Nirvana Products

01. Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love: In their own words Kurt Cobain & Courtney Love: In their own words is filled with quotes of Kurt Cobain (lead singer of Nirvana), Courtney Love, (lead singer of the band Hole, his wife and now widow), Dave Grohl (Nirvana's drummer from late 1990-1994), Krist Novoselic (Nirvana bass player) , etc., talking about Nirvana throughout the early 1990s. If you have gotten into Nirvana after their demise this book shows you the type of mind frame the band was in during this time (especially Kurt). All of this must be taken with a grain of salt though. Some of these quotes are taken out of context. This book didn't make me feel anything too personal about the band since it was often out of context. There was no real writing style, just a compilation of quotes. It can't be much easier to follow than that. This made it somewhat interesting, and I learned a little more about the band point of view. I would recommend it to big fans only for that reason. This book is without a doubt a way to cash in on Nirvana's popularity, but at least it offers things actually said by Nirvana and not a summation of Kurt's life once again. There are some pictures, and this book is just a summation of many interviews. There are plenty of books that will do that much better for you.02. Hype!Hype! is the best documentary on the Seattle scene following he rise and fall of the grunge era. It shows how a small scene in the northwest became the biggest music scene on earth for a short period of time. There are interviews with many of Seattle's top underground artists at the time, and does it's best to sum up how out of control the scene finally got. Everyone wanted a piece of the action. Many bands were moving to Seattle to copy the so called grunge sound and cash in on it. Big companies were capitalizing off of people who were never really in it for the money and were playing for fun and to pass the time. This is from the video info: A clever chronicle of the commodification of the Pacific Northwest's celebrated "grunge" rock scene, whose members were lifted out of underground obscurity and propelled into the national spotlight--sometimes to their surprise--after the major-label success of the seminal grunge-pop trio Nirvana. Features rare interviews and performances from the gamut of grungesters, from the candy-pop stylings of The Posies to the rage rock of riot grrrls 7 Year B*tch and the country-punk swaggering of the Supersuckers. Filmed over a 3-1/2 year period, "Hype!" takes a close, hard look at Seattle's "grunge" music scene, from its origins in the basements of young musicians in the 1980s to its worldwide popularity in the early 1990s, thanks largely to Nirvana's song "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Interviews and performance footage of Seattle musicians (both famous and unknown), provide insight into the history of grunge, most notably its effect on the music industry, and it's exploitation by the media. The bands included are Mudhoney, Nirvana, Blood Circus, Coffin Break, Crackerbash, Dead Moon, Fastbacks, Flop, Gas Huffer, Gits, Hammerbox, Love Battery, Melvins, Mono Men, Posies, Seaweed, 7 Year B*tch, Some Velvet Sidewalk, Soundgarden, Supersuckers, Young Fresh Fellows and Zipgun. This movie is 124 minutes long and was directed by Doug Pray. Bands that should have been included in the video but were not include Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, Hole, TAD, Screaming Trees and others. The video captures a moment that will live on in music history. Nirvana were the ones that helped it break through into the mainstream, but if it wasn't for many bands in the 1980's Nirvana's impact would have never been as big. The underground was rumbling. The 1980's glam metal was getting old quick. People were looking for something real, that was more about the music and less about being larger than life. That is what you'll get here, the beginnings of a change in the guard. Anyone who is a fan of the alternative scene will probably like this movie. I saw this movie because my favorite period in music is this one. If you like this you should check out "1991 - The Year Punk Broke." It is a documentary of many alternative bands, including Nirvana, right before the mainstream explosion. 03. Kurt Cobain - a TributeKurt Cobain - a Tribute is a way for someone to cash in on the Nirvana legacy. It is not an official release, and they were unable to get the rights to any of Nirvana's copyrighted music. The video is basically a look at the places where Nirvana started early on. Aberdeen and Seattle, Washington are the main places covered. Some interesting facts are displayed through the video and fans talk about what Nirvana meant to them. This video is something for big Nirvana fans only, and even if you're one of them you may not like it. You have been warned if you buy this. There are a few half way decent songs by a few unknown artists that keep the documentary rolling along more than it would have had they decided not to have any music at all since they couldn't get Nirvana music. It is 75 minutes long, and worth picking up only if you can find it somewhere for cheap or your curiosity gets the best of you much like me. Here is the video description straight from the box: This video scrapbook charts the meteoric rise and tragic fall of late Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain. Though Neil Young is considered the "Godfather of Grunge," it is the dirty blond, sloppily dressed genius