Mudhoney were a great live band
They still are...
killdozer - the sound of a grown man who's spent a life gargling gravel! from memory one of them was a school teacher?
Right, off to listen to twelve point buck....
Terrible band, banal music,
I was happy when Kurt blew his brains out knowing I would not have to listen to that shit ever again accidentally on the radio
Arf!
Loved them then, loved them since, love them now. Nothing quite touches them IMO. Love lots of their peers too - but not as much.
Whether Nirvana made another record or not - Kurts next musical step could have been very interesting...
Anyway, just wondered if anyone saw them in the day? Any good tales, were they good or overrated and bloody awful!!?
I haven't read any of the other replies. Don't need to 🙂
Yep, I saw them live in '89, at SOAS, supporting TAD. Although, I seem to remember TAD actually came on first, cos they'd been touring together for a bit and knew what Nirvana were like.
It was, genuinely, an awesome gig. Kurt was in great form in those days, and I still get goosebumps thinking about it. I can't describe it. Kurt's voice, the music (original, raw and exciting back then) and the pure energy coming off the stage and crowd. No, they weren't over-rated. If anything, the opposite. Those early live shows blew the ****ing arse out of anything else I'd seen before or since.
At the end of that gig, me and my mate 'Mad' Pat were drenched head to toe in sweat, shaking our heads in disbelief, and I remember Pat saying 'That was something special'.
I saw them again at Lamefest with Mudhoney, but that SOAS gig, to me, was Nirvana distilled.
I've never been able to bring myself to watch footage of Reading, I still don't consider that to be a Nirvana show TBH, and I couldn't bring myself to play Nevermind for a few years. Kurt's suicide upset me quite a lot, and still does when I listen to the Unplugged album in particular.
So, yeah. You're right to think they're decent. The original fudge packin' crack smokin' satan worshippin' motherf*ckers. Best live band ever. No doubt in my mind. RIP.
worked in the music industry one way or another for a couple of decades. I've heard so many bands, kids to pros, 'play' Nirvana songs. I can count on one hand the number of times I've heard them played well.
I don't play music or have any connection other than listening to it. But it's fairly obvious that Nirvana songs only sound right when played by Nirvana (there's a few good covers but I've seen their tunes murdered by ametures) They're not the most complex tunes, they weren't superb musicians or singers but that doesn't matter or detract from it. Their stuff was very 'right' for a distinct period and in some ways it's fitting that it's frozen in time. If they'd still been going now they'd be all out of angst and just another mellow rock band fading into obscurity. I get why they're so revered but I just don't listen to their stuff anymore because there's too much new music to find.... 🙂
I'd partly agree with Peter - Nirvana songs only sound right if done by Nirvana, when trying to sound like Nirvana doing them. I've heard covers of Nirvana songs where the artist has performed them as themselves rather than trying to do a Kurt Cobain impression and that can work.
Although I'm not particularly referring to Tori Amos' famous/infamous cover of Teen Spirit.
Worth having a look at the Rock'n'roll Hall of Fame induction on Youtube where Dave and Krist performed exclusively with female vocalists - some worked better than others imho but the point is nobody was trying to be anything other than themselves.
plumber - Member
Terrible band, banal music,I was happy when Kurt blew his brains out knowing I would not have to listen to that shit ever again accidentally on the radio
Now come on, you can't sneak a comment in like that without telling us what music we should be listening to?
Oh yes, he can... and he will 😆
(twiddly diddly **** heavy rock fan IIRC)
[i]Yep, I saw them live in '89, at SOAS, supporting TAD[/i]
Bastard! I missed the Portsmouth gig - actually saw the bands walk past my work window during the day, but couldn't make the gig that night. 😥
Terrible band, banal music,I was happy when Kurt blew his brains out knowing I would not have to listen to that shit ever again accidentally on the radio
Jesus. They're on the radio all the time despite the fact he's still dead. 🙄
plumber - Member
Terrible band, banal music,I was happy when Kurt blew his brains out knowing I would not have to listen to that shit ever again accidentally on the radio
How'd that work out for you?
A one-hit album band on the downslope of their mainstream success elevated to legendary status because the singer and face of the band took his own life.
They play Nirvana all the time on the radio, a lot more than say Sonic Youth or Soundgarden who were popular at the same time.
Depends which radio station you listen to I guess, I hear a lot more Soundgarden than I do Nirvana.
I was in the right place at the right time for grunge age-wise but other than the above two bands it didn't do a lot for me. Massive Nirvana fan at the time but I barely listen now, the stuff from Nevermind which got overplayed (pretty much all of it) now bores me to tears 😐
Bleach was my favourite album
I've got the dark green vinyl of Bleach - worth over £100 apparently
Got it on [s]blue[/s] pink vinyl... 😀
(Just checked)
Seems it's worth anything from £100 - $480. Wow.
