October 29, 2004
Ladies and gentlemen. The tracklisting is here. As a world exclusive,
Q Magazine will bring the full tracklisting and an early review of the box
in their December 2004 issue (#221) as part of an article entitled "Last
Testament. The Nirvana boxset. Kurt Cobain's curtain call."
This is the first review in the world of the boxset, I believe. And indeed, the
article includes the tracklisting which has not been made available
before. The tracklisting doesn't specify where the songs are from -
as in the source session or performance. However, I have tried to provide
that information when possible, based on educated guesses and extensive
knowledge of the Nirvana recordings. Please note that this source information
is mostly speculation and by no means confirmed officially. Some sessions I'm sure of,
while in other cases I've used the word "possibly" to mark uncertainty. The source
info is only intended to be used as reference. View my guesses on the source info
here. Official tracklisting from Q Mag is:
CD 1:
1. Heartbreaker
2. Anorexorcist
3. White, Lace And Strange
4. Help Me I'm Hungry
5. Mrs Butterworth
6. If You Must
7. Pen Cap Chew
8. Downer
9. Floyd The Barber
10. Raunchola / Moby Dick medley
11. Beans
12. Don't Want It All
13. Clean Up Before She Comes
14. Polly (solo)
15. About A Girl
16. Blandest
17. Dive
18. They Hung Him On A Cross
19. Grey Goose
20. Ain't It A Shame
21. Token Eastern Song
22. Even In His Youth
23. Polly
CD 2:
1. Opinion
2. Lithium
3. Been A Son
4. Sliver
5. Where Did You Sleep Last Night
6. Pay To Play
7. Here She Comes Now
8. Drain You
9. Aneurysm
10. Smells Like Teen Spirit (demo)
11. Breed
12. Verse Chorus Verse
13. Old Age
14. Endless, Nameless
15. Dumb
16. D-7
17. Oh The Guilt
18. Curmudgeon
19. Return Of The Rat
20. Smells Like Teen Spirit (Butch Vig Mix)
CD 3:
1. Rape Me (solo)
2. Rape Me
3. Scentless Apprentice
4. Heart Shaped Box
5. I Hate Myself And I Want To Die
6. Milk It
7. Moist Vagina
8. Gallons Of Running Alcohol Flows Through The Strip
9. The Other Improv
10. Serve The Servants
11. Very Ape
12. Pennyroyal Tea
13. Marigold
14. Sappy aka Verse Chorus Verse
15. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam
16. Do Re Mi
17. You Know You're Right
18. All Apologies
DVD:
1. Love Buzz
2. Scoff
3. About A Girl
4. Big Long Now
5. Immigrant Song
6. Spank Thru
7. Hairspray Queen
8. School
9. Mr Moustache
10. Big Cheese
11. In Bloom
12. Sappy
13. School
14. Love Buzz
15. Pennyroyal Tea
16. Smells Like Teen Spirit
17. Territorial Pissings
18. Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam
19. Talk To Me
20. Seasons In The Sun
I believe the magazine will be published in a few days. The tracklisting
appears on page 152 of the magazine. View a scan of that here.
Also click here for a
transcript of the full article (courtesy of Nirvana Music). A huge, huge thanks to Nick Beard
for the info and scans. Also thanks to Andrew Johnson. Discuss the tracklisting here.
Order boxset here.
October 28, 2004
Apparently a press release has been sent out in Germany
concerning the Nirvana box set - listing the five songs
that will appear on a promotional sampler given to radio
stations and certain retail stores. The songs listed:
White Lace and Strange - Previously unreleased radio performance, 1987
Blandest - Previously unreleased demo, 1988
Lithium - Previously unreleased solo acoustic, 1990
Heart-Shaped Box - Previously unreleased demo, 1993
You Know You're Right - Previously unreleased solo acoustic, 1994
Out of these I believe that "White Lace and Strange", "Blandest" and the
acoustic version of "Lithium" are already circulating in trader circles.
It depends on which version of "Lithium" they have used, though. "Heart-Shaped Box"
could also be a version currently circulating if they are referring to the 1993 Rio demo.
