Nirvana's Nevermind turns 25.

Nirvana’s generation defining Nevermind album has turned 25. More below.

Nevermind Quick Facts

• Sold 30 million+ copies worldwide.
• Dave Grohl’s first album drumming with Nirvana.
• The band was kicked out of their Nevermind Release Party due to drunken buffoonery.
• Nevermind knocked Michael Jackson’s ‘Bad’ off the top of the Billboard 200.
• Rolling Stone originally rated Nevermind 4/5 stars but now consider it the greatest album of the 90s.
• Nirvana almost disbanded under the immense fame and money that came with the album’s success.

Track By Track:

1. “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

• Title is a reference to women’s underarm deodorant. Full story HERE.
• Kurt was ‘trying to rip off the Pixies‘.
• ‘Here we are, entertain us’ is Kurt’s favourite line to drop when walking into a party.

2. “In Bloom”

• Themes of adolescence, frustration and attack on ‘macho, redneck and abusive’ types.

3. “Come as You Are”

• Title comes from the sign you seeing entering Kurt’s hometown “Welcome To Aberdeen. Come As You Are.“
• “Take your time, hurry up, the choice is yours, don’t be late” was later referenced by Blink 182 on Adam’s Song.
• The “doused in mud, soaked in bleach” lyrics came from an anti-drug campaign

4. “Breed”

• Originally titled ‘Immodium’ as a nod to diarrhea medicine.
• Song is about ‘being trapped in middle class America’.

5. “Lithium”

• First song Grohl had to use a metronome to drum.
• Lots of struggle and self-loathing lyrically.

6. “Polly”

• Based on a true story of the capture and torture of a 14 year old girl.
• Dave Grohl doesn’t drum on this one. Their former drum Chad Channing does.

8. “Drain You”

• The band used spray paint and rubber duck recordings on this song.
• One of Kurt’s favourite to play LIVE.

9. “Lounge Act”

• The lyrics “I still smell her on you” is a reference to Smells Like Teen Spirit.
• Kurt thought the guitars sounded like a ‘cheesy lounge act’ hence the title.

10. “Stay Away”

• Contains the lyrics “God is gay” which Kurt wrote to support gay rights.

11. “On a Plain”

• Allegedly about writer’s block.

12. “Something in the Way”

• Kurt recorded his part laying on his back on a couch.

BONUS:

Nirvana talk Nevermind (1992).

Nirvana (sans Kurt) talk Nevermind 20+ years later.

Moby, Billy Joe Armstrong and more talk Nevermind

Nirvana album cover baby reflects as an adult.