Nirvana's Nevermind came out on September 24, 1991. Can you believe that 20 years has already passed???
Nirvana is one of our favorite bands of all time and Nevermind was one of the first tapes (yes cassette tapes!) we ever purchased. We were just barely teenagers at the time. Not only did this album open up the doors to a whole 'nother world of music for us, it even changed the way we dressed and how we felt about the world around us. This just happened to be the time when we were changing from innocent little kids to angst ridden teenagers. Good times!
Below are five videos that show Nevermind producer Butch Vig breaking down songs from this amazing album. Very interesting to watch! It puts these songs into a whole new light...
Dave Grohl is DEFINITELY drunk AND stoned in this clip from "1991: The Year Punk Broke". And so is Krist Novoselic. And you can bet that Kurt Cobain is right around the corner, equally fucked up...
June 4, 1994 was Dave Grohl's first public appearance & performance since the death of fellow Nirvana band member Kurt Cobain. It was at MTV's 1994 Movie Awards and he played drums for the band "Backbeat" which performed the songs on the soundtrack for the 1994 British-German Beatles film "Backbeat".
I still remember sitting next to my VCR and waiting for "Backbeat" to come on and perform and being really excited about Dave Grohl's return. I'm glad that we recorded this and we hope you're glad too!!
The band consisted of some of our favorite performers of that era which included:
Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum): vocals
Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whigs): vocals
Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth): guitar
Don Fleming (Gumball): guitar
Mike Mills (R.E.M.): bass guitar
Dave Grohl (Nirvana): drums
Henry Rollins (Rollins Band): vocals on "Love Me Tender" (not in this video)
The songs they played were "Money (That's What I Want)" and "Long Tall Sally" (both are not Beatles songs).
This shit is fucking rare and it's very cool to see some of the "main players of the 90's" get together and play live. It's nice to see them just fucking rock! Once in a lifetime performance pretty much. This won't happen again.....
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Video Title: (June 4, 1994) Dave Grohl's 1st public appearance after Kurt Cobain's suicide - "Backbeat"
Event: Backbeat performing live at the 1994 MTV Movie Awards
Original Air Date: June 4, 1994
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17 years ago today Kurt Cobain ended his life after putting a shotgun bullet through his head at his Seattle home. Just think about how no one would realize, until 3 days later, that one of the most influential musicians had left us.
It has been raining all day here. The gods must be crying...
We recorded this on April 8, 1995 from "MTV News: The Week in Rock". They did a segment on how people were feeling one year after Nirvana's frontman Kurt Cobain killed himself.
They interviewed people such as David Fricke (Music Editor of Rolling Stone), Matthew Sweet, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Joe Sib from Wax, and some Nirvana fans in Seattle, New York, and Memphis.
This segment also includes clips from the vigil held on April 10, 1994 in Seattle and how "In Utero", "Nevermind", and "Unplugged in New York" were all currently on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.
Kurt Loder talks about Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl's "new" band The Foo Fighters and how, in the next few days, they'll be launching a debut tour in Tempe, AZ and opening up for Mike Watt. Loder also adds how Nirvana bassist Christ Novoselic still plays music but has yet to join a new band. It closes out with live footage of Nirvana playing "Lithium".
Luckily, we recorded more videos during the hours and days of this tragic event which we'll be posting soon.......
RIP Kurt
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Video Title: (April 8, 1995) Kurt Cobain's Suicide: One Year Later "MTV News: The Week in Rock"
Event: One Year Anniversary of Nirvana's singer Kurt Cobain's suicide
Original Air Date: April 8, 1995
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Why did the Toronto Maple Leafs try to sign Kurt Cobain?They heard he was a killer on the face offs.