Cobain who popularized the genre and revolutionized the sanitized, bland face of pop music in the early 1990's. Cobain tragically ended his life in 1994, and his since been immortalized as one of the rock hero's of the century. Interviews with band members, music experts and fans, plus rare photos, performance footage and more combine to paint a full portrait of Cobain and Nirvana. The description from the box is somewhat far fetched. The part about rare performance footage is extremely small if even existent anywhere. But it is nice that a vital band of the early 1990's was a big enough deal for people to care enough to put together such a video. I believe the coolest interview in the video is an interview with grunge photographer Charles Peterson. He was the man who photographed very famous photos of bands such as Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Mudhoney and many others. He became the only photographer that Sub Pop records, the record label that started releasing material from bands such as Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Tad, and Nirvana in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Charles shows off intimate photographs he took of Kurt and Nirvana that are among his favorites. It is nice that you get a chance to see things from his perspective if only in a black and white snapshot of an influential moment in rock music history. 04. Kurt Cobain - AudioBookThis is an interview CD that covers people's thoughts and opinions on Nirvana. There are also clips of audio from Kurt Cobain during various interviews during Nirvana's career. There is a introduction, Courtney Love reading the suicide letter part 1 and 2, Kurt talking about life, commentary by Nirvana book author Dave Thompson, Kurt talking about growing up, Heavier Than Heaven author Charles Cross gives his comments, Kurt talks about early Nirvana and their many drummers, talk about Nirvana's Nevermind album, commentary from big shot Bob Guccione Jr., Kurt talking about the demands of fame, talk about Kurt's widow Courtney Love, Kurt talks about parenthood of his daughter Frances Bean Cobain. There is talk about the rumors that were brought upon when Nirvana played Saturday Night Live in early 1992, Kurt talks about drugs, Nirvana's performance on MTV's Unplugged program is highlighted, Kurt talks about happiness with fame and popularity, Andy Summers from the band The Police gives his comments, rehab attempts by Kurt are mentioned, the missing person reports and Kurt's suicide are brought up in another section, Gavin Rossdale of the band Bush gives his thoughts, talk about did we really see it coming and placing the blame are mentioned, would have Nirvana survived either way is talked about, and finally there is a memory lives on section and a conclusion. In total there are 30 tracks on the CD. It is a Laserlight Digital release by Westwood Entertainment. Narration is done by Marty Riemer, this was produced by Joe Garner and written by Susanella Rogers. There is a few original songs included, but they are not Nirvana songs. This is a decent CD, but nothing really new for big Nirvana fans except a few interviews from people that were not even related to the band. I bought it because it was a Nirvana CD I did not own. This interview CD is better than the other Nirvana interview CD's out there. The other ones consist of a bad quality interview with Nirvana back in 1991 such as The Bark Not The Bite. The quality here is much better and covers Nirvana's entire career. If you want to see what all of the talk is about I recommend picking up Nirvana's Nevermind and In Utero albums to hear Nirvana at their prime. Other Nirvana albums include Bleach, Incesticide, MTV's Unplugged in New York and From The Muddy Banks Of The Wiskah. 05. 1991 The Year That Punk BrokeThe title of this video sums up quite a lot. 1991 was the first year in that underground punk inspired music broke into the mainstream. The mainstream had been overrun with hair metal and uninspired pop for some time. People like Warrant and Vanilla Ice were considered the big thing. It was time for a change. This video captures a time right before bands like Nirvana became a household name and things turned upside down. This video captured Nirvana in their live performance peak in my opinion. All of the bands in the video seemed to be having a good time just fooling around backstage and going out and performing to increasingly larger crowds. Bands such as Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., Babes in Toyland and others are included. The music highlighted in this video eventually became the so called soundtrack of a new generation. This movie is better in many other documentaries that I've seen because many of them seemed contrived. The Year That Punk Broke never seems like there was a master plan beforehand. It manages to capture a moment in time that would later be recognized as something important and influential for years to come. In this video check out the documentary style camera offerings of Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore. He goes around video taping the every day life of being apart of a tour with other bands. Everyone in this video is usually playing pranks and talking a lot of trash. But it is funny, and many live performances keep the video on track. Check out Thurston Moore's "toilet humor" and don't miss Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic talking about the backstage food for the bands. All of the talking throughout the video is improvised. Basically a few bands get together to play a few shows in Europe and lived it up pulling pranks and having a good time while doing it. People that like this movie and like Nirvana would want to buy Nirvana: Live Tonight Sold Out! It is a official release from Geffen Records that would summarize the months that followed this documentary. I saw this movie because of the impact that this music has made on my life, and still makes on my life to this day. 06. Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt CobainLife - what a crazy world we live in. One man set out to have a band and lay it all on the line. This led to his band becoming the biggest band in the world for a short period of time and leaving a legacy that is not easily matched. There are interviews with many people such as Nirvana bass player Krist Novoselic, Kurt's widow Courtney Love, former friends, Nirvana's management team, old drummer Chad Channing and many others. There are dozens and dozens of people who's insight is found here more than ever on what they saw really go down during Nirvana's rise to fame. By reading this book you should once and for all realize there were no murder plots or any other conspiracies that have been created since Kurt's passing. You get more answers to the unknown questions than ever before in one Nirvana book. In this book, "Heavier Than Heaven" by Charles Cross you get an inside look at the mind frame of Kurt Cobain. It covers Kurt's entire life up until the tragic end. You learn about the 28 notebooks that Kurt had kept during his life. Charles Cross had access to these and much more that no other author had ever had before thanks to Kurt's widow Courtney Love. For that reason Charles Cross sometimes can come across a bit biased to her in the book, which is understandable. You get to see what Kurt was really thinking by being able to get a peek into his journals. You get to see how truly depressed he was most of he time, and like many of us he was a person out there just looking for help. You see how drugs can destroy your life. You see how no matter how rich and famous you are, you can still not have everything. 07. In Utero - Nirvana (Edited)This was the version of In Utero specifically released for retail chains such as Walmart who would not sell the more explicit version of the album in their stores. The differences are as follows:The back of the CD which has dead baby fetuses on it on the explicit version. The new version contains a pinkish background with things such as turtles inside of the pink part.The song Rape Me is re-named Waif Me on the outside cover of the CD. The inside sleeve still calls the song Rape Me though.And finally I've heard that there's the Scott Litt remix of All Apologies on the Walmart version. But it is so similar to the explicit version that I can't tell a difference.So many of you may ask why would Nirvana edit their CD when that in many ways would be considered selling out? It's because many kids in certain areas of the world, the USA specifically only have retail stores such as Walmart where they can buy albums. And if those places are not carrying their CD then those kids can't buy the album. I think it was a smart move, and one of the best albums of all time.In Utero was Nirvana's third studio album that broke away from the sound of Nevermind and went back to the more raw sound of Nirvana's early days. I must admit that the first time I heard it I was not as impressed as I am now. But after I realized what Nirvana was trying to do, and after I got to know the songs I realized what a true gem this album really was. The drums on this album supplied by Dave Grohl sometimes sound like cannons going off. Each member of Nirvana on this album is essential so that the songs do not come apart. Together they stand strong, but remove any of the elements from the songs and the songs themselves would have a dramatically different structure. The gold version is only for those who want to have it all. It's for those that are big fans, have a few extra dollars, and want to own this great album in another way besides the normal version.It's amazing that three people can make songs sound like there is a whole room full of musicians playing. The songs are of course enhanced by overdubs and backing vocals, but even live Nirvana could pull this trait off. My personal favorite song on this album is the short song "Very Ape."08. Come As You Are: The Story of NirvanaCome As You Are is the only official Nirvana biography out there. It was authorized by Nirvana. It's a collection of the whole groups history, much of it directly from the band themselves. It gives you a background, and tells stories that any real Nirvana fan would be interested in hearing. With the book you also get some really nice and candid pictures of the band. I truly am glad I picked up this book. There are many Nirvana books out there, but if you only get one Nirvana book this is the one to get. The author puts the chapters in chronological order, and it sums up many of the things making this book a good read for people who are not even big time Nirvana fans. There are two versions of this book, the one released before Kurt's death, and one released after. I own the one released after Kurt's death, and the new final chapter is very heartfelt, and makes a great ending to a great book.Nirvana: The Chosen Rejects is very cool read, although I found at least 5 minor inaccuracies in it. Heavier Than Heaven is really good, but Charles Cross does a lot of speculation of "what probably happened" and some people don't