a going concern.

[Paulos]

The version of Where Did You Sleep Last Night on Unplugged is one of my favourite live versions of any song ever, Kurts delivery is so powerful.

[Mike's Beard]

Paulos you've got the late sixties Brian look down to a T.

[onkster]

Kurt Cobain was a very talented songwriter--he captured a certain kind of mood, and was pretty damn innovative at recombining existing chords in a surprising and new-sounding way.

However:
He seemed to be able to only capture that one particular mood: misery. Very well, mind you, but just that one. I prefer artists who can capture every mood or every aspect of living. I wish he could have done that--he might have been happier, and perhaps lived longer. And reached a more varied audience.

(I kinda have the same problem with Aimee Mann--she even came out and said, 'Why would I write about happiness? That's boring--there's no drama in it.' What a closed and defeatist attitude.)

I would still vote for the Beach Boys over Nirvana. Coolness is irrelevant. The ability to capture all kinds of life in a set of songs is always relevant.

[pixletwin]

Kurt Cobain was a very talented songwriter--he captured a certain kind of mood, and was pretty damn innovative at recombining existing chords in a surprising and new-sounding way.

However:
He seemed to be able to only capture that one particular mood: misery. Very well, mind you, but just that one. I prefer artists who can capture every mood or every aspect of living. I wish he could have done that--he might have been happier, and perhaps lived longer. And reached a more varied audience.

(I kinda have the same problem with Aimee Mann--she even came out and said, 'Why would I write about happiness? That's boring--there's no drama in it.' What a closed and defeatist attitude.)

I would still vote for the Beach Boys over Nirvana. Coolness is irrelevant. The ability to capture all kinds of life in a set of songs is always relevant.

I'll subscribe to that view. Although it should be noted that Cobain also was very good at injecting his lyrics with irony and humor. Which is also what was so unique about him.

[Loaf]

Kurt Cobain was a very talented songwriter--he captured a certain kind of mood, and was pretty damn innovative at recombining existing chords in a surprising and new-sounding way.

However:
He seemed to be able to only capture that one particular mood: misery. Very well, mind you, but just that one. I prefer artists who can capture every mood or every aspect of living. I wish he could have done that--he might have been happier, and perhaps lived longer. And reached a more varied audience.

(I kinda have the same problem with Aimee Mann--she even came out and said, 'Why would I write about happiness? That's boring--there's no drama in it.' What a closed and defeatist attitude.)

I would still vote for the Beach Boys over Nirvana. Coolness is irrelevant. The ability to capture all kinds of life in a set of songs is always relevant.

I'll subscribe to that view. Although it should be noted that Cobain also was very good at injecting his lyrics with irony and humor. Which is also what was so unique about him.

I know I'm being pedantic here, and I can't stop myself, but Cobain wasn't the only one to use irony and humour in his lyrics, therefore = not unique.