Recently been listening to bands they've covered (The Vaselines) and that they arguably ripped-off (Killing Joke and The Damned). Sure there's more out there too.
Sundayjumper - Member
Never saw them, but hearing the news of his death was one of my "I'll always remember where I was when <xxx> happened" moments.
Aye me too, that and Jason Mcroy, not sure which came first.
About a week later I bought a T-shirt with Cobain's head with a shotgun 'photoshopped' in his mouth and 'Nevermind' underneath it, I thought he would have appreciated it. Lots of people at the local rock night however disagreed with me...
killdozer - the sound of a grown man who's spent a life gargling gravel! from memory one of them was a school teacher?
Right, off to listen to twelve point buck....
Yeah, Mike something or other iirc (bass player and singer). He was definitely a shortarse too, I was almost eye level when he was on stage.... 😉
12 Point Buck, need to go dig that out. 3/4" Drill Bit was always my fave. They did a cracking version of Nasty too...
You nailed the description of em too 
But it's fairly obvious that Nirvana songs only sound right when played by Nirvana.
Nail>head right there. They may not have been as good as their reputation marked then out to be (especially since Kurt's suicide) but they were unique and mark a period in time that for a whole generation was a watermark in music. Yes, most of the tracks off Nevermind have been played to utter death but if you have a break from them and then listen to them they are brilliant bits of music for an awful lot of people.
But it's fairly obvious that Nirvana songs only sound right when played by Nirvana.
Don't know what you mean
😀 haha, I've never seen that before, hilarious!
The whole played to death argument is a bit irrelevant, I'm sure not many people would say Queen were cr@p, but if I never hear "don't stop me know" ever again, I'll be happy.
[i]haha, I've never seen that before, hilarious[/i]
And I still won't be seeing it!
Queen were crap! 😆
Self appointed judges judge more than they have sold - or something like that....
Reading '91 (broke his arm jumping into the drum kit) and a couple of times later that year (Leeds and Sheffield).
Saw them at Sheffield Uni Octagon in November '91 I think it was.They were good, but not quite as good as I expected. Got the feeling that Kurt's heart wasn't in it that night as they didn't have the 'fire' in their live performance*
His voice had gone. I'd seen them a few days before in Leeds and they were much better.
Dinosaur Jr and Mudhoney also highlights from around then.
I still get emotional when I hear smells like teen spirit. Remember the first time I heard it and thought this is life.
Would have liked to have heard how they sounded once they got past three chord tricks
A talented musician is someone who can take 3 chords and make 10 great songs out of them... Yeah, some of it was basic, especially listening back on it in your 40s or whatever, but there was so much more behind it than a few simple chords.
I'd recommend watching Montage of Heck for anyone who's not seen it. Had read biographies and watched documentaries in the past, but this is really sobering viewing. Such a sad story.
Terrific band. Made me laugh when the trendy kids at school started accusing me (mega nerd) of only liking them because they were famous and cool and I was trying to fit in. Odd really given that one of my most nerd like tendencies was my predilection for metal and punk when everyone popular liked indie or chart music.
Yeah that's why the only two songs of there's they'd heard of were the hits from ("their first album") Nevermind. Edit...25 years later and I'm still annoyed. I need to relax more!
Too young to have seen them live, but Tastes Like White Spirit was the first bass line I learned and also the first guitar solo (only about 20 notes iirc).
Chord wise I love Polly but very disturbing song!
That whole Seattle/grunge thing produced some sensational music and far too many prematurely dead band members.
Foo Fighters are ok by me. Different kind of rock for a different mood/purpose.
Saw them at Manchester Poly 1989.
Great gig - The Cateran were amazing, Tad were mind blowing and Nirvana were earth shatteringly good.
... but the point is nobody was trying to be anything other than themselves
What they were all about, for me. Before Teen Spirit came out, I was convinced that Jean-Michel Jarre was all the music anyone would ever want. But the worm turned for me...
They were kinda first of their genre, in a "what else sounds like Nirvana anyway?" sort of way, so you either liked them or you didn't.
Tad and Mudhoney were around before them and Nirvana were very much influenced by them. When I first heard Bleach I actually thought it was a Tad album. If you're a fan of early Nirvana check out Superfuzz Bigmuff by Mudhoney and the track Wired God by Tad.
If you want to hear a great take on Nirvana check out The Battle For Seattle by Little Roy. Reggae, ska and dub versions, but in no way a novelty album. Just a brilliant reinvention of some great tunes. In my opinion Dave Grohls best work was on the QOTSA third album Songs for the Def.
I loved most of the bands from the Seattle scene, but especially Soundgarden, Screaming Trees and Mudhoney. Remember reading an interview with Mark Arm when he said some really famous musician (can't recall who) can't on stage with them. This guy asked them what key they were playing in. Arms answer "what's a key" 😀
Saw them with Tad and mudhoney I think at Edwards no8 in brum. Watched 10 mins of the 91 Reading set, but sloped off as it wasn't my thing.