like that about it. Come As You Are is good to start with keeping in mind that Kurt made up a lot of stories about his life in it.To me Nirvana's lyrics do matter and I think in their ambiguity some of Nirvana's lyrics could say quite a lot without having to always be obvious of what they meant. The best lyrics can usually mean whatever you want them to. That's something that people forget about. Things always shouldn't have to be spelled out for you. Come As You Are for this reason works.09. Who Killed Kurt Cobain?: The Mysterious Death of an IconThe book, "Who Killed Kurt Cobain?" is a book that I can't recommend to others, unless they must have all Nirvana related books out on the market. This book attempts to raise questions to the open and shut case of Kurt Cobain's 1994 suicide in his Seattle home. The book does raise questions that are not easily answered, but these type of questions can easily be raised in many high profile cases where the main person involved in the case is no longer around to tell the truth.The opinions and suggestions raised in the book attempt to make you think twice about this case, and going as far as claiming such people as Courtney Love, Kurt Cobain's widow was the one who called for a hit on Mr. Cobain. But I do not buy into their ideas for a couple of simple reasons. If Kurt's family, or friends truly thought that Courtney Love was directly responsible for the death of Kurt Cobain, don't you think they would speak up and not let Courtney roam free? Kurt's family has remained close to Courtney after Kurt's death. Why would they do this if they have even the slightest idea that Courtney had anything to do with Kurt's death? Why does it seem that the people raising questions saying that Kurt was murdered either have a lot of money to make from making such claims, or are fans that have trouble coping with the idea that Kurt killed himself?The authors say that Kurt Cobain's suicide note was actually a retirement note to his fans, and that the lines that have any reference to suicide were forged by the actual murderer(s). Don't you think this is kind of far fetched? I do because these people assume that Kurt would not realize he had millions of fans that would be affected be his death and he owed them a reason why he would no longer be around. There was a second note, that was written directly to Courtney that was a more personal note to her. I say this second note was the one that Kurt wrote to her explaining his reasons why he would no longer be apart of her and his daughter's life while murder theorists say this note explained the other note is a retirement note. Which one makes more sense? There are many things that are questionable like this in the book, and that and more is why I don't recommend it really to anyone.10. Nevermind - NirvanaNirvana's Nevermind single handedly changed mainstream America rock and roll history. This album was the first punk or grunge album ever to go to number one. This album was able to knock off Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks, U2, Guns and Roses and many others off the top spot of the Billboard charts. But the charts were never of great concern to Nirvana. Nirvana's concern was making great music. It was alright that not everyone would understand where they were coming from. They knew the album might sell well. But no one could have expected the success that lied ahead, and tragic ending.Sometimes it's easy to wonder where Nirvana would be if Kurt did not commit suicide in April 1994. There is always talk of a new direction the band was going to go in, as well as a collaboration with REM lead singer Michael Stipe. Would the group still be together? Would they have still had the same lineup, or even have still toured if they were together? Would Kurt and Courtney still be married? Unfortunately the answers to these, and many more questions will never be able to be answered. I think that Nirvana would not be as well respected in the music industry if they were still around. I think that if they were still together they would have alienated even more of their teenage audiences with their new projects. Who knows if Dave and Krist would have gradually become more involved in the song writing process. Who knows if the band would have ever done anything other then what we have already heard. I know that people would have not analyzed Nirvana to the sense as they have been now. Since Kurt's death Nirvana has been immortalized. I don't think that was what Kurt ever wanted, but I think he would be happy with the directions his former bandmates have taken since his death.So is it right for big fans of Nirvana to continue to search and pillage for any new Nirvana material then what they have already been privileged to hear? Well, the answer to that is probably no, unless it is released officially because otherwise people are making a lot of money illegally off of the people the band cared about the most, the true fans. I just hope that it never comes to people selling Nirvana coffee mugs and mouse pads (unfortunetly now it has if you look on the internet.) All's I hope that what people always remember the most is the music that the band made and the spirit they played it with. No one can take away those feelings and memories that we all have of a band that I know has changed my life forever. It is better not to wonder "what if" and just appreciate what we have been lucky to be apart of if only just beginning to become apart of it now.I think that too many people always talk about the legacy of Nirvana, and