What was Kurt Cobain quoted as saying in his last interview before he blasted his brains out with a shotgun?He said in his mind, Hole was going to be the next big thing.How does Kurt Cobain collect his thoughts?With a squeegee!What do Wayne Gretzky and Courtney Love have in common?They both shower after the third period.What was the last thing to go through Cobain's mind?His teeth.What has four legs and just applied at McDonald's?NirvanaWhat's the difference between Kurt Cobain and Mary Jo Buttafuoco?The bullet's still in Mary Jo's head.What do Cobain and the Mariners have in common?Both stink up Seattle.Did you know they're honoring Kurt with a racehorse?It's called Seattle Spew.How can you get Nirvana back together?With duct tape.Why does Kervorkian want Cobain's shotgun?To add to his collection of suicide machines.What happened when you talked to Cobain about suicide?It went in one ear and out the other.Did Cobain plan his suicide a long time?It was just a sudden brain storm.What do Wes Unseld and Kurt Cobain have in common?Both were dropped by the Bullets.What will they call the movie about Cobain?1) Brainless in Seattle.2) The Remains of the Day.What's the difference between Cobain and the Iraqi army?Cobain has killed more Americans.Where's a good place to watch the Seattle Seahawks?Circling over Cobain's house.Did Kurt think a lot about suicide?It was a no-brainer.What did the electrician say when he knocked on Cobain's door?"Where's the head of the house?"When does Kurt sing these days?When the wind whistles through his head.Did you know Kurt was practically an "overnight success?"It only took him 3 days to be discovered.Why won't Cobain put out any more hit albums?He doesn't have a head for business anymore.What's the difference between Cobain and John Hinkley?Cobain was a better shot.Why hasn't Nirvana released a new video?They're still busy shooting.How did Courtney Love get her start?She used to open for the Dead.What's the difference between Cobain and Nixon?Nixon left a better looking corpse.Why did Cobain put on weight before he died?So he'd make a better target.What did Courtney Love say when she came home?"Who ordered the pizza?"What's the best way to listen to a Nirvana record?With a couple of shootersWhat's the difference between Cobain and Elton John?Elton took more shots in the mouth.What did Mrs. Cobain say when they were trying to identify Kurt's body?Smells like Kurt's body (to me).What do Kurt Cobain, Hand Gathers and Bobbitt's penis have in common?They all took one shot before they died.What did Kurt say before firing?"Heads up!"How did they cremate Cobain?By steaming him off the ceiling.What's the hippest look in Seattle now?Wearing a piece of Kurt Cobain.Why's Cobain mad at the Seattle police?They shampooed with his Head and Shoulders.Why's Courtney Love mad at the police?For tracking Kurt through the house.Who got the first scoop on Cobain's suicide?The paramedics.What did they find in Cobain's home?Seattle grunge.Did Cobain give up drugs?No, he still likes getting blasted.What did Freddie Prinze say to Kurt Cobain?"Nice Hunting!"What did Jeffrey Dahmer request for his last meal?Kurt Cobain.How did Cobain paint his house?With a spray gun.What did the Seattle police sing during the investigation?"Braindrops keep falling on my head."What did Nirvana's lead singer change his name to?Kurt Gobang!What was the last thing Kurt saw before he died?The back of his head.Have the police concluded their investigation?They just need to mop up.What did Courtney Love name her band "Hole" after?Kurt's throat.What do Courtney & Cobain have in common?Both were shooting up on the same night.What do Cobain and Roy Rodgers have in common?Both were fond of their Trigger.Did Cobain really commit suicide?No, he was just playing Polish Roulette.How can you keep Pearl Jam together?Break the lead singer's index finger.When will Kurt perform again?When he gets his head together.What will Nirvana's next video be?Dancing on the ceiling.What did Kurt do when he got to the top?He self-destructed.What will Nirvana's next record be?1) My Aim is True2) Up on the Roof3) Going out of my HeadHow will the record do?It'll be number one with a bullet.What does Cobain have in common with his record sales?They've both gone through the roof.Does Kurt like other kinds of music?Yes, he's a Dead Head.Why can't you tell any secrets to Kurt Cobain?He'll go shooting off his mouth.How does Cobain feel about the NBA?He think the Bullets have nowhere to go but up.What's the difference between Kurt Cobain and John Bonham?It took 42 shots to kill Bonham.
Wow. How the hell has it been 17 years. Well, anyway.....
We recorded this gossip TV show "Extra" on April 8, 1995 since it had a segment on how Nirvana fans were feeling one year after Kurt Cobain committed suicide by shooting himself in the head.
John Norris (who was with MTV when Kurt originally killed himself) was working as a correspondent with "Extra" and he takes us to a (yes you guessed it...to a Seattle coffeehouse) to see how people were coping one year after Kurt Cobain's death.
He spoke to 16-year-olds who seemed jaded. Weren't we all jaded in 1995?
John Norris also showed the park bench near Kurt Cobain's home which fans have turned into a memorial site. Have you been there yet?
At the end of the segment, Cobain's wife, Courtney Love is mentioned since she "put together the soundtrack" of 'Tank Girl' and was making her acting debut in 'Feeling Minnesota' (which is untrue since she was in 'Sid and Nancy' back in 1986).
"Extra" also mentioned how "Life after Kurt has been successful for his widow Courtney Love." Is that true???
More Kurt Cobain suicide era videos will be coming soon......
RIP Kurt
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Video Title: (April 8, 1995) Kurt Cobain's suicide: One Year Later "Extra"
Event: One Year Anniversary of Nirvana's singer Kurt Cobain's suicide
Original Air Date: April 8, 1995
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There are only 2 more days till the anniversary of when Kurt Cobain blew his brains out back in April 1994. It happened 17 years ago!!!!
Some people don't believe Kurt killed himself. Meet Tom Grant. He is a private investigator and former detective with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. According to Grant, he was hired by Courtney Love on April 3, 1994 to find Kurt after he left a drug rehab center in Marnina Del Rey, California.