But while most of these songs are currently available to many fans,
the officially released version will most likely be superior in quality compared
to bootleg copies. The complete tracklisting of the box is not yet available, unfortunately,
but it is rumoured to be made available about one week prior to the release. Also, two promo photos
have been released. View them here: #1 & #2.
The news and info is courtesy of Enrico and his Nirvana discography website.
Sorry for the delayed credit!
If you get any news about the box set; press releases; pictures;
recordings or any other material that relates to this release that hasn't
already been posted in this news section, please e-mail
the webmaster. Thanks!
October 27, 2004
"John Peel, a longtime British Broadcasting Corp. [BBC]
disc jockey whose enthusiasm for the offbeat, the eclectic and the obscure
launched the careers of dozens of bands, has died, the BBC said Tuesday.
He was 65. The broadcaster said Peel suffered a heart attack Monday while
vacationing in Peru with his wife, Sheila. Peel's program on Radio 1, the
BBC's flagship pop music station, exerted a huge influence for more than
30 years. He was often the first to play demo tapes by little-known bands,
and his enthusiasm propelled some to fame. His live studio sessions were
coveted by bands, and many were released on record as the 'Peel Sessions'."
Nirvana were on John's show a number of times and it is believed that songs
from these sessions will appear on the forthcoming Nirvana box set. News
courtesy of AP and the New York Times. Read more here.
October 21, 2004
Here is an official statement from the Geffen Records website
concerning the Nirvana box: "Nirvana Box Set
'With the Lights Out' to Be Released November 23rd. Geffen/UMe
Records is set to release a much anticipated 3 CD 1 DVD box set
of Nirvana. 81 tracks are included on the box of which 68 have
never been previously issued. Material for the CD's spans the
band's entire history from their inception and includes demos,
outtakes and live recordings. The DVD shows never seen before
footage of the band at rehearsals, recording studios and live shows."
According to Geffen, a detailed track listing will be available
in the coming weeks.
The German Amazon store is using the 'suits' photo as the artwork
for the box so that appears to be the official cover, and it is also
used on the website promoting it (www.nirvanabox.com). View
the cover artwork here.
Click here for a picture of the actual box.
A story on the box from Rolling Stone Magazine:
"With the Lights Out, the long-delayed box set of rare Nirvana
recordings will finally hit stores on November 23rd. The Universal
Music set will include three CDs of unreleased Nirvana audio recordings
and one DVD of rare video footage. Retailers predict the box will be
one of fall's biggest releases, along with new albums from U2 and Eminem.
'I think that in its first week it will be our biggest box set ever,' says
music buyer Carl Mello of Boston's Newbury Comics. 'We'll bring in quantity
on that first week like what we would bring in on a superstar's new album.'
The box was originally planned for release in 2001 but was derailed by battles
between Love and Nirvana members Novoselic and drummer Dave Grohl, which
eventually led to a lengthy court case in 2001. The case was settled in
2002 with an agreement that initially resulted in the 2002 greatest-hits
album Nirvana, which includes the previously unreleased 'You Know You're
Right.' All parties approved the box-set idea this summer, and production
on it commenced soon after. The DVD included in the set is the first official
Nirvana DVD release of any kind. The disc contains several rare promotional
films, along with video of a 1987 house party the band played during its
first year of existence. A sixty-page booklet will accompany the set."
Read the full story here,
courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine.
Some news from Billboard magazine: "Sonic Youth guitarist/vocalist
Thurston Moore has penned the liner notes for the highly anticipated Nirvana boxed
set 'With the Lights Out,' due Nov. 23 via DGC/Universal. Late Nirvana frontman
Kurt Cobain was an admitted Sonic Youth fanatic; the two bands' 1991 European tour
is chronicled on the following year's home video '1991: The Year That Punk Broke.'
Moore's notes will appear in the boxed set's 60-page booklet, featuring unpublished
photos and an indepth chronology. Although it appears no specific track will be worked
to U.S. radio outlets as a single, stations are expected to receive a five-song sampler
of tracks from the 81-track collection." Story courtesy of Billboard. You can
find it here.
Apparently, to promote the box, there will also be a music video for an as-yet-unknown song
and a half-hour TV special about the set (to air on the M2 cable network). The tracklisting is not yet available.