how the band effected and influenced them. Of course I too like hearing things of that nature mentioned, but I would much rather hear people's experiences and stories about the band instead of more of the same articles that have been dug into the ground ever since the band's demise. So let me tell you of my own personal stories, as I have never shared these with anyone really ever before. I hope you find this an interesting read. I feel I have to get this out there, help other people do more of the same like this than just repeat the cliche terms that have already been burned into our minds. Many times I wished I paid more attention back then, as most of my memories have been in the wake of the band and not back when Nirvana was literally everywhere in our society.Let me just state a few facts. In the height of Nirvana's success I was around the age of 11 and 12, and basically just getting turned on to all the great music that would await me in the upcoming months. At the time I probably was more interested in cartoons and things then seeing the latest trends on MTV. But I can remember a few cool stories. I remember seeing Nirvana's live performance of "Lithium" on the 1992 MTV VMA. They must have showed it quite a few times because I remember even being at a friends house, and telling him to wait for the end of the performance where Krist throws his bass guitar up in the air and gets smashed in the head. Then to watch for Kurt to come along not realizing what happened and kick him in the butt while Krist is still down on the ground. I know I always realized were not like most others bands, and there was something special to them. I missed out on going to the Nirvana concert 11/27/93 in Miami, but I do remember hearing the commercials being played on the radio. If I knew what lied ahead, I would have made it a point to make it there. But we all have regrets like that in our lives don't we?But the day I will never forget is the day I turned on MTV, April 8th, 1994. I was at my grandparents house, and there were special reports being flashed on the screen. Kurt Loder was there, telling everyone that Kurt Cobain died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. I don't remember crying, I just remember being in a major shock. I had never really heard any story similar to it with a celebrity before. I kept watching while Nirvana's videos were played. I recognized many of them, but at the time I don't think I had ever seen the In Bloom or Sliver videos. That's when it really started to sink in what a loss had just occured. That was also the first day I ever heard the name Courtney Love. A guy with Rolling Stone magazine was there with Mr. Loder, and I listened to what he had to say. In the upcoming months, I bought the Nevermind album on cassette, maybe the first album I had ever ever bought on my own and loved every song on there. I was surprised to see Kurt flicking me off when I opened the thing up! I then started buying up every Nirvana album on CD once I got my CD Player a few months later and putting them in. I got In Utero that Christmas, (same day as I got my cd player) and listened to it that night. It was such a departure from the other album. It was one of those albums that you can't take all in on the first listen. It has to be listened to a few times before you can really appreciate it. Nirvana quickly became my favorite band. Then when I got a computer two years later, I discovered the internet. It was so exciting to find so much information that I would have never found out about them otherwise. For the next two years after that I tried to get my hands on whatever I could find. I started buying Nirvana items through magazines, and got quite a collection of books, t-shirts, cd's, and videos of the band. I started various websites. I think I know and have more than enough stuff from one band to last me a lifetime. I'll never forget what Nirvana means to me, and I hope any of you never do either.11. Kurt Cobain - JournalsThis is a "book" worth at least picking up and checking through. Some people feel guilt over reading this. Truth is that Kurt's Journals are released and available. I don't think it was in the best of taste to release but at the same time I don't feel guilt about reading it. It's out there and I don't know about anyone else but deep down I think many of us do write things for it to possibly be read by others if and when we have the courage to show it to them. It's not written in book format, but there are some really interesting drawings and ideas for music videos, and of course handwritten lyrics for many Nirvana songs and for that it is an important piece of Nirvana's history.12. Incesticide - NirvanaThis album is often known as the "Odds and Sods" of Nirvana albums. Many think of it only as a compilation and not even a true Nirvana album. Though it is based on tracks not found on original versions of Bleach or Nevermind and with the tracks recorded during different times in Nirvana's career it still seems to flow for the most part as a whole album. The strongest tracks for many would be known as the bookends of the album, "Dive" and "Aneurysm." Bleach catches Nirvana at their most grunge, Nevermind at their most pop influenced, Incesticide at their most punk, In Utero at their most alternative (to some degree) and Unplugged at their most honest. For that reason alone this album plays in important chapter in the time between Bleach and Nevermind. But it also helps show the range that Nirvana were able to create seemingly as they progressed.