Where did Kurt go??? What did he do??? Some pretty interesting stuff happened according to Tom Grant!
Here is an excerpt from his website:
"On April 3, 1994, I was hired by Courtney Love, (who was in Los Angeles at the time), to locate her husband after he left a drug rehab center in Marina Del Rey, California. Ms. Love stayed in Los Angeles while I flew to Seattle to search for Cobain with his best friend Dylan Carlson. In fact, Carlson and I had been in the Cobain residence the night before Kurt's body was discovered in the room above the garage."
"The police immediately concluded "suicide." I wasn't so sure. Neither was Rosemary Carroll, Courtney Love's own entertainment attorney. Ms. Carroll was also a close friend to both Courtney and Kurt."
"We both knew something was wrong here--terribly wrong."
Was it an inside job?? Just kidding. We think Kurt killed himself but you be the judge! Visit Tom Grant's site for more info: http://www.cobaincase.com/
We recorded this on April 18, 1994. It's from an old ABC news show called "Day One" and it was reporting on Kurt Cobain's suicide which happened 10 days earlier. Cobain, of course, was the frontman of Nirvana who ended his life with a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. His body was found on April 8, 1994.
They named the segment "Death of an Icon" and they actually did a pretty decent job on covering Kurt Cobain's life, death, and the days that followed. They interviewed a bunch of fans, critics, writers, and musicians during those sad days. And they kind of summed up who that generation was and how they were coping. Damn, I miss those days....
Luckily, we recorded more videos during the hours and days of this tragic event which we'll be posting soon.......
RIP Kurt
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Video Title: (April 18, 1994) Kurt Cobain's suicide "Death of an Icon" (ABC news segment)
Event: Nirvana's singer Kurt Cobain's suicide
Original Air Date: April 18, 1994
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We recorded this on April 8, 1994 just hours after the news broke that Nirvana's lead singer Kurt Cobain was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
This news report is pretty interesting since a lot of the details of his death were still unconfirmed. Also, this was before the contents of Kurt's suicide note was released publicly. (Two days later, a pre-recorded message from Courtney Love reading Kurt Cobain's final words were broadcast at the Seattle Center.)
Yeah, so this is very soon after his body was first discovered. People were still in shock. I know we were.
It was a very sad day indeed. We're so happy that we recorded more videos during the hours and days of this tragic event which we'll be posting soon.......
RIP Kurt
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Video Title: (April 8, 1994) MTV News early coverage of Kurt Cobain's suicide
Event: Nirvana's singer Kurt Cobain's suicide
Original Air Date: April 8, 1994
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We hate being the bearer of bad news but another 90's rocker has died. Mike Starr, the original bassist of Alice in Chains, was found dead yesterday, March 8, 2011, in his home in Salt Lake City. Starr was 44 years old.
Police were unable to determine a cause of death but it does not appear to have involved foul play. Mike Starr helped form Alice in Chains in 1987 and, according to Starr in VH1's "Celebrity Rehab", he was kicked out of the band in 1993 due to his heroin addiction. Starr was arrested and booked just barely a month ago on February 18, 2011 for possession of a controlled substance (he allegedly had six Xanax and six Opana tablets on him at the time).
The band left the following statement: “Members of Alice in Chains are mourning the loss of their friend and ask that the media respect their privacy – and the privacy of the Starr family – during this difficult time. Their thoughts & prayers are with the Starr family.”
We will bring you any updates as soon as we hear them.
Here is a classic Mentos candy commercial from 1996. This is the commercial where the lady has her tiny, red car crammed into a parking spot since an inconsiderate bastard was in a rush to go upstairs to his office. Luckily, four burly men all wearing overalls came to the rescue! In the end, everything worked out. Was it because of the Mentos? Yes. Yes it was.
Also, the Foo Fighters made a parody of this commercial (and other Mentos commercials) in their "Big Me" music video which is pretty funny!
I would have loved to see one of the Foo Fighters only wearing one overall strap on his shoulder. Just like the one guy in the original Mentos commercial. It would've been a nice little touch and a good eye to detail. Right?? But it's cool anyways.
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Video Title: (1996) Mentos "Car Movers" (Foo Fighters parody) - 90's TV commercial
Product: Mentos mint candies
Original Air Date: 1996
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Here is an old interview with Silverchair from "MTV News: The Week in Rock" from March 1996. This segment aired when their debut album Frogstomp was just under a year old and singer Daniel Johns, bassist Chris Joannou and drummer Ben Gillies were only 16 years old. At the time, Silverchair was opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Kurt Loder sets up the segment and wonders if they're jaded yet. Topics include their fathers tagging along, how Daniel plans on wearing the same white shirt without washing it for the whole tour, Daniel being knocked out after diving into the audience and being hit in the head with a beer bottle (bloody images shown), playing on the marquee of Radio City Music Hall for MTV's 1995 Video Music Awards, how Frogstomp went top 10, opening for the Red Hot Chili Peppers (and watching Flea pull his pants down), how they need to catch up on schoolwork when they get back to Australia, why the new video for "Israel's Son" needed to be re-cut (which they didn't agree with), and how they'll resume their tour with the Chili Peppers on March 6th in Chicago.