Other stories about the box: LiveDaily,
SoundGenerator,
NME and Reuters
As I wrote earlier, Krist and Dave appeared together at a John Kerry/John Edwards
campaign rally this past Tuesday. Here is a story about it from the Las Vegas
Review-Journal: "The two remaining members of Nirvana, a seminal
band in rock history, hadn't stood on stage together since 1993 [sic], when singer
Kurt Cobain killed himself [sic]. But on Tuesday night, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic
walked on a stage in the parking lot of the Sahara and hugged. It was the hug that
rocked the vote. That was the intention, at least. The rockers were joined by Tom
DeLonge of the punk band Blink-182. They picked Las Vegas to launch a 10-day bus
trip through battleground states in the presidential election. They're stumping for
votes for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry. Grohl performed solo, acoustic
versions of songs by his other famous band, Foo Fighters: 'Learn To Fly' and 'Times
Like These.' And he lobbied crowd members to board minivans to vote at the polls.
'John Kerry's already kickin' Bush's ass. Let's make it worse' for Bush, he said,
a reference to early-voting results that show Kerry leading Bush in Nevada. The
tour is aimed at younger voters in particular. MTV reported the rally. It was covered
by journalists working for Rolling Stone, US Weekly and 'Entertainment Tonight,' a
campaign spokesman said. Of the two former Nirvana mates, Novoselic spoke first. He
said Kerry will get rid of Bush-era tuition cuts.
Three teenagers -- Nick Robinson, 16, Chris Alvarado, 18, and Brian Holly, 16 --
said they're in a band together, and they recited Nirvana's music and pro-Kerry talking
points with equal ease. 'This,' Robinson said, pointing to a Kerry sticker stuck to his
forehead, 'is to let people know I can't vote, so vote for me.' When Novoselic introduced
his old band mate, he asked, 'When was the last time I was on the stage with Dave Grohl?
I love the man.' He looked earnest. They hugged. Grohl smiled, all teeth. Grohl said the
Bush campaign had used his songs without permission. One reason he's voting for Kerry is
so people in other nations might like Americans the way they used to, pre-Bush. 'Everyone
would want to meet an American. Meeting Americans was like meeting Elvis,' he said, getting
laughs. But now, people overseas, 'they don't see me, they see Bush' and scream at him."
Very interesting indeed. By Doug Elfman, courtesy of The Las Vegas Review-Journal. Read it
here.
Note that Krist and Dave have actually appeared on stage together a few times since Kurt's
passing in 1994. In August 1997 Foo Fighters played a show at the Bumbershoot Festival in
Seattle where Krist Novoselic joined the band for the encore - a band that still included
Nirvana guitarist Pat Smear at the time. Also, in December 1999 the Foo's played a Seattle
gig with Krist on bass for 3 songs. We will have more photos from the Las Vegas event soon.
Also see the story from E! News here.
There are some photos from the event here, only
they have the name of the website plastered all over them, unfortunately.
Apple's iTunes service is currently offering the Nirvana video 'In Bloom' (1990 version)
for download. Apparently they have gotten the exclusive rights to distribute the video to
promote the upcoming box set. iTunes is essentially a program for storing and playing music.
The iTunes music store is built into iTunes and is the most popular legal download service
to date and has so far tried to get a lot of Nirvana material - more than most. The Nirvana
video as of now is right on the front page of the music store in iTunes. Otherwise click on
the music videos section if you can't find it. You can download the iTunes software
here (Windows 2000/XP or Mac OS 10.2, 10.3
required to install). Thanks to Andrew for this info. Also thanks to Nick, Fred, Chris, Joel,
Chad and Jeremy. Note that the video has previously been released on Sub Pop's "Video Network,
Vol. 1" VHS and it has been aired a number of times on MTV, MTV2, VH-1 and other channels.
If you haven't already - don't forget to sign up for the 11th NFC Competition offering
more than 50 prizes! It ends on November 1st. View more info here.
A couple of more dates for Krist's current book tour:
October 23 @ 1.00 PM: Redmen Hall - Skamakowa, WA.
October 26 @ 2.30 PM: Democracy Fest '04, University of Washington - Seattle, WA.
Also present at the Democracy Fest will be author Sherman Alexie,
Congressman Jim McDermott (as seen in the Fahrenheit 9/11 movie) and
more. Read more here.
