Before Kurt Cobain became a household name thanks to Nirvana, he was a teenage prankster in his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington. (Stars, they’re just like us?) Melvins frontman Buzz Osbourne remembers the night in May 1986 that he and pal Cobain, 19, “were out spray painting graffiti all over town” — antics that eventually landed […]
To celebrate the release of Medicine at Midnight, Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl and Pat Smear returned to SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show. Along with the new album and their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination, the members also discussed their time in Nirvana and how they feel about it now. “Every once in a […]
At this point, there’s been so many printings, pressings and reissues of Nirvana’s 1989 debut Bleach that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of which is what and for collectors, worth how much. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, another version of the Sub Pop record (aka the album that started it all) will be issued as a […]
This year has been an odd one so far (to put it mildly), but you probably didn’t have rapper/feature king (and former SPIN cover subject) Ty Dolla $ign covering Nirvana on your bingo card. Late on Monday, the rapper posted a short clip on Twitter of him powering through an instrumental version of “Smells Like […]
Let’s face it: With most “Best Albums” lists, you know the broad strokes of the ranking before you even click. Part of that predictability is understandable: Most iconic records earn their reputation. But these rankings shouldn’t be fossilized, and a shit-ton of amazing LPs have been shoved aside in the pursuit of maintaining the status […]
For many, Nirvana were the voice of Generation X. And with good reason. Kurt Cobain’s lyrics reflected elements of alienation and angst of the post-Boomer generation, while their incredibly melodic music powered by Krist Novoselic’s booming bass and Dave Grohl’s tenacious drumming took what was going on underground and brought grunge and alternative to the […]
As part of our 35th anniversary, we’re naming the most influential artists of the past 35 years. Today, we’ve finally reached the top spot. From Seattle, Washington, here is Nirvana. CREDIT: Gie Knaeps/Getty Images The hero’s journey has been told time and time again. Hero leaves small town, battles along the yellow brick road and […]
Eddie Van Halen’s “Frankenstrat” is easily one of the most recognizable instruments in rock history, and Kramer Guitars’ early take on the design (as seen in the “Hot for Teacher” music video) now belongs to a wealthy new owner. The instrument sold for $422,050 at the Icons & Idols Trilogy: Rock ‘n’ Roll Auction held […]
We know, we know — the best concert of all-time is your friend’s obscure indie-punk band playing a sweaty neighborhood basement back in ‘94. We admit that one slipped through the cracks. Maybe it’s a fool’s errand, but this list is our attempt to narrow down three and a half decades of worthy live music events […]
SPIN launched in the peak MTV era, when an innovative — or even just salacious — music video could make or break an artist. Thirty five years later, YouTube is an obligatory part of any promotional push, but no one’s counting on a mind-blowing clip to sell a record. (The views do often matter — just […]