This video shows live clips from Madison Square Garden in NYC (02/09/96), Santa Monica Pier in CA (09/17/95), and Radio City Music Hall in NYC (09/07/95).
Cool.
Rock on Silverchair.
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Video Title: (March 1996) early Silverchair interview "MTV News: Week in Rock"
Segment: Silverchair on "MTV News: Week in Rock"
Original Air Date: March 1996
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Here is Pat Smear on MTV's "House of Style" in 1996. He was, of course, the guitarist for bands such as The Germs, Nirvana, and the Foo Fighters. "House of Style" was a show on MTV that focused on fashion, models, and the modeling industry.
In this video, models Shalom Harlow and Amber Valletta meet up with Pat Smear in New York City's East Village. They basically give Pat different clothes to wear and they take photos of him in several locations around the neighborhood. Sorry about the quality. The vhs tape we got it from has seen its last days. Luckily we saved it. Enjoy!
Stay tuned as we have many more rare videos during the "grunge years" that we'll be posting soon!!!
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Video Title: (1996) Pat Smear on MTV's House of Style (Foo Fighters, Nirvana, Germs)
Segment: Pat Smear on MTV's "House of Style"
Original Air Date: 1996
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Here is an early interview with Dave Grohl on April 3, 1996 at the Much Music studio in Toronto, Canada. It was only days away from the two year anniversary of the day when Kurt Cobain committed suicide. The Foo Fighters were barely a year old and the other band members at the time were bassist Nate Mendel and drummer William Goldsmith (Sunny Day Real Estate) plus second guitarist Pat Smear (The Germs, Nirvana).
Bill Welychka is interviewing Dave on a snowy afternoon with fans all throughout the studio and outside. It was just hours before the Foo Fighters would play a show at the Concert Hall in Toronto for their 1996 Spring Tour.
Topics discussed include parallels between lyrics from the Foo Fighters Self-Titled album and Kurt Cobain's suicide, how it hurts to talk about Kurt's death (Dave gets annoyed at Bill for asking), how Smells Like Teen Spirit was the anthem of the 90's, about possibly doing a Canadian Foo Fighters tour, and to stop throwing Mentos at them during concerts. He also answered questions from fans and received a bootleg Nirvana CD from one.
We believe there was more to this interview which unfortunately we missed when it originally aired on Much Music.
Stay tuned as we have many more rare videos during the "grunge years" that we'll be posting soon!!!
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Video Title: (April 3, 1996) early Dave Grohl interview on MuchMusic
Segment: Dave Grohl being interviewed on MuchMusic
Original Air Date: April 3, 1996
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Here is a short MTV "Week In Rock" segment that is from July 1994. It reports how Courtney Love's band, Hole, will play the Reading Festival August 26th which is the band's first show since the suicide of her husband, Kurt Cobain, and the accidental heroin overdose of Hole's bassist, Kristen Pfaff. At the time of taping, Hole was holding auditions for a replacement for Pfaff.
Here is a short MTV "Week In Rock" segment that is from June 1994. It reports how Pearl Jam is suing Ticketmaster. Present at the hearing is bassist Jeff Amant and rhythm guitarist Stone Gossard. The United States Department of Justice was investigating Ticketmaster's practices at the time. The band eventually canceled its 1994 summer tour in protest. Keep on the good fight guys!!
Here is an interview with Courtney Love and Drew Barrymore that is from April 1996. It's from MTV's "Week In Rock" and Kurt Loder is the man setting it up.
They were at the "Primal Fear" movie premiere and the topics they discuss include: Not being blondes anymore, how they both love Edward Norton, how they each star in Woody Allen films "Everyone Says I Love You" and "The People vs. Larry Flynt"
One question. Who the hell is that giant standing next to Drew???
Here is an early interview with the Foo Fighters that is from March 1996. The band was barely a year old when this came out. It was soon after their performance on 01/20/96 in Manila, Philippines at the Folk Art Theater (this interview includes live clips from that performance).
Singer/guitarist Dave Grohl and bassist Nate Mendel are in a doctor's office being interviewed by MTV Asia Correspondent Preeti Sethi. They're answering questions while a doctor is examining Nate's injured arm.
Topics include: Craziness of Southeast Asia fans, shooting "Big Me" music video in Australia, recording a track for the X-Files soundtrack, Dave Grohl as an extra in an episode of the X-Files.
We have many, many more videos that we recorded during the "grunge years" so be sure to keep checking back.
