The Kerrang! 100 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

What's with all the Nirvana crap?

Nirvana = Better than you

End of story

I think Nirvana is one of those Love/ Could care less kind of bands. When they came out, they certainly did change the kind of music that was popular at the time. Personally I never got into them, I was past the angry youth stage by then, and in fact could never really figure out what it was Mr. Cobain was always so angst ridden and pissed off about. All that darkness and negativity was just never my way of seeing the world and I couldn't relate.

That said, they are the band credited( and rightly so I think) with changing music in the nineties, considered by many to be the most influential band of a generation. Of course it helps that the bands story has a tragic ending, for some reason music embraces and very often makes icons out of those talents that destroy themselves needlessly.

With songs like Radio Friendly Unit Shifter, Hairspray Queen(worst song of all time), Tourettes, Milk It, Aero Zeppelin I find that a seriously hilarious comment.

And you masterpiece would be?

perhaps a song with the title "spikeout"?

which means that you don't understand the first thing about Nirvana. Not that you should - lots of people don't get it - but why on earth would you purchase an album of a band you don't understand?

so because you aren't able to comprehend anything else but easily digested, straightforward narratives, anything else is 'stupid and daft'? Hmm, I always think people who need everything regurgitated before they understand it are daft and stupid, but then, that's coming from a Nirvana fan.

as do I


I don't see what the fuzz is about him being this amazing songwriter. He had some really really good ones, but also some that were nothing in particular. Not that I think he stunk, but I don't see the brilliance Cornell or Vedder, on the other hand, back then, were brilliant.

To me, Cobain was a lot more than 'a songwriter' or 'a musician' - he was determined, driven and what is essential for any successful artist, full of honest and gutwrenching emotions.

Despite Cobains limited guitar playing abilities and questionable songwriting skills, despite his 'larger than life' projection to a generation, despite his inability to cope with life and despite his unbelievably bad taste in women, Nirvana has no other place than No. 1 on the 'must have heards' list of all time! (though I would not have chosen In Utero)

*off my nirvana rant for now*

Couldn't agree more with Maria - I never understood the 'amazing songwriter' thing and I know he's not a great guitarist. However, I do see why a Nirvana record was chosen number one, although I would've picked Nevermind, even though I love In Utero.

Well I don't get Radiohead either and I bought one of their albums and I can at least see why people like that type of music even though I still found the album poor (pablo honey) so I have tried it with Nirvana. I get that much people saying Nirvana are a great, such and such an album is superb etc. So naturally if I've only heard a few singles (Teen Spirit, Heart Shaped Box, In Bloom) all of them songs aren't too bad btw, I wanna see what the fuss is about so a Nirvana fan recommends a few albums and he said that In Utero is the most experimental. I go out and buy it and give it a chance and I'm sorry but I truly don't get Nirvana at all.


First of all I think anyone would have a hard time understanding what comes outta his mouth on half the songs. Secondly because they aren't easy, digested, straightforward narratives anything else is daft to me, ah I'm sorry to disappoint you but that is a resounding no. Just digest some of this:

a paragraph from Scentless Apprentice

I lie in the soll and fertilize mushrooms
Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume
You can't fire me because I quit!
Throw me in the fire and I won't throw a fit

Another from Milk It

Look on the bright side is suicide
Lost eyesight I'm on your side
Angel left wing, right wing, broken wing
Lack of iron and/or sleeping

Radio Friendly Unit Shifter

I'm gonna do with what you think
If you ever think at all
Bi-polar opposites attract
All of a sudden my water broke

Tourettes

Out of town, out of sight, is my heart.
Queen of lies, everyday, in my heart.
My heart, one more on the phone, my heart.
One more at the phone, at my heart
Hey!
Hey!
Heyyyyyyyyyyy!

But I'm sure that most people would get the meanings to those songs pretty quick, also considering Cobain had personal messages/lyrical disguises in there the fans or whoever can only speculate what a lot of Nirvana's songs were truly about. There is some good lyrics on In Utero too but most of it too me is just garbage. A last point a mate that I used to work with, who was a Nirvana fan said that Cobain came out and said sometimes he didn't even know what he was writing, not saying that is true but take what you want from it.

You should have gotten Nevermind. People like it and it is an easy listening record.

that's true - which makes me think of the most fantastic version of 'smells like nirvana' by Weird Al Yankovich

which is what makes them great. It's nobody's business what the lyrics meant to the songwriter, it's up to the listener to identify with them or not. The listener should put meaning into the songs, which isn't possible if they are straightforward narratives.

That's what Cobain said publically. Whether or not one believes that to be true is another matter.

Wasn't he stoned most of the time?
Or perhaps that's was his wife...