October 19, 2004
Tonight, an event to promote the John Kerry and John Edwards
campaign will feature Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic. From
Rolling Stone: "DAVE GROHL and KRIST NOVOSELIC
will make their first public appearance together in more than ten
years this Tuesday night [Oct 19] in support of John Kerry. The two will
attend a rally for the presidential candidate in the front parking
lot of Las Vegas's Stardust Hotel and Casino, accompanied by BLINK
182's TOM DELONGE and Alex Kerry and Chris Heinz, Kerry's daughter
and step-son." The event begins at 6 PM at the Stardust Hotel
parking lot, 3000 Las Vegas Blvd. South in Las Vegas, NV (USA). If
you attend and shoot some pictures there, please e-mail them to me afterwards.
Thanks to Shane, Rachel and Kevin for the news.
October 16, 2004
An official website has been launched to promote the Nirvana box
set. Right now, all it offers is a Nirvana photo (possibly the
one that will be used as cover artwork), and the release dates.
Apparently, the site will provide sound clips, video clips and images
later. The site confirms that the international release date is
November 22, 2004 and the U.S./Canadian release date is
November 23, 2004. It also confirms that the boxset is
indeed entitled With The Lights Out. No more rumours!
Oh, I almost forgot: the website can be found at www.nirvanabox.com
October 13, 2004
Some very interesting new details about the box set,
from NME: "The long-awaited Nirvana box
set 'WITH THE LIGHTS OUT' will feature 68 previously unreleased
recordings. Released on November 22, the four-disc set will
feature 81 tracks including 68 previously unreleased recordings -
rehearsals, outtakes, Kurt's home demos, as well as a DVD which
is confirmed to have unreleased band home movies, live footage,
rehearsal footage and 20 full-length video performances. A
60-page booklet will accompany the release. A source told NME.COM:
'I've seen some of the footage and it's amazing stuff. There's a
video of them performing at a friend's party with Kurt reading lyrics
off a sheet of paper on the wall, footage of them covering Seasons In
The Sun in a studio with Kurt on drums and lots of other great stuff.'
The artwork for the set is currently being put together, with the
likely choice being a 'landscape' box, retailing in the region of £40-50."
Story courtesy of NME. Read it here.
Thanks to Dinesh for the link. The box will be released on Nov 23 in the US.
HMV have listed the box with a price tag of £42.99 (about $77 USD) on their website,
while amazon.com suggests a list price of $59.98. You can pre-order the box set
here.
October 12, 2004
Now that the fabled Nirvana box set is supposedly only some
six weeks shy of being released officially, I have put together
a list of recordings that could potentially be included. Obviously,
not all of the recordings on my list will feature on the box but it
is certain that some of them will. The list represents most of the unreleased
material and many recordings that have been very much sought after by
Nirvana fans for years. The list concludes with a handful of recordings
that, while very much in demand, will most likely not be included. Note
that pretty much none of the recordings listed below are guaranteed to
be in the box. The list is based on interviews, articles, rumours and guesswork on my part.
For the CD's:
Songs from 4/90 session at Smart Studios in Madison, WI.
"Token Eastern Song" and possibly other songs from the 1/1/91 session at Music Source Studios.
"Song in D", "Old Age", "Verse Chorus Verse" and possibly other outtakes from 1991 'Nevermind' recordings.
"Old Age", "Verse Chorus Verse" and possibly other songs from March 1991 boombox recording.
"Do You Love Me?" from June 1989 session in Olympia, WA.
"Dough, Ray, and Me" (4-track rendition and/or solo acoustic demo recorded in KC bedroom)
Songs from 4/17/87 KAOS Radio show
Songs from BBC John Peel radio sessions
Songs from 1/22/93 Rio sessions
"The Butch Vig raw mix of Teen Spirit"
In Utero outtakes
Jams/work-in-progress tracks from 1/94 session in Seattle, WA (possibly including a song called "Skid Mark")
A recording of the song "Opinion" (most likely a solo acoustic version by Kurt Cobain)
"Ain't It A Shame" from August 1989 studio session in Seattle, WA.
"If You Must", "Pen Cap Chew" and possibly other unreleased songs from January 1988 session.
