111 - Nirvana with Everett True (Olympia, Washington)

Join us for our first episode on one of the seminal bands of the 90s - Nirvana with legendary music writer Everett True. His book Nirvana - The True Story is out now.

Kurt Cobain & Krist Novoselic meet in Aberdeen, Washington but it’s in Tacoma & Olympia where the band really comes together.

We hear about Kurt’s early influences including The Melvins, The Raincoats, The Pastels, Teenage Fanclub, Young Marble Giants, Bikini Kill & various releases on local label K Records.

The first gig billed as Nirvana takes place at the Community World Theatre in Tacoma.

Nirvana sign to Sub Pop Records in Seattle & their debut single Love Buzz comes out as part of the Singles Club series. We hear about the influence of other local bands Mudhoney & Soundgarden.

The debut album Bleach is made for $600 & Everett conducts his first interview with the band not long after.

The band tour the UK starting at Newcastle Riverside & Everett himself joins them onstage at a gig in Nottingham.

Original drummer Chan Channing leaves Nirvana & is replaced by Dave Grohl as the band sign a major label deal with Geffen Records & producer Butch Vig comes in to help realise the sound of Nevermind.

Shortly after the band debut a new song named Smells Like Teen Spirit at the OK Hotel in Seattle. The song title famously comes after Kathleen Hanna scrawls ‘Kurt Smells Like Teen Spirit’ on an apartment wall.

The band headline the Reading Festival in England in the summer of 1992 as Everett wheels Kurt Cobain onstage to start the gig.

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