Here we are now, entertain us: Inside the 20th-Anniversary Reissue of Nirvana's 'Nevermind'

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Inside the 20th-Anniversary Reissue of 'Nevermind'
Nirvana members open the vault on the making of the classic album

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/inside-the-20th-anniversary-reissue-of-nevermind-20110823



By Simon Vozick-Levinson
August 23, 2011 4:50 PM ET

One afternoon in April 1990, Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic and drummer Chad Channing arrived at producer Butch Vig's Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, after driving 1,900 miles from Seattle nonstop. "They rolled up in a van," says Vig, "and they probably hadn't taken a bath or shower in three or four days."

The songs Nirvana began recording that day would eventually become Nevermind, the album that kicked off the alt-rock explosion of the Nineties. Eight of the demos from that week, including ferocious test runs through "In Bloom" and "Lithium," are among the never-before-heard treasures on the 20th-anniversary edition of the landmark album, due September 27th. The set, which will be available in versions ranging from a single CD to a five-disc box, was assembled by Novoselic, Dave Grohl, Vig and Nirvana's management, as well as representatives of Cobain's estate. Along with a remastered version of Nevermind, the multidisc packages offer killer extras including B sides, alternate mixes and an entire live show.

"We had this motel room, and we would go to Smart Studios and work every day," says Novoselic. The sessions were fruitful but not without difficulties. "Kurt was charming and witty, but he would go through these mood swings," says Vig. "He would be totally engaged, then all of a sudden a light switch would go off and he'd go sit in the corner and completely disappear into himself. I didn't really know how to deal with that." Although Nirvana's studio money ran out after five days, the demos they had recorded in that span were strong enough to score them a major-label deal a few months later.

In the spring of 1991, Nirvana – by then with Grohl on drums instead of Channing – regrouped in Tacoma, where they cut another batch of demos. "We were this transient band, crashing other bands' practice pads," says Novoselic. Whenever they found a place to play, they'd work on whatever Cobain brought in that day.

[frylock]

1. 20 freakin years..

really looking forward to this release.

[BNJMN]

2. Ah yes,