"Blandest" from June-September 88 session.
"About a Girl" (unreleased studio version)
Songs from 9/89 Blew EP session.
"Oh The Guilt", "Curmudgeon" and/or "Return of the rat" from April 1992 session.
Kurt Cobain demos (from the '110 tapes of shit' that Courtney Love spoke of a few years back)
"A lot of weird outtakes, some jams, and some acoustic demos" -- Butch Vig, March 2003.
... and for the DVD:
Footage from a 1987 house party -- Billboard 2004.
Performance for French TV on February 4, 1994.
Club Lingerie performance with Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love (9/8/93)
10/31/91 Seattle, WA video footage.
Reading Festival 1992 video footage.
Nirvana's music videos.
"Rare promo of 'In Bloom'" -- NME, October 2004.
... and songs/sessions that are less likely to be included:
December 1985 "Fecal Matter Demo" recorded at Mari Earl's house.
"Sappy" from January 2-3, 1990 session in Seattle, WA with Jack Endino.
Complete 9/25/90 performance for KAOS Radio.
1/16/93, 8/6/93 or 3/1/94 concert footage (audio or video).
Dale Crover bedroom demos from January 1988.
"Barnyard demos" (Sad, Cracker, Seed, Misery Loves Company etc.)
Final Jack Endino session with Nirvana, 25-26 October 1992.
Hopefully, an official tracklisting will be released soon, so we know for sure what the
box contains. Pre-order it here.
October 11, 2004
Christopher Reeve
1952 - 2004
October 10, 2004
Apparently Canadian rocker Avril Lavigne has expressed interest in
playing Courtney Love in a new movie about the singer and actress:
"Avril Lavigne has dyed her hair blonde because
she is desperate to play Courtney Love in an upcoming movie. The film,
which will trace Love's life from her childhood, through her marriage
to late Nirvana star Kurt Cobain, and will include her much-publicized
battles with drink and drugs reports Teenhollywood. Lavigne says, 'Courtney
is really nice and a great mom. It would be an honor to play her.' 'I've been
looking for a feisty role that suits my personality, and I think this is the one.'
And former Hole frontwoman Love is anxious for Lavigne to portray her. She says,
'Avril rocks and is pretty enough to play me!' " Well there's something
you don't see every day. Thanks to Ananova and TeenHollywood for the story and Kevin for the link.
Read it here.
A couple of weeks back I reported that a DVD on the Nevermind
album in the Classic Albums series was under production. The DVD will,
despite previous reports, not come out this year but most likely
sometime next year. The DVD will chronicle the recording of this landmark
album and feature interviews with the principles involved. As far as I know,
people that have been interviewed so far include Krist Novoselic, Jack Endino,
Steve Fisk, Craig Montgomery, Butch Vig, David Fricke, Everett True, Jonathan
Poneman, Gillian G. Gaar and Charles R. Cross. Impressive list! Of course, it
is not yet finalized who will appear on the DVD and not all of these interviews will necessarily be used.
"Teen Spirit, amazingly accurate Nirvana Tribute band will be
playing Manchester Academy 3 on Friday 19th November. This band really do have to
be seen (better still close your eyes) to be believed. The singer looks the part
and has some ace Kurt-isms including ritualistic trashing of gear. The only way
to come close to the Nirvana live experience. This band have opened for Bush, Therapy?
and Primal Scream, singer Burt was even asked by Jarvis Cocker to appear in a Pulp
video. Eerily accurate. Tickets are a tenner, phone 0161 832 1111. 'TEEN SPIRIT'
plays the show that Nirvana used to play when they were the world's most exciting
live band. Every drum fill and bass line, every blast of feedback and every flick
of Burt's bleached hair is true to the original.' -Chris Watts, Kerrang."
Thanks to Robin for the info.
October 4, 2004
British music mag NME claims to have gotten confirmation on
a November 22 UK release date for the box set:
"A UK spokesperson for the band's label has now confirmed details.