NiRvaNa

Dictionary:Main Entry: nir·va·naPronunciation: nir-'vä-n&, (")n&r-Function: nounUsage: often capitalized Etymology: Sanskrit nirvAna, literally, act of extinguishing, from nis- out + vAti it blows more at WIND Date: 18011 : the final beatitude that transcends suffering, karma, and samsara and is sought especially in Buddhism through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness 2 a : a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality; also : BLISS, HEAVEN b : a goal hoped for but apparently unattainable : DREAM - nir·van·ic /-'vä-nik, -'va-/ adjectiveThesaurus:Entry Word: nirvanaFunction: nounText:Synonyms: HEAVEN 2, bliss, Canaan, Civitas Dei, elysium, empyrean, happy hunting ground, New Jerusalem, paradise, Zion Encyclopedia:History of Nirvana Frequently hailed as a flagship band of Generation X, Nirvana were a grunge band from Seattle (late 1980s early 1990s). Members included Kurt Cobain (guitar and vocals), Krist Novoselic (bass and backing vocals), Dave Grohl (drums and backing vocals), and later, an unofficial 4th member (Pat Smear) who played guitar when the band toured. Their first album, Bleach (featuring Chad Channing on drums), was a garage rock record, made for the Seattle independent record label Sub Pop and sold poorly. Their second, Nevermind, sweetened the sound of the earlier with a cleaner production (by Butch Vig) and occasional pop hooks. Recorded for the much larger Geffen Records label, it was a major breakthrough both for the band and the rock music scene. The highly infectious single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" received heavy airplay on MTV, inspiring a slew of imitators and bringing the grunge sound into the mainstream. Their follow up, 1993's In Utero, was slightly less accessible to the mass market due to its more subdued and introspective sound, but still obtained critical and commercial success. Singer Kurt Cobain was known to be troubled, and suffered from bipolar disorder. He wrote a song, "Lithium", about the medication lithium carbonate, which is used to treat bipolar disorder. Around 1993 Cobain married musician and actress Courtney Love. Plagued by an unexplained stomach illness and increasingly dissatisfied with the crass commercialism of the music industry, Cobain became depressed, reclusive, and a heroin addict. Cobain committed suicide in 1994, after which the band broke apart. Several albums have been released since Cobain's death, including a live set, and a superb perfomance on MTV's Unplugged. In the years following Kurt Cobain's death, there has been much controversy over the ownership of Nirvana's music. The two surviving members, Grohl and Novoselic, and wife Courney Love, have argued the issue of releasing a new ablum containing rare or unreleased tracks. On October 29, 2002, following a grueling legal battle, the album Nirvana was released containing several greatest hits and one unreleased track, "You Know You're Right". (A live version of this song can be found on Outcesticide V(5) Disintegration. This was released prior to the album Nirvana.) According to some, notably public access host Richard Lee of Seattle, Kurt Cobain was murdered. His ongoing documentary has been running since the week after Cobain's demise. In addition, a documentary film called "Kurt & Courtney" was made by filmmaker Nick Broomfield which suggests that Love had Cobain killed. However, these are generally considered to be conspiracy theories and the official verdict of death by self-inflicted gunshot wound is widely accepted.