Nirvana's 'Nevermind' Turns 25

Rainman16

So it's 25 years since the release of Nevermind by Nirvana. The iconic album was the definitive record of the Grunge Rock movement of the early 90's.

What did the album mean to you personally? Did you love it, Did you hate it?
Want were your opinions of Nirvana back then, And how do you feel about their legacy today?

Anesthetize

Nevermind, despite being a good album in its own right, was more of a summing up of all the American indie music of the 80s. It also marked the end of the actual Seattle grunge movement and the beginning of the MTV grunge era. It was influential on bad music just as much as good music really.

Rainman16

Anesthetize wrote: »

Nevermind, despite being a good album in its own right, was more of a summing up of all the American indie music of the 80s. It also marked the end of the actual Seattle grunge movement and the beginning of the MTV grunge era. It was influential on bad music just as much as good music really.

I'm the wrong person to speak on about the album in the context of the time of release, as I'm not much older than the album itself. But I did listen to it a number of years later and enjoyed the album.

Rothko

I prefer In Utero but I still love Nevermind. Nirvana were my first favourite band so it'll always have a special place in my collection.

Wrongway1985

I prefer In Utero myself but Nevermind was indeed where grunge pretty much became a thing. While I don't hold Nirvana in the kind of high regard a lot do it's easy to respect the allure they had.

Having caught L7 recently I actually had a think about grunge and it's existence and I came to the conclusion its stuck to that time period.

Anesthetize has pointed out the kind of influence they had the likes of Staind,Creed,Seether etc. musically should identify under the grunge tag but are rarely referred to as such as perhaps it would be offensive to throw them in the same bracket as Nirvana,STP,AIC or Soundgarden etc. Some gobsh1te decided to coin the phrase post-grunge laughable really even some of these bands referred to as such included Audioslave and Foo Fighters whose frontmen were allowed to qualify as grunge with their orignal bands.

So if we are relating to the time period the grunge movement is practically an endangered species; Pearl Jam are a vastly different band to the one that released Ten and Vs. Eddie V is now doing Crowded House covers with the Coldplay tosser. AIC,STP have lost their singers to the grave,Billy Corgan has a bunch of randomers touring under the Smashing Pumpkins name.Hole,Silverchair,Sonic Youth amongst others have all packed it in. Interestingly enough Temple of the Dog have reunited for some shows.

AllGunsBlazing

Bought this album when it came out and was flattened by it. It was the kick up the arse that the bloated rock and metal scene of the time needed and deserved. Seeing all the LA hair metal bands scrambling to reinvent themselves in flannel shirts and goatee beards was fvcking hilarious!

Mind you, Kurt was right about its production values being too glossy. The songs still stand up but sonically it hasn't aged as well as In Utero or even Bleach. The Butch Vig mixes included on the 20 year anniversary edition sound much better to my ears.


As for its influence, I always thought PJ and AIC had a bigger impact - especially on vocalists. Again not always for the best. Creed for example.....<spit>

Rainman16

My awakening into music didn't really come until the early 2000's at which time Nirvana were long gone but I feel their influence was still strong and being felt in the american rock scene. Maybe looking back I have a rose tinted view of the past. But to me Nirvana remained relevant long after their time.

Grayditch

Nope. It's not 25. Don't be silly. Sure that would make me...


make me... very unhappy about doing those maths...

freedominacup

Grayditch wrote: »

Nope. It's not 25. Don't be silly. Sure that would make me...


make me... very unhappy about doing those maths...

It blew me away but I hadn't a lot to compare it to. Nirvana very quickly became a huge bandwagon that everyone wanted to jump on.

ThisRegard

I always preferred Ten, released a few weeks earlier, and still think it stands the test of time better when it comes to alternative/grunge from that era. I probably listened to their Unplugged, on bootleg, more often.

endacl

I worked at the Sonic Youth gig in the Top Hat where Nirvana supported. Good band live. Liked the album when it came out, but it was never on heavy rotation in my gaff. I like it, and if a track comes on the radio I'll turn it up rather than turn it off, but I'll never reach for a copy to play.

Temple of the Dog also came out that year. I still listen to that more. As did BloodSugarSexMagic, the Chilis last best album. Likewise. Pearl Jam's Ten, and Metallica's black album from the same year also left a bigger mark on me and get listened to more.

Short answer: liked it. Didn't love it. A 'great album'? Sure. Why not. Just not one of mine.

groovyg

This is what the baby on the cover looks like 25 years later
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/want-to-feel-old-heres-what-the-baby-from-nirvanas-nevermind-loo/

endacl

groovyg wrote: »

This is what the baby on the cover looks like 25 years later
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/want-to-feel-old-heres-what-the-baby-from-nirvanas-nevermind-loo/

Off topic, but here's the kids from Houses of the Holy...

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/led-zeppelin-houses-of-the-holy-child-models/

buck65

Heard this when it came out and though hmmm okay not bad, more into metal at the time and I still think it's okay.
Soundgarden though were never grunge in my eyes.

Wrongway1985

buck65 wrote: »

Heard this when it came out and though hmmm okay not bad, more into metal at the time and I still think it's okay.
Soundgarden though were never grunge in my eyes.

What was your perception of grunge then? If Soundgarden were never that you don't think it's a time period or valid they were from Seattle too which very much kinda glues them to that scene forevermore.

buck65

Soundgarden were way heavier, meatier and rockier than the likes of Nirvana, Mudhoney etc. The whole grunge movement to me was almost a pseudo hippy trip thing with rock music.
Being form Seattle at the time seemed to generalise all bands as grunge.

blastman

I probably prefer Bleach but the first time I heard Nirvana was when they did Teen Spirit on The Word and it immediately got my attention.....

Pawwed Rig

blastman wrote: »

I probably prefer Bleach but the first time I heard Nirvana was when they did Teen Spirit on The Word and it immediately got my attention.....

Ha The Word.
Do you remember L7 on The Word? That was an eye opener for a teenage boy in the pre internet 90s.