I didn't mind them, but like the fact they got the mainstream into a different kind of music.
Love Nirvana, still listen to them and I think the music has aged well. Decent variety in their stuff if you chuck in some of their b sides and unplugged etc.
In utero probably ranks as my favourite album, but they're all good.
Kirt did several interviews where he confirmed he wanted nirvana to sound like the pixies. He had been contemplating doing an album with Michael Stipe from R.E.M. too.
Their music was often simple but they're weren't bad musicians, not getting those comments personally but that's just my opinion.
Also agree that whilst I don't hate foos theyre just a bit MOR and karaokeesque. I like the early foos and the album they did when DG was drumming with the QOTSA - it sounds a bit heavier and interesting.
Look, Nirvana were good but to insinuate a comparison with Zeppelin and Hendrix is just wrong headed!
Waderider - Member
Look, Nirvana were good but to insinuate a comparison with Zeppelin and Hendrix is just wrong headed!
I'm not comparing them musically, more as an experience. If asked "what one band would you like to see" then something like led zep or Hendrix in the early days would be an obvious answer, but actually I think I'd really like to see an early Nirvana gig as they probably had more of an influence on my music taste over the years.
I got it. Would rather have seen Kurt's violent anguish than Plant's wailing any day. (Hendrix a different story entirely).
Taste innit.
Also, find it easier to identify with violent anguish rather than ****ing hobbits...
I've got the dark green vinyl of Bleach - worth over £100 apparently
Really? I've got one in white somewhere, and a Teen Spirit picture disc, first release.
EDIT - [url= https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/132105895333?chn=ps&dispItem=1&adgroupid=38979885970&rlsatarget=pla-325792118389&abcId=1128946&adtype=pla&merchantid=115602201&poi=&googleloc=9046727&device=c&campaignid=856857791&crdt=0 ]This one![/url]
Plenty of people seem to think rock and roll is about technical excellence of execution and total musical originality and innovation. News flash! It's not. Rock and roll is about capturing a moment, making people feel something and especially feel something different - it's about the zeitgeist.
Counting the number of chords, the key or tempo changes is not rock and roll - it's more like stamp collecting...
Well said Jam. Just because something is easy to play doesn't make it simple to create. I'd rather be deaf than listen to Vai, Malmsteen etc
I got it. Would rather have seen Kurt's violent anguish than Plant's wailing any day. (Hendrix a different story entirely).
Just out of interest Dez are you a Hendrix fan? Reading your various posts on music I'd assume you would be. He was so much more than a guitar player. Bit of a poet and basically reinvented the blues. Nobody has ever picked up where he left off which is a pity.
I would have loved to seen him or The Doors live. Alas I am too young. Never saw Nirvana unfortunately, but have seen Mudhoney and that was great. Also saw Kyuss in the early days. Band didn't do much but the music was amazing.
Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Otis - all artists I would have loved to have seen... Love music from them all. The intro to Hey Joe, the sweeping sounds of Spanish Caravan, the folk'ish tale telling of Ramble On and the total energy of Shake or Try a Little Tenderness...
Bradford Uni - 91. Seem to remember it being a bit crap.
Pearl Jam at Bradford Queens Hall in 92 (for £2.50 entry fee!) was much better....
[img][url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3902/32378838673_fdb32cec4e_z.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3902/32378838673_fdb32cec4e_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/Rkd1Fc ]IMG_1890[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/66275753@N00/ ]vdubber67[/url], on Flickr[/img]
PS - any Nirvana fans want to play 'where's this?' 🙂 (It's fairly obvious!)
[i]Just out of interest Dez are you a Hendrix fan?[/i]
Yep. Different league - live I mean. "American Landing" documentary, I can't watch without thinking how blown your mind would have been to see that man on stage. Playing [i]like that[/i]! In the [i]1960s[/i]!! 😀
I'm all about originality and Hendrix was a one-off.
As an ex punk I thought they were OK but nothing special.Always thought that some songs sounded pretty good, but then others reminded me of country & western.
Only time I'll listen to them is if they're on the radio now...
Yep. Different league - live I mean. "American Landing" documentary, I can't watch without thinking how blown your mind would have been to see that man on stage. Playing like that! In the 1960s!!
I'm all about originality and Hendrix was a one-off.
Love watching recordings of him playing live. The difference between him off stage, relatively shy and quiet, to what he became on stage is remarkable. I still can't believe Axis was recorded on a four track. I'll stop babbling now as I'm clearly a massive fan. Guess what my son's middle name is 🙂
Back on topic, I liked Nirvana, but much preferred some of their peers.
Jimi was just a total phenomenon...
Wind Cries Mary - Could play that song on a loop all day !