Currently untitled, the four disc compilation will be comprised of
three audio CDs with over 40 tracks on them, and one DVD with archive
footage, including a rare promo of 'In Bloom'. An early live show is
also expected to feature. The audio tracks on the box set will be
rare and in some cases, previously unheard demos, alternative versions
and radio session tracks." Story courtesy of NME. Read more
here. In
other box news - over at amazon.com, the set is currently enjoying a
stay as #168 on their sales rank list. It was #462 just a couple of
days ago - briefly even landing at #82 or so. According to amazon.com
and a couple of other sources, the release will be entitled With
The Lights Out (a lyric from the legendary Nirvana track Smells
Like Teen Spirit). Pre-order the box here.
With The Lights Out - new Nirvana box set (3 CD's/1 DVD).
- European release date: November 22, 2004
- US release date: November 23, 2004.
- Japan release date:: December 1, 2004 (TBC).
October 1, 2004
As mentioned earlier in this section, Krist Novoselic is
currently on a tour of the US to promote his book, Of
Grunge and Government: Let's Fix This Broken Democracy!
Here are some pictures from his appearance in San Francisco, CA
on September 22: #1, #2,
#3, #4 and #5.
Special thanks to Andrew for these. Krist also confirmed to
people on his book tour stops that the box was indeed coming
out, though he didn't seem to want to commit on a release date.
For more stories from people who have met Krist on his book tour, check the
NFC discussion board.
Feel free to add your story and pictures if you met him.
BIAS, a company specializing in software for restoring audio,
did a profile on James Barber in which he talks about working
on Kurt Cobain's demo tapes, using the company's software. Barber
is Courtney Love's former manager and formerly of Nirvana's label,
Geffen. Some excerpts from the article: "Barber,
who was on the Producers Panel at this year's SXSW (South By Southwest)
conference, knows how personal and revealing every musician's old demo
tapes are and says that Kurt Cobain's are no different. He also happens
to see the parallels between his Cobain work and a new collection of R&B
recordings made in Nashville during the 1940s called Night Train To Nashville
(Lost Highway). He finds guidance in the archival audio footage of that
record for his own faithful archaeological audio work these days.
'A lot of those old R&B songs were poorly recorded, and they didn't
clean it up much when they mastered it, either. They respected the original
master and didn't try to make it sound ridiculously clean and modern, so it
sounds great. Kurt was not a guy into gear who had a fancy home recording
setup when he was making up songs, either. In fact, in 1992 even a [TASCAM]
DA-88 was a complicated thing for him to operate. He used a boom box with
a built-in condenser mic, and it sounds like he spilled things on some of
the tapes. The boom box tapes were the easiest way for him to work out song
ideas when he felt like it at home.' But through the stains of time Barber
has already found some real Cobain gems. He will update BIAS on his progress
as the much anticipated and delayed Nirvana box set nears release next year.
'I'm excited about what I'll be doing with SoundSoap Pro on this project in
the months ahead. I think this is going to really knock me out for what we're
doing with Kurt.' BIAS couldn't help but to ask for a sneak peak into what
Jim has come up with in his first weeks working with SoundSoap Pro and Peak
on this massive, vital important project. 'Amazing stuff. There are some
incredible board mixes from Nevermind, too, that will be worth hearing,'
concludes Barber. 'There's also a live French TV performance that includes
four songs filmed just six weeks before his death. Courtney and Kurt once
played a show together at Club Lingerie that was videotaped. It's an amazing
performance of them doing Where Did You Sleep Last Night and their
high and low harmonies are just great together. I'm hoping there will be
moments like that on the home tapes, as well.' " Article courtesy
of BIAS. Read it here.
Thanks to Richard and others for the link.
From Vladimir: "Smells Like Teen Spirit was chosen
as the #1 hitsingle of the 90s according to 3FM radio in Holland. They had an
internet survey on their webpage. People had to compose the Top 90 of the 90s
and Nirvana won. Here is the link (in Dutch) with the Top 90."
Also thanks to Johan. Check this link for more info.
Apparently the US chain of music stores, Sam Goody, is also accepting pre-orders
for the upcoming Nirvana box set at their retail outlets. It is currently not listed
on their website. Thanks to Kathleen. In other interesting news, internet giant Amazon
have also started accepting pre-orders for the Nirvana box. They claim the release will
be entitled With The Lights Out and they have set a price tag of $59.98, listing
the November 23, 2004 release date!
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