Vinyl of the Week - 18 OCTOBER 2020

Nirvana, Nirvana

Let’s go back to the 90’s this week. The subject, a band that took music in a completely different direction by popularising alternative rock from the heart of Seattle’s underground music scene. That band is, of course, Nirvana. In the mid-to-late 80’s big hair rock was losing popularity. Gen X were coming of age and looking for something radically different. Grunge fitted the bill perfectly. Taking its cue from rock, punk and metal, it’s epicentre was Seattle, where bands such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots and Nirvana we’re gaining a huge following. Nirvana was originally founded by vocalist/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in 1987. They went through a succession of drummers until they found the now legendary Dave Grohl, who joined the band in 1990. Nirvana disbanded after the tragic suicide of Kurt in 1994. This self-titled album was released in 2002, the first “best-of” compilation of their work. It has a tracklist spanning their short but hugely successful career. From the explosive first track “You Know You’re Right” to the massive hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and David Bowie cover “The Man Who Sold The World”, this album is a fitting tribute to their legacy. For those of us that were 18-25 in the 90’s, this was the soundtrack of our youth. And what an awesome soundtrack it was - DS